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 > PC/PETG > ABS/ASA > PLA
• Filament density: PETG/PLA > ABS/ASA
• Hotend temp required: PC > ABS/ASA > PETG > PLA
• Cost: PPS > PA > PC > ASA > ABS/PETG/PLA

When it comes to polyamides (nylons), PA-12 is less susceptible to hydrolysis than PA-6, more flexible, less resistant to high temperatures, and much more expensive. PA-66 is generally more resistant to high temperatures and hydrolysis than PA-6, and slightly more expensive.

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. I have provided price in terms of USD per kilogram based on the size closest to 1kg, but many of these filaments do not have a 1kg product. I really like AtomicFilament, but I sure do wish they would publish more technical specs.

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)
PolyMax PLA	1.21	61	62	55	2151	1984	41	32	2393	39	30
PolyLite PLA Pro	1.23	62	63	59	2932	2633	50	37	2934	17	25
PolyLite ABS	1.12	101	104	100	2247	2081	33	30	2127	18	22
PC-ABS	1.1	109	135	112	1835	1677	40	23	2081	26	50
PolyMax PC	1.19	113	117	114	2436	2150	53	41	2050	21	52
PolyMax PC-FR	1.2	115	116	110	2634	2743	67	46	2518	11.7	55
Polymaker PC-PBT	1.2	140	139	107	1849	1659	43	29	1934	21	55
Fiberon PET-CF17	1.34	79	238	148	5481	3559	66	28	4744	5	50
Fiberon PA6-GF25	1.2	70		191	4431	3330	85	61	4637	17	60
Fiberon PPS-CF10	1.29	98	268	253	5314	2790	36	32	4647	5	140
PolyLite PC	1.19	113	120	111	2497	2371	69	53	2640	4	30
Fiberon PA6-CF20	1.17	74		215	7454	4355	105	68	8339	13	80
Fiberon PA12-CF10	1.06	55		131	3304	1801	72	43	3535	13	140

Bambu

Parameter	Print temp (℃)	Print speed (mm/s)	Filament 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 (℃)	Flow rate ratio	Foaming rate	Vol. expansion ratio	Print density (g/cm³)
PLA Aero	210 - 260	<180	1.21	24 ± 2	2.6 ± 0.7	1690 ± 120	45 ± 4	28.8 ± 1.3	7.7 ± 0.6	153	53	54	0.5-0.8	0-120	100 - 220	0.55 - 1.05
ASA	240 - 270	<250	1.05	37 ± 3	9.2 ± 1.4	1920 ± 130	65 ± 5	41.0 ± 2.3	7.0 ± 0.8	210	100	106	0.93-0.97	n/a	102	1.03
ASA Aero	240 - 280	<150	0.99	32 ± 4	5.1 ± 1.6	1510 ± 120	58 ± 6	32.0 ± 2.5	1.56 ± 0.5	204	85	80	0.45-0.80	0-110	100 - 210	0.46 - 0.97
PC	250 - 270	<300	1.2	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	75 ± 6	3.9 ± 0.8	3670 ± 140	120 ± 6	27.7 ± 2.2	9.0 ± 0.8	219	182	210