3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-GF vs TPE SEBS

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

Glass-fibre ABS (ABS-GF) guideTPE (SEBS) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-GF comparisonsMore TPE SEBS comparisons
ABS-GF vs TPE SEBS — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre ABS (ABS-GF)ABSTPE (SEBS)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.99/kg median; $24.49–$73.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 10 wt%[1][2]Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[3]
Densityg/cm³1.08 (Bambu Lab) and 1.15 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[2][1]1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 24–73; the middle of the market is about 35[4][5][6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg24–73 across brands; Siraya Tech 24, Bambu Lab 30, SUNLU 40, 3DXTech 73[4][5][6][7]77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[8][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][9][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[5][4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[3][8]
Typical applicationsStiff, dimensionally stable enclosure and tooling parts; Bambu Lab notes the fibre blurs layer lines into a matte finish[2]Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240–280 (Bambu Lab)[2]260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[3]
Bed temperature°C80–100 (Bambu Lab)[2]70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[2][10]Open frame is fine[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–80 % (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[10][11]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[12][13]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s14 at Bambu Lab's 180 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][14]0.8–2.4 at the 10–30 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — the slowest material in this group[3]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; Bambu Lab positions the fibre as reducing warping[2]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[10]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[15]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[10]Brass fine indefinitely[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[10]Non-abrasive[16]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher for the glass-filled grade[17][18]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates on flexibles most likely end in a jam[12][3]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[11]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[11]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[12]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.53 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.53 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[2]None — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]
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[19]Not applicable — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[3]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[19]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa36 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 68 at break[2][1]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa3160 ± 170 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 4210[2][1]Not documented
Elongation at break%6.3 ± 1.2 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 2 at break[2][1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa68 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 70[2][1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2860 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); 3DXTech quotes 4420[2][1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²4.2 ± 1.1 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 14.5 ± 1.5 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa29 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; notched Charpy falls from 21.5 to 4.2 kJ/m² against unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][20]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good — no creep test found; chopped glass fibre lifts modulus to 3160 MPa against 2200 for unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][20]Poor — no SEBS creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[21]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; notched Charpy falls to 4.2 kJ/m² against 21.5 for unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][20]Excellent — living hinges viable[13]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Rubbery / highly elastic[3]
Z strength as % of XY%81 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C99 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 87 for unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][20]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C88 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 84 for unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][20]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[13]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[22]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[13]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[3]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[15]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[13]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[15]Not biodegradable[13]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[15]Not accepted in household plastic collection[13]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[23][10]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[23]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[23]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[23]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[23][10]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[23][10]Open a window / occasional ventilation[23]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[15]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[13]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[15]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[13]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[13]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[24][10]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[13]
Dimensional accuracy & detailBambu Lab describes a smooth matte finish with micro-spot gloss that blurs layer lines[2]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[25][22]Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[26]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[25][27]Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[28][22]Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[26]

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. FibreX ABS+GF10 Glass Fiber ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — ABS-GF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
  4. ABS-GF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-GF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. SUNLU ABS-GF (ABS Glass Fiber) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  17. FIBREX ABS+GF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  22. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  23. 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
  24. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds
  27. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc