Smart PLA | Smart PlastIQs
The big advantage of Smart PLA is that you can anneal it after printing. Annealing raises the heat resistance of the print to 90°C (we assume the ISO 75-B test method) and increases its impact resistance by 272%. Compared with ordinary PLA, annealed Smart PLA offers 650% higher impact resistance!
Technical informations
Thermal properties | |
| Annealing settings | 130 °C for 0.25 h |
Filament properties | |
| Country of origin | Slovakia |
| Filament density | 1.25 g/mm3 |
| Diameter tolerance | 0.05 mm |
Spool weight and dimensions |
How to store filaments
Humidity and UV light can decrease the filament quality and weaken its mechanical properties. We strongly recommend storing open filaments in a dry and dark place. You can find a complete guide on how to properly store your filament here
Where to throw print fails and supports?
We kindly ask our customers to cope with plastic waste responsibly. Failed prints, support material, rafts, or brims should be liquidated according to the local guidelines. Paradoxically, in most cases, it is better to throw this waste in the regular trash can, as most of the material waste created in 3D printing is not identified, which causes more problems than benefits in the waste sorting facilities.
Smart PLA | Smart PlastIQs
The big advantage of Smart PLA is that you can anneal it after printing. Annealing raises the heat resistance of the print to 90°C (we assume the ISO 75-B test method) and increases its impact resistance by 272%. Compared with ordinary PLA, annealed Smart PLA offers 650% higher impact resistance!
How to anneal Smart PLA:
- Place the print in a cold (not preheated) oven
- Set the oven temperature to 130°C
- Once the oven reaches 130°C, wait 15 min
- Then switch the oven off and let the print cool down gradually inside it. Never take the print out of a hot oven!
General information about PLA :
PLA is a great material with awesome printability, it is great for novice printers and perfectly works with any printer. Depending on the brand and the type, it mostly differs in mechanical and thermal resistance, and as you may think color. 3D PLA filaments are the most widely printed because of their ease to use and so the producer did want to catch a market share by offering colors beyond the rainbow's colors. PLA was until recently a weak filament with only 50°C heat resistance and very poor mechanical properties. The demand for PLA made producers overengineer the material and some firms managed to put seriously increase this once hobby-only material.
Differences in PLA price usually mean better color consistency, lower in-filament humidity rate, better diameter tolerance, higher thermal resistance (see Volcano PLA from FormFutura), and better stiffness (up to 9x like PolyMax from PolyMaker).
Printability of PLA filament
PLA is the easiest to print material. It is very forgiving and usually, most slicer predefined settings will work well. PLA doesn't warp, has great overhang capabilities, and has a great interlayer adhesion. Most of the time, PLA doesn't even require an adhesive to stick to the hotbed.
PLA mechanical and thermal properties
Regular basic PLA is stiff and not very tough meaning that it can break easily. Its main disadvantage is that it starts softening at 50°C. It is mostly suited for visual prototypes and non-functional models. Because of its ease of print, most brands have modified and pushed the PLA boundaries further making some PLAs suitable for functional prototypes.
Tips and other notable benefits
PLA is so-called "eco-friendly" and is widely used for compostable cutlery. "So-called" because its compatibility is not what you would expect from this word.
Browse all PLA filaments in stock in our warehouse in Senec, Slovakia. For comparison, see also PETG and ECO.
Smart PlastIQs is a young Slovak company that develops advanced PLA materials which can be annealed. Its Smart PLA prints like ordinary PLA, but after a simple heat treatment in an oven the finished part becomes more heat resistant and tougher. We stock it in our Senec warehouse in Slovakia and dispatch it quickly.
What makes Smart PLA different
Standard PLA softens at around 60 °C, which rules it out for parts that sit in a hot car or next to a motor. Annealing changes the structure of Smart PLA after printing. According to the manufacturer:
- Heat resistance of an annealed print rises to about 90 °C (ISO 75-B method assumed).
- Impact resistance increases by 272% through annealing.
- Compared with ordinary PLA, annealed Smart PLA offers 650% higher impact resistance.
How to anneal Smart PLA
- Place the print in a cold oven (do not preheat).
- Set the oven to 130 °C.
- Once 130 °C is reached, count 15 minutes.
- Switch the oven off and let the part cool down slowly inside. Never take the part out of the hot oven.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Smart PLA for?
It suits anyone who likes how easily PLA prints but needs parts that survive higher temperatures or knocks: holders, brackets, jigs or functional prototypes.
Do I need special print settings?
Smart PLA is printed as a PLA filament, so typical PLA settings are the starting point (190–220 °C nozzle, 50–60 °C bed). The difference comes from the annealing step after printing.
What temperature can an annealed part withstand?
According to Smart PlastIQs, about 90 °C after annealing, compared with roughly 60 °C for standard PLA. Without annealing, Smart PLA behaves like ordinary PLA.
See the Smart PlastIQs filaments or compare with other PLA filaments.