Olive PLA

Smart materials 3D is a Spanish company dedicated to the development and production of filaments for 3D printing, which in this case proposes an innovative biodegradable and compostable material with a PLA (polylactic acid) polymeric base and a filler composed of organic waste from olive pits: PLA Oliva.

The olive is the fruit of the olive tree, a tree that comes from Greece and Asia Minor. This fruit can be eaten as an aperitif or it can be milled to obtain olive oil. The olive tree is the most cultivated fruit tree in the world and Spain leads its production with 20,545,421 tons per year. The olive stone has gone from being an insignificant waste product to an industrial revolution.

The olive stone, when treated correctly, has the following properties:

• Low moisture absorption.
• High heat capacity.
• Good thermal and acoustic properties.
• Ability to absorb heavy metals by filtering air or water.

These properties make olive pits a very useful by-product in various applications.

Smart materials 3D has more than 20 years of experience and a great team of specialists who have managed to develop a filament from organic matter and PLA obtaining a filament compatible with most FDM 3D printers on the market.

Image 1: Parts 3D printed with PLA oliva by Smart Materials. Source: Smart Materials.

Thanks to its PLA matrix, this filament is as easy to print as conventional PLA, although in this case, the manufacturer recommends using a hot bed during printing for optimal results, or using a base adhesion product such as Magigoo or 3Dlac if this is not available.

By its nature, this revolutionary filament can vary in colour shade from one spool to another, and may even contain small variations within the same spool.

Applications

Smart materials 3D wanted to do its bit by converting organic matter, in this case from olive pits, into a filament with a lower environmental impact that can also be used in 3D printers by amateurs or experts in FDM 3D printing, producing parts that help filter out heavy metals found in the air or water or that take advantage of the thermal or acoustic properties or the heat capacity provided by this filament.

With this new material, there are no limits in the way, as it is possible to make everything from key rings to mobile phone cases, scale prototypes, architectural models or decorative pieces, among others.

This filament should be taken into account when generating new parts, as it is a sustainable filament with a lower environmental impact than other materials, something that is increasingly valued in various sectors of industry.