Product test

The cheapest is among the strongest: PLA comparison test part 2

15.7.2020

Translation: machine translated

I'm testing seven PLA filaments in a multi-part series of articles. Today I want to know how much weight I can hang on hooks specially printed for this test.

In contrast to other filaments, PLA can withstand a high tensile force. This is shown in a test by CNC Kitchen. But is PLA the same as PLA? I want to know exactly. That's why I print hooks with the seven test filaments in this test series and attach my weight waistcoat to them.

Product test
PLA comparison test: Even the cheapest filament produces good prints
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Preparations

To ensure that all filaments have the same conditions, I print them with the same settings. I use the PLA with carbon fibres from Proto-pasta. I had the biggest problems with this filament for the first part. I had to experiment for a long time until I produced reasonably usable prints. Here are the most important settings in Cura in English:

Layer Height: 0.15 millimetres
Wall Thickness: 1.5 millimetres
Top/bottom thickness: 0.75 millimetres
Infill Density / Pattern: 10 per cent / Cubic

I always use the printing temperature that I determined in the first test. I print three hooks per filament and also use all three for the test. This allows me to eliminate any errors during printing. I approach the weight limit of the individual filaments in one-and-a-half-kilogramme increments - that's how much a sand pack of the weight waistcoat weighs. If I keep taking the weight waistcoat on and off, the material is stressed. It is possible that the hook would have to withstand even more weight. That's why I do the test three times with the same filament. This brings me closer to the maximum weight and, ideally, I can load all three hooks with the same maximum weight. I start with twelve kilograms of sand in the waistcoat.

The results

There is no clear winner. Three filaments manage 22.5 kilograms.

Here are all the results:

Rank	Filament	Achieved weight
1.	Purefil Filament	22.5 kg
1.	Makerbot	22.5 kg
1.	Dutch Filaments	22.5 kg
4.	XYZprinting	21 kg
4.	ColorFabb PLA/PHA	21 kg
6.	Best Value Filament	18 kg
7.	Proto-pasta PLA with carbon fibre	15 kg

As I expected, the PLA with carbon fibres is the least durable. This is because the carbon fibres make the material stiffer than conventional PLA. I am disappointed with the PLA/PHA mixture. I expected it to be the most durable and the bio-polyester PHA should make the filament tougher and less brittle. Nevertheless, it is only good enough for fourth place. The Purefil filament convinced me the most in this test. The cheapest material shares first place with the more expensive filaments from Makerbot and Dutch Filaments.

This was the second part of the multi-part PLA comparison. Next time I'll take a look at the effects of temperature. What other tests would you like to see? Or do you have any suggestions for the test method? Write it in the comments column.

3D printer filament

XYZprinting Da Vinci Junior Filament

PLA, 1.75 mm, 600 g, Blue

Best Value Filament (PLA, 1.75 mm, 1000 g, Red)

3D printer filament

CHF28.90

Best Value Filament

PLA, 1.75 mm, 1000 g, Red

Purefil Filament (PLA, 1.75 mm, 1000 g, Green)

3D printer filament

CHF28.90

Purefil Filament

PLA, 1.75 mm, 1000 g, Green

3D printer filament

Makerbot Filament

PLA, 1.75 mm, 900 g, White

3D printer filament

Dutch Filaments Filament

PLA, 1.75 mm, 1000 g, Orange

Proto-pasta PLA with carbon fiber (PLA, Carbon, 1.75 mm, 500 g, Grey)

3D printer filament

CHF46.–

Proto-pasta PLA with carbon fiber

PLA, Carbon, 1.75 mm, 500 g, Grey

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Kevin Hofer

Senior Editor

kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.ch

From big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.

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