3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs PE

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guidePolyethylene (PE) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore PE comparisons
ABS-CF vs PE — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]Polyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[4][5][6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg22–125 across brands; IEMAI 22, Siraya Tech 28 and 36 for the core-shell grade, YXPOLYER 35, Push Plastic 50 at 2 kg, 3DXTech 64 at 750 g; Stratasys-compatible cartridges run far higher[4][5][6][7][10][8]87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order[11][12][13][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[4][5]1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[9][11]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[14]Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[2]
Part cooling fanNot documented0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[14][15]Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[2]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[14]Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[2]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[16]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[14]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[14]Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[14]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened nozzle of 0.4 mm minimum and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[17][18][19]Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[2]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[15]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[15]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the ABS matrix takes up 0.51–0.65 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 80 °C, 4 h pre-dry[20][21][17]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[2]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[22]Not applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[2]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[22]Store dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa5210 (printed XY, ISO 527) — more than double unfilled ABS[1]3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene[2][3]
Elongation at break%2 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[2][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[2][3]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[2][3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[3][2]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good — no creep test found; chopped carbon fibre restrains matrix flow and modulus rises to 5210 MPa against 2200–2330 for unfilled ABS[1][20][21]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][20]Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible[2][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76[2][3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K19–25 along the print bead and 80–84 in the build direction at 30 °C (20 wt% CF, large-format printed, TMA)[23]117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[2]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[24]Excellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[2][3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[2][3]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[16]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[16]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[16]Spectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[2]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][14]Not documented
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[25]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[25]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedStyrene dominates. Bambu Lab states ABS and ASA release harmful gases such as styrene at printing temperature, which can be toxic and cause dizziness or nausea[25][14]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[25][14]Not documented
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[16]Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[3]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[16]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[24]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[26][14]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedSpectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[27][24]None at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[28][29]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[27][30]Toluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[31][24]None — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[29][28]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. CarbonX Carbon Fiber ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  3. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI CF-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER ABS CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  24. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  26. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  29. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  30. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc