3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PETG-CF

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guideCarbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PETG-CF comparisons
ABS-FR vs PETG-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSCarbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF)PETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $16.00–$74.22/kg across 11 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]PETG reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][4]1.25 (Bambu Lab) to 1.34 (3DXTech), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.27[2][5][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[6][7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 16–74; the middle of the market is about 29[2][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg45–120 across brands; SUNLU 45, YXPOLYER 50, Coex 3D 52, 3DXTech 107 at 750 g pricing; the FR PC/ABS grade runs 120[6][7][8][9]16–74 across brands; ELEGOO 16 in a 5 kg pack, Reli3D 17, SUNLU 20, IEMAI 22, Siraya Tech 25, Bambu Lab 32, Sakata 3D 53, 3DXTech 67, Prusament 70, Filament PM 74 on 0.5 kg spools[17][2][6][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6]Stocked by most mainstream brands[2][6][10][17]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[6][2]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Stiff functional parts and fixtures where PETG's toughness is traded for rigidity and a matte finish[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented240–270 (Bambu Lab); 265 ± 10 (Prusament)[2][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented65–75 (Bambu Lab); 90 ± 10 (Prusament)[2][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[18]Open frame fine; draught shield helps — Bambu Lab specifies a 35–50 °C chamber[2]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented35–50 (Bambu Lab)[2]
Part cooling fanNot documented0–60 % (Bambu Lab); 50 % (Prusament)[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[18][19]Textured PEI or engineering plate with glue (Bambu Lab)[2]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented11.5 on My Tech Fun's Bambu Lab PETG-CF profile[20]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[18]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[18]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive[2]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[21]Slight — the fibre reduces stringing against unfilled PETG[2][22]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[18]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[18]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its FR-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[23]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[24][25]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[19]Slightly sensitive[22]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[19]Hardened steel nozzle; no high-temperature hot-end needed[2][22]
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[4][26][23]Low — 0.30 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); Prusa measures 0.10 after 7 days at 22 % RH[2][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented65 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[27]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[27]
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[27]No dry-versus-conditioned figures published; Bambu Lab states PETG-CF must be properly dried before printing and stored dry after use[2][27]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[27]Sealed with desiccant; Bambu Lab says store dry after use[2][27]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]35 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 47 ± 2 at yield (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527; 56 at break for 3DXTech[2][3][5]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2460 ± 230 (Bambu Lab) and 1700 (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527[2][3]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][28]4.3 at yield (Prusament, printed XY, ISO 527); 3 at break for 3DXTech[3][5]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]68 ± 3 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2300 printed horizontal, 3100 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament)[3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 29 ± 6 printed horizontal and 43 ± 8 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1); Izod 4.91 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun bars[3][20]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented29 ± 4 printed Z (Bambu Lab, ISO 527); 18 ± 3 by Prusa's interlayer adhesion test; 10.7 on My Tech Fun bars[2][3][20]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][28]Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented77 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][28]Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 16.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, less than plain PETG's 19.4[20]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][28]Moderate — no CF-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[29]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented83 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented74 (Bambu Lab) and 96 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[2][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (3DXTech), DSC[2][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented225 melting (Bambu Lab, DSC) — the carbon fibre lets the PET fraction crystallise[2]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented77 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 61 for Bambu Lab PETG Basic[20]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin rather than the printed part[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two; the carbon fibre does not add UV stabilisation[30]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[31]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure, as for unfilled PETG[30]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[21]Not certified for food contact[30]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[21]Not biodegradable[30]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[21]Fibre-filled PETG is not accepted in household plastic collection[30]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — carbon fibre at this loading is not static-dissipative (3DXTech)[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[32][18]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[32]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[32]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[32]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[32][18]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[32][18]Open a window / occasional ventilation[32]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[5]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[21]Sands to a matte finish more readily than unfilled PETG[22]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[21]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds it[22]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[22]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[33][18]Support for PLA or its own material (Bambu Lab)[2]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedMatte finish hides layer lines; stringing is reduced against unfilled PETG[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[34][31]No common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[35][36]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[34][37]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[36]Dichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[36]

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. Firewire Flame Retardant ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PETG Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU PETG-CF (PETG Carbon Fiber) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Fibreheart PETG-CF Pro Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI CF-PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PETG Filament 1.75 mm, 1 kg Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PET-G CF15 Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Filament PM CFJet technical data sheet (TDS CFJet ENG.pdf) Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  17. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 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. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  24. CARBONX PETG+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  27. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  32. 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
  33. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  37. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc