3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-GF vs TPU soft

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

Glass-fibre ABS (ABS-GF) guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-GF comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
ABS-GF vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre ABS (ABS-GF)ABSSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.99/kg median; $24.49–$73.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 10 wt%[1][2]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[3]
Densityg/cm³1.08 (Bambu Lab) and 1.15 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[2][1]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[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 115[8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg24–73 across brands; Siraya Tech 24, Bambu Lab 30, SUNLU 40, 3DXTech 73[4][5][6][7]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[8][10][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][11][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[5][4]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[3][8][12][9]
Typical applicationsStiff, dimensionally stable enclosure and tooling parts; Bambu Lab notes the fibre blurs layer lines into a matte finish[2]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240–280 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C80–100 (Bambu Lab)[2]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[2][13]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[13][14]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[15][16]
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][17]Not documented
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[13]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[18]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[13]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[12][16]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[12][11]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[13]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[13]Non-abrasive[19]
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[20][21]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[15][16][22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Very high — softens in the cold zone readily[16]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[14]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.53 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]Moderate[22]
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]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]
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[22]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[22]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[22]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[22]
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]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[3]
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][23]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[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][23]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[24]
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][23]Excellent — living hinges viable[16]
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 documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C99 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 87 for unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][23]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C88 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab) against 84 for unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[2][23]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[16]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[25]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[16]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[18]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[16]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Not biodegradable[16]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[18]Not accepted in household plastic collection[16]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[26][13]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[26]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[26]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[26]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[26][13]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[26][13]Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]
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[18]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[16]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[18]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[27][13]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[16]
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.[28][25]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[29]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[28][30]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[31][25]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[29]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · 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. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  20. FIBREX ABS+GF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  25. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  26. 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
  27. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  30. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc