DiamondAge IMPLA / HIPLA

[jonnybischof 60]

Looking for a good printing material for technical prints, I'm trying out DA's IMPLA which is a PLA with an impact modifier additive.

There are several differences to regular PLA:

1. instead of breaking, it will deform and turn white when you over-stress (bend) it. It will break at some point, but usually only if you bend it back and forth multiple times.

2. There is a difference when you do post-processing with a surgical blade (scalpel). IMPLA is somewhat softer and more elastic than regular PLA, so you can cut it better.

My "first-choice" PLA (ProtoParadigm black) is harder than this IMPLA. So in fact - as long as you don't over-stress the material, that PLA is stronger than IMPLA.

I also noticed that IMPLA delaminates very easily (bad layer bonding). I'm probably doing something wrong, but if this problem persists, then I'm actually quite disappointed in IMPLA.

Did anyone else here try out IMPLA before? What are your experiences?

 

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

I also noticed that IMPLA delaminates very easily (bad layer bonding). I'm probably doing something wrong, but if this problem persists, then I'm actually quite disappointed in IMPLA.

 

Did you try to print it with higher temperatures than standard PLA? What if you switch off the fan completely?

 

[jonnybischof 60]

I tried 190, 210 and 220°C, all with the same result.

The viscosity seems perfectly alright at 190° already, so I doubt printing even hotter than 220°C would make a difference.

I have a very weak fan, probably about half as strong as the original one. I can try printing witout the fan, it's a very simple part without overhangs.

With every other PLA, I never had problems like these - I always print PLA with 100% fan on and I got very strong prints from it (with ProtoParadigm PLA).

But as I need the part asap I had to switch to another PLA by now (UM black, I hope it's worth something...).

 

[pm_dude 27]

UM PLA work great. I really like the White and Silver-Metallic. I find the Ultimate-Blue a little less efficient but its still doing good.

I wonder if IMPLA would benefit from a closed print volume. Maybe it need to stay hot for longer.

 

[jonnybischof 60]

I have an enclosed, heated chamber...

UM Black PLA turned out to be as crappy as I feared - the filament snapped somewhere between the spool and the feeder, getting me an unfinished print and another half of a day lost.

I'm now printing the part with Diamond Age Sapphire PLA. A small test piece printed as perfectly as I expected, looks even better than I thought and seems to be stable enough.

I'll get back to the IMPLA when I have time for it. For now, it goes into the "disappointments" box where it is very dark and lonely o.O

 

[ilsaarin 2]

Little bit off-topic, but where do you buy ProtoParadigm PLA? Straight from USA or do you know any european supplier? I am still searching for the "best" PLA. Formfutura is currently the best what I have. Or not neccessarily the best but something I like.

Ilkka

 

[jonnybischof 60]

I bought that PLA from qu-bd, straight from the US. Shipping is relatively high, but the prices (and the product) are good. It's called "raven black PLA".

Just searched for it, and it seems they don't have that anymore...

I'm going for Diamond Age plastics in the future anyways. IMPLA seems to have been a bit of a bad shot, but their normal PLA is simply amazing.

The best PLA from Europe that I know of is Faberdashery. Color-wise, they're most likely #1 in the world. It also prints nicely and has good mechanical properties.

Not PLA, but I've bought a lot of Colorfabb XT this week. XT transparent is an awesome material for technical stuff (especially printer parts) which needs to be really strong. And now they have colored XT which might just push PLA off the table for me entirely (at least the colors that are available in XT).