3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs PLA Metal

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

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guideMetal-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore PLA Metal comparisons
ABS-CF vs PLA Metal — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSMetal-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]PLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[5][2][3][8]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[9][10][11][12][13]1 kg spools cluster near 78[14][15][4]
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[9][10][11][12][16][13]25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[14][4][15][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[9][10]Available from several mainstream brands[15][4][8][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[9][10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[17][15]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Decorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[2][4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[2][4][8][5]
Bed temperature°CNot documented50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[2][4][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[18]Open frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOn (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[18][19]Glass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[2][3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][8][2][20]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[18]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[18]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[21]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[18]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[4][8]
Extruder requirementNot documentedProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[4][8]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[18]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[4][8]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[18]Moderately abrasive — metal fill[4][8]
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[22][23][24]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[8]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[19]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[19]Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[4][8]
Other hardware wearNot documentedProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[4][8]
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[25][26][22]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[27][28]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[29]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[29]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[29]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[29]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[2][3][5]
Young's modulusMPa5210 (printed XY, ISO 527) — more than double unfilled ABS[1]1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Elongation at break%2 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[2][3][5]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[2][3][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[4][8]
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][25][26]Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[30][31][32]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][25]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[33][4][8]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
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)[34]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[35]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[36]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[21]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[21]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[21]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1]Proto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[37][18]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[37]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[37]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[37][18]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[37][18]None needed in a normal room[37]
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[21]Polishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[2][3][8]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[21]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[36]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[38][18]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedcolorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[39][36]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[40]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[39][41]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[40][42]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[42][36]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[43][42]

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. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI CF-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. YXPOLYER ABS CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  34. 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
  35. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  37. 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
  38. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  39. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  40. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  41. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  42. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  43. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper