Everyone can print PLA, it’s super easy, right? Well, only because everyone else is printing it, too! PLA comes with its own set of pitfalls, but it can be incredibly rewarding to get it right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unmvWkfpmRE
What happened to the filaween site? I loved the comparison chart.
I know PLA is better in many cases, but ABS is so much stronger and durable, plus the application of the acetone bath to improve it’s strength and appearance. PLA is better if you’re making stuff for kids, or are likely going to throw something away and don’t want to worry yourself as much over it.
PLA produces non toxic fumes.
Strange that at CES 2018 or TCT, showed very few FDM machines with fume filtration/extraction
@Gary_Tolley_Grogyan The most harmful aspect of 3D printers are not fumes from materials like ABS, its UFP’s (Ultra Fine Particles) but whether or not the quantity of UFP’s generated is significant enough to worry about is still unclear.
Actually PLA can when printing at temps over 200 C.
@Adam_Steinmark I was using the term ‘fumes’ loosely as, fumes also contain UFP.
There are MSDS available if searching the web for that particular polymer, however, with virtually no filament supplier, even providing such information on their web page, is rather serious.
@Xenomorpheus PLA also produces UFP, however they are far less toxic than most other materials, which is one of the things highlighted in the early days from the RepRap project, for 3D printers to be mainstream, like they are today.
The cons of PLA should be considered as being significant enough to justify using other polymers for the average home user/hobbyist
Yeah, I do limit my days of 3D printing, but I refuse to use PLA . . . not having kids or pets, ABS just has far more applications and PLA is just too brittle to use, and is more finicky here in the humid southeast US.
@Xenomorpheus PLA is much more durable than you describe it. I’m using PLA for my glasses frames with a printed hinge and it works great. ABS was actually not rigid enough for the tight tolerances.
Odd, I’ve had no tolerance issues with ABS so far. Course I find it’s all based on the orientation of the print.
@Xenomorpheus Sorry my wording was bad. It was mostly that the parts were too thin and exhibited to much flex under stress when printed in ABS. I’m trying XT-CF20 tomorrow but PLA works fine.
There’s a universe of plastics and the argument is still ABS vs PLA as if it’s both kinds of plastic?
Other plastics might be better but I can find pla everywere.