PLA

Polylactic Acid

PLA is Makelab’s most basic prototyping plastic, it’s great for low cost prototyping and color options. This material has your traditional 3D printed layer lines, so be sure to keep this in mind if you need anything for visuals and aesthetics. It’s a great material if you’re on a time crunch, we can turnaround PLA prints in as little as next business day!

PROS OF

PLA

When it is a perfect material choice

Great for prototyping form and fit

Great if you are looking to prototype quickly and inexpensively

Not too concerned with the aesthetics of the part

Quick printing turnaround times, we can print in as quick as next business day!

Custom colors are easily available upon request

Basic shapes with minimal intricate features

CONS OF

PLA

When to seek other material options

Supports are necessary for printing which can affect the visual quality of the part

If printing for load-bearing situations, print orientation can be important. This can lead to printing in less optimal orientations to ensure structural stability of the part.

Not great at capturing small details

Finishing requires more post-processing

Not ideal for painting

Low impact resistance

PRINT SETTINGS

You need 3D printing and you need it FAST! That’s why we offer some of the quickest turnaround times in the nation.

MATERIAL PROPERTIES

A guide to material's advanced properties.

Dimensional Accuracy

100 Microns

Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa)

32.9

Is UV Resistant

Is Chemical Resistant

Elongation at Break

2.30%

Heat Deflection Temp @45 mpa

55.00

Shore a hardness

Notched IZOD

13000 J/m

Tensile Modulus (GPa)

2.2

Flexural Modulus (GPa)

3.63

simplified properties

HARDNESS

BRITTLENESS

FLEXIBILITY

SURFACE QUALITY

IMPACT RESISTANCE

Download Technical Datasheet

STANDARD COLORS

These are the available colors.

BLACK

WHITE

GRAY

YELLOW

CLEAR

AS MATERIAL

ANY COLOR
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

In need of a custom color? Contact our service team!

Talk to Us

QUALITY FOR

PLA

This number of microns determines how thick each layer is. The smaller the micron count, the thinner the layer, this results in higher surface detail, better surface finishes and less stepping!

HIGHEST QUALITY

High Detail Quality

Microns

Detailed Quality

100

Microns

Standard Quality

200

Microns

Draft Quality

300

Microns

LOWEST QUALITY

build plate size for

PLA

Below are the available build volumes.
If you need an XL volume, please visit our Extra Large 3D Printing page.

FDM Build Volume

250 x 210 x 210 mm
9.84 x 8.3 x 8.3 in

SLA Build Volume

145 x 145 x 175 mm
5.7 x 5.7 x 6.9 in

SLA XL Build Volume

335 x 200 x 300 mm
13.2 x 7.9 x 11.8 in

MJF Build Volume

380 x 284 x 380 mm
15 x 11.2 x 15 in

VCJ Build Volume

500 x 250 x 200 mm
19.6 x 9.84 x 7.87 in

Download STL Files of our Build Volumes

LEAD TIMEs FOR

PLA

After you place an order, we are committed to efficiency and meeting deadlines.

NEXT-DAY

1 business day

Example:
BEFORE 3:30pm
Orders placed: Friday
Get dispatched: Monday

AFTER 3:30pm
Orders placed: Friday
Get dispatched: Tuesday

*No support structures removed in this option

RUSH

2 business days

Example:
Before 3:30pm
Orders placed: Monday
Get dispatched: Wednesday

AFTER 3:30pm
Orders placed: Monday
Get dispatched: Thursday

STANDARD

3 business days

Example:
Before 3:30pm
Orders placed: Saturday
Get dispatched: Thursday

AFTER 3:30pm
Orders placed: Saturday
Get dispatched: Friday

NO-RUSH

5 business days

Example:
Before 3:30pm
Orders placed: Tuesday
Get dispatched: Next Tuesday

AFTER 3:30pm
Orders placed: Tuesday
Get dispatched: Next Wednesday

EXTENDED

7 business days

Example:
Before 3:30pm
Orders placed: Friday
Get dispatched: Next Tuesday

AFTER 3:30pm
Orders placed: Friday
Get dispatched: Next Wednesday

Lead Time Calculator

Examples of parts

3d printed ssample of pla using fdm 3d printing technology

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

PLA

STANDARD RESIN

DRAFT RESIN

Ultimate Tensile Strength

38-60MPa
(dependent on orientation)

65MPa

36MPa

Elongation at Break

1.9 - 2.9%

6.2%

7%

Price

$

$$$

$$

Lead Times

1-5 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

250 x 210 x 210mm

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

335 x 200 x 300mm

Color

Black, white, gray.
Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

Light gray

Selling Point

✅ Basic prototyping

✅ High surface finish visuals

✅ Inexpensive high surface finish visuals

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

PLA

STANDARD RESIN

DRAFT RESIN

Ultimate Tensile Strength

38-60MPa
(dependent on orientation)

65MPa

36MPa

Elongation at Break

1.9 - 2.9%

6.2%

7%

Price

$

$$$

$$

Lead Times

1-5 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

250 x 210 x 210mm

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

335 x 200 x 300mm

Color

Black, white, gray.
Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

Light gray

Selling Point

✅ Basic prototyping

✅ High surface finish visuals

✅ Inexpensive high surface finish visuals

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

PLA

STANDARD RESIN

DRAFT RESIN

Ultimate Tensile Strength

38-60MPa
(dependent on orientation)

65MPa

36MPa

Elongation at Break

1.9 - 2.9%

6.2%

7%

Price

$

$$$

$$

Lead Times

1-5 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

250 x 210 x 210mm

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

335 x 200 x 300mm

Color

Black, white, gray.
Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

Light gray

Selling Point

✅ Basic prototyping

✅ High surface finish visuals

✅ Inexpensive high surface finish visuals

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

Castable Wax Resin

STANDARD RESIN

Grey Pro Resin

Ultimate Tensile Strength

11.6MPa

65MPa

61MPa

Elongation at Break

13%

6.2%

13%

Price

$$$

$

$$

Lead Times

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

145 x 145 x 185mm

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

145 x 145 x 185mm

Color

As material, Purple

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

Translucent Grey

Jewelry Cheat Sheet

✅ Great for casting in metals

✅ High surface finish visuals

✅ Great for confirming visual prototypes

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

Soft Elastic

Flexible Resin

Elastic Resin

Shore Hardness

32A

80A

50A

Elongation at Break

200%

120%

160%

Price

$$$

$$

Lead Times

7 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

500 x 250 x 200mm

145 x 145 x 185mm

Color

Beige

Clear

Tear Strength

3.7kN/m

19.1kN/m

24kN/m

Ultimate Tensile Strength

0.92MPa

3.23MPa

8.9MPa

Skin Contact Compatibility

✅

❌

Makelab's Top Pick Winner

✅

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

Soft Elastic

Flexible Resin

Elastic Resin

Shore Hardness

32A

80A

50A

Elongation at Break

200%

120%

160%

Price

$$$

$$

Lead Times

7 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

500 x 250 x 200mm

145 x 145 x 185mm

Color

Beige

Clear

Tear Strength

3.7kN/m

19.1kN/m

24kN/m

Ultimate Tensile Strength

0.92MPa

3.23MPa

8.9MPa

Skin Contact Compatibility

✅

❌

Makelab's Top Pick Winner

✅

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

TEPU 30A - Soft Elastic

Flexible Resin

Elastic Resin

Shore Hardness

32A

80A

50A

Elongation at Break

200%

120%

160%

Price

$$$

$$

Lead Times

7 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

500 x 250 x 200mm

145 x 145 x 185mm

Color

Beige

Clear

Tear Strength

3.7kN/m

19.1kN/m

24kN/m

Ultimate Tensile Strength

0.92MPa

3.23MPa

8.9MPa

Skin Contact Compatibility

✅

❌

Makelab's Top Pick Winner

✅

COMPARISON CHART

A quick comparison of similar materials and their main differences

MATERIALS

Castable Wax Resin

STANDARD RESIN

Grey Pro Resin

Ultimate Tensile Strength

11.6MPa

65MPa

61MPa

Elongation at Break

13%

6.2%

13%

Price

$$$

$

$$

Lead Times

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

145 x 145 x 185mm

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

145 x 145 x 185mm

Color

As material, Purple

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

Translucent Grey

Jewelry Cheat Sheet

✅ Great for casting in metals

✅ High surface finish visuals

✅ Great for confirming visual prototypes

PLA

Polylactic Acid

PROS OF

PLA

CONS OF

PLA

PRINT SETTINGS

MATERIAL PROPERTIES

Dimensional Accuracy

Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa)

Is UV Resistant

Is Chemical Resistant

Elongation at Break

Heat Deflection Temp @45 mpa

Shore a hardness

Notched IZOD

Tensile Modulus (GPa)

Flexural Modulus (GPa)

simplified properties

HARDNESS

BRITTLENESS

FLEXIBILITY

SURFACE QUALITY

IMPACT RESISTANCE

STANDARD COLORS

BLACK

WHITE

GRAY

YELLOW

CLEAR

AS MATERIAL

ANY COLORCURRENTLY AVAILABLE

QUALITY FOR

PLA

High Detail Quality

Detailed Quality

Standard Quality

Draft Quality

build plate size for

PLA

FDM Build Volume

SLA Build Volume

SLA XL Build Volume

MJF Build Volume

VCJ Build Volume

LEAD TIMEs FOR

PLA

Examples of parts

COMPARISON CHART

MATERIALS

Ultimate Tensile Strength

38-60MPa (dependent on orientation)

65MPa

36MPa

Elongation at Break

1.9 - 2.9%

6.2%

7%

Price

$

$$$

$$

Lead Times

1-5 business days

2-7 business days

2-7 business days

Build Volume Size

250 x 210 x 210mm

145 x 145 x 185mm & 335 x 200 x 300mm

335 x 200 x 300mm

Color

Black, white, gray.Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white. Custom color on request.

Light gray

Selling Point

✅ Basic prototyping

✅ High surface finish visuals

✅ Inexpensive high surface finish visuals

COMPARISON CHART

MATERIALS

ANY COLOR
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

38-60MPa
(dependent on orientation)

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

Black, white, gray.
Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

38-60MPa
(dependent on orientation)

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

Black, white, gray.
Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.

38-60MPa
(dependent on orientation)

145 x 145 x 185mm 
& 335 x 200 x 300mm

Black, white, gray.
Custom color on request.

Gray, black, clear or white.
Custom color on request.