PLA

Economical Thermoplastic

PLA is a renewable plastic material offered as a low-cost material option for fast-draft part iterations.

Quick, economical design concepts available in 11 colour options, including transparent. Available on the office-friendly Stratasys F123™ Series 3D printers, PLA offers a higher stiffness than ABS and its low melting point and HDT mean less heat and power required to print parts.

PLA works well at high speeds, specifically fast-draft mode on the Stratasys F123 Series, for quick concept verification and design development.

PLA Material Properties

Behaviour and use

TENSILE STRENGTH

45 MPa (XZ Axis)
26 MPa (ZX Axis)

FLEXURAL STRENGTH

84 MPa (XZ Axis)
45 MPa (ZX Axis)

HDT

53°C

IZOD IMPACT, NOTCHED

27 J/m

Main Uses

PLA model material is ideal for quick concept and verification models with good tensile strength. This value-priced material is user-friendly and ideal for classroom environments and made from renewable resources.

Top Applications

Rapid Prototyping
Education
Sales and Marketing

PLA Printing with a Stratasys F123

Learn more about 3D printing PLA parts

Take a closer look at printing in PLA with a Stratasys F123 Series 3D Printer. PLA gives you the speed of fast-draft mode while keeping material expenses down. Spend less, create more.

The Stratasys F123 series provides up to four different Fused Deposition Modeling materials (PLA, ABS-M30, ASA, PC-ABS) along with easy-to-remove soluble support material.

FDM Material Applications

Learn how designers and engineers are using FDM Materials

CAD specializes in creating complex surface geometry for the plastics industry.

Design Firm 3D Prints with Stratasys machine to refine Ideas with Speed

A Stratasys F123 series printer with GrabCAD Print™ software streamlines the shared workflow of a Design Firm and makes CAD even more responsive to fast-moving projects.

3D Printing a Space Vehicle for Mars Exploration

To design such a tenacious and specialized vehicle, NASA are 3D Printing Space Vehicle Parts. For example, about 70 of the parts that make up the rover were built digitally, directly from computer designs, in the heated chamber of a production-grade Stratasys 3D Printer.

Additive Manufacturing reduces fixture costs by 65%

Oreck uses PC thermoplastic to create custom assembly pallets for its commercial vacuum business. Oreck uses Additive Manufacturing extensively to produce prototypes, specialized assembly tools and CNC milling fixtures.

Reaching New Heights of Efficiency with Additive Manufacturing Tooling

GKN Aerospace Achieves Significant Savings with Additive Manufactured Tooling and Prototypes. GKN Aerospace (GKN) is a leading multi-technology tier one aerospace supplier, serving over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers.

Additive manufacturing aerospace component

Additive Manufacturing reduces Aerospace part lead time by 95%

Rapid Processing Solutions Inc. (Rapid PSI) is a contract manufacturer that specializes in Additive Manufacturing Aerospace parts. The company uses Stratasys 3D Production Systems to make production parts for most every large business jet manufacturer worldwide.

PLA Specification & Features

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES	TEST METHOD	ENGLISH		METRIC
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES	TEST METHOD	XZ AXIS	ZX AXIS	XZ axis	ZX axis
Tensile Strength, Yield (Type 1, 0.125”, 0.2”/min)	ASTM D638	6,580 psi	3,790 psi	45 MPa	26 MPa
Tensile Strength, Ultimate (Type 1, 0.125”, 0.2”/min)	ASTM D638	6,990 psi	3,830 psi	48 MPa	26 MPa
Tensile Modulus (Type 1, 0.125”, 0.2”/min)	ASTM D638	440,730 psi	368,200 psi	3,039 MPa	2,539 MPa
Elongation at Break (Type 1, 0.125”, 0.2”/min)	ASTM D638	2.5%	1.0%	2.5%	1.0%
Elongation at Yield (Type 1, 0.125”, 0.2”/min)	ASTM D638	1.5%	1.0%	1.5%	1.0%
Flexural Strength (Method 1, 0.05”/min)	ASTM D790	12,190 psi	6,570 psi	84 MPa	45 MPa
Flexural Modulus (Method 1, 0.05”/min)	ASTM D790	425,010 psi	358,290 psi	2,930 MPa	2,470 MPa
Flexural Strain at Break	ASTM D790	4.1%	1.9%	4.1%	1.9%
IZOD impact - notched (Method A, 23 °C)	ASTM D256	0.5 ft-lb/in	N/A	27 J/m	N/A
IZOD impact - unnotched (Method A, 23 °C)	ASTM D256	3.6 ft-lb/in	N/A	192 J/m	N/A

THERMAL PROPERTIES	TEST METHOD	ENGLISH	METRIC
Heat Deflection (HDT) @ 66 psi	ASTM D648	127 °F	53 °C
Heat Deflection (HDT) @ 264 psi	ASTM D648	124 °F	51 °C
Vicat Softening Temperature (Rate B/50)	ASTM D1525	129 °F	54 °C
Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)	DMA (SSYS)	145 °F	63 °C
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (flow)	ASTM E831	56x10 μin/(in∙°F)	101x10 µm/(m∙°C)
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (xflow)	ASTM E831	57x10 µin/(in∙°F)	102x10 µm/(m∙°C)

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES	TEST METHOD	VALUE
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES	TEST METHOD	XY	ZX
Volume Resistivity	ASTM D257	2.9E+15 ohm-cm	3.24E+15 ohm-cm
Dielectric Constant	ASTM D150-98	1.51	2.33
Dissipation Factor	ASTM D150-98	0.003	0.005
Dielectric Strength	ASTM D149-09, Method A	154 V/mil	293 V/mil

OTHER	TEST METHOD	VALUE
Specific Gravity	ASTM D792	1.264 g/cc

SYSTEM AVAILABILITY	LAYER THICKNESS CAPABILITY	SUPPORT STRUCTURE	AVAILABLE COLOURS
F123 Series	0.010 in. (0.254 mm)	Breakaway	Black White Light Gray Medium Gray Red Blue Natural Trans Red Trans Blue Trans Yellow Trans Green Trans

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Technology

Advantages of 3D printing PLA with a Stratasys FDM Machine

Tough long-lasting parts

FDM technology works with engineering-grade thermoplastics to build strong, long-lasting and dimensionally stable parts with the best accuracy and repeatability of any 3D printing technology. PLA parts are tough enough to be used as advanced conceptual models, functional prototypes, manufacturing tools and production parts.

Meet production demands

FDM systems are as versatile and durable as the parts they produce. Advanced FDM 3D Printers boast the largest build envelopes and material capacities in their class, delivering longer, uninterrupted build times, bigger parts and higher quantities than other additive manufacturing systems, delivering high throughput, duty cycles and utilization rates.

Gain new possibilities

FDM 3D Printers streamline processes from design through manufacturing, reducing costs and eliminating traditional barriers along the way. Industries can cut lead times and costs, products turn out better and get to market faster.

Learn about FDM Technology

Compatible 3D Printers

Stratasys Machines that can print with PLA material

Stratasys F123

The Stratasys F123 series combines powerful FDM technology with design to print GrabCAD software for the most versatile and intelligent solution available

Need to 3D print with PLA?

Call us free at 1-877-219-6757 to speak to an expert, or send us your CAD model and we'll 3D print it with PLA material

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