| HS Code | 691302 |
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate | 6 g/10 min at 210°C/2.16 kg |
| Tensile Strength At Yield | 60 MPa |
| Tensile Modulus | 3.5 GPa |
| Tensile Elongation At Break | 6% |
| Flexural Strength | 80 MPa |
| Flexural Modulus | 3.5 GPa |
| Notched Izod Impact Strength | 16 J/m |
| Heat Deflection Temperature | 55°C at 0.455 MPa |
| Vicat Softening Temperature | 60°C |
| Glass Transition Temperature | 55-60°C |
| Melting Temperature | 165-180°C |
| Processing Temperature | 190-220°C |
| Drying Temperature | 80°C |
| Drying Time | 4 hours |
As an accredited Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 is packaged in 25 kg moisture-barrier foil-lined bags to protect the resin from moisture. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Container Loading (20′ FCL): palletized 25 kg bags of Ingeo PLA 3D700, approx. 20 MT net, dry and secured. |
| Shipping | Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 ships as a non-hazardous, solid thermoplastic resin in moisture-barrier bags, drums, or boxes. No UN dangerous-goods classification or special transport placards are required. Store under dry conditions; protect from moisture and direct sunlight. |
| Storage | Store Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, heat, ignition sources, and strong oxidizers. Keep containers tightly closed to prevent moisture absorption. Recommended storage temperature: 10–30°C; avoid exceeding 50°C. Reseal opened containers promptly. Observe shelf life and FIFO stock rotation. Do not store near acids, bases, or incompatible materials. Maintain good housekeeping. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life: approximately 12 months when stored sealed in original packaging, cool, dry, away from moisture, heat, and UV light. |
Filament production from Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 begins with desiccant drying to a pellet moisture ceiling of 250 ppm. Hydrolytic chain scission accelerates when pellets enter the screw above that limit because ester linkages react with residual water during plastication, reducing melt strength and producing filament breaks at the winder. A closed-loop desiccant-wheel dryer with a dew point of -40°C is operated at 80°C for 4 h; Karl Fischer coulometric titration verifies pellet moisture before transfer to the hopper. In plants where relative humidity exceeds 60%, the hopper is blanketed with dry air to prevent re-absorption. Importers generally require REACH regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 and RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU documentation, but no food-contact statement can be attached unless migration testing under EU Regulation 10/2011 is completed by the filament manufacturer for the specific additive package.
The extrusion line is configured as a single-screw machine with an L/D ratio between 24:1 and 30:1 and a compression ratio from 2.5:1 to 3:1. Barrel temperatures are profiled from 170°C in the feed zone to 200°C in the metering zone, with the die zone held between 195°C and 210°C. Melt temperature at the die exit is monitored by immersion thermocouple; excursions above 215°C cause thermal degradation, lactide reformation, bubbling, and yellowing in the finished filament. A melt pump mounted ahead of the screen pack reduces pressure pulsation and stabilizes diameter control. Filtration through 60-mesh and 100-mesh stainless steel screens removes gels, carbonized polymer, and occasional black specks that would otherwise clog fused deposition nozzles. The extrudate passes through a water trough held at 35°C to 45°C, then through a dual-axis laser micrometer. The draw ratio is controlled to hold 1.75 mm or 2.85 mm filament within ±0.05 mm diameter and ovality below 0.03 mm. If the draw ratio is too high, frozen-in orientation raises shrinkage later at the print head; if too low, sagging creates diameter fluctuation.
| Control point | Method / instrument | Target or condition |
|---|---|---|
| Pellet moisture | Karl Fischer coulometric titration | 250 ppm maximum |
| Melt flow rate | ISO 1133-1:2022 | 210°C with 2.16 kg mass |
| Filament diameter | Dual-axis laser micrometer | 1.75 mm ± 0.05 mm |
| Filament ovality | Dual-axis laser micrometer | 0.03 mm maximum |
| Extrudate tensile properties | ISO 527-2:2012 | Conditioned at 23°C, 50% RH for 40 h |
Spool winding is performed with closed-loop tension control because PLA melt-strength lot variation alters filament retraction, knotting, and tangle frequency. A six-zone winder with a traverse pitch of 3 mm to 4 mm and a spool core diameter of 80 mm reduces layer-to-layer crushing. The spooled filament is then sealed in a metallized barrier bag with desiccant; production lines that skip this step observe moisture regain above 300 ppm within 48 h in warehouses above 50% RH, which later manifests as popping during printing and poor interlayer fusion.
In assembly fixture service, the unmodified resin is constrained by a heat deflection temperature under a flexural load of 0.455 MPa that is measured below 60°C by ASTM D648-18. Sustained contact with motor housings, lighting ballasts, or heated seal plates at 65°C produces creep, loosening of locating pins, and dimensional drift. For this reason, printed fixtures that hold parts during light drilling, adhesive application, or inspection are limited to ambient cells or short-duration contact below 50°C. Layer adhesion is the controlling mechanical property. A flat Type IV tensile bar printed with 0.2 mm layers at 200°C nozzle temperature and 55°C build plate temperature develops between 70% and 80% of the solid filament tensile strength when tested according to ASTM D638-14 after conditioning at 23°C and 50% RH per ISO 291. Build plate adhesion is maintained with a removable polymer adhesive or textured surface heated to 50°C; flat fixtures longer than 150 mm require a brim of 6 mm to 8 mm to prevent corner curl from residual shrinkage anisotropy.
For holes and locating features, coordinate measuring machine inspection under ISO 10360-2 on printed fixtures generally falls within a ±0.2 mm process window when print speed is held between 40 mm/s and 60 mm/s and acceleration is limited below 800 mm/s². Higher speeds without linear advance calibration produce corner overshoot, under-extruded first layers, and oval holes. After measurement, hole positions are compensated in the slicer if mean radial error exceeds 0.1 mm. Threaded brass inserts are installed with heat-stake tips at 190°C because self-tapping screws in printed bosses fail by layer delamination under repeated torque. Color masterbatch added at 2 wt% during filament extrusion modifies melt viscosity; a carrier resin incompatible with PLA reduces interlayer bonding even though the filament diameter remains within specification. Only PLA-compatible masterbatch carriers are used when fixtures require color coding for visual management. Unmodified printed PLA may achieve an HB classification in UL 94, but high-void-fraction parts should be retested because flammability results vary with printed density and surface roughness.
In lost-wax and ceramic shell investment casting, 3D700 is substituted for injection wax only where low-volume metal parts justify a printed pattern and hand sealing. Patterns are printed with a thin shell wall between 1.2 mm and 2.0 mm, a low infill percentage near 10%, and internal vent holes of 2 mm to 3 mm. The outer surface is sealed with polyester wax repair compound, then hand-finished. If a solid pattern is printed, thermal expansion during the early stages of burnout can crack the ceramic shell before polymer decomposition begins. Hollow printing and open vent channels reduce the effective internal pressure during heating. Foundry burnout cycles for PLA patterns typically include a slow ramp from 20°C to 600°C at 0.5°C/min, with a hold at 300°C to complete oxidative decomposition before ramping to shell preheat. Published data for the ash fraction specific to 3D700 is limited; foundries should verify residue of each filament lot by thermogravimetric analysis according to ASTM E1131-20. The resulting cast metal components are low-volume stainless steel or aluminum parts such as valve bodies, pump housings, and replacement hardware. Ceramic shell cracking, incomplete burnout, and carbon residue are the main failure modes when the ramp rate is too fast or the pattern wall is too heavy.
For pre-operative anatomical modeling, CT-derived DICOM segmentation is resampled to voxel spacing of 0.5 mm or finer before contour extraction and STL file generation. The model is printed with a low 10% gyroid infill and a layer height of 0.15 mm to reduce staircase artifacts on curved bone surfaces. Unmodified 3D700 has no radiopaque filler; contrast under CT or fluoroscopy is therefore similar to soft tissue unless the filament manufacturer compounds a radiopaque additive such as barium sulfate. If the model is used for pre-operative sizing of plates and screws, dimensional verification is performed with an industrial scanner or CMM under ISO 10360-2, and printed holes are reamed to final diameter with low-speed cutting tools to avoid polymer heat distortion. Unmodified 3D700 is not a formal medical-grade material under ISO 10993 and has no default certification for patient contact; skin contact during surgical planning requires surface disinfection with a quaternary ammonium compound wipe, while prolonged soaking in 70% ethanol is avoided because it may promote environmental stress cracking and reduce interlayer strength. The end products are translucent or white low-infilled models used for surgical briefing, osteotomy planning, and patient communication.
Carbon fabric layup tools printed from 3D700 remain limited to low-temperature vacuum bag cycles, because unannealed PLA loses dimensional stability above 60°C. A printed drill template or caul plate used for carbon fiber prepreg layup can survive a vacuum bag cure at 50°C to 60°C, but a 120°C autoclave cycle causes warping, corner lifting, and hole displacement. The printed tool surface is sealed with an epoxy or polyurethane tooling paste to close the layer line porosity before vacuum bagging. Carbon dust from drilling cured laminate accelerates abrasion of unsealed PLA edges; tool life is therefore short and typically limited to a small run, though published tool life data for 3D700 in this specific configuration is limited. The main use is low-cost drilling templates, trim fixtures, and vacuum bagging caul plates for one-off composite parts. When the tool includes threaded inserts, the insert holes are printed undersized and reamed to final diameter to reduce delamination risk. The process boundary is strictly the cure temperature; any cycle above 60°C requires substitution of a high-temperature polymer tooling material.
University and industrial training laboratories print Type I and Type IV tensile bars from 3D700 for instructional tensile testing. The coupons are printed flat with 100% infill and conditioned at 23°C and 50% RH for 40 h according to ISO 291. Tensile testing is conducted at 5 mm/min per ISO 527-2:2012 or at 50 mm/min per ASTM D638-14, depending on the teaching curriculum. Notch sensitivity in printed PLA is higher than in injection-molded specimens because layer boundary defects concentrate stress, so Izod or Charpy values are not compared with molded engineering resins unless the notch radius, print orientation, and infill density are reported. The printed coupon route has narrow value as a material screening tool, but it provides a repeatable demonstration of anisotropic mechanical response in fused filament fabrication.
Competitive Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 prices that fit your budget—flexible terms and customized quotes for every order.
For samples, pricing, or more information, please contact us at +8618136850665 or mail to sales4@ascent-chem.com.
We will respond to you as soon as possible.
Tel: +8618136850665
Email: sales4@ascent-chem.com
Flexible payment, competitive price, premium service - Inquire now!
Ingeo Polylactic Acid (PLA) 3D700 is a pelletized polylactide resin intended for the extrusion of monofilament used in fused filament fabrication (FFF) and filament-based additive manufacturing. The product designation 3D700 identifies a controlled-rheology grade within the NatureWorks Ingeo 3D series. The resin is specified with a solid-state density of 1.24 g/cm³ when measured according to ASTM D792. The melt flow index is published as 6 g/10 min at 210 °C under a 2.16 kg load according to ISO 1133-1:2022. Differential scanning calorimetry according to ISO 3146 places the glass transition temperature between 55 °C and 60 °C and the crystalline melting endotherm between 145 °C and 155 °C. The material is a semicrystalline PLA with a controlled D-lactide fraction below 10 mol%, which balances melt stability at the die with the ability to undergo cold crystallization during subsequent annealing.
At ambient relative humidity above 60 %, the pellet surface sorbs moisture. The recommended processing moisture ceiling is 250 ppm. Pre-drying in a closed-loop desiccant dryer with a dew point below -30 °C and an air temperature of 80 °C for 4 h reduces moisture to below 250 ppm. The dryer airflow should be at least 1 m³/h per kg/h of pellet throughput to maintain uniform drying. Throat cooling at the extruder feed opening should be set between 15 °C and 25 °C to prevent pellet blocking at the hopper discharge. Karl Fischer titration is recommended over loss-on-drying methods for incoming resin verification.
Rheologically, unfilled PLA grades of this type are shear-thinning. Published capillary rheometry for 3D700 is limited; however, unfilled PLA melts at 190–210 °C typically show apparent viscosities between 500 Pa·s and 1000 Pa·s at a shear rate of 100 s⁻¹ and lower apparent viscosity at 1000 s⁻¹. The melt flow index of 6 g/10 min places the material in a low-flow envelope suitable for die-face stability. It is not intended as a high-speed injection molding resin.
Published typical values for unfilled 3D700 are obtained from molded or conditioned specimens and do not state the strength of an as-printed FFF part. Tensile yield strength is reported between 58 MPa and 62 MPa according to ASTM D638-14. Tensile modulus is reported between 3.5 GPa and 3.6 GPa, elongation at break between 2 % and 4 %, and flexural modulus between 3.6 GPa and 3.8 GPa according to ASTM D790-17. Notched Izod impact is reported between 12 J/m and 20 J/m under ASTM D256-23. The heat deflection temperature at 0.46 MPa is reported between 52 °C and 58 °C according to ASTM D648-18. Specimens conditioned at 23 °C and 50 % relative humidity for 48 h typically show lower modulus and slightly higher elongation than dry-as-molded specimens, but published data for the 3D700-specific conditioned shift is limited.
In fused filament fabrication, the weld interface between adjacent extrusions controls fracture. A part printed with 0.2 mm layers and a 0.4 mm nozzle can exhibit tensile strength 30–50 % below the resin molded tensile value, particularly when tested perpendicular to the build direction. Part qualification should therefore follow ISO 527-2 or ASTM D638-14 on print-orientation-specific coupons. Published data for 3D700-specific FFF tensile anisotropy is limited; converter-generated data under fixed toolpath parameters is required for design allowables.
During a DSC heat-cool-heat cycle at 10 K/min, a cold-crystallization exotherm commonly appears between 95 °C and 110 °C for PLA grades with a low D-lactide content. This exotherm is relevant to annealing because the printed part must be held above the onset temperature long enough for spherulite growth to increase heat resistance. Published isothermal crystallization half-times for 3D700 are limited; the behavior should be measured using ISO 11357-7 or equivalent differential scanning calorimetry methods before specifying an annealing cycle.
Filament production with 3D700 is typically conducted on a single-screw extruder with a length-to-diameter ratio of 24:1 to 30:1 and a compression ratio of 2.5:1 to 3.0:1. A starting barrel profile of 170 °C at the feed zone, 185 °C in the compression zone, 195 °C in the metering zone, and 200 °C at the die is used. The melt temperature is maintained below 210 °C. The die land length is set from 10 to 15 times the orifice diameter, and the air gap between die face and water bath is kept at 10 mm to 30 mm. A water bath temperature of 40 °C to 50 °C is typical. Filament is drawn to 1.75 mm ± 0.05 mm or 2.85 mm ± 0.10 mm, with in-line laser micrometer feedback controlling the puller speed.
Draw-down ratio is maintained between 1.5:1 and 3.0:1. Ratios above 3.0:1 can produce periodic diameter oscillation, and ratios below 1.5:1 can produce ovality above ±0.05 mm. Winding tension for 1.75 mm filament is commonly set between 0.2 N and 0.5 N; tension above 0.7 N introduces residual orientation that can relax later in the printer feed and cause diameter instability. Extruder head pressure is screw- and line-speed dependent, but a progressive drop in head pressure at constant screw speed is a process alarm associated with moisture-induced viscosity loss.
3D700 is not supplied as a high-heat PLA grade. It retains the PLA heat deflection limit, and parts made from it should not be expected to carry mechanical load above 55 °C unless annealed. To raise dimensional stability, printed parts are annealed in constrained tooling at 100 °C to 110 °C for 30 min to 60 min. The cold-crystallization cycle increases crystallinity and can raise the heat deflection temperature of some unfilled PLA grades to 85 °C to 100 °C. The same process produces shrinkage of 2 % to 4 % and warpage that must be controlled by fixturing. Dimensional inspection after annealing is performed against ISO 1101 datum schemes or a defined inspection fixture. Unconstrained annealing of long thin sections can produce warpage greater than 5 % in the long axis, and this is a known boundary condition for PLA rather than a defect specific to 3D700.
Differences from other Ingeo 3D series products are primarily rheological and formulation-related. 3D700 is the general-purpose monofilament grade; it is unfilled and not impact modified. Higher-flow grades in the same product family may extrude at lower melt pressure but require tighter die-drool control. Impact-modified PLA grades will exceed 3D700 in notched impact resistance, but direct public data comparing 3D700, 3D850, and 3D870 under identical FFF toolpaths is limited. Selection between the grades should be based on converter-side tests according to ASTM D638-14 or ISO 527-2, not on supplier typical values alone. Unlike neat ABS, 3D700 does not require a heated build chamber; a build plate at 50 °C to 60 °C and a draft-free ambient environment are sufficient for many geometries.
Three process deviation classes are observed on production filament lines running 3D700. Hydrolytic degradation begins when pellet moisture exceeds 250 ppm at the feed throat. The extruder head pressure falls at constant screw speed, often by 5 % to 15 % within 30 min, and the filament surface becomes rough. Because PLA hydrolysis is autocatalyzed by carboxylic acid end groups, raising barrel temperature does not correct wet-pellet defects; it accelerates chain scission. The wet resin must be dried, and the barrel should be purged before stable diameter is restored.
Thermal degradation is observed when melt temperature exceeds 210 °C or when residence time extends beyond 15 min. The defect signature includes yellowing, an upward shift in melt flow index of more than 10 %, and brittleness after quenching. The correction is to reduce zone setpoints or increase screw speed to shorten residence time, subject to the extruder manufacturer’s maximum allowable head pressure. Repeated thermal excursions create black specks at the die lip and require shutdown and purging. Local exhaust ventilation is required during processing because PLA melt degradation releases small quantities of lactide and acetaldehyde. A sharp, sweet odor typically indicates that melt temperature or residence time has exceeded the acceptable window.
Draw resonance is a mechanical instability rather than a chemical one. It appears as a regular diameter oscillation when the draw-down ratio exceeds 3.0:1, when the water bath temperature is below 35 °C, or when the laser micrometer scan interval is too slow for line speed. The correction is to increase die land length, reduce the puller differential, or narrow the air gap. A stable line holds a diameter standard deviation below 0.02 mm over a 1 h run. Ovality above 0.05 mm is cause for winding-tension reduction and cooling-bath temperature adjustment.
On the fused filament fabrication side, the extrusion nozzle setpoint is typically 200 °C to 215 °C, with a build plate at 50 °C to 60 °C. The chamber is not required to be heated, but ambient air temperature should be held between 18 °C and 28 °C to prevent warping. Layer heights between 0.1 mm and 0.25 mm are used with a 0.4 mm nozzle. Print speeds are typically limited to 60 mm/s to 100 mm/s for a 0.4 mm nozzle, beyond which melt delivery becomes the limiting factor. Cooling fan speed should be moderate; overcooling can reduce interlayer fusion, while insufficient cooling can cause overhang sag. The printed part should be allowed to cool below 45 °C before removal from the build plate to reduce peel-induced warpage.
Spools exposed to 60 % relative humidity can regain enough moisture within 8 h to produce steam pitting at the nozzle. Brittle filament and audible popping at the hot end indicate moisture. Spools can be dried at 50 °C for 6 h in a vented oven. Higher temperatures above 60 °C may distort the spool core and fuse adjacent filament windings. Spools should be stored in sealed barrier bags with desiccant sachets when not on the printer.
Regulatory status is determined on the finished printed component, not on the neat pellet. The supplier’s safety data sheet and technical data sheet should be consulted for REACH registration and RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU status. FFF-printed parts are porous and difficult to clean; therefore, 3D700 is not appropriate for direct food-contact applications unless a validated food-safe barrier coating or surface sealing process is applied. Final food-contact articles must be tested under the applicable migration limits of EU Regulation 10/2011 or FDA 21 CFR 177.1330. Biodegradability claims require finished-article certification under ASTM D6400, EN 13432, or ISO 17088; the resin itself cannot be marketed as biodegradable without certification of the final item.
Steam autoclave sterilization is outside the use range because the autoclave temperature is above the PLA softening point and produces dimensional distortion. Suitability of gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide for 3D700 printed devices has limited public data; validation should be conducted on the final device under ISO 11137 or ISO 11135. The material is not intended for permanent medical implants.
Incoming lot acceptance for filament converters uses Karl Fischer moisture analysis, melt flow index according to ISO 1133-1:2022, and filament tensile testing according to ISO 527-2. A lot is typically quarantined when moisture exceeds 250 ppm, when melt flow index deviates by more than 10 % from the supplier reference, or when filament ovality exceeds 0.05 mm. The resin should be stored in original moisture-barrier packaging at ambient temperatures below 30 °C and relative humidity below 50 %.
