Among desktop 3D printing materials, PLA filament reigns supreme as the most popular and accessible option, especially for beginners. Known for good printability, low warping, and decent mechanical properties, PLA strikes an ideal balance between ease-of-use and functionality for applications from design prototyping to hobby prints.

However, standard PLA possesses well-known drawbacks around thermal performance, brittleness over time, strength limitations and layer adhesion challenges. As 3D printing continues permeating wider manufacturing, the constraints of common filaments like PLA hamper adoption in more demanding use cases.

This led to the development of enhanced “PLA plus” or PLA+ filaments, an upgraded variant of PLA designed to address key weaknesses while retaining the coveted printability.

Let’s explore what really distinguishes plain PLA from PLA+ to see where each excels.

Same Underlying Materials

Don’t let the name mislead you - the base chemistry for both standard PLA and PLA+ consists of the same polylactic acid bioplastic derived from renewable corn starch or sugarcane. Manufacturers start with identical raw ingredients.

The differences emerge in proprietary additives and modification processes which enhance the properties and 3D printing performance of PLA+. Extra ingredients like impact modifiers are compounded into the PLA during extrusion to boost characteristics.

So at a molecular level, PLA and PLA+ filaments share fundamentally similar structures before enhancement. The resulting improvements really come down to how additive manufacturers tweak the plastic.

Distinctive Spool and Filament Appearances

Even before you 3D print anything, PLA and PLA+ filaments are visually distinguishable right on the spool. Standard PLA normally possesses a shiny, smooth surface appearance from the plastic extrusion process. PLA+ filaments exhibit a more matte texture with rougher grooved surface.

The matte colors and texture provide a more premium style, but also hint at modified properties. This becomes even more apparent when flexing the filaments. PLA easily snaps while PLA+ better resists cracking under bending and handling stresses.

Exotic Matte Color Options

In addition to surface texture differences, PLA+ filament tends to come in more exotic matte color shades compared to traditional primary color offerings of standard PLA. Taking advantage of the matte properties, many PLA+ spools feature stylish pastel blue, olive green, orange, purple, and gray hues.

This expanded aesthetic palette suits the newness and modern vibe of PLA+ materials. Manufacturers leverage creative colors to deliver a refreshed, youthful energy completely differentiated from the traditional PLAexperience. New recycled PLA+ variants also boast eco-friendly appeal.

Enhanced Extrusion and Bed Adhesion

Where the advantages of PLA+ really shine is during actual 3D printing. As soon as the material melts through the hot end, differences stand out:

• Smoother, consistent extrusion - PLA+ flows with less resistance and higher uniformity through nozzles thanks to modified viscoelastic properties.

• Excellent first layer adhesion - The first extruded layer exhibits strong grip to the print surface, laying a reliable foundation for stacking above layers.

• Durable interlayer bonding - Printed PLA+ layers strongly fuse together with far less delamination compared to plain PLA under bending or shear stresses.

• Seamless top visible surfaces - Final top skins achieve glossy-like smoothness without the ribbing and lines plaguing standard PLA, eliminating need for hot ironing post-processing.

The visual and tactile results speak for themselves - printed parts perform like higher-grade engineering materials but achieve the impressive surface quality of decorative model plastics.

Mechanical Property Improvements

Alongside better extrusion and interlayer performance, PLA+ prints excel in key mechanical properties that lag for natural PLA plastic:

• Enhanced toughness and ductility - PLA+ better resists impacts and exhibits higher maximum elongation before fracture, translating to more durable end-use parts.

• Increased heat resistance - While still rated for the same 60°C use temperature as standard PLA, PLA+ shows improved thermal stability closer to ABS plastics, retaining tensile strength and shape.

• Elevated tensile/flexural strength - Printed components boast enhanced rigidity and resistance to deforming forces thanks to improved interlayer diffusion bonding from additives.

• Longer fatigue lifetime - Parts withstand repeated cyclic stresses over time without failure, ideal for dynamic components likesnaps, hinges and living hinges.

Engineered enhancements in PLA+ make finished prints much closer in performance to professional thermoplastics despite easier printing workflows.

Weighing PLA Against PLA+

Standard PLA enjoys popularity due to striking an ideal balance of widespread printer compatibility, low warping, safe non-toxic qualities, and affordable pricing for reasonably rigid parts. Itestablished desktop 3D printing with reliable baseline performance.

However, PLA+ now extends capabilities advancing additive manufacturing into more challenging applications. Without sacrificing printability, PLA+ makes durable components with thermal stability almost rivaling advanced materials like ABS or PETG. The materials innovations bring engineering-level capabilities to hobbyist printing.

Ultimately PLA vs. PLA+ comes down to use case and priorities around cost, mechanical performance, surface quality, environmental impact, post-processability, and production workflows. Both serve important roles for different needs. But by upgrading PLA to overcome common weaknesses, PLA+ makes 3D printing future-looking again.