PLA Flax

Nanovia is a renowned French manufacturer of filaments and products for 3D printing specialised in offering technical products. 

Nanovia PLA Flax is a PLA-based material filled with flax fibres. PLA is a biodegradable polymer obtained from natural resources, such as starch extracted from corn, sugar beet or wheat.

In addition, PLA is one of the most widely used materials in 3D printing today due to the fact that it does not give off harmful gases and is easy to print. The ease of use of this material derives from several factors:

• It does not require a heated bed, although if it is available, it is recommended to use it at 60 ºC.
• It is generally printed at low temperatures (between 190ºC and 220ºC).
• It is a material with an almost non-existent warping (warping is the deformation of the pieces with respect to the base).

The low technical requirements of this material mean that it can be printed on almost any 3D printer on the market.

The flax fibre loading improves the mechanical properties of the material and gives a rustic finish to the parts 3D printed with this filament. In addition, the shade of the material can be modified according to the printing temperature, making it possible to create parts with different shades using a single material.

Image 1: Piece printed with PLA Flax and different shades. Source: Nanovia.

The flax fibres that compose Nanovia's PLA Flax are harvested and processed in France, and are specially selected for additive manufacturing. The organic appearance and surface finish of this filament make it an ideal material for the manufacture of decorative objects and toys.

In addition to its properties and attractive finish, this biodegradable material of biological origin is certified free of oestrogenic endocrine disruptors.

Image 2: Parts printed with PLA Flax by Nanovia. Source: Nanovia.

Thus, by combining the printability of PLA with the mechanical properties of flax fibres, Nanovia PLA Flax makes it possible to create 3D printed parts with good mechanical properties and an organic finish in a simple way.