Materials /Basic material
PLA 3D printing
PLA is the most economical material and the one that gives the best surface detail in FDM. It is the right choice for prototypes, models and indoor parts with no thermal demands. Its limit is clear: it starts to deform at around 60 °C, so it is not for a car dashboard in the sun or for parts near a motor.
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At a glance
| Heat resistance (HDT) | 60 °C |
|---|---|
| Mechanical strength | Medium — stiff but not tough: it breaks before it bends |
| Outdoor use | Not recommended (UV and heat degrade it) |
| Surface detail | The best of the materials we print |
| Post-processing | Sands well; does not take acetone or demanding machining |
Heat deflection temperature (HDT, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa) from the data sheet of the filament we use. Real part behaviour depends on geometry, orientation and print settings.
When to choose PLA
- —Prototypes and design iterations: you want to see and hold the shape before deciding.
- —Form and fit validation: checking the part fits where it has to fit.
- —Models, displays and presentation parts with a good finish.
- —Indoor parts with no load or heat: brackets, organisers, assembly jigs.
- —When budget rules: it is the cheapest material per printed volume.
When NOT to use PLA
- —Parts that will sit in the sun or inside a parked vehicle.
- —Anything near a motor, a heat source or hot water.
- —Parts taking impacts or continuous vibration: it is brittle.
- —Parts exposed to the weather for months.
If any of these describe your part, PETG is the logical next step (it withstands up to 78 °C and is far tougher), and for outdoor use ASA is the right call.
Why PLA is still the most used material
PLA prints easily, does not warp during printing and reproduces fine detail that other materials round off. That makes it the default material for validating a design: when what you want is the part in your hand as soon as possible to decide whether the geometry works, paying for an engineering material makes no sense. If the final part then needs to withstand more, you reprint it in the right material from the same file.
The thermal limit, plainly
The figure that matters is HDT: 60 °C. That is the temperature at which the material starts to yield under load. A closed car in the sun easily exceeds it, and a PLA part inside will deform. This is not a defect, it is the nature of the material: below that temperature it behaves perfectly and costs half of the alternatives.
What it will cost you
Price does not depend on material alone: preparation, slicing and packing are fixed work on every order. That is why almost every small and medium part lands on the €20 + VAT minimum order, whether PLA or PETG. The material difference shows on large parts. Upload your file and see it in seconds, no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How much heat can a PLA part take?
Up to around 60 °C (heat deflection temperature, HDT, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, from the filament manufacturer's data sheet). Above that it starts to soften and deform under load. For more heat: PETG (78 °C), ABS (100 °C) or ASA (103 °C).
Is PLA suitable for outdoor parts?
We do not recommend it. Sunlight and heat together degrade and deform it within months. For outdoor use, ASA is designed exactly for that: it is UV- and weather-stable.
Is PLA the cheapest 3D printing material?
Yes, it is the most economical of the 13 we quote. Even so, on small parts the difference against other materials is barely noticeable, because the €20 + VAT minimum order covers the fixed preparation work.
Is PLA biodegradable?
PLA is made from plant sources and is compostable in industrial composting facilities, under controlled temperature and humidity. At home, in a garden or in ordinary landfill it does not degrade appreciably: do not think of it as a plastic that just disappears.
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