High Performance Polymers

PLA Ultralight

General Information

PLA Ultralight (Poly-Lactic Acid) is a a general-use bio performance thermoplastic for open-environment 3D printing. It’s a filament with an open cell structure that results in a spongy texture when printed. Due to this quality, layers are barely visible on the smooth printed surface and the material can be easily sanded, cut, and otherwise shaped as needed. Uniquely, the material prints with vastly altered material properties depending on the print conditions. At higher temperatures with a lower throughput, the most lightweight foam is produced. On standard PLA settings, the material is tough and impact resistant. It features a density of approximately 50-60% of a part printed with standard PLA. Best suited for lightweight objects, shock-absorbent supports, or parts that require malleability, such as in forms and moulding or modelling and prototyping applications. But be aware, to find the best foam/solid balance for your part, you need to be willing to tweak and tune some settings.

  • 50-60% lighter than standard PLA

  • Easily malleable for post processing

  • Variable weight and strength potential

  • Sustainable bio polymer

  • Needs experimental mindset – to design and print with the best suitable foam/solid composition part. Please contact us at applications@bigrep.com for further support with PLA Ultralight

Material Properties

Chemical and Environmental Properties