If you have a Polar3D printer and have filament from a previous 3D printer, you are in luck! Polar3D does not use proprietary filament. This means that as long as you have 1.75mm diameter filament, your Polar3D printer can print it.
Note that we strongly recommend use of PLA filament in the classroom as it: (1) is easier for beginners, and (2) does not require ventilation.
Our other suggestion is that when it comes to filament, cheaper is not always the best choice. An extra cheap roll of filament may not have the same print quality as the Polar 3D filament, or other standard brands of filament. For instance, you may find particles within the filament cause jams in the 3D printer, making it an annoyance to keep cleaning it out; (see Section 6.3 of the Polar3D Printer Guide). Or filament whose diameter does not remain consistent may result in lower quality prints.
Especially if you’re using filament from a supplier other than Polar 3D, measure precisely the diameter of your filament with a caliper. And know what temperature is best for your filament, and be sure to set the printer extruder temperature accordingly. See Polar Cloud PRINT SETTINGS to adjust for a different “Filament diameter” (under “BASIC”) or “Temperature” (also under “BASIC”).
Filament manufacturers will generally provide a recommendation for the extrusion temperature for their filament; but note that that may not be identical to the operational temperature settings for your printer’s extruder: for instance, the same Polar3D filament should be printed with a “Temperature” setting of 185° C on a Polar3D printer, but a “Temperature” setting of 220°C on a FlashForge Inventor II printer.