3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
BVOH vs Magnetic
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | BVOH (soluble support)SUPPORT | Magnetic filamentSPECIALTY |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $165.72/kg median; $165.72–$165.72/kg across 1 dated product listings | $64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer — a vinyl alcohol copolymer that dissolves faster and in cooler water than straight PVA[1] | PLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[2] |
| Densityg/cm³ | Not documented | About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[2] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 166[1] | 1 kg spools cluster near 65[3] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 166 at Fiberlogy's 500 g pricing on 3DJake[1] | 64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[3] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 kg spools[1] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[3] |
| Typical applications | Dissolvable support where PVA dissolves too slowly, and for materials PVA bonds to poorly[1] | Sensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[2] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 192 (Proto-pasta)[2] |
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 60 (Proto-pasta)[2] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Open frame is fine[4] | Open frame is fine[2] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | Not documented | 1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[5] | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; slow, and brittle in filament form[2] |
| Extruder requirement | A second extruder or a tool changer[4] | Proto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[2] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely[4] | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[2] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive[4] | Moderately abrasive — metal fill[2] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[5] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists metal-filled composites as a higher clogging risk and recommends a 0.6 mm nozzle minimum[6] |
| Hotend requirement | Not documented | Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[2] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Very high (>2 %) — the vinyl alcohol backbone is what makes it soluble[5][4] | Not documented |
| Effect of moisture on strength | Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[5] | Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[5] |
| Storage requirement | Sealed with desiccant at all times[5] | Not documented |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Brittleness1–5 | Not documented | Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[2] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Not documented | Rigid[2] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| Outdoor durability | Not documented | Deliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[2] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[1] | Not documented |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Not documented | Ferromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[2] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[7] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[7] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Open a window / occasional ventilation[7] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[7] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Polishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[2] |
| Support material pairing | This is the support material[1] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Water: about 1 g of BVOH per 20 g of water, several hours; warmer water is faster but must not be too hot.[8][1] | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[9][2] |
| Softened or crazed by | Nothing else — a vinyl alcohol copolymer resists organic solvents, so IPA or acetone will not touch it.[10] | Acetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[9][2] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — water is a removal solvent, not a welding one.[8] | None — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[9] |
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
- Fiberlogy BVOH Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
- Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
- Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
- PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- 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
- Water soluble (BVOH/PVA) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
- Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds