Glow-in-the-dark PLA print settings
PLA loaded with strontium aluminate so it glows after a light charge. Prints like PLA, and is the most abrasive filament most people ever load.
Abrasive — hardened nozzle required
Nozzle 200–225 °C
Bed 50–60 °C
Part cooling 80–100 %
Enclosure Not needed
Drying Not routinely needed
Shrinkage ~0.3 %, as plain PLA
Density 1.32 g/cm³
Enclosure: Prints fine in open air.
Bed surface & adhesion
As PLA — smooth or textured PEI, no glue needed.
Retraction starting points
Direct drive 0.5–2 mm
Bowden 3–6 mm
Retraction speed 25–45 mm/s
Forgiving — start mid-range and fine-tune with a retraction test tower.
Good for
Signs, light pulls, cosplay and props Parts that need to be findable in the dark Watch out for
Extremely abrasive — the glow powder is a ceramic and can ruin a brass nozzle inside one spool. Fit hardened steel first, not after Use a 0.6 mm nozzle if you can; the powder bridges narrow ones Glow comes from thickness — thin walls barely glow at all It charges from UV or daylight and fades over minutes, not hours Density swings with how much powder the brand adds — weigh, don't assume Problems this material is prone to
Other filaments
These are widely-published starting points for the generic material, not a specification. Individual spools vary by brand, colour and additive package — always defer to the figures printed on your spool.
Every number on this page is in the app too — next to the calculators that use it, working offline at the printer.
Get it on Google Play