3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PSU

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
ABS-FR vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/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]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[2]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][3]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[4][5][6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[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[4][5][6][7]168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[4]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[4]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[4]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[2]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented120–140 (3DXTech)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[8]Actively heated chamber required[9][10]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[8][11]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[8]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[8]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[12]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[8]Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[8]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[9]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[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[13]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[11]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[11]Not documented
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[3][15][13]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[16]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[17]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[17]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[14]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[17]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][16]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][18]8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[2][19][16]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[16]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][18]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[16]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][18]Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[16]
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[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[2][16]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[16]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[2][19][16]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[16]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[16]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin rather than the printed part[1]UL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[16]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[20]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[12]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[12]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[12]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[21][8]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[21]
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][8]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[21][8]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[12]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[12]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[22][8]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[23][20]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[24][23]
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]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[23][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]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[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. ThermaX PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  16. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 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. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 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. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 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