Glossary · Filament

PLA

The simplest and most popular printing material. Good for decoration, figures and prototypes, but it softens even in the heat of a car.

Explained in more detail

Polylactide, a bioplastic made, for example, from maize starch. Print temperature 190 to 220 °C, bed 50 to 60 °C, strong part cooling. Low shrinkage, hardly any warping, hardly any smell. The glass transition temperature is around 55 to 60 °C, above which PLA becomes soft. Stiff but brittle: it breaks rather than bends. Industrially compostable, but practically non-degradable in home compost. Variants: PLA+, silk, matt and filled types with wood or carbon.

Where does the term come from?

PLA stands for "polylactic acid". Its building block, lactic acid (from the Latin lac, milk), is produced by fermenting sugar or starch, for example from maize.

In practice

In enclosed printers, open the door or lid, otherwise heat builds up and the filament softens before it reaches the nozzle.
Set part cooling to 100% from the second layer, which improves overhangs and detail.
Silk PLA often needs 5 to 15 °C more and slower outer walls, around 40 to 60 mm/s.
Dry at 45 to 55 °C for 4 to 6 hours; stored open, PLA becomes brittle over time and breaks on the spool.
PLA+, Pro or Tough are not standardised designations, and every manufacturer means something different by them.

Not to be confused

Not to be confused with PVA: the abbreviations are similar, but PVA is a water-soluble support material.

Frequently asked questions

At what temperature does PLA soften?

From around 55 to 60 °C. A part in a car, on a sunny windowsill or near a heater can therefore deform.

What temperature does PLA need?

190 to 220 °C at the nozzle and 50 to 60 °C at the bed. The figure on the spool takes priority, and you can find the exact value with a temperature tower.

Printers that can process PLA

According to manufacturer specifications, from the 58 printers in the wiki: