This bundle includes:
1 x PolyTerra™ PLA 1kg (1.75mm) filament
1 x PolyTerra™ PLA+ 1kg (1.75mm) filament
PolyTerra️™ PLA is a bioplastic based 3D printing filament designed from the ground up to create a new generation of PLA filaments, providing ease of use, printing quality, speed and reliability. It is a sustainable product sourced naturally and for every spool produced a tree is planted to give back to the earth. PolyTerra™ PLA has been engineered with excellent support removal properties, enabling users to more easily break away support or rafts from the surface of their prints. PolyTerra™ PLA is also softer and easier to sand in comparison to regular PLA filaments and can be easily painted.
PolyTerra™ PLA+ is a strength enhanced variant of Polymakers eco-friendly and sustainable PolyTerra™ PLA formulation; combining sustainability with good mechanical properties. PolyTerra™ PLA+ features a semi-gloss surface finish and is optimized to deliver better strength & layer adhesion than PolyTerra™ PLA. It is a sustainable product sourced naturally and for every spool produced a tree is planted to give back to the earth. PolyTerra™ PLA+ is based on the same eco-friendly formula as PolyTerra™ PLA but has been optimized for strength and inter-layer adhesion.
Other PolyTerra™ Features
- Surface Finish - PolyTerra️™ PLA is available in a fun and vibrant colour range and prints parts with an attractive matte surface finish. PolyTerra™ PLA+ features a glossier satin finish which offers a nice effect for various aesthetic models.
- Bioplastic PLA Formula - PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ are a newly developed material from Polymaker called FBC (Fully Bio Compound). It is a compound of high quality Ingeo PLA and compounded with naturally occurring elements. PLA is biodegradable under industrial composting conditions however the degradation rate is very slow in ambient temperatures. Polymakers FBC formula contains less PLA plastic to degrade making PolyTerra™ PLA a more environmental friendly material.
- Eco-sustainable Packaging & Carbon Offset – Polymaker are committed to helping combat plastic waste, as such PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ come on a fully recycled cardboard spool with recycled labels and box. Furthermore, Polymaker will plant one tree in Australia through the ONETREEPLANTED association for every locally sold spool of PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+.
- Improved Ductility - Both PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ deliver improved ductility which is less brittle (Charpy Impact) in X-Y axis than standard PLA formulations.
- Compatibility / Jam-Free™- PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ are compatible with a wide range of 3D printers and are manufactured with Polymakers Jam-Free™ technology which leads to excellent printing quality with zero risk of nozzle jams caused by heat creep [1]. PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ work well on many printing surfaces with a thin layer of glue stick applied, no heated bed is required but can sometimes be used at 40 - 50°C for better results (maximum 60°C).
- Uncompromised Quality - PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ filaments are made with the highest quality ingredients including Ingeo® from Natureworks; a high quality PLA material produced from rapidly renewable plant resources in the US. Combining Polymakers innovative R&D technologies, compounding and extrusion systems with Natureworks Ingeo® resins produces a reliable 3D printing filament to print beautiful and accurate models.
[1] Heat creep is the the process of heat spreading irregularly throughout the hot end, one common example is with all metal hot end designs. Once heat creeps towards the cold end, the PLA filament softens prematurely in the cold end and expands resulting in a jam. Polymakers Jam-Free™ technology increases the heat resistance of the filament itself (not the printed part) to 100˚C which prevents the filament from prematurely softening in the cold end and can still melt rapidly once entering the heating zone.
PolyTerra™ PLA and PLA+ Comparison
Compare PolyTerra™ PLA and PolyTerra™ PLA+ with the chart below. For comparisons with other Polymaker PLA filaments like PolyLite™ PLA see our our Polymaker PLA comparison guide.
| |
PolyTerra™ PLA |
PolyTerra™ PLA+ |
| Type of PLA |
Sustainable Matte PLA |
Sustainable PLA+ |
| Description |
A more sustainable PLA material combining PLA with natural ingredients. |
A higher strength version of PolyTerra™ PLA formula. |
| Surface Finish |
Matte Finish |
Semi-Gloss / Satin Finish |
Rigidity
(X-Y) |
Low - Moderate |
Moderate |
Tensile Strength
(X-Y) |
20.9 MPa |
27.0 MPa |
Toughness
(X-Y) |
Moderate Impact Strength |
Moderate Impact Strength |
Jam-Free™ Technology
(Resistance to heat creep) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Glass Transition Temperature |
60.6°C |
59°C |
| Special Feature |
- Optimized for easy support removal.
- Wide colour range.
- Easier to sand than regular PLA.
- ONETREEPLANTED carbon offset initiative. |
- Formula optimized for higher strength and inter-layer adhesion than PolyTerra™ PLA.
ONETREEPLANTED carbon offset initiative. |
| Popular with |
Consumer & education. |
Consumer & education. |
Data taken from Polymakers Technical Data Sheet and is intended for reference and comparison purposes only. Due to the nature of 3D printing, data should not be used for design specifications or quality control purposes.
Printing Settings
| Nozzle Temperature |
190°C - 230°C |
| Build Plate Temperature |
25°C - 60°C*
*You may find lower bed temperatures (i.e 45°C) work better with PolyTerra™ PLA in comparison to higher temperatures. |
| Build Surface Material |
Compatible with most common build surfaces. |
| Build Surface Treatment |
Apply a thin layer of PVA or PVP glue stick. |
| Cooling Fan |
ON |
| Printing Speed |
30 mm/s - 70 mm/s |
| Retraction |
The ideal retraction settings vary from printer to printer. If you find the retraction settings are causing gaps in your part, the following settings may help.
Direct Drive: Retraction distance of 0.5 - 1mm with retraction speed of 20mm/s
Bowden: Retraction distance of 2 - 3mm with retraction speed of 20 - 40mm/s |
| Recommended Support Material |
Single Extrusion:
Self Support
Dual Extrusion:
PolyDissolve™ S1 (Dissolve in tap water)
PolySupport™ (Easy break-away support material) |
Based on 0.4 mm nozzle. Printing conditions may vary with different printers and nozzle diameters. The ideal settings for PolyTerra™ PLA and PolyTerra™ PLA+ may vary.
To produce flatter more dimensionally accurate parts, PolyTerra™ PLA may work best on your printer with lower bed temperatures (i.e 45 - 50°C) compared to higher temperatures (i.e 55 - 60°C +) .
Compatibility
PolyTerra™ PLA and PolyTerra™ PLA+ have been engineered with compatibility in mind to print excellently on a wide range of 3D printers. The Jam-Free™ technology implemented into these filaments can improve compatibility with all metal hot end designs that suffer from heat creep.
Of course with thousands of unique 3d printer models on the market, we can't guarantee each filament type will work with every 3D printer.
Technical Data
We have full MDS and technical data sheets for PolyTerra™ PLA, PolyTerra™ PLA+ and all other Polymaker products. Contact us to enquire!
The typical values presented in Polymakers data sheet are intended for reference and comparison purposes only. Due to the nature of 3D printing they should not be used for design specifications or quality control purposes.
STORAGE & DRYING
Like other PLA filaments, PolyTerra™ PLA and PolyTerra™ PLA+ are susceptible to absorbing moisture from the air which can subsequently effect the print quality and mechanical properties of the final prints.
Before packaging, PolyTerra™ PLA / PLA+ is dried to ensure the best printing quality and filaments are vacuum sealed to protect the filament from moisture. When not in use PolyTerra™ PLA should be stored away from sunlight in the packaged resealable bag. We recommend storing PolyTerra™ PLA / PLA+ in the PolyBox™ or a dry cabinet during printing to prevent moisture absorption which will lower the quality of the print. The PolyBox™ keeps the filament at dry conditions (relative humidity of 15% or less).
If you hear popping sounds and notice that the surface quality of your print is uneven or the color is not consistent, this is a likely indicator that the filament has absorbed too much moisture. Spools of PolyTerra™ PLA / PLA+ can be dried in a preheated convection oven at 55˚C for up to 6 hours. Results may vary depending on the accuracy of your oven so please be conservative. For more information about filament drying please read our user guide.
FAQ
Q: Does Jam-Free™ technology prevent all filament jamming?
A: Jam-Free™ technology is designed to prevent jamming caused by heat creep. There are many reasons why a material may jam, such as printing with the wrong extruder temperature or incorrect nozzle height; Polymaker's Jam-Free™ technology won't prevent jamming in these cases.
Q: Is PolyTerra™️ PLA food safe?
A: Polymaker's PolyTerra™️ PLA is compliance with RoHS Directives 2011/65/EU and (EU) 2015/863 and REACH regulation, which means it does not contain toxic or harmful substance listed. However due to the nature of FDM 3D printing, the printed PolyTerra™️ PLA parts might have micro-cracks and holes which are invisible to the naked eye even though the prints look smooth. Bacteria are prone to grow in these micro-cracks and holes and thus we do not recommend to use the 3D printed parts in food contact applications.
Q: How long does it take for PolyTerra™️ PLA to degrade?
A: PolyTerra™️ PLA degrades under the specific conditions of industrial composting, namely, at certain temperature and humidity with the presence of micro-organisms. The degrade rate will depend on the size and thickness of the printed part. Polymaker has run a compostability test, certified to ISO 14855-1, with a third party laboratory that revealed PolyTerra™️ PLA degraded faster than a comparable PLA material. The test was completed by putting small pellets of PolyTerra™️ PLA in a 2-4 months old plant compost (including a wide variety of microorganisms) and heating up the system up to 60˚C. During this process the PolyTerra™️ PLA will start to decompose into carbon dioxide, water and mineral salts and the aforementioned elements are monitored in order to calculate the mass of PolyTerra™️ PLA degraded. After 45days, 93.6% of PolyTerra™️ PLA degraded and from Polymakers estimation it could take less than 100 days for PolyTerra™️ PLA to fully degrade. Polymaker ran the exact same test with their PolyLite™️ PLA which is a pure regular PLA and, after 45days, 79.9% of it degraded. Which means PolyTerra™️ PLA degrades up to 15% faster than regular PLA.
Q: What does the + in PolyTerra™ PLA+ mean?
A: PolyTerra™ PLA+ is a variant of Polymakers eco-friendly and sustainable PolyTerra™ PLA formulation; combining sustainability with good mechanical properties. While PolyTerra™ PLA was engineered to offer a matte surface finish and easy-support removal, PolyTerra™ PLA+ is optimized to enhance strength and layer adhesion when compared to PolyTerra™ PLA.
Q: How does PolyTerra™ PLA+ compare to other PLA+ filaments?
A: Often times the '+' means different things depending on the manufacturer making it hard to compare two different PLA+ materials. PolyTerra™ PLA+ is a strength optimized version of Polymakers PolyTerra™ PLA formula; combining PLA with bio-organic compounds and offering a more sustainable 3D printing material which contains less PLA plastic. The added bio-organic compounds offer a material different to a traditional PLA or PLA+ and this formulation is recommended for customers who are looking for a strength enhanced version of PolyTerra™ PLA. If you are looking for a PLA+ that maintains the high strength and stiffness of a traditional PLA filament (i.e PolyLite™ PLA) but features significantly improved impact resistance, we recommend trying PolyLite™ PLA+ Pro. If you are looking for a Tough PLA with high ductility and similar strength, stiffness and fracture toughness as ABS, we recommend trying PolyMax™ PLA.
Q: What support materials can I use with PolyTerra™ PLA?
A: PolyTerra™ PLA has been engineered with excellent support removal properties, enabling users to more easily break away support or rafts printed in PolyTerra™ PLA. Polymaker’s PolyDissolve™ S1 or PolySupport™ filament are the recommended support filaments for PolyTerra™ PLA if your machine is capable of multi-material printing. If your 3D printer is not equipped for multi-material, self-support can be used.
Don't know where to start? Or which filament will suit your application? We have a broad range of support options including telephone support. Contact us today!