3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs PPS

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guidePPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore PPS comparisons
ABS+ vs PPS — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSPPSHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$116.97/kg median; $84.00–$200.00/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]Polyphenylene sulfide — a semi-crystalline high-temperature polymer[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) and 1.33 (ISO 1183, Spectrum PPS AM230)[4][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 27[7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 84–200; the middle of the market is about 117[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]84-200 across brands and diameters; IEMAI 3D 84 at 1 kg, Spectrum PPS AM230 117 at 750 g, 3DXTech ThermaX PPS 140 at 2.85 mm and 200 at 1.75 mm[8][9][10]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8][9]
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][9]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]Chemical-plant and under-bonnet parts needing solvent resistance above 200 °C[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]335-345 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); 300-330 (Spectrum)[4][6]
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]110-130 (3DXTech); 100-120 (Spectrum)[4][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][13]Actively heated chamber required[14][15]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented60-80 actively heated (Spectrum PPS AM230)[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[13][16]Adhesive required — Spectrum specifies Magigoo Pro HT[6]
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][17]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[13]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; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2]Expert / industrial hardware only[14][15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[14]
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[16][19]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 110 °C pre-dry before every print[20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[16]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[16]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Polymaker states minimal water absorption at 0.05 %[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]0.01 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570) — effectively non-absorbing[21]
Drying temperature & time70 °C for 6 h (ABS Max)[2]At least 3 h at 90 °C in hot dry air if the filament has taken up moisture (Spectrum)[6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[22]Little to measure — equilibrium uptake is 0.05 %; 3DXTech still specifies a 110 °C, 4 h pre-dry before printing[5][20]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]50 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 65 at break injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 94 at yield on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[4][6][21]
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]2650 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 3650 injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 5769 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[4][6][21]
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) against 2.0 injection-moulded (Spectrum) and 2.5 on extruded stock — the suppliers disagree by nearly an order of magnitude[4][6][21]
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]52 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech); 141 on extruded stock (ASTM D790)[4][21]
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]2540 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2]1.3 notched injection-moulded (ISO 179-1eA, Spectrum); unnotched 18[6]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 33 J/m on extruded PPS stock, converted from 0.62 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[21]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.9 (ABS Pro) and 25.4 (ABS Max) printed Z, ISO 527[1][2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Moderate[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded PPS stock (ASTM D785)[21]
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]Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PPS stock, and Spectrum states that rigidity, strength and creep resistance are unchanged under continuous load at high temperature[21][6]
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][23]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[4]
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]90 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 129 injection-moulded (ISO 75, Spectrum); 204 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[4][6][21]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]107 injection-moulded (ISO 75 at 1.81 MPa, Spectrum); 104 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[6][21]
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]283 melting (ISO 11357, 3DXTech) and 280 on extruded stock; Vicat softening 236 at 50 N injection-moulded (ISO 306, Spectrum)[4][6][21]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F[21]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[24]59.4 (extruded PPS stock, 22-60 °C, ASTM D696; source states 3.3e-5 in/in/°F)[21]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[18]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3]Outstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[5]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; extruded stock takes up 0.01 % water in 24 h[21]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[18]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[18]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][13]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[25]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[25]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[25]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[25][13]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[25][13]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[18]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[18]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[26][13]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[27][3]None — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[28][27]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[27][29]Nothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[30]None — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[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

  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. ThermaX PPS Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  6. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Spectrum PPS AM230 Natural, 1.75 mm / 750 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 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. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  15. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  16. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. THERMAX PPS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  21. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  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. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  25. 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
  26. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  29. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc