Comparing two of the easiest printing materials to check which are the differences between PLA and Tough PLA.
1. What makes the PLA special?
These two materials share many features such as not emitting dangerous fumes, not presenting warping issues, having the same melting point, and most importantly, they are both some of the easiest printing materials out there.
2. What can they be used for?
- PLA can be used in a wide range of applications, especially those with no high temperature or mechanical needs. For example, it is perfect for prototyping.
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- Tough PLA on the other hand, can be applied to a larger range of applications than the PLA. Thanks to its high impact resistance it can be extremely useful for tools and functional parts.
It can be used as an alternative to ABS, as it does not present warping and can be printed without an enclosure that maintains a high chamber temperature.
Aesthetically it is important to mention the difference in surface finish. As the PLA looks shiny, tough PLA has a more attractive matte or flat look.
3. Mechanical properties
In the graph below you can see a comparison between PLA, Tough PLA, and PET-G to have a reference of a material traditionally used as a substitute for some ABS applications.
As you can see in this chart, PLA and Tough PLA share a similar thermal resistance. However, Tough PLA stands out for its high toughness. This property ends up making a really useful material when it comes to printing models with high mechanical and impact resistance requirements.
In this second chart, you can see a comparison of mechanical properties between a wider range of materials. The high stiffness of both PLAs is remarkable, especially with tough PLA. In addition, tough PLA's impact strength is between PET-G's and ABS's, making it a better mechanical option than PET-G.
4. Conclusions
- The PLA has a shiny surface finish. The Tough PLA has a matte surface finish.
- The Tough PLA could be used as an alternative to ABS, thanks to its great impact resistance.
- Both materials have the same thermal resistance.
- You can buy Tough PLA and PLA in our shop: BCN3D Tough PLA and BCN3D PLA
