SainSmart LW-PLA Filament Overview
SainSmart LW-PLA (Lightweight PLA) is a 3D printing material specially developed for aeromodelling drones and cosplay. Compared with regular PLA Filament, printing with the LW-PLA Filament delivers a lighter wing load and a lower stall speed to your aircraft models. With a better balance between strength and weight, it also brings better performance to your models.
The expanding property of this PLA Filament allows for excellent layer bonding, better drop resistance, and repairability. In combination with the low-density feature, this filament is a perfect option for RC planes, drone parts, and cosplay models.
Features
Light Weight
With active foaming technology, this LW-PLA filament delivers low-density and lightweight parts. The SainSmart LW PLA Filament has a density of 0.54 g/cm³, resulting in a significant weight reduction for your printed parts, perfect for RC planes and drones. The reduced weight enables lower wing loads and stall speed, allowing for overall better performance.
Active Foaming
The foaming expansion of this LW PLA filament allows you to print with up to 2X material flow. The maximum foaming rate of this LW-PLA filament is 220%, meaning that one roll of LW-PLA can be used as 2.2 rolls of ordinary PLA. This allows you to print more with less material.
Smooth Finish
Models printed with this LW PLA filament have a smooth matte surface with minimal layer lines. The improved paint adhesion also enhances your creativity. The foaming feature allows for almost invisible layer lines and a smooth matte finish.
Customizable Expansion Effects
The LW PLA filament will start expanding at certain printing temperatures above 210℃. By adjusting the printing temperature, speed, and flow during your print, you can customize the expansion effect for different densities in various sections of a model.
LW-PLA has stable interlayer bonding, and the expansion rate, density, and strength can be controlled by adjusting the printing temperature.
Specifications
Printing Tips:
- The initial layer print speed and extrusion rate should be the same as print speed and extrusion rate settings, changes in print speed will also change the expansion rate of this material and cause layer lines. If the prints stick too firm to the build plate and unable to remove. please consider adding a raft.
- Pay attention to the maximum operating temperature of your 3d printer, most 3d printers with Teflon Heatbreak tube cannot run above 250 ℃ for a long time, or melting and blockage may occur. If you need to print above 250 ℃ constantly, we recommend you use high-temp Full Metal Hotend 3d printer.
- It is normal for Highly expanded prints to yellow. To reduce this effect, reduce expansion and print at lower temps.
- LW-PLA will continue to foam in the melt zone of the nozzle, so retraction does not work in this circumstance, and your 3d printer will continue to print even when the extruder crosses an empty space and cause stringing. We recommend you print in vase mode.
- Printing temperature, speed, and nozzle melt zone size will all affect the foaming ratio, so you need to adjust the wall thickness, extrusion rate, temperature, speed, and other settings according to your models and printers.
- Curaprofile for Ender-3 Pro, click here to download.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE AND FOAMING RATE
| Temp / ℃ | 200 | 210 | 220 | 230 | 240 | 250 | 260 | 270 | 280 |
| Volume Expansion Rate / % | 100 | 100 | 111 | 133 | 182 | 200 | 222 | 222 | 182 |
| Extrusion Rate / % | 100 | 100 | 90 | 75 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 45 | 55 |
| Density / g/cm3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.08 | 0.9 | 0.66 | 0.6 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.66 |
| Speed | 40mm/s | ||||||||
SainSmart LW PLA v.s. Other LW PLA
| Type | Other LW PLA | SainSmart LW PLA |
| Foaming Status | Pre-Foamed | Foaming while Printing |
| Layer Bonding | Weak | Strong |
| Density | 0.7 | 0.54 |
| Adjustable Strength With Temp | Not Supported | Yes |