What is PLA?

So what is PLA filament? Or to give it its full name - PolyLactic Acid?

Well PLA is the most commonly used material for 3D Printing due to it being the easiest filament to print with. PLA is different from most thermoplastic polymers because it sourced from renewables such as corn starch or sugar cane.

PLA is a biomass plastic and is catergorised under the term “bioplastics”. Polylactic acid is also biodegradable which gives you a clear conscience about using the material for your 3D Printing.

PLA is also considered a food safe material, however there can issues when 3D Printed due to the micro gaps in between layers than can harbour bacteria.

Polylactic Acid is best for 3D Printers who are just starting out as it is forgiving when printed. It is perfect for rapid prototyping and is normally the go to material if you want something done fast.

However it does have it’s negatives, it isn’t very heat resistant and can lose it’s shape easily. It also isn’t as strong as other materials.

To get the best from our PLA filament, start at 195C and work from there. Our filament works well at a lower temperature than many others. You will need cooling to work with PLA, and to ensure bed adhesion, we would recommend heating it to 60C if you can along with a suitable spray or pen adhesive.

Below is the table we provide for when using our PLA Black 1.75mm 3D Printing Filament!