3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs PLA

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

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
ABS-CF vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[2][4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[5][6][7][8][9]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[10][11][12]
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[5][6][7][8][13][9]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[14][15][16][17]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[18][19]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[5][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[10][20][21][16][22]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[23]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[2][10][24]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[2][4][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[2][4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[25]Open frame is fine[4][18]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[2][19]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[25][26]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][27][19]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[28]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[25]None[29][18]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[25]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][3][19]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[30]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][19][31]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[25]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[18][19]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[18]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[25]Brass fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[25]Non-abrasive[29][18]
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[32][33][34]Very low[18][19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[26]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[27][35]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[26]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[18]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[29][18]
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[36][37][32]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[3][4][38]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][3][35]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[39]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[39]
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[39]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[39]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[39]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[2][4][3][40][41]
Young's modulusMPa5210 (printed XY, ISO 527) — more than double unfilled ABS[1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][4][3]
Elongation at break%2 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][3][2]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][42]
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][42]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][41]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[27][29]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[2][43]
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][36][37]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[44][45]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][36]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[46][27]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[29]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][3][41]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2][4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2][4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]55–61 (DSC)[2][4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[23][4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[29][41]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[3][47]
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)[48]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[49]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[3][4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[27][23]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[23][27]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[50]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][27]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[3][51]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[30]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[27][51]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[30]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[51][27][3]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[30]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[51]
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[52][25]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[52]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[52]4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[52]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[52]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[52]
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[52][25]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[52]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[52][25]None needed in a normal room[52]
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[30]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[23][27]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[30]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[27][24]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[50]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[27]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[53][25]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[29][3][19]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[54][50]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[55]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[54][56]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[55][57]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[57][50]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[58][57]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI CF-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER ABS CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  24. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  30. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  38. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  39. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  40. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  41. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  43. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  44. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  45. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  46. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  47. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  48. 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
  49. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  50. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  51. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  52. 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
  53. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  54. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  55. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  56. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  57. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  58. 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