PLA

Properties

Biodegradability
Renewable Source
Transparency/Translucency
Low Toxicity: PLA is generally considered non-toxic and safe for food contact, making it suitable for certain applications like food packaging.
Ease of Printing
Low Odor
Rigidity and Strength: PLA is a rigid material with decent strength, but it may not be as strong as some other engineering plastics. Its mechanical properties make it suitable for various prototyping applications.
Limited Heat Resistance: PLA has a lower heat resistance compared to some other thermoplastics. It can soften and deform at temperatures above 60-70 degrees Celsius.
Brittleness: PLA can be more brittle than some other plastics, and its brittleness can be a consideration in certain applications.

Description

PLA has become a popular material (generally) due to it being economically produced from renewable resources. In 2021, PLA had the highest consumption volume of any bioplastic of the world. PLA is the most widely used plastic filament material in FDM 3D printing, due to its low melting point, high strength, low thermal expansion, and good layer adhesion, although it possesses poor heat resistance unless annealed.

How it's made: The monomer is typically made from fermented plant starch such as from corn, cassava, sugarcane or sugar beet pulp. (source)

Print Settings

Nozzle temperature: 180 to 220 °C
Bed temperature: 50-70°C

Material Sources

Prusament PLA - different colors available
ABC3D
Biome3d a starch-based bioplastic being launched (Walmart, Amazon)
Wound Up PLA - PLA based filament with the waste products of coffee roasting
Printed Solid: Sells filament, resin, and other 3D printer accessories
Creality
Elegoo
eSun
Hatchbox 3D - High-accuracy affordable filament, includes PLA, PLA PRO, ABS, PETG, TPU, carbon fiber, wood, glow-in-the-dark, and color changing with multiple surface finishes.
Micro Center Filaments & Resins
Protopasta

Applications

Prototyping

3D Printers that can use it

Most filament printers (FDM)