3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs TPU soft

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

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
ABS-CF vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[2]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[3][4][5][6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[8][9][10]
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[3][4][5][6][11][7]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[8][10][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[3][4]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][12][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[3][4]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[2][8][13][9]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[2]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[14]Open frame is fine[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[14][15]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[16][17]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[14]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[18]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[14]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[13][17]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[13][12]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[14]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[14]Non-abrasive[19]
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[20][21][22]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[16][17][23]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[15]Very high — softens in the cold zone readily[17]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[15]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[16]
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[24][25][20]Moderate[23]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[23]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[23]
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[23]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[23]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[23]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[23]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]Not documented
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]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[2]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[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][24][25]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[26]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][24]Excellent — living hinges viable[17]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[2]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[2]
Thermal Properties
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[2]
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)[27]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[17]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[28]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[17]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[18]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[17]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Not biodegradable[17]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[18]Not accepted in household plastic collection[17]
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[29][14]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[29]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[29]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[29]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[29][14]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[29][14]Open a window / occasional ventilation[29]
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[18]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[17]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[18]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[28]No practical vapour smoothing[17]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[30][14]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[17]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[31][28]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[32]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[31][33]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[34][28]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[32]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. IEMAI CF-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. YXPOLYER ABS CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  14. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  20. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  26. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  27. 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
  28. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. 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
  30. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  33. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc