PLA Aero
Lightweight / Foaming Polylactic Acid
12 products from 11 makers. Bambu Lab sells its own filament of this material for the H2C.
- Tensile modulus (XY)
- 1.35GPa
- 7 products · middle half 0.972–1.52
- Tensile strength (XY)
- 20MPa
- 8 products · middle half 10.6–24.1
- Tensile strength (Z)
- 18MPa
- 3 products · 3.57–20.8
- Notched Charpy impact
- 3.05kJ/m²
- 4 products · middle half 2.05–4.83
- HDT at 0.45 MPa
- 53°C
- 4 products · middle half 53–53
- Price
- 58CAD/kg
- one product
PLA Aero is a foaming, lightweight polylactic acid. Makers sell it for RC planes, drones, gliders and figurines, and describe a matt surface. It is amorphous as printed, so it softens at its glass transition: its HDT at 0.45 MPa is 53 °C. On the H2C it prints at 195–250 °C, and makers say the foaming depends on the printing temperature.
Partly documented Price rests on 1 product, tensile strength (Z) on 3 products and notched Charpy impact and HDT at 0.45 MPa on 4 products each. Each figure is the median of the products that publish it comparably, and beside it the middle half of them; a value on a test bar no document describes as printed, or with no stated test load, is set apart, except a heat deflection of a plastic that cannot crystallise, which its glass transition sets, unless its document points to a moulded or resin bar.
On the H2C
Printing in full- Nozzle
- 195–250 °C
- most products that give one
- Bed
- 50–60 °C
- most products that give one
- Heated chamber
- 25–45 °C
- most products that give one
- Drying
- 50–80 °C, 4–8 h
- 8 of 12 products call for it; 1 more gives it as optional
- Nozzle type
- standard
- 1 says a standard nozzle is enough; the rest are silent
No product's setting is beyond the H2C's limits: nozzle 350 °C, bed 120 °C, heated chamber 65 °C.
Among the materials
Against ASA Aero, PLA Aero is 2.0 times as strong flat, 90 % stiffer and 69 % tougher in notched impact. Among the materials, PLA Aero has a low tensile modulus (XY), tensile strength (XY), tensile strength (Z), notched Charpy impact, HDT at 0.45 MPa and density: each is in the lowest quarter of the materials that publish it. Its elongation at break (XY) and price sit in the middle half.
PLA Aero against its alternatives
How does it compare with what an engineer would buy instead?
- PLA Aero: its products' median and middle half
- an alternative
- lowest to highest
- each material's median (top row)
Each row is a material, each column a property: the bar is the middle half of a material's products, the tick their median, the hairline their lowest to highest; the ticks above the rows are every material's median.
The figure as a table
| Material | Modulus (XY) (GPa) | Strength (XY) (MPa) | Strength (Z) (MPa) | Notched Charpy (kJ/m²) | HDT 0.45 MPa (°C) | Price (CAD/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA Aero (this material) | 1.35 (0.972–1.52) · 7 | 20 (10.6–24.1) · 8 | 18 · 3 | 3.05 (2.05–4.83) · 4 | 53 (53) · 4 | 58 · 1 |
| ASA Aero | 0.709 · 2 | 9.88 · 2 | 7.86 · 1 | 1.8 · 2 | 70 · 1 | 64 · 1 |
Each cell is the median of the products ranked, its middle half in brackets, and how many.
Where PLA Aero sits among the 128 rigid materials on file
Where is it in the landscape: stiffness against strength, heat resistance against price?
- PLA Aero: median, middle half as a cross
- a PLA Aero product
- an alternative
- another material
- beyond the scale
Tensile strength (XY) against tensile modulus (XY)
MPa, log scale
Tensile modulus (XY), GPa, log scale
HDT at 0.45 MPa against price
°C
Price, CAD/kg, log scale
Grey points are every other rigid material's medians; the alternatives are named.
The figure as a table
| Material | Tensile modulus (XY) | Tensile strength (XY) | Price | HDT at 0.45 MPa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA Aero (this material) | 1.35 GPa · 7 | 20 MPa · 8 | 58 CAD/kg · 1 | 53 °C · 4 |
| ASA Aero | 0.709 GPa · 2 | 9.88 MPa · 2 | 64 CAD/kg · 1 | 70 °C · 1 |
Mechanical properties
Printed flat (XY), PLA Aero typically reaches a tensile strength of 20 MPa at a modulus of 1.35 GPa, and breaks at 8.8 % elongation. In bending, its flexural strength is typically 45 MPa at a flexural modulus of 1.96 GPa.
PLA Aero's products spread most in elongation at break: the middle half runs 4.75–14 %
How strong, stiff and tough are its products, and which stand out?
- a product
- set apart: test bar not described as printed, or no stated load
- middle half and median
- beyond the scale
One mark per product on each property's scale (zoomed where its products sit close together, as its label says); the band is the middle half of the products the median counts, and the line the median.
Hover or select a product to find it in every figure; its name opens its card on the Products page.
The figure as a table
| Property | In the median | Median | Middle half | Lowest in the median | Highest in the median | As published | Added filler or additive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 8 | 20 | 10.6–24.1 | colorFabb Light Weight PLA-HT (LW-PLA-HT), 9 | Flashforge PLA LW, 39.2 | 2 | 0 |
| Tensile modulus (XY) (GPa) | 7 | 1.35 | 0.972–1.52 | colorFabb Light Weight PLA (LW-PLA), 0.86 | SUNLU PLA-LW, 3.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Elongation at break (XY) (%) | 7 | 8.8 | 4.75–14 | colorFabb Light Weight PLA-HT (LW-PLA-HT), 1.8 | iSANMATE Light Weight PLA, 17 | 2 | 0 |
| Notched Charpy impact (kJ/m²) | 4 | 3.05 | 2.05–4.83 | colorFabb Light Weight PLA-HT (LW-PLA-HT), 1 | Bambu Lab PLA Aero, 8.2 | 0 | 0 |
Every PLA Aero product that publishes these values is drawn; each value, with its document and conditions, is on the Products page.
| Product | Tensile strength (Z) | Notched Izod impact |
|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab PLA Aero | 18 MPa | not published |
| Polymaker PolyLite LW | 20.8 MPa | not published |
| SUNLU PLA-LW | not published | 2.5 kJ/m² |
| iSANMATE Light Weight | 3.57 MPa | not published |
Across the layers (Z), PLA Aero keeps 75 % of its flat strength and 74 % of its flat stiffness
What does a printed part lose across the layers (Z) against flat (XY), and is that usual?
- a product
- equal share: 100, 75, 50 and 25 %
- PLA Aero's median share
- an alternative
Tensile strength
Z keeps 75 % of XY, median of 3 products
flat (XY), MPa
Share kept: ASA Aero 95 % · PLA Aero 75 %
Tensile modulus
Z keeps 74 % of XY, median of 4 products
flat (XY), GPa
Share kept: PLA Aero 74 %
Elongation at break
Z keeps 46 % of XY, median of 3 products
flat (XY), %, log scale on both axes
Share kept: ASA Aero 48 % · PLA Aero 46 %
Each point is a product that publishes both from one sheet: below the 100 % ray it keeps less across the layers than flat. Under each plot, the median share its alternatives' products keep.
The figure as a table
| Product | Property | Flat (XY) | Across (Z) | Z as a share of XY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab PLA Aero | Tensile strength | 24 MPa | 18 MPa | 75 % |
| Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA | Tensile strength | 24.4 MPa | 20.8 MPa | 85 % |
| iSANMATE Light Weight PLA | Tensile strength | 10.8 MPa | 3.57 MPa | 33 % |
| Bambu Lab PLA Aero | Tensile modulus | 1.35 GPa | 1.24 GPa | 92 % |
| Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA | Tensile modulus | 1.69 GPa | 1.73 GPa | 102 % |
| Eryone Light Weight PLA | Tensile modulus | 1.35 GPa | 0.758 GPa, Z (X-Z) | 56 % |
| iSANMATE Light Weight PLA | Tensile modulus | 0.893 GPa | 0.254 GPa | 28 % |
| Bambu Lab PLA Aero | Elongation at break | 2.6 % | 1.2 % | 46 % |
| Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA | Elongation at break | 8.8 % | 2 % | 23 % |
| iSANMATE Light Weight PLA | Elongation at break | 17 % | 11 % | 65 % |
| ASA Aero (alternative) | Tensile strength | 95 % · 1 | ||
| ASA Aero (alternative) | Elongation at break | 48 % · 1 |
Elongation at break: one more product is in the median across the layers but gives no share, with no flat value of the same test from the same sheet: Eryone Light Weight PLA (no flat value compared).
Flat and across the layers, property by property
Flat and across the layers
| Property | Printed flat (XY) | Across the layers (Z) | Z as a share of XY | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | Products | Median | Products | ||
| Tensile strength MPa | 2010.6–24.1 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 75 %3 products |
| Tensile modulus GPa | 1.350.972–1.52 | 7 | 0.9990.632–1.36 | 4 | 74 %4 products |
| Elongation at break % | 8.84.75–14 | 7 | 1.61.2–4.23 | 4 | 46 %3 products |
| Flexural strength MPa | 4545–50.2 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 38 %1 product |
| Flexural modulus GPa | 1.961.69–2.51 | 5 | 1.41 | 1 | 83 %1 product |
The middle half of the products under each median. The share is each product's Z value as a part of its XY value, from one sheet and one state, and the median of those shares. Where it counts fewer products than the Z median, the others publish no flat value of the same test from the same sheet; the figure's table names them. How XY and Z differ.
Thermal properties
PLA Aero's HDT is typically 53 °C under 0.45 MPa and 48–50 °C under 1.8 MPa, with its glass transition typically at 59 °C. As published, Vicat softening is typically 55 °C and melting typically 155 °C.
Most PLA Aero products deflect at 53 °C under 0.45 MPa
Where do its products soften under load?
- a product
- set apart: test bar not described as printed, or no stated load
- middle half and median
- beyond the scale
The figure as a table
| Property | In the median | Median | Middle half | Lowest in the median | Highest in the median | As published | Added filler or additive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 4 | 53 | 53 | SUNLU PLA-LW, 52 | Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA, 54 | 3 | 0 |
| Glass transition (Tg) (°C) | 5 | 59 | 55–60 | Bambu Lab PLA Aero, 55 | SUNLU PLA-LW, 63 | 0 | 0 |
Every PLA Aero product that publishes these values is drawn; each value, with its document and conditions, is on the Products page.
| Product | HDT at 1.8 MPa |
|---|---|
| Bambu Lab PLA Aero | 48 °C |
| Spectrum LW-PLA UltraFoam | 53 °Cnot described as printed |
| Polymaker PolyLite LW | 50 °C |
Printing on the H2C
PLA Aero softens near 53 °C, below the H2C's 65 °C chamber
What does printing it on the H2C take, and how hot can a part get?
- share of the products that accept each temperature
- what most products accept
- the H2C's limit, and beyond it
- a product
- PLA Aero: its products' median and middle half
- as published, under each sheet's own test
Printing it on the H2C
In service
°C
One temperature axis for the settings a print needs and the temperatures a part meets. A setting's shade is how many of the products whose sheets give a window accept each degree; the H2C's limit closes its row.
The figure as a table
| Setting or property | Most products, or the median | Products | H2C limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nozzle | 195–250 °C | 12 | 350 °C |
| Bed | 50–60 °C | 12 | 120 °C |
| Heated chamber | 25–45 °C | 3 | 65 °C |
| Drying | 50–80 °C, 4–8 h | 9 | — |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa | 49 °C | 2 | — |
| HDT at 0.45 MPa | 53 °C (53 °C) | 4 | — |
| Vicat softening temperature | 54–65 °C | 5 | — |
| Glass transition (Tg) | 59 °C (55–60 °C) | 5 | — |
| Melting temperature | 150–164 °C | 5 | — |
Windows read from the Bambu Lab Filament Guide are not shaded: the guide speaks for every product that reads it.
| Setting | Most PLA Aero products |
|---|---|
| Nozzle | 195–250 °C most products that give one |
| Bed | 50–60 °C most products that give one |
| Heated chamber | 25–45 °C most products that give one |
| Drying | 50–80 °C, 4–8 h 8 of 12 products call for it; 1 more gives it as optional |
| Nozzle type | standard 1 says a standard nozzle is enough; the rest are silent |
Where a product's own sheet is silent, its setting comes from a sheet it shares or from the Bambu Lab Filament Guide; each product's card says which.
After printing
However, for very light and thin prints with few walls and low infill density, annealing is not recommended , or they can deform and get damaged.
Bambu Lab PLA Aero, data sheet, p. 3the suggested annealing temperature of models printed with Bambu PLA Aero is 50 to 55 °C, and the time is 6 to 12 hours.
Bambu Lab PLA Aero, data sheet, p. 3
What makers say about printing it
Printing advice
By decreasing the flow to 65%, light weight parts can be achieved.
colorFabb Light Weight PLA (LW-PLA), data sheet, p. 1
Moisture sensitivity
It is recommended to dry it in an oven at 50°C for at least 5 hours before use, and to keep it stored in a dry box during printing.
Flashforge PLA LW, data sheet, p. 1
More from makers: nozzle wear, supports and removal, adhesion between layers and odour and emissions
Nozzle wear
Ruby or hardened nozzle not necessary
Spectrum LW-PLA UltraFoam, data sheet, p. 1
Supports and removal
Recommended support material PolySupport™ and PolyDissolve™ S1
Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA, data sheet, p. 4
Adhesion between layers
Good interlayer adhesion
eSUN ePLA LW, data sheet, p. 1
Odour and emissions
Odor Odorless
Bambu Lab PLA Aero, data sheet, p. 3
Products
12 products from 11 makers; the most from colorFabb (2).
- Most documented: Bambu Lab PLA Aero, with values for more properties than any other.
- Highest tensile strength (XY): Flashforge PLA LW, 39.2 MPa, sold as toughened.
- Highest tensile strength (Z): Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA, 20.8 MPa, and it keeps the most strength across the layers, 85 % of its flat value.
- Highest HDT at 0.45 MPa: Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA, 54 °C.
- Highest notched Charpy impact: Bambu Lab PLA Aero, 8.2 kJ/m².
These are published values, not recommendations: the selector judges each product against your requirements.
Uses, limitations and chemicals
What it is sold for
LW-PLA UltraFoam is an ideal solution for all seeking lightweight, durable and aestheticallypleasing prints, especially where weight matters–such as in model making,drone-structures, orprototyping.
Spectrum LW-PLA UltraFoam, data sheet, p. 1Figurines, scale models, toys, accessories, and collectibles
SUNLU PLA-LW, data sheet, p. 1is suitable for model aircraft printing.
Eryone Light Weight PLA, data sheet, p. 1
What makers warn about
Using PLA LW requires some printing experience
Flashforge PLA LW, data sheet, p. 1Since Light Weight PLA adopts the "On-Demand foaming" technology, the filament will continue to expand in the nozzle after being heated during the printing process.
iSANMATE Light Weight PLA, data sheet, p. 3
Finish and accuracy
The matte and rough surface finish provides an attractive appearance for the prints and effectively masks the layers.
Spectrum LW-PLA UltraFoam, data sheet, p. 1It features a very matte surface finish which hides the layers.
Polymaker PolyLite LW PLA, data sheet, p. 1
Chemicals and environment
| Exposure | What makers say |
|---|---|
| Flammability | Flammable, in its one statement |
| Water solubility | Insoluble, in its one statement |
| Acid resistance | Not resistant, in 4 of 5 statements |
| Alkali resistance | Not resistant, in its one statement |
| Organic solvent resistance | Limited, in its one statement |
| Oil and grease resistance | Limited, in its one statement |
Makers rarely give the concentration, temperature or duration: treat them as indications, not design data. Each product's statements are on its card.
Resin reference data (for plain PLA, where no maker of these products speaks): it absorbs moisture and is dried before melt processing. Fillers, pigments and printing change this, so it does not stand for these products.
Density and price
PLA Aero's density is typically 1,100 kg/m³, the middle half 840–1,210 kg/m³, across 9 products. One product has a sampled price: Bambu Lab PLA Aero at 58 CAD/kg.
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Bambu Lab PLA Aero | 58 CAD/kg |
Regular prices, never sale prices, from 9 Canadian shops and 10 foreign shops, sampled 10 Sep–20 Oct 2026, not live; shipping and tax are not included.
Other properties, as published
6 more properties are published, each under its own sheet's test conditions, so they are listed, not ranked.
The 6 properties, lowest to highest
| Property | Products | Lowest–highest |
|---|---|---|
| Melt mass-flow rate | 8 | 3–15 g/10 min |
| Water absorption | 3 | 0.3–0.45 % |
| Elongation at yield | 2 | 2.06–6 % |
| Continuous service temperature | 1 | 50 °C |
| Crystallization temperature | 1 | 122 °C |
| Hardness | 1 | 75 Shore (scale not specified by source) |
Sources
19 documents from 11 publishers (16 data sheets, 2 makers' product pages and guides and 1 printer document), read 10 Sep–28 Sep 2026. Each value on PLA Aero's Products page names its document and page, and links to the original.
Bambu Lab, H2C Filamant Printing Guide (the H2C's printer guide): print settings for 12 products.
Every document (19), by publisher
| Publisher | Documents | Values | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| colorFabb | 5 | 34 | 2 |
| Polymaker | 2 | 31 | 1 |
| Spectrum | 2 | 15 | 1 |
| SUNLU | 2 | 15 | 1 |
| Bambu Lab | 1 | 21 | 1 |
| Flashforge | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| iSANMATE | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Eryone | 1 | 12 | 1 |
| eSUN | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Fabru | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Recreus | 1 | 0 | 1 |
- Bambu Lab, Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet - PLA Aero
- Bambu Lab, H2C Filamant Printing Guide | Bambu Lab Wiki
- colorFabb, colorFabb Print Support– 3D Printing Guides, Tips & Support
- colorFabb, Technical datasheet colorFabb LW-PLA
- colorFabb, Technical datasheet colorFabb LW-PLA
- colorFabb, Technical datasheet Light Weight PLA (LW-PLA)
- colorFabb, Technical datasheet Light Weight PLA-HT (LW-PLA-HT)
- Eryone, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) Light Weight PLA
- eSUN, ePLA-LW (light weight PLA) Technical Data Sheet
- Fabru, Lightweight Polylactide (LW-PLA)
- Flashforge, Technical Data Sheet PLA LW Filament
- iSANMATE, Light Weight PLA Filament Technical Data Sheet
- Polymaker, PolyLite™ LW-PLA
- Polymaker, PolyLite™ LW-PLA Technical Data Sheet
- Recreus, TECHNICAL DATA SHEET PLA-LW
- Spectrum, TECHNICAL DATA SHEET LW-PLA UltraFoam
- Spectrum, TECHNICAL DATA SHEET LW-PLA UltraFoam
- SUNLU, SUNLU LW-PLA - Functional Filaments
- SUNLU, TECHNICAL DATA SHEET ISO PLA-LW