3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs TPU 95A

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

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guideTPU 95A guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore TPU 95A comparisons
ABS-CF vs TPU 95A — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSTPU 95AFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$39.99/kg median; $23.00–$106.05/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]Thermoplastic polyurethane, polyester or polyether based, at about 92–95 Shore A[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.20–1.25 (ISO 1183); Prusament 1.25, Polymaker 1.20–1.24, Bambu Lab 1.22[2][3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[5][6][7][8][9]1 kg spools cluster near 35; the specialist and industrial brands run to 106[10][11][4][12][13][14]
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][15][9]23–106 across brands; IEMAI 3D 23, LANDU 24, Siraya Tech 25, PS Imports 25, PrimaCreator 32, Bambu Lab 35–42, Polymaker 40–50, add:north 72, Recreus 90, 3DXTech 96, NinjaTek Cheetah 106[11][16][10][5][12][13][17][18][19][14]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[10][5][11][16][12][13]
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; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[10][5]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Gaskets, phone cases, tyres, vibration mounts and protective covers[20]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.06 (Prusament) — the loosest tolerance Prusa publishes, because soft filament deforms in the gauge[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–240; Polymaker 210–230, Prusament 230 ± 10, Bambu Lab HF 220–240[2][3][4]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–65; Prusament 65 ± 10, Bambu Lab 30–35, Polymaker 25–60[3][4][2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[21]Open frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[2][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[21][22]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[23][20]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented2.4 at Polymaker's 30–50 mm/s and 2.4 at Prusa's 30 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's high-flow grade lifts the cap to 200 mm/s (16 mm³/s)[2][3][4]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[21]None[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[21]Sticks to most surfaces[2]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[24]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker specifies 3–6 mm retraction, well above the 1–3 mm used for rigid filaments[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[21]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the speed ceiling is the main constraint[2][3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive strongly preferred. BASF rates its 95A grade as running on both direct-drive and Bowden machines, but every maker caps speed at 15–50 mm/s unless the grade is specifically high-flow[25][2][3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[21]Brass fine indefinitely[26]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[21]Non-abrasive[26]
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[27][28][29]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[30]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[22]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; soft filament buckles in the cold zone if it slows[20]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[22]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[23]
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[31][32][27]Low (0.1–0.3 %) by Prusa's measurement at 0.04 % in 7 days, but Polymaker measures 0.82 % equilibrium and groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials[3][2][30]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.82 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.02 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 22 % RH (Prusa)[2][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented70 °C for 8 h (Polymaker); 70 °C for 8 h or an 80–90 °C heatbed for 12 h (Bambu Lab)[2][4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[30]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[30]
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[30]Polymaker groups TPU with nylon, PVA and PETG as highly hygroscopic and says these often need to stay in a dryer while printing; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[30]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[30]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[30]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]41.4 ± 1.3 printed (Prusament, ISO 37); NinjaTek Cheetah 39 ultimate (ASTM D638)[3][33]
Young's modulusMPa5210 (printed XY, ISO 527) — more than double unfilled ABS[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%2 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]551 ± 24 printed (Polymaker, ISO 37); the filament itself stretches 7264 % before break (Prusa, ISO 527)[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented9.5 ± 0.2 (Prusament interlayer adhesion, ISO 527)[3]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2][3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented92 ± 0.4 Shore A and 39 ± 0.7 Shore D (Prusament); 95A (Polymaker, ISO 7619-1); 91 Shore A / 40 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 40D, ISO 7619); 95A (NinjaTek Cheetah, ASTM D2240); 94.5 A measured on a printed Bambu Lab 95A part and 96.2 A on a Qidi one (My Tech Fun)[3][2][34][33][35]
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][31][32]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; a loaded bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days[35]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][31]Excellent — living hinges viable[20]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[2][3]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion resistance is a headline property; BASF measures 64 mm³ loss by ISO 4649 on its 92A grade[25]
Thermal Properties
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented144 melting (BASF 95A, ISO 11357-3); Bambu Lab 183, Polymaker's modulus at 100 % elongation 8.9 MPa[25][4]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documentedBounded by a melting point of 144–183 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for TPU[25][4]
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)[36]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[20]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[37]Good resistance to oils and common solvents (BASF)[25]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[24]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[20]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[24]Not biodegradable[20]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[24]Not accepted in household plastic collection[20]
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[38][21]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[38]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[38]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[38]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[38][21]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[38][21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[38]
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[24]Sanding is impractical — the surface tears rather than abrades[20]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[24]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[20]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[37]No practical vapour smoothing[20]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[39][21]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove; PolyDissolve S1 is rated for TPU[20]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and elephant-foot are the accuracy limits; retraction has to be long and slow[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[40][37]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[41]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[40][42]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[41]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[43][37]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[41]

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. PolyFlex TPU95 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Prusament TPU 95A Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2025-05 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — TPU 95A HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. LANDU TPU 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 95A Black 1 kg — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI 3D TPU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Cheetah product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. TPU for AMS — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Siraya Tech Flex TPU 95A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. PrimaCreator EasyPrint FLEX TPU 95A product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. add:north TPU Pro Matte 95A product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Ultrafuse TPU 95A Technical Data Sheet (Version 2.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
  26. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  27. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  33. NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  34. FiberFlex 40D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  35. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  36. 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
  37. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  38. 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
  39. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  42. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  43. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc