PLA and PLA+ sit side by side in nearly every filament catalogue. The price difference is small, the colour is identical on the spool, and most product pages list the same nozzle temperatures. Yet the parts behave noticeably differently in the hand, on the bench and in the field. The question of whether the upgrade is worth it comes up at least once a week in our workshop, so it is worth answering properly. The honest answer is that PLA+ is a real upgrade for most functional work, but there are a handful of cases where standard PLA remains the better call.
Is PLA+ just clever marketing?
No. Genuine PLA+ is standard PLA combined with an additive package, typically a toughening modifier and sometimes a small fraction of a secondary polymer. The chemistry is real and the property changes are measurable on a tensile bench. The catch is that some discount brands relabel ordinary PLA as 'plus' without changing the formulation at all. Sticking to a reputable Australian supplier like OzFDM avoids that trap.
What actually changes mechanically?
Three properties improve in ways that matter for functional parts, and they are easy to feel in the hand as well as measure on the bench.
- Impact resistance roughly doubles, so corners and snap-fit lugs survive accidental drops
- Layer adhesion improves, lifting Z-axis strength closer to in-plane values
- Elongation at break rises, giving ductile failure rather than the clean snap of standard PLA
Does PLA+ print any differently?
Almost not at all. Nozzle temperatures of 200 to 220 degrees and a bed around 60 degrees suit both. Retraction, cooling and adhesion strategies carry across without change. The only practical difference is that PLA+ tolerates slightly faster speeds because the modified melt rheology is more forgiving on overhangs and bridges.
Does it survive heat any better?
No, and that is the most important caveat. Both PLA and PLA+ begin to soften between 55 and 60 degrees. A car interior on a Perth summer afternoon will deform either material in an hour. For anything that lives in the sun or near a heat source, look at PETG, ASA or the engineering nylons instead. Our material selector walks through the temperature thresholds and recommended use cases for each option.
Should I default to PLA+ over PLA?
For most functional work, yes. The cost premium is in the order of one to two dollars per kilogram and the toughness gain is significant enough to be felt in the hand. We stock OzFDM PLA+ in sixteen solid colours and treat it as the house default for general-purpose printing. Browse the full range on our filament page before your next project, and shout if you need a colour we do not list. The exception is when colour breadth or visual finish is the deciding factor and the part has no mechanical demands at all.
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