Can I Mix PLA, PLA+ and PETG in the Same Print?

If you have a Bambu Lab printer with an AMS (Automatic Multi-Spool box or any printer with a multi-spool feeder), you may be wondering:

“Can I put PLA, PLA+, and PETG in and use them all in the same print?”

The answer is yes, it can switch between different types of filament—but that doesn't mean those filaments will stick together well.

This is an important difference!

Your AMS Can Handle Different Filaments

The AMS is basically a smart box that holds several rolls of filament and feeds them to your printer when needed.

So you could have:

• Black PLA

• White PLA

• Red PLA+

• Blue PETG

  
  

The AMS can switch between the spools during a print.

But here's where things get tricky.

Just because the AMS can feed the filament doesn't mean the different plastics will bond well together.

Think of it like glue. Some materials stick together really well. Others don't.

PLA + PLA = Usually a Good Combination 👍

If you are making a multicolor print, using different colors of the same type of filament is usually the easiest choice.

For example:

PLA black + PLA white + PLA red + PLA blue

These materials are all PLA, so they generally work well together. You can also use PLA from different brands, such as Bambu, Sunlu, Elegoo, or other reputable brands. However, different brands can have slightly different printing settings, so testing is always a good idea.

What About PLA+?

PLA+ is still based on PLA, but there isn't one standard recipe for PLA+.

That means one company's PLA+ can be different from another company's PLA+.

For a decorative print, PLA and PLA+ may work together just fine. But if you're making something that needs to be strong, test it first.

PLA + PETG = Be Careful ⚠️

This is the combination I would be most careful about. PLA and PETG are different types of plastic. They also use different printing temperatures and have different properties. Your printer may successfully switch from PLA to PETG, but the two materials may not stick strongly to each other.

For example, imagine printing a PLA box with PETG lettering that is actually part of the structure. The print might look great. But the PETG could separate from the PLA much more easily than you expected. That's because the two plastics don't naturally bond together as well as the same type of plastic does.

Does That Mean You Should Never Mix Them?

No! It depends on what you're making. If you're experimenting or making a decorative object, mixing materials can be fun and may work perfectly well for your project.

But if you're making:

• A bracket

• A tool

• A mechanical part

• Something that will hold weight

• Something you're selling to a customer

I would test the materials together before trusting the finished part.

One Important Thing to Remember

There are three different questions:

1. Can my AMS hold the filament?

Maybe. Check that your particular multi-spool feeder supports it.

2. Can my printer print the filament?

Usually, with the correct filament profile and settings.

3. Will the two materials stick together?

That's the big question!

The AMS makes changing filament easy, but it doesn't change how different plastics behave.

The Easy Rule to Remember

If you want an easy rule for multicolor AMS printing:

🟢 PLA + PLA = Best choice

🟢 PETG + PETG = Best choice

🟡 PLA + PLA+ = Test first

🟠 PLA + PETG = Use caution and test first

If you just want different colors, stick with the same type of filament whenever possible.

Your AMS can change the filament.

But it can't make two different plastics magically stick together!

Bottom Line

Yes, you can use different filaments in your AMS. But if you're using different materials in the SAME finished object, don't assume they will bond together just because your printer was able to print them.

For something decorative, experimenting is part of the fun.

For something that needs to be strong—or something you're selling—test your exact filament combination first.