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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: muon on Sun, 31 July 2016, 15:40:16

Title: Stainless steel PLA?
Post by: muon on Sun, 31 July 2016, 15:40:16

Any 3D printer junkies here ever used this? (https://www.proto-pasta.com/pages/stainless-steel-pla)

Looks kind of cool in theory but I have the suspicion that it'll look like shiny normal PLA after a full print.

Title: Re: Stainless steel PLA?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sun, 31 July 2016, 16:12:35

Yea, but you still can't print the keycap stems with this.

It's essentially an aesthetic improvement only , vs regular pla

Title: Re: Stainless steel PLA?
Post by: Leslieann on Sun, 31 July 2016, 16:43:00

It's no stronger than PLA.
Also, something to keep in mind, as with all metal impregnated plastics, it will slowly grind out your nozzle opening, especially if you have an aluminum tip. Metal impregnated is only for aesthetics.

Regarding nozzles...
Older glow in the dark will also do this very quickly due to the crystals, newer glow in the dark is better, but still does it's  also very brittle, I've seen a few people try using it to build printers and they broke apart during assembly, where other with the same infill have lasted years.

Carbon fiber PLA can also hone out your nozzle, but does make it stiffer. However, where normal PLA would just bend, carbon PLA will simply snap. Neat stuff though, I'm not sure if it actually is lighter, but it feels lighter than normal PLA.

Title: Re: Stainless steel PLA?
Post by: muon on Sun, 31 July 2016, 17:10:29

Hmmm, disappointing, but about what I expected.

Thanks for the response!

Title: Re: Stainless steel PLA?
Post by: tacnificent on Mon, 01 August 2016, 14:49:52

Looks cool but not the replacement for the $$$ metal printers you were probably looking for.