Flightory airplanes are designed primarily for printing with LW-PLA, with additional components printed from rigid materials such as PC, PET-G, PLA, or ABS.
The components are solid bodies filled with infill patterns generated by slicers. This approach provides an easy way to update designs and adapt them for different applications. Each aircraft has its own instructions, specifying settings for infill and wall line count for each individual part. The general rule is to print fuselages with a Gyroid infill of 3-6%, while wings should be printed with a Cubic Subdivision or 2D Lattice infill of 3-6%. If there are any exceptions, they are noted in the instructions for a specific aircraft. Of course, infill settings and wall thickness can be configured and changed; however, the selected settings represent an optimal compromise between the durability and strength of the airframe and its weight.
The airplanes are designed to be printable on standard printers with a small working area. Most elements fit within a 220x220x200mm working area. Prototypes are tested on printers with a standard 0.4mm nozzle. Many users, however, choose to make modifications and experiment with other materials, such as printing whole airframes with ABS, PLA, or other engineering materials. While this is possible, it should be noted that it may result in increased weight and require different settings optimized for the specific material being used.
Recommended Printers
As mentioned above, the range of suitable printers is quite broad. A build volume of 220×220×200 mm and a standard 0.4 mm nozzle are generally sufficient for printing Flightory models.
Naturally, the market offers a wide selection of printers across various price ranges, differing in construction and features. Many modern machines include advanced capabilities such as automatic bed leveling, live print monitoring, AI error detection, support for high-speed and high-temperature printing, enclosed print chambers, automatic filament switching, and more.
One of the most popular choices among users is the Bambu Lab X1C which strikes a great balance between ease of use and professional-level functionality. It supports a wide range of materials and offers a reliable, high-performance experience, making it an excellent option for both beginners and advanced users.
Types of LW-PLA
On the market, there are many types of LW-PLA available. The key difference among them is whether they are in the prefoamed or active foaming technology. Both types of filaments are well-suited for printing airplanes; however, recommended print settings will differ between them.
The main difference between prefoamed and active foaming filaments lies in how and when the foaming occurs:
Prefoamed filaments are already expanded during manufacturing, which means they don’t require high printing temperatures. They are typically printed at lower temperatures with a standard flow rate of around 100%, as their volume is already set.
In contrast, active foaming filaments contain a foaming agent that activates at higher temperatures during the printing process. As the filament is heated in the nozzle, it expands, increasing its volume. To compensate for this expansion, printing is done with a reduced flow rate—usually between 40% and 60%—allowing for lightweight prints without over-extrusion.
This distinction is crucial for optimizing print quality, weight, and surface finish, especially in applications where reduced material density or lightweight structures are desired.
LW-PLA Alternatives
While standard LW-PLA is ideal for most hobbyist and lightweight applications, users seeking increased thermal resistance or improved environmental durability may consider alternative foaming materials.
LW-ASA provides foaming capabilities similar to LW-PLA but with much higher resistance to UV exposure, weather, and elevated temperatures. This makes it particularly well-suited for environments where printed parts may be exposed to direct sunlight or heat.
Important: ASA-based materials typically require a printer with an enclosed build chamber to avoid warping and layer separation, especially on larger parts. A heated bed and good part cooling control are also essential for successful prints.
LW-PLA HT (High Temperature) retains the lightweight properties of foamed PLA while offering higher thermal resistance than regular LW-PLA. It’s a great option for parts that are located near heat sources like motors, ESCs, or battery compartments.
Both alternatives can be used with the same aircraft designs, but print settings will need to be tuned accordingly—especially temperature, flow, and cooling. These materials may also require slower print speeds and different retraction settings to achieve optimal results.
Bambu Lab PLA Aero and ASA Aero Presets
During testing, we developed optimized print settings for our models using PLA Aero and ASA Aero—lightweight filaments manufactured by Bambu Lab. These settings are available for download as ready-to-use JSON configuration files, compatible with Bambu Studio or Orca Slicer
The presets are specifically tailored for the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon, but they can be easily adapted to other Bambu Lab printer models as well.
To ensure correct printing, make sure to load both corresponding configuration files: one for the printer and one for the filament.
For users of printers other than Bambu Lab, we recommend using the Ultimaker Cura slicer, as it offers extensive configuration possibilities and produces great printing results. Below are detailed settings for Active Foaming and Prefoamed LW-PLA. Many settings overlap, but there are specific differences in temperature, retract, and flow. If you want to use other slicers, you can experiment based on these settings.
It’s important to note that the filaments used for these settings are eSUN ePLA-LW (active foaming) and Polymaker Polylite LW-PLA (prefoamed). The provided settings serve as a solid foundation for further tuning if needed.Using filaments from different manufacturers, various printer models, or even factors like filament moisture and ambient conditions may require adjustments to suit a specific setup—particularly in terms of temperature, flow, and retraction.
