PLA filament 1.75 mm is the most universal material for FDM printing technology, also suitable for printing large objects. Thanks to its easy-to-print properties, we recommend PLA to all beginners starting with 3D printing. Another major advantage is 100% eco-friendly 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 sands poorly — sanding (friction) generates heat, which causes the printed strands to “pull.” 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 difficult (again due to heating). It is advisable to first spray the part with a filler/primer (putty used in modeling), then sand and lacquer, and repeat until the surface is completely smooth, and finally spray with paint.

Bonding PLA

Cyanoacrylate superglue with an aerosol activator (sometimes the superglue alone may suffice).

Recommended PLA print settings

Commonly used nozzles are suitable. You can choose diameters according to the surface finish you want to achieve or according to the layer height settings when printing. Printing temperature: 210 °C. PLA filament benefits from a heated bed, and for better adhesion it is recommended to heat it up to 55 °C. We also do not recommend enclosing the printer for PLA filament; leave it open. For a 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%.

The filament is supplied vacuum-sealed 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.