PLA: density, print temperature and when to choose it
- Density
- 1.24g/cm³
- Nozzle temperature
- 190–220°C
- Bed temperature
- 50–60°C
Filament weight ↔ length
Based on the density of PLA (1.24 g/cm³). Enter weight or length and the other value updates.
- Weight of 1 m
- 2.98 g/m
- Meters per 1 kg
- 335 m
PLA (polylactic acid) is the material almost everyone starts with in 3D printing. It is made from renewable feedstock (corn or sugarcane starch), needs no enclosure and forgives sloppy settings — which is why it is the default choice on most FDM printers.
Key properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| Nozzle temperature | 190–220°C |
| Bed temperature | 50–60°C |
| Part cooling | 100% |
| Shrinkage | minimal |
| Enclosure required | no |
Density feeds directly into cost calculation: knowing the model volume from your slicer and the material density, you get the part weight in grams — and from that, the material cost of a specific job.
When to use it
- Prototypes and visual models where impact strength and heat resistance don't matter.
- Decor, souvenirs, miniatures — PLA holds fine detail well.
- One-off or display pieces — it prints faster and fails less often than ABS/ASA.
When to pick something else
- The part will sit in the sun or in a car in summer — PLA softens at around 55–60°C; go with ASA instead.
- You need impact strength or threaded joints under load — look at PETG or ABS.
- The part has to flex — you need TPU.
Pros and cons
Pros: low print temperature (less energy heating the bed and nozzle), almost no odor, minimal shrinkage (fewer bed-adhesion failures), the most predictable material to tune a print profile for.
Cons: low heat resistance (deforms in hot water or sunlight), brittle under impact loads, degrades in everyday conditions slower than people assume (industrial composting ≠ garden compost).
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A lower print temperature means less time and energy spent heating the bed and nozzle per print cycle — for equal print time, PLA usually costs slightly less in electricity than ABS/ASA with an enclosure and a 100°C+ bed. The filament itself typically costs less than engineering plastics (nylon, polycarbonate) and about the same as PETG.