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All About Filaments

PLA

PLA is short for polylactic acid and is a plastic made of renewable starches such as corn and sugarcanes.

Pros

  • It is biodegradable and does not emit a lot of ultra fines particles (UFCs).
  • Parts printed using PLA are more rigid than ABS parts.
  • PLA is less prone to warping during print and is much more ‘stickier’ than ABS.

Cons

  • PLA requires more force to be extruded.
  • Depending on the specifications PLA extrusion temperatures vary significantly compared with ABS upwards of 60C in some cases.
  • PLA is a newer material, but it is rapidly becoming very common in the industry.

ABS

ABS is short for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and it is a common petroleum based thermoplastic.

Pros

  • Depending on the specifications, ABS extrusion temperatures are more stable compared with PLA around 40C.
  • ABS is less brittle compared with PLA.
  • It is easier to extrude compared with PLA.
  • ABS is tried and true and is the preferred material for many 3D hobbyists.

Cons

  • ABS is more prone to producing UFCs when compared to PLA. Good ventilation is recommended.
  • It produces a slight ‘burnt plastic’ smell when extruding.