3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
ABS-FR vs Magnetic
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABS | Magnetic filamentSPECIALTY |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings | $64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | ABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1] | PLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[2] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][3] | About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[2] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[4][5][6][7] | 1 kg spools cluster near 65[8] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 45–120 across brands; SUNLU 45, YXPOLYER 50, Coex 3D 52, 3DXTech 107 at 750 g pricing; the FR PC/ABS grade runs 120[4][5][6][7] | 64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[8] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[4] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[8] |
| Typical applications | Electrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1] | Sensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[2] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 192 (Proto-pasta)[2] |
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 60 (Proto-pasta)[2] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure recommended[9] | Open frame is fine[2] |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Clean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[9][10] | Not documented |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | Not documented | 1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[9] | Not documented |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9] | Not documented |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[11] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[9] | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; slow, and brittle in filament form[2] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Proto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[2] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely[9] | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[2] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive[1] | Moderately abrasive — metal fill[2] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its FR-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[12] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists metal-filled composites as a higher clogging risk and recommends a 0.6 mm nozzle minimum[13] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[10] | Not documented |
| Hotend requirement | No special hot-end required[10] | Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[2] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Moderate — 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[3][14][12] | Not documented |
| Symptoms when wet | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15] | Not documented |
| Effect of moisture on strength | Polymaker 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[15] | Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[15] |
| Storage requirement | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[15] | Not documented |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | Not documented |
| Young's modulusMPa | 1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | Not documented |
| Elongation at break% | 4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][16] | Not documented |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1] | Not documented |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1] | Not documented |
| Brittleness1–5 | Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][16] | Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[2] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][16] | Not documented |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][16] | Not documented |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[2] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 105 (DSC)[1] | Not documented |
| Flammability / UL 94 | UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin rather than the printed part[1] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| Outdoor durability | Not documented | Deliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[2] |
| Chemical resistance | Good against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[17] | Not documented |
| Food contact | Not food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[11] | Not documented |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[11] | Not documented |
| Recyclability | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[11] | Not documented |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Not documented | Ferromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[2] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[18][9] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[18] |
| VOC emission rateµg/min | 12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[18] | Not documented |
| Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min | 2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[18] | Not documented |
| Hazardous species emitted | Styrene 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[18][9] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[18][9] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[18] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands well and takes filler before painting[11] | Polishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[2] |
| Painting & finishing | Paints readily after light abrasion[11] | Not documented |
| Support material pairing | HIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[19][9] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Acetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[20][17] | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[21][2] |
| Softened or crazed by | Petrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[20][22] | Acetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[21][2] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Acetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[23] | None — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[21] |
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
- Firewire Flame Retardant ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
- Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
- ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- 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
- HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
- HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc