how transparent is 'natural' filament?  

RE: how transparent is 'natural' filament?

I forgot to mention: I'm aware of "clear" filaments, but I'm guessing they would be "too clear" - not diffusing the light enough.

Pete

https://blog.prusa3d.com/3d-printed-lens-and-other-transparent-objects_31231/

But I generally print LED windows face down with two or three solid bottom layers of transparent filament - more layers trade brightness for diffusion.

Cheerio,

RE: how transparent is 'natural' filament?

Thanks! I'll try "clear PETG" instead of "natural PLA". It will be easier to add diffusion to clear, than to try and make natural more transparent.

Pete

RE: how transparent is 'natural' filament?

I'm going to show you how to make a 7 segment display with LEDS. Combine with Arduino to create countdown timers, simple text, and more.

RE: how transparent is 'natural' filament?

Natural PLA is generally more translucent than white PLA, but it is still not fully transparent. It will allow more light to pass through, which could help with your LED display, but it’s not as transparent as materials like clear PETG or acrylic.

For your application, where you want the light to diffuse, natural PLA could work, especially if you make it thinner in areas where you need better light diffusion. You might also experiment with sanding or polishing the surface to improve the diffusion, as a smoother surface can help scatter the light more effectively.

Another option is to explore clear PLA or translucent filaments specifically designed for better light diffusion. These materials allow more light to pass through and can help achieve the effect you're looking for without compromising the strength of the display.

If you stick with natural PLA, reducing the thickness further, especially where the LEDs are located, will improve light diffusion while keeping the segments illuminated. Just keep an eye on balance—too thin, and you might lose structural integrity.

RE: how transparent is 'natural' filament?

AFAIR, natural PLA is slightly yellowish. You might want to check out PrintedSolid's "Quarter White" Jessie PLA. As the name indicates, there is a quarter of the white pigment used vs. normal white to tint the PLA closer to white and still allow light to pass. I use it for printing lithophanes where light transmission is key (and adjusting the amount of light transmission by material thickness is the key to the artform).

I note you don't have any indication of even your country on your profile, so I hope ordering from PrintedSolid makes sense for the part of the world you live in. I also just noticed while getting the link for above, they appear to be out of stock. Keep checking back and/or click the notification button on the sales page if you are interested in trying this filament out for your application. At $20USD/kilo, it shouldn't be too expensive for an experiment.

NOTE: I don't have any relationship with PrintedSolid other than being a satisfied customer. The above link isn't even an affiliate link. (I don't know if they have an affiliate program...)