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Description
Our best high quality PLA for beginners looking for a reliable, colourful and consistent 3D printing experience.
- Easy-to-print Polymaker PLA.
- High rigidity, tensile strength and inter-layer adhesion.
- Jam-free™ technology improves compatibility with all-metal hotends.
- Cardboard spool & packaging (made from 100% recycled cardboard)
- Consistent colour and tolerance (1.75mm diameter +/- 0.03mm)
PolyLite™ is a family of 3D printing filaments made with the best raw materials to deliver exceptional quality and reliability. PolyLite™ covers the most popular 3D printing materials to meet your everyday needs in design and prototyping. PolyLite™ PLA is a high-quality PLA designed for reliability and ease of printing.
Features
- Strength and Rigidity - PolyLite™ PLA is based on a high molecular weight PLA from Natureworks, which makes it one of the most rigid PLA materials on the market. The combination of good tensile strength, inter-layer adhesion and stiffness makes PolyLite™ PLA ideal for product design and prototyping applications that require a rigid material that is easy to print.
- Compatibility In Mind - PolyLite™ PLA is a high quality PLA filament compatible with a wide range of 3D printers including models from Creality, FlashForge, Monoprice, Lulzbot, Makerbot, Ultimaker, Prusa Research, Raise3D, Tiertime and other popular extrusion based 3D printers. PolyLite™ PLA can be printed without a heated bed and works well with common printing surfaces, though a heated bed can be used to achieve better results (maximum 60°C).
- Jam-Free™ technology - PolyLite™ PLA is manufactured with Polymakers Jam-Free™ technology which improves the heat stability of the filament with softening temperatures over 140°C and leads to excellent printing quality with zero risk of nozzle jams caused by heat creep [1].
- Uncompromised Quality - PolyLite™ PLA filament is made with the highest quality ingredients including Ingeo® from Natureworks. Natureworks is a world-leading biopolymers supplier based in the USA with a portfolio of high quality raw PLA materials produced from rapidly renewable plant resources. Combining Polymakers innovative R&D technologies, compounding and extrusion systems with Natureworks Ingeo® resins produces a reliable 3D printing filament to print beautiful and accurate models.
[1] Heat creep is the the process of heat spreading irregularly throughout the hot end, one common example is with all metal hot end designs. Once heat creeps towards the cold end, the PLA filament softens prematurely in the cold end and expands resulting in a jam. Polymakers Jam-Free™ technology increases the heat resistance of the filament itself (not the printed part) to 140˚C which prevents the filament from prematurely softening in the cold end and can still melt rapidly once entering the heating zone.
Polymaker PLA Comparison
Compare PolyLite™ PLA, PolyLite™ PLA+ Pro, PolyMax™ PLA, PolyLite™ PETG and PolyLite™ ABS. For further PLA comparisons see our our Polymaker PLA comparison guide.
| PolyLite™ PLA | PolyLite™ PLA Pro | PolyMax™ PLA | PolyLite™ PETG | PolyLite™ ABS | |
| Type of PLA | PLA | PLA+ | Tough PLA | PETG | ABS |
| Description | High quality PLA | High quality PLA with improved impact strength. | Easy to print PLA filament with ABS-like mechanical properties. | High quality PETG | Durable ABS |
| Nozzle Temperature Range | 190°C - 230°C | 190°C - 220°C | 190°C - 230°C | 230°C - 240°C | 245°C - 265°C |
| Rigidity Young's Modulus (X-Y) |
3,426.9 MPa | 2,932.2 MPa | 2,150.8 MPa | 2,116.8 MPa | 2,246.6 MPa |
| Tensile Strength (X-Y) |
52.3 MPa | 49.8 MPa | 41.3 MPa | 50.8 MPa | 33.4 MPa |
| Impact Strength (X-Y) |
3.3 kJ/m2 | 17.1 kJ/m2 | 38.9 kJ/m2 | 2.6 kJ/m2 | 18 kJ/m2 |
| Jam-Free™ Technology (Resistance to heat creep) |
Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Glass Transition Temperature | 61°C | 62°C | 61°C | 81°C | 101.1°C |
| Heat Deflection Temperature (0.45 MPa) |
59.8°C | 59.3°C | 54.5°C | 78.4°C | 99.6°C |
| Special Feature | - Best layer adhesion. - Highest rigidity & strength. - Available in both opaque colours and natural (translucent) colour. |
- Combines best of both worlds; high rigidity & strength of PLA with superior impact resistance. - Less glossy than PolyLite™ PLA. |
- Mimics strength, impact resistance & stiffness of ABS. - Nano-reinforced to offer high ductility & fracture toughness. - Ductility and rigidity allows for designs with snap fit elements. |
- Combines good printability, mechanical properties & heat resistance with better dimensional stability than ABS, ASA & PC. |
- Less smell than other ABS filaments. |
| Popular with | General use | General use | Designers, functional prototypers & propmakers. | Design & functional prototyping. | Design, functional prototyping & manufacturing. |
Data taken from Polymakers Technical Data Sheet and is intended for reference and comparison purposes only. Due to the nature of 3D printing, data should not be used for design specifications or quality control purposes.
