3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PLA Metal

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guideMetal-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PLA Metal comparisons
ABS-FR vs PLA Metal — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSMetal-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]PLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][8]1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[5][2][3][9]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[10][11][12][13]1 kg spools cluster near 78[14][15][4]
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[10][11][12][13]25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[14][4][15][9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[10]Available from several mainstream brands[15][4][9][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[16][15]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Decorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[2][4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[2][4][9][5]
Bed temperature°CNot documented50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[2][4][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[17]Open frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOn (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[17][18]Glass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[2][3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][9][2][19]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[17]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[20]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[17]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[4][9]
Extruder requirementNot documentedProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[4][9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[17]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[4][9]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Moderately abrasive — metal fill[4][9]
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[21]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[9]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[18]Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[4][9]
Other hardware wearNot documentedProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[4][9]
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[8][22][21]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[23][24]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[25]Not documented
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[25]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[25]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[25]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[2][3][5]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][26]3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[2][3][5]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[2][3][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][26]Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[4][9]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][26]Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27][28][29]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][26]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[30][4][9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin rather than the printed part[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[31]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[32]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[20]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[20]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[20]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedProto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[33][17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[33]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[33]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[33]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[33][17]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[33][17]None needed in a normal room[33]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[20]Polishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[2][3][9]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[20]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[34][17]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedcolorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[35][32]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[36]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[35][37]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[36][38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[38]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[39][38]

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. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  27. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  31. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  32. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. 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
  34. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  37. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  38. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper