3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs PA6

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guidePA6 (Nylon 6) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore PA6 comparisons
ABS+ vs PA6 — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSPA6 (Nylon 6)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$104.00/kg median; $38.99–$136.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reformulated for lower warping and a higher glass transition; Polymaker's ABS Pro and ABS Max reach Tg 114.9 and 126.3 °C against 101 °C for PolyLite ABS[1][2][3]Polyamide 6, ring-opened from caprolactam — the most hygroscopic of the common nylons[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2]1.06 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy)[6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 27[7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 39–136; the middle of the market is about 104, though budget unfilled PA6 has now arrived at 39[8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–30 across brands; SUNLU E-ABS 16, Polymaker ABS Pro 25, YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced 28, Polymaker ABS Max 30[7][10][11]39–136 across brands; YXPOLYER 39, 3DXTech iOn Nylon 6 Alloy 104, WearX Nylon 6 136. Unfilled PA6 filament stays rare — most PA6 reaches the market glass- or carbon-filled[8][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[8]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]Wear parts, bushings and gears where PA6's toughness and abrasion resistance matter more than dimensional stability[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]220–260 (Polymaker); 225–265 (Simplify3D)[4][12]
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]70–100 (Polymaker); 70–90 (Simplify3D)[4][12]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][13]Enclosure required (passive)[14][4]
Part cooling fanNot documentedPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[12]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[13][15]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[12][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sUp to 250 mm/s (ABS Pro) and 200 mm/s (ABS Max), equivalent to 20 and 16 on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][2][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[13]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[12][4]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[17]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; the filament must be kept dry throughout the print[4][18]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[13]Non-abrasive when unfilled[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — unfilled ABS compound; no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks[15][19]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet nylon pops and cracks in the melt[20][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[15]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[12]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[15]May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[12]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker groups nylon with PVA as the most moisture-prone class, and its own PA6-based composites reach 2.35–3.33 % equilibrium[18][21]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & time70 °C for 6 h (ABS Max)[2]100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA); storage below 20 % RH[14][22]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18]Popping and cracking during extrusion, then defects that Polymaker describes as very hard to diagnose[20]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[18]Measured dry against wet on printed specimens at 6.16 % moisture (Polymaker CoPA): tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa, Young's modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, flexural strength 109.8 → 22.6 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m² and elongation 12.7 → 13.2 %[14][20]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[18]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant; Polymaker says nylon often needs to stay in a dryer while printing[22][18]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[14][22]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]62 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned to 20 °C / 50 % RH gives 67.6 ultimate and 49.3 at yield printed XZ (ASTM D638)[6][23]
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]2110 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2232 printed XZ and 1817 ZX (ASTM D638)[6][23]
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]9 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 38 printed XZ against 3.2 in ZX (ASTM D638)[6][23]
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]78 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 97.2 printed XZ and 82 ZX (ASTM D790)[6][23]
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]2200 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy); Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned gives 2196 printed XZ and 1879 ZX (ASTM D790)[6][23]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2]Not documented
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 106 J/m printed XZ against 43 J/m in ZX; unnotched 2873 against 192 J/m (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D256 Method A) — a 15x anisotropy unnotched[23]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.9 (ABS Pro) and 25.4 (ABS Max) printed Z, ISO 527[1][2]36.5 ultimate and 28.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH, ASTM D638)[23]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 86 and Rockwell 85 (108) — the source does not name the scales on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D2240, D785); no figure is published for a PA6 filament[24]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 115 °C (ABS Pro) and 126 °C (ABS Max) keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][2]Moderate[4]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no S-N curve found; 6.7–7.3 % elongation and 10.5–14.5 kJ/m² notched Charpy, below unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[1][2][25]Excellent — living hinges viable[4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[20]
Z strength as % of XY%63 (ABS Pro) and 71 (ABS Max), printed[1][2]54 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6 conditioned, ZX against XZ ultimate tensile, ASTM D638); 59 on the yield figures[23]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech sells a dedicated wear-resistant PA6 grade; abrasion resistance is the usual reason to choose PA6 over PA12[8]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C106.4 (ABS Pro) and 118.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]93 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 6, conditioned, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[23]
Glass transition (Tg)°C114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2]105 (DSC, 3DXTech iOn PA6 alloy)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 116.1 (ABS Pro) and 127.4 (ABS Max), ISO 306[1][2]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[26]81.0 on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D696; source states 4.5e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a PA6 filament, and PA6 and PA66 expand almost identically[24]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled filament grades surveyed[6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[17]Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows and chalks under UV[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3]Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis — the usual reason to choose a polyamide[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedAbsorbs water, properties shift — a conditioned part is measurably softer and larger than the same part dry[20][14]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[17]Polymaker notes medical-grade variants exist, but standard filament is not food-contact certified[4]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[17]Not biodegradable[4]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[17]Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[5][13]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[5]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[5]Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[5]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[5]≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[5]
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[5][13]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[5]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[5][13]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[5]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[17]Sands poorly — the toughness makes it gum rather than powder[12]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[17]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[3]No practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[27][13]PVA dissolves cleanly against nylon; Polymaker sells a break-away PolySupport for PA12[12]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedParts grow as they absorb moisture after printing; Polymaker declines to publish a standard dimensional allowance because it depends on geometry and infill[20]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[28][3]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — 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]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[31]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[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. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  2. Polymaker ABS Max Technical Data Sheet V1.1 (2026-06-01) Polymaker · 2026-06 · tds
  3. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  5. 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
  6. iOn PA6-based Nylon Alloy Technical Data Sheet v2.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER PA6 Black 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  22. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  23. FDM Nylon 6 — data sheet (conditioned 20 °C / 50 % RH) Stratasys · 2017-11 · tds
  24. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · 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. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) 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