3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PPA

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guidePPA (polyphthalamide) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PPA comparisons
ABS-FR vs PPA — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSPPA (polyphthalamide)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$45.49/kg median; $45.49–$45.49/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]Polyphthalamide — a semi-aromatic polyamide in which aromatic diacid units replace part of the aliphatic backbone; Raise3D and Bambu Lab both label it high-temperature nylon[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][4]1.21 (ISO 1183, Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[6][7][8][9]One 1 kg listing on the market, at 45[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[6][7][8][9]45 for the only unfilled PPA filament found — Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA at 1 kg; every other PPA in retail is carbon- or glass-filled[10]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — Siraya Tech is the only brand found selling unfilled PPA filament[10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[6]1.75 mm, 1 kg[10]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Gears, bearings and tooling that must hold load above the reach of PA6 or PA12, and parts exposed to fuels and industrial chemicals[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented280–300 (Siraya Tech)[5]
Bed temperature°CNot documented70–80 (Siraya Tech)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[11]Enclosure recommended — Siraya Tech advises an enclosure to hold temperature and limit warping on larger prints[5]
Part cooling fanNot documented20–60 % (Siraya Tech)[5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[11][12]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a PVP glue coating[5]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[11]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[13]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[11]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; needs a 300 °C-class hot end and a dry spool[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[11]Brass fine indefinitely — Siraya Tech states a hardened steel nozzle is not needed for the unfilled grade[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[5]
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[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Siraya Tech tells users to dry only when moisture symptoms appear, rather than before every print[5]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]High-quality metal nozzle, 0.4–1.0 mm; hardened steel not required (Siraya Tech)[5]
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][15][14]High (0.8–2 %) — Siraya Tech publishes 2.59 % by ISO 62 immersion for the unfilled grade; on the equilibrium basis Bambu Lab uses, its 15 % carbon-filled PPA reaches 1.30 % against 2.35 % for the same maker's PA6-CF[5][3][16]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented2.59 by ISO 62 water immersion (Siraya Tech, unfilled) — an immersion figure, not the 25 °C / 55 % RH equilibrium basis the filled grades are quoted on, so the two are not directly comparable[5]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented80–100 °C for 4–6 h (Siraya Tech)[5]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[17]Oozing, bubbles and a rough surface finish (Siraya Tech)[5]
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[17]Siraya Tech publishes dry against saturated for the same grade: tensile 70 → 60 MPa, flexural 114 → 87 MPa, HDT at 1.8 MPa 73.5 → 48.5 °C, while Charpy rises 10 → 14.5 kJ/m²[5][10]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[17]Dry box below 15 % RH (Siraya Tech)[5]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]72 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech); the product page quotes 70 dry and 60 saturated[5][10]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]3600 (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[5]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][18]10.5 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[5]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]115 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech); 114 dry against 87 saturated on the product page[5][10]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3350 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented10.1 Charpy (printed, ISO 179, Siraya Tech); the data sheet does not state whether the specimen was notched[5]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][18]Moderate — 10.5 % elongation at break puts it between PA6 and the fibre-filled grades[5]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][18]Good — Raise3D cites high creep resistance as a reason to choose the PPA matrix over other nylons[2]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][18]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid — 3.6 GPa tensile modulus[5]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedSiraya Tech describes the unfilled grade as low-friction and self-lubricating, aimed at gears and bearings[5][10]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented81 dry and 61 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method B at 0.45 MPa, Siraya Tech)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented73.5 dry and 48.5 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa, Siraya Tech) — unfilled PPA deflects near its Tg; the 190–227 °C figures quoted for PPA are carbon-filled grades[5][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]80 (ASTM D3418, Siraya Tech)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented231 melting point (ASTM D3418) and 230 Vicat (ISO 306), Siraya Tech[5]
Annealing responseNot documentedSiraya Tech's product page offers annealing for strength while its own data sheet says annealing is not recommended because the print can warp; on its 15 % carbon-filled PPA, annealing lifts HDT at 1.8 MPa from 82.5 to 119 °C[5][10][19]
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
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[20]Withstands fuels, oils and industrial chemicals; Bambu Lab rates semi-aromatic nylon better than general nylon against weak acids, weak alkalis and most organic solvents[5][3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedAbsorbs water, properties shift — a saturated specimen loses about 15 % of its tensile strength and 25 °C of heat-deflection temperature[5][10]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[13]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[13]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[13]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[21][11]Not documented
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[21]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[21]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[21][11]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[21][11]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[13]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[13]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[22][11]Compatible with quick-release support materials (Siraya Tech)[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[23][20]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[24]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[23][25]Mineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not.[24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[26]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[24]

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. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Technical Data Sheet V2.0 Raise3D · 2022-04 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PPA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 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. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  16. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  20. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. 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
  22. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  25. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc