3D Printing with PLA

PLA is a great material for use in 3D printing. It is a hard, biodegradable plastic usually created from corn starch, that comes in a wide variety of colors. This makes it quite environmentally friendly. PLA is printed with a technology called fused deposition modeling, which pulls a spool of PLA filament through a heated extruder. The extruder then traces the path of the object being printed, layer by layer, onto a printing tray. Because of the layering process, it is common to see a layered texture on the exterior of most PLA prints. This effect may be more pronounced on curved surfaces. PLA prints are printed in a semi-hollow fashion that minimizes cost and maximizes overall strength of the print. Depending on the geometry of the object being printed, structural supports may be required for a successful print. These supports are created from PLA and are used to support overhanging structures of the object during the printing process. Supports may leave minor, visible markings on final prints.

PLA is great for low-cost prototyping, hobby projects and can even be used for final/functional parts in some cases. If you don’t see a color below that fits your needs, just ask us. We can usually source a large number of additional colors at a customers request.