Filaments

Keeping notes on various FDM printing filaments here. Prices are per kilogram spool unless stated otherwise. Printing was done on a Bambu Carbon X1C unless stated otherwise.

Polylactic acid (PLA)

• Bambu silky green 2024-06 $25: beautiful results

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)

• Overture 95A green 2024-06 $30: stringy as hell

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

• Bambu black/green 2024-06 $14 (4kg @ $56): solid workhorse

High impact polystyrene (HIPS)

Support material for ABS/PET, dissolvable

• Bambu green Support-G $80 ($40/.5kg): expensive!

Acrylic styrene acrylonitrile (ASA)

• Atomic Filaments black 2024-06 $19 (7kg @ $130): lay the first layer at 105, and remaining layers at 115.

Polycarbonate (PC)

• Bambu clear black 2024-06 $40: befouled my .4mm hotend. Very lovely when it prints.
  • warping at 115, stick to builtin 110

Polyamide Nylon (PA)

Polycaprolactam (Nylon 6, PA6)

• Atomic Filaments black

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)

• Atomic Filaments black Carbon Fiber: result is very tough
  • most reliable method seems to be cold plate (not textured PEI)
• Bambu Support-W (breakaway PLA support) $70 ($35/.5kg): works well enough, expensive

Bambu filaments parameter table

Parameter	PLA Aero	ASA	ASA Aero	PC	ABS	ABS-GF	PETG-Translucent	PETG-HF	PA6-CF
Print temp C	210-260	240-270	240-280	250-270	240-270	240-270	230-260	230-260	260-290
Print speed mm/s	<180	<250	<150	<300	<300	<180	<220	<300	<100
Flow rate ratio	0.5-0.8	0.93-0.97	0.45-0.80
Filament density g/cm³	1.21	1.05	0.99	1.2	1.05	1.08	1.25	1.28	1.09
Foaming rate	0-120	n/a	0-110	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Vol. expansion ratio	100-220	102	100-210
Print density g/cm³	0.55-1.05	1.03	0.46-0.97
Tensile strength MPa	24±2	37±3	32±4	55±4	33±3	36±3	33±4	34±4	102±7
Breaking elongation rate	2.6±0.7	9.2±1.4	5.1±1.6	3.8±0.3	10.5±1.0	6.3±1.2	8.2±1.3	8.6±1.2	5.8±1.6
Bending modulus MPa	1690±120	1920±130	1510±120	2310±70	1880±110	2860±130	1610±130	2050±120	5460±280
Bending strength MPa	45±4	65±5	58±6	108±4	62±4	68±4	68±3	64±3	151±8
Impact strength kJ/m²	28.8±1.3	41.0±2.3	32.0±2.5	34.8±2.1	39±3.6	14.5±1.5	37.4±3.3	31.5±2.2	40.3±2.5
Melt index g/10min	7.7±0.6	7.0±0.8	1.56 ± 0.5	32.2±2.9	34.2±3.8	7.56±1.4	11.7±1.5	28.2±2.7	6.8±0.6
Melting temp C	153	210	204	228	200	202	228	214	223
Heat deflection temp C	53	100	85	117	87	99	74	69	186
Vicat softening temp C	54	106	80	119	94	103	79	70	212

Qualitative comparisons

Manufacturers employ additives to change the properties of their filaments, which I don't attempt to address here. Properties may change across different batches of the same filament. These are very rough comparisons based off oral wisdom.

• Impact strength: ASA > ABS > PC > PETG > PLA
• Tensile strength: PA6-CF >> PC >> ASA > ABS ~= PETG > PLA
• UV resistance: ASA > ABS
• "Chemical" resistance: PETG > ABS
• Melting temp: PC > ASA > PETG > ABS >> PLA
• Heat resistance: PC > ASA > ABS > PETG > PLA
• Printing speed:
• Offensiveness (odor, VOCs while printing): ABS > ASA, PC
• Acetone postprocessing: ASA/ABS only
• Ease of sanding: PLA > PETG > ABS/ASA
• Ease of painting: PLA > PETG > ABS/ASA
• Tendency to warp: PC > ABS/ASA > PLA > PETG
• Hygroscopicity: PA > PETG/ABS/ASA > PLA
• Filament density: PETG/PLA > ABS/ASA
• Hotend temp required: PC > ABS/ASA > PETG > PLA