Filament comparison
ABS+ vs PAHT-CF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | ABS+ / Tough ABSABS | High-temperature CF nylon (PAHT-CF)PA |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings | $59.98/kg median; $49.99–$69.98/kg across 2 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | ABS 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] | High-temperature carbon-fibre nylon. Bambu Lab's PAHT-CF and Polymaker's PA612-CF15 both use a long-chain polyamide matrix for lower moisture uptake than PA6[4][5] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2] | 1.03 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 1.06 (Bambu Lab), ISO 1183[4][5] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 27[6] | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 60[4][6] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 16–30 across brands; SUNLU E-ABS 16, Polymaker ABS Pro 25, YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced 28, Polymaker ABS Max 30[6][7][8] | 50–70 across brands; Bambu Lab 50, Polymaker Fiberon PA612-CF15 70[4][6] |
| Market availability1–5 | Available from several mainstream brands[6] | Available from several mainstream brands[4][6] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[6] | 1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[6][4] |
| Typical applications | Large enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2] | Under-bonnet and near-motor parts needing 170 °C-plus heat deflection with less humidity drift than PA6[4][5] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2] | 260–290 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Bed temperature°C | 120 (ABS Max)[2] | Not documented |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][9] | Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[4] |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | Not documented | 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Clean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[9][10] | PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[11][12] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | Up 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][13] | 8 at Bambu Lab's 100 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][13] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[9] | Not documented |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9] | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11] |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[14] | Moderate — retraction tuning needed[12] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2] | Expert / industrial hardware only[4][15] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | 0.6 mm nozzle recommended by Bambu Lab; 0.4 and 0.8 also supported[4] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely[9] | Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA612-CF15 and recommends hardened steel or ruby[5] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive[9] | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA612-CF15[5] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — unfilled ABS compound; no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks[10][16] | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[15] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[10] | Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[11] |
| Hotend requirement | No special hot-end required[10] | May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[11] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1] | High (0.8–2 %) — 0.88 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH for Bambu Lab PAHT-CF, a third of its PA6-CF; Polymaker's PA612-CF15 reaches 2.2 % equilibrium[4][5][17] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1] | 0.88 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab PAHT-CF); 2.2 equilibrium (Polymaker PA612-CF15)[4][5] |
| Drying temperature & time | 70 °C for 6 h (ABS Max)[2] | 80 °C for 8–12 h (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Symptoms when wet | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15] | Not documented |
| Effect of moisture on strength | Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[15] | Polymaker publishes dry and wet printed blocks for PA612-CF15 itself: at 2.57 % moisture tensile falls only 91.9 → 83.1 MPa and modulus 5137 → 3991 MPa — the PA612 backbone absorbs far less than PA6[5][18] |
| Storage requirement | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[15] | Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[15] |
| Hydrolysis at melt temperature | Not documented | Polymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[19][20] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2] | 92 ± 7 (Bambu Lab) and 91.9 ± 2.0 (Polymaker PA612-CF15, dry/annealed) printed XY, ISO 527; the Polymaker grade only falls to 83.1 ± 2.2 conditioned to 2.57 % moisture[4][5] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2] | 3860 ± 230 (Bambu Lab) and 5137 ± 192 (Polymaker PA612-CF15, dry) printed XY, ISO 527; Polymaker 3991 ± 137 conditioned[4][5] |
| Elongation at break% | 6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2] | 2.6 ± 0.2 dry (Polymaker PA612-CF15) to 8.4 ± 1.8 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Polymaker 4.1 ± 0.3 conditioned[4][5] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2] | Not documented |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2] | 4230 ± 210 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2] | 8.1 ± 0.8 printed XY dry and 7.7 ± 0.5 conditioned, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker PA612-CF15)[5] |
| Other impact data | Not documented | Charpy unnotched 57.5 ± 3.4 and notched 22.8 ± 1.8 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[4] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 21.9 (ABS Pro) and 25.4 (ABS Max) printed Z, ISO 527[1][2] | 47 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 48.3 ± 3.9 (Polymaker PA612-CF15, dry) printed Z, ISO 527; Polymaker 35.6 ± 3.0 conditioned[4][5] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2] | Moderate[4] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | Rockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre long-chain nylon filament[21] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 115 °C (ABS Pro) and 126 °C (ABS Max) keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][2] | Good. Ensinger rates its PA66-CF30 compound for sustained static and dynamic load with 110 °C continuous service; the long-chain PA612 matrix takes up 0.88 % at saturation, a third of the same maker's PA6-CF, so it holds dimension better[22][5] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Moderate — 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][23] | Good. Ensinger states carbon-filled PA66 compounds have improved fatigue strength in tension, flexure and compression[22] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[4] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 63 (ABS Pro) and 71 (ABS Max), printed[1][2] | 51 (Bambu Lab) to 53 (Polymaker PA612-CF15), printed[4][5] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 106.4 (ABS Pro) and 118.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2] | 175 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 194 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[4][5] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2] | 114 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 170 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[4][5] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2] | 70 (Bambu Lab, DSC)[4] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 116.1 (ABS Pro) and 127.4 (ABS Max), ISO 306[1][2] | 210 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 225 (Bambu Lab) melting, DSC; Vicat 206 (Polymaker)[4][5] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[24] | Not documented |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Not documented | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[19] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Months outdoors before embrittlement[14] | Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[12] |
| Chemical resistance | Good against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3] | Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis[12] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Not documented | Absorbs water, properties shift — less than PA6 but more than PA12[18][4] |
| Food contact | Not food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[14] | Not food-contact certified as filament[12] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[14] | Not biodegradable[12] |
| Recyclability | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[14] | Not accepted in household plastic collection[12] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Not documented | Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Polymaker PA612-CF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[5] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][9] | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25] |
| VOC emission rateµg/min | 12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[25] | Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[25] |
| Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min | 2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[25] | ≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[25] |
| Hazardous species emitted | Styrene 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[25][9] | Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[25] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[25][9] | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Not documented | Fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[19] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands well and takes filler before painting[14] | Sands poorly — gums rather than powders[11] |
| Painting & finishing | Paints readily after light abrasion[14] | Not documented |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Not documented | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[11] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Acetone vapour smoothing works[3] | No practical vapour smoothing[11] |
| Support material pairing | HIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[26][9] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Acetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[27][3] | Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[28] |
| Softened or crazed by | Petrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[27][29] | Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[28] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Acetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[30] | None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[28] |
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
- Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
- Polymaker ABS Max Technical Data Sheet V1.1 (2026-06-01) Polymaker · 2026-06 · tds
- PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PAHT-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
- ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
- PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
- 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
- HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
- HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc