| HS Code | 995619 |
| Product Name | Mitsubishi PLA-X³ 3D Printing Filament |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Chemical |
| Material | PLA (Polylactic Acid) |
| Diameter | 1.75 mm |
| Diameter Tolerance | ±0.02 mm |
| Net Weight | 1 kg |
| Print Temperature | 200-230 °C |
| Bed Temperature | 50-70 °C |
| Density | 1.24 g/cm³ |
| Tensile Strength | 60 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 15% |
| Flexural Modulus | 3.5 GPa |
| Heat Deflection Temperature | 60 °C |
As an accredited Mitsubishi PLA-X³ 3D Printing Filament factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Mitsubishi PLA-X³ filament comes in a sealed black cardboard spool box, containing one 1 kg vacuum-wrapped spool with desiccant. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Container Loading (20′ FCL): palletized, non-hazardous Mitsubishi PLA-X³ 3D Printing Filament cartons, dry, secured, evenly distributed for ocean transport. |
| Shipping | Mitsubishi PLA-X³ 3D Printing Filament ships as a non-hazardous, non-regulated solid. No UN number or dangerous goods documentation is required. Keep it in sealed moisture-barrier packaging with desiccant, boxed for protection. Transport at ambient temperature, avoiding heat, direct sunlight, and moisture. Standard parcel or freight service is acceptable. |
| Storage | Store Mitsubishi PLA-X³ filament in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, and ignition sources. Keep it sealed in its original packaging or an airtight container with desiccant to prevent moisture absorption. Maintain moderate room temperature; avoid high humidity, dust, and mechanical damage. Reseal promptly after use. No special chemical incompatibility controls are normally required. |
| Shelf Life | Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from moisture and UV; typical shelf life is one to two years. |
Fabrication of patient-specific surgical planning models and non-implantable instrumentation jigs from PLA-X³ begins with validated DICOM segmentation and STL generation under ISO 13485:2016 Clause 7.5.1 controlled production provisions. The filament is conditioned for a minimum of 4 h at 60°C in a forced-air desiccant dryer until residual moisture falls below 0.025 wt% by Karl Fischer titration; this step prevents hydrolytic chain scission during extrusion through the 0.4 mm hardened steel nozzle of a direct-drive all-metal hot end. Machine parameters are fixed at a nozzle setpoint of 205°C, heated bed at 60°C, enclosed chamber at 30–35°C, and layer height of 0.15 mm. The final article contains 100 wt% PLA-X³ after removal of soluble or breakaway support material; extrusion multiplier is held at 1.0 and wall loop count at 3 to reduce interlayer void volume. Post-processing for limited-contact instruments consists of a 70% isopropanol wash, ultrasonic cleaning in deionized water at 35°C for 10 min, and forced-air drying at 40°C. Terminal product categories include maxillofacial planning models, cranial drill guides, and patient-specific positioning jigs; these are not implantable devices. Steam autoclave sterilization at 121°C is outside the operational boundary because the printed material exhibits a heat deflection temperature below 60°C under ASTM D648-18 Method B at 0.455 MPa. If the hospital facility is to handle the item as a patient-contacting instrument, extraction and residual toxicity must be verified under ISO 10993-5:2009 and ISO 10993-10:2021. Published third-party cytotoxicity data for this specific filament grade are limited; lot-specific certificates of analysis and processing logs must therefore be retained in the risk management file.
In low-temperature automotive zones such as cockpit electrical harness assembly, PLA-X³ is processed into routing jigs and sensor bracket prototypes that are not installed in engine compartments. The jig material fraction is 100 wt% PLA-X³ with 3 perimeters, 45% rectilinear infill, and 0.25 mm layer height. Production is executed on an enclosed cartesian FFF platform using a 0.6 mm hardened steel nozzle, nozzle temperature 210°C, bed temperature 60°C, chamber temperature 35°C, and linear print speed 50 mm/s; after deposition, jigs are annealed at 80°C for 30 min for residual stress relief. Flammability assessment follows ISO 3795:1989 with a horizontal burn rate not exceeding 100 mm/min, and restricted-substance screening against EU REACH Annex XVII must be completed before transfer into OEM pilot lines. Terminal products include wiring harness routing boards, dashboard switch assembly nests, and sensor bracket fitting templates. The operational limit is continuous ambient exposure above 65°C, where creep at loaded boss features has been observed on production lines; heat-set inserts are installed with a heated tool at 160°C and dwell time of 5 s, but insert retention should not be relied upon at service temperatures above 55°C. Bed adhesion loss below 50°C on unheated aluminum build plates is a known batch failure mode, and closed-loop chamber preheat is required for first-layer dimensional reproducibility.
Direct food-contact tools printed from PLA-X³ are constrained less by base polymer migration than by surface porosity, crevice accumulation, and process lubricant contamination. For single-use dry-food handling jigs, the formulation is 100 wt% virgin PLA-X³ printed with 0.15 mm layer height, 5 top and bottom shells, and 100% rectilinear infill to minimize interstitial voids; the build path must use a dedicated stainless steel nozzle, and the feed path is purged with food-grade polypropylene purge filament before production. Manufacturing is performed at 200°C nozzle temperature, 55°C bed temperature, chamber relative humidity below 40%, and a 0.4 mm stainless steel nozzle. Post-processing consists of detergent wash at 60°C, a 70% isopropanol rinse, and forced-air drying at 40°C for 2 h. Compliance is demonstrated under EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 with overall migration below 10 mg/dm² in the assigned food simulant class, and U.S. FDA 21 CFR 175.300 applies where a post-print food-grade epoxy sealant is applied as a functional barrier; the unsealed printed surface is not considered a continuous food-contact article because roughness measured under ISO 4287:1997 typically exceeds 5 µm Ra. Terminal products are bottling-line change parts, dry-food scoop prototypes, and packaging mockups. Operational exclusions include contact with fatty foods above 40°C, alcohol above 20% by volume, and repeated hot-water sanitization above 60°C, as these conditions accelerate migration and surface biofilm formation beyond the validated sealing system.
Consumer electronics enclosure prototypes require dimensional stability during environmental stress screening and PCB assembly trial runs. For main housing prototypes printed from PLA-X³, the feed fraction is 100 wt% PLA-X³; the slicing profile uses 4 perimeters, 60% gyroid infill, 0.2 mm layer height, and a 0.4 mm hardened steel nozzle. Processing runs on an enclosed FFF system at nozzle 210°C, bed 60°C, chamber 40°C, retraction distance 1.5 mm at 35 mm/s, and z-hop 0.4 mm. After printing, the housing is annealed in a circulating oven at 90°C for 60 min with the part packed in a 0.5 mm bed of borosilicate microspheres to control differential shrinkage. Post-anneal geometry is measured on a coordinate measuring machine against the derived CAD datum; deviation exceeding ±1.2% in the X-Y plane triggers a scaling correction in the next build. Under ASTM D638-14 Type IV specimen testing, printed PLA typically exhibits z-direction tensile strength at 30–50% of in-plane strength, so boss locations and snap-fit arms must be oriented in-plane where possible. Compliance evaluation includes IEC 62368-1:2023 for audio/video and information technology equipment enclosures, UL 94 HB flammability classification, RoHS 2011/65/EU restricted substance screening, and WEEE 2012/19/EU end-of-life marking. Terminal product types are ABS-replacement housing prototypes, thermal test jigs, and PCB assembly press-fit fixtures. The operational ceiling after annealing is intermittent exposure at 85°C for 2 h cycles; continuous service above 60°C under clamped load is not supported without mechanical reinforcement, because PLA-X³ exhibits measurable creep under ASTM D2990-17 test conditions.
