High Temp PLA: density, print temperature and when to choose it
High Temp PLA is a PLA formula prone to crystallization that, after annealing (heating the finished part in an oven or filament dryer to 100–120°C for 15–30 minutes), raises the heat deflection temperature (HDT) from PLA's usual ~55°C to 110–160°C — a level comparable to ABS or even PC. Without annealing, the material behaves almost like plain PLA and gives no heat resistance benefit.
Key properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | ≈1.25 g/cm³ (close to plain PLA) |
| Nozzle temperature | 210–230°C |
| Bed temperature | 60–70°C (above average for PLA — helps crystallization already during printing) |
| Part cooling | 50–80% |
| Shrinkage | noticeable during annealing — the part can shrink 2–5% and deform slightly; plan tolerances for this in advance |
| Enclosure required | not for printing, but an oven/dryer is needed for post-print annealing |
When to use it
- Parts that will sit in a hot environment (under the hood, near heat-generating equipment) without switching to ABS or ASA.
- Prototypes that need testing under conditions close to the final heat-resistant material.
- Cases where keeping PLA's print simplicity (no odor, no ventilation) matters, but heat resistance close to PC is needed.
When to pick something else
- Annealing isn't possible (needs an oven with precise temperature control) — then heat resistance won't be achieved, and it's more sensible to print plain PLA or go straight to ASA.
- Dimensional stability without post-processing matters — shrinkage during annealing needs tolerances that PETG-HT or PC doesn't require.
- You need heat resistance and high impact resistance together — consider PC-ABS or PC.
Pros and cons
Pros: ABS/PC-level heat resistance while printing as easily as plain PLA, no need for a ventilated room or an ABS-style enclosed printer.
Cons: requires mandatory oven annealing to unlock heat resistance — a separate production step; the part shrinks noticeably and can deform during annealing; without post-processing, heat resistance is no different from plain PLA.
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RuStoreHow it affects your print cost
The main added cost driver isn't the filament itself (priced close to plain PLA), but the annealing step: oven time, energy use, and a higher defect rate from shrinkage-driven deformation. Budget annealing as a separate process step with its own time and rejection rate, not as part of printing.