Check out my first novel, midnight's simulacra!
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, and is generally much 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 |
