PLA : All informations and advices to help you print your 3D model with PLA.
what is PLA :
Polylactic Acid (PLA) filament is a recyclable, natural thermoplastic polyester that is derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane. The filament is biodegradable under certain conditions with high heat capacity and high mechanical strength. It can be melted without significant damage and does not emit toxins or fumes.
What is PLA plastic used for ?
PLA plastic filament has quickly become a popular material due to its economical production from renewable resources. The PLA plastic material comes in the form of a wire on a spool, which is fed into the extrusion head where the plastic is melted and deposited in continuous extrusion on the printing plate. This material is translucent in its natural form, but spools of colored filament can be used to craft objects of different colors.
During cooling, this material shrinks less than ABS, which gives it good geometric stability during the manufacturing process.
PLA can be useful for your product development as this material can be used for rapid prototyping.
Large-scale 3D printing is the main advantage of the PLA we offer at Sculpteo, which can be a huge advantage for a wide range of applications. This material offers you the possibility of printing professional and industrial parts of 1m x 1m x 1m thanks to a large 3D printer! BigRep PLA material has good strength and stiffness, making this 3D printing material filament ideal for demanding industrial production. 3Dp BigRep PLA can perfectly be used to 3D print large objects for the fields of architecture or construction but also for marketing displays, exhibitions or signage.
This 3D printing filament is an affordable and versatile plastic. It can easily be used for prototypes, model making, tooling parts or end use parts. However, there are still some drawbacks such as photodegradation which is caused by UV radiation if PLA is exposed to sunlight.
We inform you that this material is not suitable for applications requiring an aptitude for high humidity (over 98%) or high temperatures (over 60°C). Be sure to check the physical mechanical properties of PLA plastic 3D printing material before.
DISADVANTAGES OF PLA !
- It has a slow rate of decomposition when not in a controlled environment (it will decompose in three months with specific composting conditions, otherwise it could take 100-1000 years)
- The increase in the world’s population raises the question of whether it is ethical to spend entire harvests of corn, for example, in the production of bioplastics, rather than feeding people in need.
- It relies heavily on the use of transgenic cultures with concerns about increased monoculture and lack of long-term testing.
Mixing it with traditional plastics can contaminate the recycling process. - The PLA plastic will behave brittle unless mixed with less environmentally friendly polymers.
Compared to petroleum-based plastics, bioplastics such as PLA are deficient in strength and crystallinity.
Availability and colors
PLA is a principal participants in our menu of products and u can get your FILAMENTS NOW
You PLA plastic parts can take on a variety of colors with many color options available according to your project specifications.
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