{
  "opening": "PolyLite LW-PLA lists a nozzle of 190–210 °C (374–410 °F). LW-PLA is PLA the maker describes as foaming so the part comes out lighter. Bambu PLA Aero lists 210–260 °C (410–500 °F) and says it foams at high temperatures during printing. A comment's 190 °C (374 °F) calibration and 270 °C (518 °F) maximum are that comment. 270 °C (518 °F) is above both of those sheet maximums.",
  "question": "What is LW-PLA / foaming filament and how do I print it?",
  "slug": "lightweight",
  "useCase": "cosplay",
  "useCaseLabel": "Cosplay",
  "updated": "2026-10-23",
  "shortAnswer": "LW-PLA is PLA the maker describes as foaming so the part comes out lighter. PolyLite LW-PLA lists a nozzle of 190–210 °C (374–410 °F). Bambu PLA Aero lists 210–260 °C (410–500 °F) and says it foams at high temperatures during printing. A comment's 190 °C (374 °F) calibration and 270 °C (518 °F) maximum are that comment. 270 °C (518 °F) is above both of those sheet maximums.",
  "recommendedMaterials": [
    "pla"
  ],
  "printerConsiderations": [
    "The score-5 comment says to run priming and calibration at 190 because above that the filament starts foaming, and not to go above 270 for maximum foaming. The comment names Sainsmart lwPLA. This catalog has no Sainsmart LW-PLA row. 270 °C (518 °F) is not the maximum on the PolyLite or PLA Aero sheets.",
    "The score-2 comment says to add 5–10 °C (41–50 °F) to the spool recommendation, use a 50 mm/s outer wall, 2 walls, and 20% gyroid. Those are the comment's settings.",
    "eSUN PLA-LW has no nozzle and no bed stored, so it is not in the table. The title is not a temperature."
  ],
  "pros": [
    "Foaming is described with the sheet's words, not with a made-up activation point.",
    "The comment's 190 °C (374 °F) and 270 °C (518 °F) stay on the comment, next to sheet ranges that stop at 210 °C (410 °F) and 260 °C (500 °F)."
  ],
  "cons": [
    "No comments is a weighed before-and-after density. Two of the comments are about a pull on the roll and a partial clog."
  ],
  "community": "The editorial summary says LW-PLA foams with temperature, that you tune temperature and flow for density, and that it is popular for RC planes. The sheets say foaming. They do not publish a density-versus-temperature table, and the excerpts do not mention RC planes. r/BambuLab zqc0us, score 5, says LW-PLA prints well on the X1, to do pre-print lines at 190 because above that it foams, and that the commenter prints Sainsmart lwPLA and does not go above 270 for maximum foaming. The excerpt is cut off after that. Score 2 says to look at the spool recommendations and add 5–10 °C (41–50 °F), with a 50 mm/s outer wall, 2 walls, and 20% gyroid. r/FixMyPrint 1gsmlsk, score 28, guesses something was pulling the filament when the gantry moved to the right. Score 7 says the right side looks under-extruded and suggests a cold pull or a partial clog. No excerpt was supplied for r/3Dprinting scdqby, r/prusa3d 1ftiof1, or r/3Dprinting sam9cv.",
  "related": [
    "cosplay",
    "matte"
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What is LW-PLA / foaming filament and how do I print it?",
      "a": "PolyLite LW-PLA lists a nozzle of 190–210 °C (374–410 °F). LW-PLA is PLA the maker describes as foaming so the part comes out lighter. Bambu PLA Aero lists 210–260 °C (410–500 °F) and says it foams at high temperatures during printing. A comment's 190 °C (374 °F) calibration and 270 °C (518 °F) maximum are that comment. 270 °C (518 °F) is above both of those sheet maximums."
    },
    {
      "q": "What temperature turns the foaming on?",
      "a": "PolyLite LW-PLA lists a nozzle of 190–210 °C (374–410 °F) and does not add a foam-onset temperature. PLA Aero lists 210–260 °C (410–500 °F) and says foaming happens at high temperatures during printing. The score-5 comment on r/BambuLab uses 190 for calibration lines and 270 as a personal maximum on Sainsmart lwPLA. 270 °C (518 °F) is above both sheet maximums."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is foaming PLA just matte PLA?",
      "a": "PolyLite's sheet says the foamed surface is very matte and hides layers. [Matte filament](/answers/matte) is a surface question for ordinary matte PLA. [Cosplay](/answers/cosplay) is the armor page. Neither one is a foaming procedure, and a matte setting does not make standard PLA foam."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Polymaker PolyLite LW-PLA technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_LW-PLA_TDS_US_V5.4.pdf",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Bambu Lab PLA Aero technical data sheet",
      "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0574/3116/2995/files/Bambu_PLA_Aero_Technical_Data_Sheet.pdf?v=1715335547",
      "kind": "datasheet"
    },
    {
      "title": "Open Filament Database, colorFabb LW-HT PLA",
      "url": "https://api.openfilamentdatabase.org/api/v1/brands/colorfabb/materials/PLA/filaments/lw_ht_pla/index.json",
      "kind": "other"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/FixMyPrint 1gsmlsk",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/1gsmlsk/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/BambuLab zqc0us",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/zqc0us/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting scdqby",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/scdqby/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/prusa3d 1ftiof1",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1ftiof1/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    },
    {
      "title": "Community source, r/3Dprinting sam9cv",
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/sam9cv/",
      "kind": "reddit"
    }
  ],
  "recommendations": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "note": "PolyLite LW-PLA technical data sheet, checked 21 October 2026 and read again 23 October 2026, lists a nozzle of 190–210 °C (374–410 °F), a bed of 25–60 °C (77–140 °F), and drying at 55 °C (131 °F) for 6 h. The sheet says foaming technology and a matte surface. It does not state a separate foam-onset temperature.",
      "brand": "Polymaker",
      "product": "LW PolyLite PLA",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/polymaker/lw-polylite-pla",
      "nozzle": "190–210 °C (374–410 °F)",
      "bed": "25–60 °C (77–140 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_LW-PLA_TDS_US_V5.4.pdf",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "note": "PLA Aero technical data sheet, nozzle and bed checked 15 October 2026 and read again 23 October 2026, lists 210–260 °C (410–500 °F), a bed of 35–45 °C (95–113 °F), and blast-oven drying at 55 °C (131 °F) for 8 h. The sheet says it foams at high temperatures during printing. Filament density on the sheet is 1.21 g/cm³. That is the filament, not a foamed-part density.",
      "brand": "Bambu Lab",
      "product": "PLA Aero",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/bambu-lab/pla-aero",
      "nozzle": "210–260 °C (410–500 °F)",
      "bed": "35–45 °C (95–113 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0574/3116/2995/files/Bambu_PLA_Aero_Technical_Data_Sheet.pdf?v=1715335547",
      "affiliateUrl": null
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "note": "Open Filament Database, dataset imported 13 October 2026, lists a nozzle of 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) and a bed of 50–70 °C (122–158 °F). No drying figure is stored. The record does not describe a foaming temperature. The product name is LW-HT PLA.",
      "brand": "colorFabb",
      "product": "LW-HT PLA",
      "material": "PLA",
      "url": "/brand/colorfabb/lw-ht-pla",
      "nozzle": "190–230 °C (374–446 °F)",
      "bed": "50–70 °C (122–158 °F)",
      "pricePerKg": null,
      "datasheetUrl": null,
      "affiliateUrl": null
    }
  ]
}