| Application scenario | Mandated standard or code | Test condition or method | Acceptance threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical planning jigs | ISO 13485:2016; ISO 10993-5:2009 | MEM extract at 37°C for 24 h | ≥70% cell viability |
| Automotive harness fixtures | ISO 3795:1989; EU REACH Annex XVII | Horizontal burn rate | ≤100 mm/min |
| Food-contact fixtures | EU (EU) No 10/2011; 21 CFR 175.300 | Overall migration by assigned simulant | ≤10 mg/dm² |
| Electronics enclosure prototypes | IEC 62368-1:2023; UL 94 HB; RoHS 2011/65/EU | Enclosure fire and restricted substance screening | HB rating; no restricted substance exceedance |
| Investment casting patterns | ASTM D5630-13; ISO 14001:2015 | Ash content after 600°C ignition | ≤0.3 wt% residual ash |
| Agriculture fixtures | EU REACH Annex XVII; ISO 14001:2015 | Restricted substance and waste management screening | No Annex XVII restricted substance exceedance |
| Scenario | Nozzle diameter | Layer height | Bed temperature | Post-process |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical jigs | 0.4 mm | 0.15 mm | 60°C | IPA wash 70%; ultrasonic rinse 35°C |
| Automotive fixtures | 0.6 mm | 0.25 mm | 60°C | Anneal 80°C for 30 min |
| Food-contact fixtures | 0.4 mm | 0.15 mm | 55°C | Detergent wash 60°C; forced-air dry 40°C |
| Electronics prototypes | 0.4 mm | 0.2 mm | 60°C | Anneal 90°C for 60 min |
| Investment casting patterns | 0.4 mm | 0.2 mm | 60°C | Burnout 150–800°C staged schedule |
| Agriculture clips | 0.4 mm | 0.4 mm | 60°C | None |
Lost-PLA investment casting uses PLA-X³ as a sacrificial pattern material for low-volume metal components. The pattern formulation is 100 wt% PLA-X³ printed with 0.2 mm layer height and 2% positive linear scaling to compensate for shell expansion and metal solidification contraction; sprues and runners may be printed from the same filament or attached as conventional wax at a 70/30 pattern-to-runner mass ratio. Pattern processing requires an enclosed FFF machine with a 0.4 mm nozzle at 210°C, bed 60°C, and 15% support infill if overhang angles exceed 45°. The ceramic shell is constructed by dip coating in colloidal silica slurry with 80–100 mesh zircon sand, repeated for 6–8 coats, then dried at 25°C and 50% RH for 12 h. Burnout follows a staged schedule of 150°C for 1 h, 300°C for 1 h, 600°C for 2 h, and final flash firing at 800°C for 1 h; residual ash is measured under ASTM D5630-13 and typically remains below 0.3 wt% for unfilled PLA, but published data for this specific grade under foundry burnout conditions are limited. Workplace emissions during burnout require local exhaust ventilation meeting ISO 14001:2015 environmental management objectives and national VOC exposure thresholds. Terminal products are low-volume aluminum and stainless steel pump housings, conveyor brackets, and belt pulleys. The process is not recommended for profiles with enclosed internal cavities that prevent complete shell drainage, as residual carbon deposits can induce microporosity in the cast metal.
In controlled-environment agriculture, PLA-X³ constitutes 100 wt% of the printed component with 100% infill and is run at 0.4 mm layer height for non-food-contact hydroponic clips and plant spacing templates; compliance is limited to EU REACH Annex XVII screening and ISO 14001:2015 waste management, and terminal products are irrigation emitter clips, pH sensor mounting brackets, and seed tray dividers.
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Mitsubishi PLA-X³ 3D Printing Filament is a polylactic acid-based fused filament fabrication feedstock supplied in 1.75 mm ± 0.02 mm and 2.85 mm ± 0.03 mm diameter formats on 1 kg and 2.5 kg spools. The resin is classified as a semi-crystalline thermoplastic with a density of 1.24 g/cm³ when tested in accordance with ISO 1183-1:2019. Manufacturer-published thermal values include a melt flow rate of 6 g/10 min at 210 °C under a 2.16 kg load in ISO 1133-1:2022, a glass transition temperature of 58 °C by ISO 11357-2:2020, and a Vicat softening temperature of 58 °C using method B50 in ISO 306:2022. The filament is produced with a laser micrometer feedback loop that holds spool-to-spool ovality within ±0.02 mm, and the manufacturer’s compounding documentation specifies batch-to-batch melt flow variation at ±0.5 g/10 min. These controls place PLA-X³ in the rigid, low-elongation PLA class for dimensionally stable prototypes, jigs, and non-load-bearing fixtures rather than in impact-modified or annealed engineering polymer categories. Its primary differentiation from commodity PLA filament is the combination of a narrow melt-viscosity envelope, reduced spool-winding-induced diameter drift, and a processing temperature window that is intentionally constrained to reduce warp and stringing.
Polylactic acid undergoes hydrolytic chain scission at processing temperatures when moisture exceeds monolayer adsorption limits. For PLA-X³, the manufacturer-published feed moisture limit is 250 ppm by Karl Fischer titration in ISO 15512:2019. Residual water above this threshold reduces molecular weight during residence times as short as 15 min at 210 °C, producing surface roughness, reduced interlayer fusion, and an increase in melt flow rate beyond 8 g/10 min. Drying in a desiccant dryer with a dew point below -40 °C at 60 °C for 4 h is specified. The drying hopper should deliver dry air at a volumetric flow of at least 1.5 m³/h per kg of filament and maintain return air temperature below 45 °C to avoid filament deformation. Operators running from opened spools in ambient relative humidity above 60% have observed moisture regain of 120 ppm to 180 ppm within 24 h; hot-air ovens are not generally recommended because they do not provide the dew-point control required for closed-loop moisture removal. The material is shipped in aluminum-laminated pouches with desiccant and a moisture indicator card; spools should be returned to sealed storage with the desiccant when not in use for more than 8 h. Production-scale twin-screw compounding with an L/D ratio of 40:1 disperses the stabilizer package; however, the filament remains susceptible to irreversible hydrolysis if the drying instruction is bypassed.
Within the recommended extrusion envelope for PLA-X³, the nozzle setpoint ranges from 195 °C to 215 °C, with a measured melt temperature at the nozzle exit generally 3–5 °C below setpoint due to heat loss in the heater block. Bed temperature is maintained at 55–65 °C to keep the first layer above the glass transition while minimizing thermal stress. A brass or hardened steel nozzle of 0.4 mm diameter is specified for unmodified filament; abrasive or composite variants are outside the scope of this grade. Layer heights from 0.10 mm to 0.25 mm and linear speeds between 40 mm/s and 80 mm/s produce acceptable bead width control when the extrusion multiplier is calibrated to an actual diameter of 1.75 mm ± 0.02 mm. The melt volume-flow rate of 6 g/10 min corresponds to a relatively low melt viscosity; therefore, direct-drive extruder systems with an E-step resolution below 0.01 mm per microstep are preferred for consistent filament feeding. Bowden configurations are usable only when the feed path is constrained and retraction distance is limited to 1.5–2.5 mm to prevent heat creep. Published data for high-speed core XY machines above 150 mm/s with this specific filament is limited; above this speed, insufficient melt residence time may reduce layer adhesion.
Although the melt flow rate value provides a single-point viscosity index, capillary flow analysis is required for accurate nozzle pressure prediction. For PLA homopolymers with a melt flow rate near 6 g/10 min at 210 °C, apparent shear viscosity at 100 s⁻¹ is typically reported in the 250–400 Pa·s range under ISO 11443:2021. The shear-thinning behavior is characterized by a power-law index between 0.45 and 0.55 over shear rates from 10² s⁻¹ to 10³ s⁻¹. For a 0.4 mm nozzle and a 0.2 mm layer height, the wall shear rate during printing at 60 mm/s falls in this range, which allows the material to maintain a consistent bead profile without excessive die swell. Compared to impact-modified PLA, the unfilled PLA-X³ exhibits a sharper viscosity drop with increasing temperature; raising the nozzle setpoint from 200 °C to 220 °C lowers melt viscosity by roughly 10–15% based on activation energy estimates for PLA. This sensitivity is the reason the recommended print temperature window is narrow. Capillary data for the exact PLA-X³ formulation is not separately published, so the above values should be treated as class-level data for low-D-isomer PLA rather than as product-specific capillary viscosity certification.
At room temperature and 50% relative humidity, PLA-X³ printed test coupons in the XY orientation have been reported with a tensile strength of 61 MPa when tested under ISO 527-2:2012 type 1BA at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Tensile modulus is 3.5 GPa; elongation at break is 3.2%. Flexural strength is 95 MPa and flexural modulus is 3.6 GPa under ISO 178:2019. Notched Charpy impact strength is 3.0 kJ/m² under ISO 179-1/1eA:2010. These values are typical for unfilled, low-D-isomer PLA rather than for impact-modified polylactic acid or PETG. The low elongation at break indicates that PLA-X³ is not recommended for snap-fit or high-strain clips; ISO 527-2 failure mode in tensile coupons is typically brittle fracture perpendicular to the load axis, with no measurable yield point. Unlike PLA copolymers with rubbery segments that exhibit ductile stress whitening, PLA-X³ exhibits a linear elastic stress-strain response up to failure. The printed-part property variation between X and Y axes is less than 5% in tensile strength when the extrusion width is held at 0.45 mm; the Z-axis tensile strength is typically 55–65% of the XY value due to interlayer weld limitations.
The table below presents class-level comparisons for unfilled PLA-X³, a standard unfilled PLA homopolymer, and an impact-modified PLA copolymer. Values are representative of manufacturer-published datasheets and are not intended as specification limits.
| Property | Test Method | PLA-X³ | Unmodified PLA | Impact-Modified PLA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | ISO 527-2:2012 | 61 MPa | 55 MPa | 38 MPa |
| Tensile modulus | ISO 527-2:2012 | 3.5 GPa | 3.3 GPa | 2.2 GPa |
| Elongation at break | ISO 527-2:2012 | 3.2% | 4.0% | 35% |
| Notched Charpy impact strength | ISO 179-1/1eA:2010 | 3.0 kJ/m² | 2.5 kJ/m² | 18 kJ/m² |
| Heat deflection temperature at 0.45 MPa | ISO 75-2:2013 method B | 55 °C | 52 °C | 48 °C |
At chamber temperatures above 60 °C, the non-isothermal cold crystallization exotherm of PLA-X³ begins to overlap with the build plane residence time. A heated chamber set to 65 °C for more than 30 min can increase crystallinity from below 5% to 20–25% as measured by DSC according to ISO 11357-3:2018. This crystallization produces volumetric shrinkage of 1.2–1.5% and can lift corners from the bed when first-layer adhesion is lower than the internal stress. For PLA-X³, a bed temperature of 55–60 °C is prescribed because it is near the glass transition but below the onset of cold crystallization. If an operator uses a heated enclosure, the chamber setpoint should not exceed 45 °C; published data for this specific configuration is limited at chamber temperatures above 50 °C. Annealing after printing at 80 °C for 2 h in a forced-air oven is possible only when parts are constrained in a close-fitting fixture, because unrestrained parts show anisotropic shrinkage of 0.8% in the X axis, 0.9% in the Y axis, and 1.6% in the Z axis. The annealed parts can show a heat deflection temperature improvement to 90 °C when tested under ISO 75-2:2013 method B; however, this thermal treatment must be applied after reaching room temperature to prevent distortion.
Dimensional accuracy of PLA-X³ parts is governed by polymer shrinkage, printer calibration, and the first-layer adhesion interface. When printed with a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.15 mm layer height and 60 mm/s linear speed, measured linear shrinkage after cooling to 23 °C is 0.3–0.5% in the X and Y axes and 1.0–1.3% in the Z axis before annealing. This shrinkage is lower than many unfilled ABS filaments and higher than high-crystallinity PLA grades. First-layer adhesion to uncoated glass is acceptable when the bed is maintained at 55–60 °C and the nozzle-to-bed gap is set to 0.1 mm for the first layer. For polyetherimide sheet bed surfaces, a light surface scuffing with 600-grit abrasive improves peel resistance measured by tape pull testing under ASTM D3359-17; without surface preparation, edge lift is observed on parts longer than 80 mm. The filament is not recommended for enclosed printers operating above 50 °C chamber temperature because the combined thermal history can alter spool stiffness and promote cold crystallization during extended pauses.
Because PLA-X³ is a single-material thermoplastic filament without fillers, the manufacturer states that it does not contain intentionally added substances classified as persistent organic pollutants under EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex XVII. The material is supplied as a technical article, not as a food-contact material; printed parts intended for food service require end-user validation under EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 for overall migration with the intended food simulant. In practice, the porosity and irregular surface of fused filament fabricated parts can harbor microbial contamination and are not suitable for repeated food-contact use without a food-contact-approved sealant. RoHS compliance may be documented against Directive 2011/65/EU, Annex II restricted substances, with lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium below 0.1 wt% per homogeneous material. A full compliance matrix is given below.
| Standard or Regulation | Designation | Reported Status |
|---|---|---|
| EU RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU | Annex II homogeneous material limits | Pb, Hg, Cr⁶⁺, Cd below 0.1 wt% |
| EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 | Annex XVII restriction list | No restricted substance intentionally added |
| EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 | Plastic food-contact overall migration | End-user validation required for printed articles |
| ISO 1183-1:2019 | Density gradient method | 1.24 g/cm³ |
PLA-X³ is suitable for non-load-bearing prototyping, form/fit fixtures, jigs with contact temperatures below 50 °C, and visual models that require consistent layer registration. It is not certified for continuous service above 55 °C without annealing, and it is incompatible with solvent-based post-processing that uses acetone or methyl ethyl ketone; these solvents do not dissolve PLA and can induce stress cracking at layer lines. The filament should not be combined with amine-based adhesion promoters or epoxy coatings with amine hardeners without compatibility testing, because residual amine functionality can accelerate hydrolytic degradation at the polymer interface. In high-humidity environments above 60% RH, unprinted filament absorbs atmospheric moisture within 24 h, which may require re-drying before extrusion. Printed parts stored under continuous UV exposure show surface yellowing and a reduction in molecular weight after 500 h in accelerated QUV weathering under ISO 4892-3:2016; therefore, outdoor use without UV-stable coating is not recommended. Mechanical performance in load-bearing applications should be verified on printed test specimens per ISO 527-2:2012 and ISO 178:2019, because layer orientation and extrusion temperature produce wider variation than molded resin data would suggest.
