PLA filament 1.75 mm is the most versatile material for FDM printing technology, suitable even for printing large objects. Due to its easy-to-print properties, we recommend PLA to all beginners starting with 3D printing. Another major advantage is 100% environmental biodegradability, as PLA is made from renewable resources such as corn starch. PLA material is hard and durable like other plastics; however, it is not suitable for outdoor use because it degrades and becomes brittle under UV light.

PLA surface finishing

The material is difficult to sand; sanding (friction) generates heat, which causes strands to be “pulled” from the print. Therefore, when hand sanding, it is recommended to cool the print, for example by wet sanding. For the same reason, drilling holes in the print is also challenging (again, heat buildup). It is advisable to first spray the part with a filler/primer (putty used in modeling), then sand and clear-coat, repeating as needed until the surface is completely smooth, and finally apply the paint.

Bonding PLA

Cyanoacrylate (super glue) with an activator spray (sometimes the cyanoacrylate alone is sufficient).

Recommended PLA print settings

Commonly used nozzles are suitable. You can choose diameters according to the surface detail you want to achieve or according to the layer height settings when printing. Printing temperature: 210 °C. PLA filament benefits from a heated bed; for better adhesion, it is recommended to heat it up to 55 °C. We also do not recommend enclosing the printer for PLA; if you have an enclosure, leave it open. For high-quality surface finish, the plastic needs to be cooled as quickly as possible after the nozzle. We therefore recommend setting the part cooling fan on the printer to 100%.

We supply the filament vacuum-packed with a desiccant and placed in a cardboard box. The plastic spools on which the filament is wound may differ in embossing or color. We strive to maintain 100% repeatability of winding and spool color.