3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs PLA-CF

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guideCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore PLA-CF comparisons
ABS+ vs PLA-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 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]PLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2]1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[6][5][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 27[8]1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[9][10][7][11][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–30 across brands; SUNLU E-ABS 16, Polymaker ABS Pro 25, YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced 28, Polymaker ABS Max 30[8][13][14]19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[10][9][7][15][11][16][12]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[8]Stocked by most mainstream brands[9][10][7][15]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[15][7][8]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]Stiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[6][5]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[9]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[6][5]
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[6][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][17]Open frame is fine[5]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[6][5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[17][18]Not documented
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][19]16 at Bambu Lab's 200 mm/s cap and 24 at Polymaker's 300 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's own filament guide says 250 mm/s where its TDS says 200[6][20][5][19]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[17]None[6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[21]Slight[5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2]Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[20][5]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[20]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[17]Hardened steel required[20][5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[17]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[20][22]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — unfilled ABS compound; no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks[18][23]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[18]Hardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[22][20]
Other hardware wearNot documentedBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[20][5]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Moderate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[6][5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[6][5]
Drying temperature & time70 °C for 6 h (ABS Max)[2]55 °C for 6–8 h[6][5]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[24]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[24]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[24]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[24]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[6][5][7]
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[6][5][7]
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[6][5][7]
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[6][5]
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[6][5][7]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2]5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[6][5]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.9 (ABS Pro) and 25.4 (ABS Max) printed Z, ISO 527[1][2]15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[6][5]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[5][6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented71.5 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu CF PLA (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's unfilled PLA[25]
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]Poor — 12 mm bars sagged to 15.1, 19.8 and 21.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg across three brands, against 16.2–21.8 mm for their unfilled PLA[26][27][25]
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][28]Poor — no CF-grade S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation in Z falls to 0.9 %[29][5]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%63 (ABS Pro) and 71 (ABS Max), printed[1][2]48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[6][5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C106.4 (ABS Pro) and 118.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[6][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[6][5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2]62–63 (DSC)[6][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 116.1 (ABS Pro) and 127.4 (ABS Max), ISO 306[1][2]162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[6][5]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[26][27][25]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[30]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[21]Degrades within weeks outdoors[31]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[5]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[21]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[21]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[21]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[32][17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[32]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[32]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[32]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[32][17]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[32][17]None needed in a normal room[32]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[21]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[21]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[3]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[33][17]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[6][5]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedMatte finish hides layer lines; stiffness is the gain — tensile strength stays at or below Bambu Lab PLA Basic's 35 MPa and Polymaker PolyLite PLA's 52.3 MPa[6][5][34][35]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[36][3]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[37]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[36][38]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[37][39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[39]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[40][39]

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. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A50 — Bambu PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  5. PolyLite PLA-CF Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  31. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  32. 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
  33. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  34. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  38. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper