PLA Opacity Tool by schlem

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

Finding truly opaque PLA for photographic / camera applications has proven difficult. Many black PLA formulations are translucent at best, even when printed at 100% infill.
The sample photographs were fogged by translucent PLA, and light shining through the shutter (typically the thinnest part of the camera).
In a quest to find the best (and most affordable) opaque black PLA, I offer this simple tool.
Print at 0.25 mm layer height. Each layer from the center outwards increases from 0.25 to 1.25mm thickness. I have found for 3D printing cameras a minimum opacity through 1mm thickness in required.
This tool is designed to be held up to a standard incandescent 60W lightbulb. Don't let it touch! -- It will likely stick and melt.
I use a 70 lumen LED flashlight as my standard light source. My benchmark is ZERO light transmission.
I have had good results with Shaxon and Makergeeks black PLAs (Opaque at 1mm), but lately their pigment content seems to have decreased and these filaments have not been opaque enough for photographic applications.
TESTED:
MatterHackers Pro Gun Metal Grey PLA Mixed results by batchRigid.Ink Black PLA Mixed results by batchJustPLA Black PLA Mixed results by batchVerbatim Black PLA OPAQUE!, but ~2.78mm diameter. Doesn't infill fully.
Additionally, it has been reported by a Flickr user that these filaments are opaque at 1mm or less:eSun Black PETG from HobbyKing (not opaque for me)eSun Black PLA from HobbyKing (PASSES OPACITY TEST!)Metal composite PLA from HobbyKing
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Shaxon Black PLA Formerly opaque; NO LONGERMakerGeeks Dark As Night PLA Formerly opaque; NO LONGERInventables Black PLA Not opaqueLulzbot Black PLA Not opaqueHatchbox Black PLA Borderline, but super-shitty qualityMatterHackers Pro Black PLA Not opaqueMatterHackers Pro Midnight Blue PLA Not opaqueUltimachine Black PLA Not opaqueAtomic Deep Black PLA Not opaqueLaywood-Flex Not opaqueFilamentONE PLA Extrafill Vertigo Grey Not opaque (Thanks @tbuser!)
If you test a filament and find a TRULY OPAQUE BLACK PLA, please post in the comments.
Thanks!