3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PETG

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guidePETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PETG comparisons
ABS-FR vs PETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSPETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]Polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][4]1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[2][3][5][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[7][8][9][10]1 kg spools cluster near 20[11][12][13]
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[7][8][9][10]12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[11][12][14][13][15][16]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[11][12][17][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[12][13]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Functional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[2][3][6]
Bed temperature°CNot documented60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[2][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[18]Open frame is fine[6]
Part cooling fanNot documentedAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[2][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[18][19]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[2][6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[20][21]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[18]Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[2][6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[18]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[2]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[22]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[2][6]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[18]Easy — minor profile tuning[6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[18]Brass fine indefinitely[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[6]
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]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[24][25]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[19]Slightly sensitive[24]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[19]No special hot-end required[24]
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]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[2][27]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2][27]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][27]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[28]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[2]
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[28]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[28]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[28]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[28][29]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][5][30]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][3][5][6]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][31]5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[3][5][6][2]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[2][3][5][6]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][3][5][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[3][5][2]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[2][30]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[2][3][30]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][31]Moderate[2][3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[2][30][32][33]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][31]Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[30][21]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][31]Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[34]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[2][3][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]71–81 (DSC)[3][5][6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[3][5][6]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[30][32][33][21][35]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[36]
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 for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[37][29]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two[2]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[38]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[29]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption[2]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[22]PET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[29]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Not biodegradable[29]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[22]PET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[29]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[39][18]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[39]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[39]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[39]≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[39]
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[39][18]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[39][18]Open a window / occasional ventilation[39]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[22]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[24]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[22]Paint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[2]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[24]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[2]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[40][18]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[24]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[2][6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[41][38]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[42][43]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[41][44]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[42]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[43]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[43]

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. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  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. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  35. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  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. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  38. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  39. 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
  40. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  41. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  42. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  43. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  44. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc