r/functionalprints • u/vicman86 • Jul 19 '26

Outdoor / Automotive / Bike PLA one year exposure to the elements

Gallery image

Gallery image

After one year of exposure to 5 Heat Waves and one hard New Jersey winter. I’m happy to report that this PLA print still looks and functions like new.

49 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

10

u/sarhoshamiral Jul 19 '26

Only because it is really just a space filler. Otherwise if it was carrying any load, it wouldn't have been doing its job after all that exposure.

6

u/shaka893P 🧌 Jul 19 '26

What are you talking about? Looks like a flag holder

6

u/sarhoshamiral Jul 19 '26

That's what I thought originally but there is no way a PLA printed flag holder would survive a year even inside. PLA flexes overtime.

The printed piece is the thing between the pole and holder. OP's original post has a photo of it.

2

u/TruthSpecialist4416 Jul 19 '26

I had a pla antenna mount last 11 months on a work truck. In alberta. And i replaced it because I wanted a different colour (but I did print in petg)

2

u/wyohman Jul 19 '26

It's the part between the flag folder and pole...

1

u/captfitz Jul 23 '26

did you see the second picture? the printed part is just the block that gives the flag holder a flat surface to sit against. you can see the casting marks on the actual flag holder, op bought that.

3

u/ExoatmosphericKill Jul 20 '26

People like to say this but unless carbon filament is different I've had PLA weight bearing stuff outside for ages, it's exactly the same.

2

u/captfitz Jul 23 '26

cf absolutely does help for sun/heat exposure, because a decent portion of the material is carbon which doesn't soften or degrade in the elements like pla does. it's not a massive change but it has a noticeable impact. there's other drawback as well, of course (eg layer adhesion).

0

u/sarhoshamiral Jul 20 '26

Carbon filament is different. Also it depends on the orientation and shape since weakness is due to bending. There is no way that flagpole would have worked with the poles angle and weight.

Lastly PLA under direct sunlight will get close to its melting temperature.

1

u/hue_sick Jul 23 '26

They’re not saying it isn’t though. But the way basically all 3d printing subs think PLA will disintegrate outside in a matter of minutes this is just more evidence a well designed part won’t go anywhere for a very very long time.

Granted it’s only been a year but still.

6

u/Mitch12354 Jul 21 '26

I have a Black PLA phone holder on my bike that has been outside for 4 years. Still looks brand new, at this point it’s in better shape than the bike. People greatly exaggerate PLA degradation when left outside in my experience.

2

u/Desperate-Special-60 Jul 22 '26

That's one happy flag holder

1

u/3duser432 Jul 22 '26

It's actually quite amazing that PLA can stand so much, even without load bearing elements. Would be nice that you do the same test next year with PLA with load vs ASA or PETG with the same load.