Printing Settings
| Nozzle Temperature | 190°C - 230°C |
|---|---|
| Build Plate Temperature | 25°C - 60°C |
| Build Surface Material | Works well with most build surfaces i.e Glass, Blue Tape, BuildTak® etc |
| Build Surface Treatment | Can apply Magigoo Original or PVA glue to the build surface to improve adhesion. |
| Cooling Fan | ON |
| Printing Speed | 40 mm/s - 60 mm/s |
| Recommended Support Material |
Single Extrusion: |
The above are printing recommendations based on 0.4 mm nozzle. Please note ideal printing conditions may vary depending on your 3D printer setup. For high speed 3D printers, make sure to increase your extrusion temperature in order to use higher printing speeds.
For other tips printing PolyLite™ PLA contact us!
Specification
| Net Weight | 3kg |
|---|---|
| Material Type | PLA |
| Density | 1.17 (g/cm3 at 21.5˚C) |
| Technologies | Features Jam-Free™ Technology |
Compatibility
PolyLite™ PLA has been engineered with compatibility in mind to print excellently on a wide range of 3D printers. The Jam-Free™ technology implemented into PolyLite™ PLA can improve compatibility with all metal hot end designs that suffer from heat creep.
High rigidity materials like PolyLite™ PLA work best in set ups where the filament guide system is smooth and as no harsh bends.
Of course with thousands of unique 3d printer models on the market, we can't guarantee each filament type will work with every 3D printer. Slicer experience and setting adjustment is always required to get the most out of a material. Before jumping into an ambitious project we always recommend printing some known calibration tests to build or make adjustments to the filament profile.
Technical Data
All testing specimens were printed under the following conditions: Nozzle Temperature = 205˚C, build plate temperature = 45˚C, infil = 100%, cooling fan = ON
All specimens were conditioned at room temperature for 24h prior to testing.
THERMAL PROPERTIES
| Value | Testing Method | |
| Glass Transition | 61°C | DSC, 10°C/min |
| Heat Deflection Temperature |
0.45MPa - 59.8°C HDT Curve |
ISO 75 |
| Vicat Softening Temperature | 62.9°C | ISO 306, GB/T 1633 |
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
| Value | Testing Method | |
| Youngs Modulus (X-Y) |
3,426.9 MPa | ISO 527, GB/T 1040 |
| Tensile Strength (X-Y) |
52.3 MPa | ISO 527, GB/T 1040 |
| Bending Strength (X-Y) |
86.9 MPa | ISO 178, GB/T 9341 |
| Charpy Impact Strength (X-Y) |
3.3 kJ/m2 | ISO 179, GB/T 1043 |
We have full MDS and technical data sheets for PolyLite™ PLA and all other Polymaker products. Contact us to enquire!
The typical values presented in Polymakers data sheet are intended for reference and comparison purposes only. Due to the nature of 3D printing they should not be used for design specifications or quality control purposes.
STORAGE & DRYING
All plastics are hygroscopic meaning they absorb moisture from the air which can affect printing quality and strength of printed parts. How quickly this absorption occurs depends on the material and your environment. Polymakers PolyLite™ PLA filaments are dried and packaged in a vacuum sealed bag with desiccant to ensure the best printing quality. When not in use PolyLite™ PLA should be stored away from sunlight and sealed in the packaged resealable bag.
Although filaments can be dried, drying will speed up the aging process of the plastic making it more brittle over time. Preventing the filament from absorbing moisture in the first place is the best solution to keep your filament working to its maximum potential. For long term storage we highly recommend storing in a sealed container with dry desiccant that reduces the relative humidity to 10-20% RH.
In-house we manage our filaments with Polymakers PolyDryer™ which keep offers best-in-class sealing to protect filaments from absorbing moisture
If you hear popping sounds and notice that the surface quality of your print is uneven or the colour is not consistent, this is a likely indicator that the filament has absorbed too much moisture. Spools of PolyLite™ PLA can be dried with Polymaker PolyDryer™ using power level 1. Alternatively if you have a convection oven that is accurate at low temperatures, users can dry filament in a preheated convection oven at 55˚C for up to 6 hours. Results may vary depending on the accuracy of your oven so please be conservative. For more information about filament drying please read our user guide.
FAQ
Q: Does Jam-Free™ technology prevent all filament jamming?
A: Jam-Free™ technology is designed to prevent jamming caused by heat creep. There are many reasons why a material may jam, such as a partially blocked nozzle, printing with the wrong extruder temperature or incorrect nozzle height; Polymaker's Jam-Free™ technology won't prevent jamming in these cases.
Q: Is PolyLite™ PLA a PLA+ material?
A: PolyLite™ PLA is a PLA material rather than a PLA+, it is important to consider that PolyLite™ PLA is actually stronger than many PLA+ materials. Unlike PLA+ which contains additives to enhance specific mechanical properties, the high strength performance of PolyLite™ PLA is a result of the raw natural ingredient chosen. Typically PLA features a low impact strength but offers very high tensile strength /and rigidity. PLA+ materials typically sacrifice tensile strength to offer improved impact resistance. If you are looking for a PLA+ or material with improved impact resistance we recommend PolyLite™ PLA Pro or PolyMax PLA. PolyLite™ PLA Pro is a PLA+ formulated to maintain the rigidity and high strength of PolyLite™ PLA while significantly improving impact resistance. PolyMax™ PLA is a tough and ductile PLA+ formulated to mimic the mechanical properties of ABS.
Q: What support materials can I use with this product?
A: If your 3D printer supports multi-material 3D printing, PolyLite™ PLA is compatible with Polymaker’s PolySupport™ and PolyDissolve™ S1 filament. PolySupport™ is a breakaway support material which can be easily peeled away and PolyDissolve™ S1 is a water dissolvable support material, ideal for complex geometries.
Q: Should I rewind this filament if I want to use it with a different spool?
A: We strongly advise against tampering with the product by rewinding. See our article for full details about the risks. All Polymaker filaments are wound with tension but without strain. Rewinding completely rearranges the curvature of the winding and this strain over time can cause most plastics to catastrophically break. If for some reason your printer is locked into fitting less than standard sized spools, there may be safe printable adaptors or external mounting solutions available.
Don't know where to start? Or which filament will suit your application? We have a broad range of support options including telephone support. Contact us today!
| Filament | |
| Diameter | 1.75mm |
| Spool Weight | 3kg |
Applications
PolyLite™ PLA is a popular choice by beginners and experts alike who require a cost-effective, reliable and easy to use PLA filament. It is one of our go to recommendations for users who are relatively new to 3D printing and are looking for a reliable material to get started.
It is commonly used to print a wide range of general printing projects including:
- Trinkets.
- Toys.
- Homewares.
- Prototypes.
- Cosplay pieces.
- Brackets and manufacturing aids.
- Scale models and architectural models.
- Anatomic and educational models.
Compared to other brands of regular PLA, PolyLite™ PLA has a particularly high strength (Tensile) and stiffness (Youngs modulus) making it a good choice for functional applications that aren't subject to high temperatures, drops or impacts but require a high rigidity and inter-layer adhesion. For applications which require a PLA which offers high impact strength and high rigidity we recommend considering PolyLite™ PLA Pro.
The rigidity of PolyLite™ PLA is quite high so a less rigid and more ductile Polymaker PLA may be ideal for models which require some flexibility, for example snap fit casings. For applications like these we recommend considering PolyMax™ PLA which features excellent impact strength, fracture toughness, ductility and a similar strength and stiffness to ABS.
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