What Is the Optimal Temperature for Printing with PLA Plus (PLA+)?

Using the optimal nozzle temperature is, without a doubt, one of the fundamental building blocks of the 3D printing process due to its ability to impact the process in various ways, which can go all the way to the print entirely failing when it’s incorrect.

Fortunately, finding the optimal print temperature value for the filament you use is not a challenging task in most cases, as long as you keep in mind that the value varies between different types and even different filament brands.

Today, we will look at the optimal temperature values for 3D printing with PLA plus, that as you may predict, prints optimally at different temperatures than regular PLA due to its distinct material composition.

So, what is the optimal temperature for printing with PLA plus (PLA+)?

While the exact optimal printing temperature depends on the filament’s manufacturer, the average temperature range for successfully printing with PLA plus (PLA+) filament falls between 200 and 235 degrees Celsius in most cases.

In the upcoming sections, we will dive deeper into finding the optimal temperature for printing with PLA plus filament, discuss whether a heated bed is necessary, and look at the temperature resistance capabilities of this upgraded variant of PLA.

What Is the Optimal Temperature for Printing with PLA Plus (PLA+)?

Even though PLA plus is essentially an upgraded version of standard PLA filament, it has entirely different requirements than PLA for a decent amount of parameters, with nozzle temperature being one that shows a considerable amount of difference.

On average, we can consider the range of 200 degrees Celsius to 235 degrees Celsius to be the optimal printing temperatures for printing with PLA plus filament, as all the recommended printing temperature values from PLA plus filament manufacturers fall between this range.

On the other hand, as 35 degrees is still a pretty considerable margin, going directly with the manufacturer’s recommendation whenever possible and experimenting with a few test prints at different temperatures within the range to find out which value works with your 3D printer is essential for success.

In most cases, running test prints with increments of 5 degrees should allow you to find the optimal temperature value to achieve the highest print quality.

Does PLA Plus (PLA+) Need a Heated Bed to Print?

While it’s common knowledge that a heated bed is not required to print standard PLA filament, we can’t directly assume that PLA plus won’t need one either, as these two filaments have distinct properties despite both containing PLA.

The fact of the matter is that as PLA plus, just like regular PLA, is a type of filament that isn’t too prone to warping, it’s entirely possible to achieve successful prints without the need for a heated bed.

On the other hand, as a correctly configured heated bed will definitely be helpful to increase the strength of adhesion between the PLA plus and the build surface, we highly recommend activating the heated bed if your printer has one.

You can either go with the bed temperature value you use for printing regular PLA or set the temperature of the heated bed to a figure between the 50 to 60 degrees Celsius range if you don’t have a value you usually use.

How Temperature Resistant is PLA Plus (PLA+)?

Due to the differences in material composition between PLA and PLA plus, it’s natural to assume that PLA plus has an entirely different temperature resistance threshold than standard PLA filament.

Unfortunately, as both PLA and PLA plus share the same glass transition temperature property, PLA plus, just like PLA, will start deforming around the 50 to 60 degrees Celsius range, which makes it unsuitable for usage in areas where temperature resistance is vital.

While PLA plus does offer increased strength levels that make it comparable to PETG, it still falls short compared to every other type of filament in terms of temperature resistance.

How Does PLA Compare to PLA Plus (PLA+) In Terms of Temperature?

While PLA and PLA plus are similar in many ways, temperature is one factor where they separate, making it a significant point for consideration when deciding between the two.

Compared to regular PLA, where the average printing temperature falls between the range of 190 to 220 degrees Celsius, the average printing temperature range of PLA plus is slightly higher at 200 to 235 degrees Celsius.

On the other hand, the recommended bed temperature values are in the same range (50 to 60 degrees Celsius) for both PLA and PLA Plus, meaning that you won’t have to perform any adjustments on that front.

Finally, considering that both PLA and PLA plus filaments share the same bed temperature range (based on their glass transition temperature property), we can also say they are equally resistant to heat.

Recommended Temperatures for Various Brands of PLA Plus (PLA+)

Below are some popular PLA plus filament brands and the recommended nozzle temperatures to print with them, taken directly from the manufacturers’ websites.

  • Duramic 3D PLA Plus – 210 to 230 degrees Celsius
  • Sunlu PLA Plus – 210 to 235 degrees Celsius
  • eSun PLA Pro (PLA+) – 205 to 225 degrees Celsius
  • Jayo PLA Plus – 210 to 220 degrees Celsius

As you can see, the recommended printing temperatures show slight amounts of variance between manufacturers, as the manufacturing process and the material composition used for the filament is different in each case.

Wrapping Up

While attempting to print PLA plus with the same nozzle temperature you use for standard PLA filament is a common pitfall that will prevent you from getting optimal results, it’s not a challenging task to correct the issue.

To quickly recap, we can say that setting the printing temperature to a value in the range of 200 to 235 degrees Celsius is a suitable starting point for obtaining successful prints with PLA plus.

On the other hand, as always, we highly recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines to find the optimal printing temperature value for the specific spool of PLA plus you’re printing with, as the value can slightly vary between different filaments.

Happy printing!