PLA Basic

PLA (polylactic acid) is a biodegradable plastic that is obtained from natural resources, specifically it's obtained from the starch extracted from corn, beets or wheat. This filament is made in Europe and it comes in 1 kg spools and in diameters of 1.75 mm or 2. 85 mm. PLA is one of the most used materials in 3D printing today because it doesn't give off harmful gases and it is easy to print on almost any FDM 3D printer on the market. The ease of use of this material derives from many factors:

1. It doesn't require a hot bed. If it is available, it is recommended to use it at around 60 ºC.
2. It's generally printed at low temperatures (between 190-230 ºC).
3. It's a material with an almost non-existent warping.

Material	PLA Basic	ABS Basic
Biodegradable
Hygroscopic
Machining possible
Coating possible
Requires Hot bed
Warping tendency
Gives off odors

Table 1: Comparison of printing properties and characteristics of PLA and ABS Basic. Source: Filament2Print.

The PLA Basic is made of PLA INGEO 3D850 without the incorporation of recovered material. Thus, PLA Basic is a material with high resolution, rigidity, and low shrinkage. It has a higher hot melt index than other PLAs and excellent adhesion to printing surfaces, a feature that optimizes the quality of the first layer and minimizes the risk of warping or deformation.

Image 1: Some of the PLA Basic colors. Source: Filament2Print.

The highlight of the PLA Basic is its improved mechanical properties, its impact resistance and its resistance to high temperatures. PLA Basic exhibits faster crystallization rates, and is capable of developing resistance to temperatures of up to 90 ºC until reaching its softening temperature. Thanks to all these properties, PLA Basic allows printing glossy pieces with good resistance to impact and temperature, generating less carbon footprint than ABS.

Parts 3D printed in PLA stand out for their glossy finish, which makes PLA a widely used material for the manufacture of aesthetic or decorative pieces, as well as for the production of non-functional prototypes. Another way to obtain extraordinary surface finishes with PLA is the use of coatings specifically designed for 3D printing, such as XTC-3D or Nanovia Spray coating.