Wheat PLA

Francofil, a french filament manufacturer, has developed a series of biocomposite filaments among which, in addition to PLA Wheat, we can find PLA Scallop, PLA Oyster, PLA Mussel and PLA Coffee.

Image 1: Filament and printed piece with PLA Wheat. Source: Francofil.

This filament is considered Bio-composite, as it is composed of a matrix (PLA) and a filling of natural material. Bio-composite products provide an alternative to those products derived from oil.

The matrix of this filament is composed of PLA (polylactic acid), and it is combined with particles of wheat, one of the three most widely produced grains globally.

PLA is a biodegradable plastic obtained from natural resources. In particular, it is obtained from starch extracted from corn, beet and wheat. Together with ABS, PLA is one of the most widely used materials in 3D printing today.

As it has a PLA base, this filament maintains the mechanical properties and the ease of printing of this material. PLA Wheat does not require a hot bed, so it can be printed on almost any 3D FDM printer on the market. In addition, it does not give off harmful gases during the printing process.

Due to the particle content, it is recommended to use a nozzle with at least 0.5 mm outlet diameter to avoid possible clogging. By using a nozzle with a smaller output diameter, a jam could occur which would cause a print failure.

Image 2: Filament and part printed with PLA Wheat. Source: Francofil.

The colour of the wheat PLA filament is naturally given by its wheat particle content; while other filaments are additivated with artificial substances to achieve different colours or particular finishes. 

Due to its nature, the colour of the wheat PLA filament can vary from one batch to another, without implying any manufacturing defect.

Thanks to its composition, this material offers very striking print finishes. The colour of the material once printed is a toasted tone with small, darker-toned particles. It also has a very original translucent finish.

This finish is very interesting for applications in the art sector, design or decoration among others. Specifically, it is an ideal filament for 3D printed pieces with spiral or base spiral mode, as this mode manages to highlight the translucency that characterizes this material.
In addition, the particles of the PLA Wheat filament hide the layer lines and other possible defects of the pieces.

Currently, companies from different sectors are looking to generate a lower environmental impact. In this context, the biocomposite filaments developed by Francofil may be a suitable option.

Image 3: Vases printed with biocomposed filaments. From left to right: PLA coffee, PLA wheat, PLA oyster, PLA mussel and PLA scallop. Source: Francofil.

To read more about terms related to the environmental impact of materials, it is recommended to read the following article. 

PLA wheat
Eco / Ecofriendly
Sustainable
Biodegradable
Compostable
Biocomposite
Recycling

Table 1: Wheat PLA filament characteristics.

All these characteristics make the PLA Wheat filament an ideal material for the development of artistic or decorative pieces, although it is also very useful for the manufacture of non-functional prototypes.

* In spite of being a biocomposite filament with a wheat content, this filament is not edible.