3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PLA+

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
ABS-FR vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]PLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][4]1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[5][6][7][8]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[9][10]
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[5][6][7][8]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[11][10][12][13][14]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][9][10][12][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[12][13][11]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[15]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[2][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[16]Open frame is fine[2][3]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[16][17]Textured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[2][3]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[16]None[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[16]Sticks to anything[18]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[19]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[2][18]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[16]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[2][3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[16]Brass fine indefinitely[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[21][20]
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[22]Very low[20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[17]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[23]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[17]No special hot-end required[18]
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][24][22]Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[2][3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[25]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[25]
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 the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[25]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[25]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][18]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[2][3][26][27]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[2][3][28][29]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][30]5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[2][3][31][29]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[2][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[3][26]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[2][3][27]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][30]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2][3][26]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[32]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][30]Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[27][33]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][30]Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[34][3][26]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[2][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[2][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]61 (DSC)[2][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[2][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[27][35][32][33]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[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 by the major brands[3][2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[23][37]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[38]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[2][3]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[19]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[23]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[19]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[39][23]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[19]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[39]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[40][16]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[40]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[40]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[40]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[40][16]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[40][16]None needed in a normal room[40]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[19]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[37][23]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[19]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[23][41]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[23]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[42][16]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[2][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documented55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[43][38]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[44]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[43][45]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[44][46]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[46]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[47][46]

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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  22. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  27. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  29. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  30. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — 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. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  37. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  38. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  39. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  40. 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
  41. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  42. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  43. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  45. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  46. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  47. 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