Filaments

Keeping notes on various FDM filaments here. The glass transition temperature is ideal for annealling. I've got a Google Sheet now chronicling experience with individual filaments.

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: PA >> 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, PA, 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/TPU > PETG/ABS/ASA > PLA
• Filament density: PETG/PLA > ABS/ASA
• Hotend temp required: PC > ABS/ASA > PETG > PLA

Tables

These data come from the manufacturers' websites and datasheets, and have not been verified. Different manufacturers report different data. These tables are not exhaustive.

Polymaker

Filament	Density (g/cm³)	Glass transition (℃)	Vicat softening (℃)	Heat deflection (℃)	Young's modulus XY (MPa)	Young's modulus Z (MPa)	Tensile strength XY (MPa)	Tensile strength Z (MPa)	Bending modulus XY (MPa)	Charpy XY (kJ/m²)	MSRP ($/kg)
PC-ABS	1.1	109	135	112	1835	1677	40	23	2081	26	49.99
PolyMax PC	1.19	113	117	114	2436	2150	53	41	2050	21	51.99
PolyMax PC-FR	1.2	115	116	110	2634	2743	67	46	2518	11.7	54.99
Polymaker PC-PBT	1.2	140	139	107	1849	1659	43	29	1934	21	54.99
Fiberon PET-CF17	1.34	79	238	148	5481	3559	66	28	4744	5	49.98
Fiberon PA6-GF25	1.2	70		191	4431	3330	85	61	4637	17	59.98
Fiberon PPS-CF10	1.29	98	268	253	5314	2790	36	32	4647	5	139.98
PolyLite PC	1.19	113	120	111	2497	2371	69	53	2640	4	29.99
Fiberon PA6-CF20	1.17	74		215	7454	4355	105	68	8339	13	79.98
Fiberon PA12-CF10	1.06	55		131	3304	1801	72	43	3535	13	139.98

Bambu

Parameter	Print temp (℃)	Print speed (mm/s)	Flow rate ratio	Density (g/cm³)	Foaming rate	Vol. expansion ratio	Print density (g/cm³)	Tensile strength (MPa)	Breaking elongation rate	Bending modulus (MPa)	Bending strength (MPa)	Impact strength (kJ/m²)	Melt index (g/10min)	Melting temp (℃ )	Heat deflection temp (℃ )	Vicat softening temp (℃)
PLA Aero	210 - 260	<180	0.5-0.8	1.21	0-120	100 - 220	0.55 - 1.05	24 ± 2	2.6 ± 0.7	1690 ± 120	45 ± 4	28.8 ± 1.3	7.7 ± 0.6	153	53	54
ASA	240 - 270	<250	0.93-0.97	1.05	n/a	102	1.03	37 ± 3	9.2 ± 1.4	1920 ± 130	65 ± 5	41.0 ± 2.3	7.0 ± 0.8	210	100	106
ASA Aero	240 - 280	<150	0.45-0.80	0.99	0-110	100 - 210	0.46 - 0.97	32 ± 4	5.1 ± 1.6	1510 ± 120	58 ± 6	32.0 ± 2.5	1.56 ± 0.5	204	85	80
PC	250 - 270	<300		1.2	n/a			55 ± 4	3.8 ± 0.3	2310 ± 70	108 ± 4	34.8 ± 2.1	32.2 ± 2.9	228	117	119
ABS	240 - 270	<300		1.05	n/a			33 ± 3	10.5 ± 1.0	1880 ± 110	62 ± 4	39 ± 3.6	34.2 ± 3.8	200	87	94
ABS-GF	240 - 270	<180		1.08	n/a			36 ± 3	6.3 ± 1.2	2860 ± 130	68 ± 4	14.5 ± 1.5	7.56 ± 1.4	202	99	103
PETG-Trans	230 - 260	<220		1.25	n/a			33 ± 4	8.2 ± 1.3	1610 ± 130	68 ± 3	37.4 ± 3.3	11.7 ± 1.5	228	74	79
PETG-HF	230 - 260	<300		1.28	n/a			34 ± 4	8.6 ± 1.2	2050 ± 120	64 ± 3	31.5 ± 2.2	28.2 ± 2.7	214	69	70
PA6-CF	260 - 290	<100		1.09	n/a			102 ± 7	5.8 ± 1.6	5460 ± 280	151 ± 8	40.3 ± 2.5	6.8 ± 0.6	223	186	212
PPA-CF	280 - 310	<100		1.25	n/a			168 ± 4	3.2 ± 0.4	9860 ± 480	208 ± 6	41.7 ± 2.8	8.4 ± 0.7	258	227	232
PLA-CF	210 - 240	<200		1.22	n/a			38 ± 4	8.4 ± 3.2	3950 ± 190	89 ± 4	23.2 ± 3.7	3.7 ± 0.6	165	55	69
PPS-CF	310 - 340	<100		1.26	n/a			87 ± 5	1.2 ± 0.4	7160 ± 280	142 ± 5	27.8 ± 2.3	11.48 ± 1.23	284	264	268
PAHT-CF	260 - 290	<100		1.06	n/a			92 ± 7	8.4 ± 1.8	4230 ± 210	125 ± 7	57.5 ± 3.4	14.4 ± 2.0	225	194	220
ASA-CF	250 - 280	<250		1.02	n/a			34 ± 3	9.6 ± 1.4	3740 ± 130	72 ± 5	14.0 ± 2.2	1.74 ± 0.3	210	110	108
PA6-GF	260 - 290	<130		1.14	n/a			75 ± 6	3.9 ± 0.8	3670 ± 140	120 ± 6	27.7 ± 2.2	9.0 ± 0.8	219	182	210