3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs PSU

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
ABS+ vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 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]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[4]
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[5]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–30 across brands; SUNLU E-ABS 16, Polymaker ABS Pro 25, YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced 28, Polymaker ABS Max 30[5][7][8]168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[6]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[5]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[6]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]120–140 (3DXTech)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][9]Actively heated chamber required[10][11]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[9][12]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][13]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[9]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[14]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[10][11]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[9]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[10]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[9]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[12][15]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[17]
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[18]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[18]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[16]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[18]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[4][17]
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[4]
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[4][19][17]
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4]
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 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[17]
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 M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[17]
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]Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[17]
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][20]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]172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[4][17]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[17]
Glass transition (Tg)°C114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2]187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[4][19][17]
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 documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[17]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[21]55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[17]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[17]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[14]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[14]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[14]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[14]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[22][9]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[22]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[22]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[22]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[22][9]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[22][9]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[22]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[14]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[14]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[23][9]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[24][3]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[25][24]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[24][26]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[24][25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[27]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[25]

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 PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  22. 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
  23. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  26. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc