3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs PVA

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
ABS+ vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 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]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 27[6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[7][6][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–30 across brands; SUNLU E-ABS 16, Polymaker ABS Pro 25, YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced 28, Polymaker ABS Max 30[6][10][11]42–96 across brands; IEMAI 3D E-WATER 42, YXPOLYER 55, Reli3D 66 at 500 g, Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 67 at 750 g, 3DXTech AquaTek 96 at 750 g in 1.75 mm[7][6][8][12][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6]Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][6][8][12][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[7][6]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[5]
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][13]Open frame is fine[5]
Part cooling fanNot documentedPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[14]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[13][15]PEI sheet or painter's tape[14]
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][16]4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[13]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Sticks to most surfaces[14]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[17]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[14]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[18][5]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Brass fine indefinitely[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[13]Non-abrasive[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — unfilled ABS compound; no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks[15][19]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[15]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[14]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[15]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[5]
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]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[18]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[18]Polymaker groups PVA with nylon as the most moisture-prone class and says it often has to stay in a dryer while printing; there is no published dry-versus-conditioned strength comparison because PVA is not a structural material[18]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[18]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[18][5]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2]Not documented
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]Not documented
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 — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[4]
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]Poor — fails after a few cycles[4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%63 (ABS Pro) and 71 (ABS Max), printed[1][2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C106.4 (ABS Pro) and 118.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[4]
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 documentedBounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[4]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[21]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[17]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[5]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[5][14]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedDissolves or disintegrates — by design[5][4]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[17]Not offered as a food-contact material[4]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[17]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[14]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[17]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[14]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[22][13]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[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][13]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[22][13]Open a window / occasional ventilation[22]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[17]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[14]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[17]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedNot applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[14]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[3]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[5]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[23][13]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[24][3]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[25][26]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[24][27]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[29]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[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. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  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. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  27. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc