PLA-Pro
Toughened polylactic acid
PLA with about 5× the impact strength of standard. Best for indoor prototypes and fixtures at room temperature.
PLA Pro is a toughened version of standard PLA, formulated to take about 5× the impact before it cracks. It keeps everything that makes PLA the go-to prototyping material — dimensional accuracy, crisp detail, forgiving print behavior — but pushes the toughness into functional-part territory.
The surface finish is semi-matte with crisp layer definition. Parts hold tight tolerances and reproduce fine detail better than anything else in the lineup. PLA Pro sands cleanly and bonds well with cyanoacrylates and epoxies. Solvent smoothing isn't an option.
Specifications
- Heat deflection (0.45 MPa)
- 59 °C
- Tensile strength
- 50 MPa
- Charpy impact (notched, XY)
- 17 kJ/m²
- Density
- 1.23 g/cm³
- Price tier
- $
When to use
Functional prototypes, jigs, fixtures, and end-use parts that live indoors at room temperature without much mechanical load. The default when cost and turnaround matter most, and the part won't see heat, sun, or solvents.
When not to use
PLA Pro starts to soften well below its 59 °C HDT under sustained load, so it isn't a fit for parts that operate above about 50 °C. UV exposure breaks it down over time, ruling out outdoor use. It also takes damage from fuels, solvents, and prolonged moisture. And while it's tougher than standard PLA, it's still on the brittle side for load-bearing structural parts.