3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs rPLA

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
ABS+ vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 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 regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[4][5][6]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2]1.24 (ISO 1183)[4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 27[7]1 kg spools run 20–22[8][9][10]
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][11][12]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[13][14]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7]Available from several mainstream brands[5][6][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[15][13][5]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[5][6]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[5][4][16]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[4][6]
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[4][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][17]Open frame is fine[4][18]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 %[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[17][19]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][20]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[17]None — brim not generally needed[4]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17]Sticks to anything[21]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[22]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[4][18]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[17]Brass fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[17]Non-abrasive[23][18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — unfilled ABS compound; no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks[19][18]Very low[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[19]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[24]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[19]No special hot-end required[21]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Moderate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[4][16]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[4]
Drying temperature & time70 °C for 6 h (ABS Max)[2]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[25]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[25]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[25]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[25]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[25]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[26][21]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[4][16]
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[4][16]
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[4][16]
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[4][16]
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[4][16]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2]Not documented
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[4][16]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.9 (ABS Pro) and 25.4 (ABS Max) printed Z, ISO 527[1][2]21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[4][16]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning[24][23]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[4][16]
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 — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27][28]
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][29]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[30][24]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[23]
Z strength as % of XY%63 (ABS Pro) and 71 (ABS Max), printed[1][2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C106.4 (ABS Pro) and 118.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[4][16]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[4][16]
Glass transition (Tg)°C114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 116.1 (ABS Pro) and 127.4 (ABS Max), ISO 306[1][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[6]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[26][32]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[22]Degrades within weeks outdoors[24][33]
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; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[32][24]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[26]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[22]Filamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[6][24]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[6]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[22]The feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[6][14]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[34][17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[34]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[34]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[34][17]Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[5]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[34][17]None needed in a normal room[34]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[22]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[33][24]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[22]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[5]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[3]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[24]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[35][17]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[36][3]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[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 it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys 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 smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[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. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  5. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  17. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  31. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  32. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  34. 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
  35. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  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