Topic: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
I have a new roll of filament that doesn't seem quite right. Is there a simple test to tell if it's pla or abs?
- ysb
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Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
put it in water and wait? the pla is biodegradable .. or try to burn it with a lighter.. the odor of pla is like popcorn...
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
PLA has a much lower melting point. Apply heat to known ABS at the same time and see if it melts significantly quicker.
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
Isn't PLA a lot more brittle as well?
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
Easiest would be burning a little. Also PLA is stiffer than ABS. If you bend it, it will snap. ABS turns white when you bend it, and breaks after some fatigue.
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
Thank you for all the suggestions. The filament in question burns a bit more vigorously than some other abs I have and it bends easier. It smells pretty much the same when burnt so I think it is abs. It clogged up my hot end almost immediately and I've been having a heck of a time getting it sorted out. Everything else I've gotten from this particular supplier has been spot on so it's possible that something else may be the problem. If I figure it out I'll let you know.
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
Where did you get it, and what color?
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
Take my opinion for what its worth as I don't have a printer or any filament to truly know but could the filament be damp or have absorbed some moisture? Might need to dry it out a bit and try again
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
Ian, the color is yellow and it came from the the same supplier I got the clear from. This was one of the spools I didn't order but received due to a mix up. What I think happened was that it may have oozed back into the black plastic piece because the dia is only 1.62mm.
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
How does pla react to acetone?
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
I've heard it just turns whitish and gets brittle. Everything that I've seen mentioned that dissolves PLA is way more dangerous than acetone. You can use a lye/water solution to dissolve PLA completely when using it as support material. It might be possible to use that for smoothing, but I have a feeling it wouldn't be as fast or effective as acetone is with ABS.
Re: How to tell the difference between pla and abs?
IanJohnson wrote:
I've heard it just turns whitish and gets brittle. Everything that I've seen mentioned that dissolves PLA is way more dangerous than acetone. You can use a lye/water solution to dissolve PLA completely when using it as support material. It might be possible to use that for smoothing, but I have a feeling it wouldn't be as fast or effective as acetone is with ABS.
This is one potential advantage to sticking to ABS.
Former Solidoodle employee, no longer associated with the company.