3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

LW-PLA vs PCTG

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

Lightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA) guidePCTG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore LW-PLA comparisonsMore PCTG comparisons
LW-PLA vs PCTG — documented properties and sources
PropertyLightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA)PLAPCTGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$47.48/kg median; $37.49–$50.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA with a blowing agent. Two distinct types: active-foaming grades that expand at the nozzle (Bambu Lab PLA Aero, colorFabb LW-PLA) and pre-foamed grades that do not (Polymaker PolyLite LW-PLA, PolyWood)[1][2][3][4]Poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Filament 1.21 (Bambu Lab) and 1.24 (colorFabb); pre-foamed filament 0.8 (PolyWood, at 21.5 °C) and 0.9 (Polymaker LW-PLA); foamed prints reach 0.40[1][2][3][4]1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[6][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 45[8][2][9]1 kg spools cluster near 34[10][7][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg37–50 across brands; Polymaker LW-PLA 37, Bambu Lab Aero 45, colorFabb 50, PolyWood 50[9][8][2]14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[10][7][12]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[8][9][2]Available from several mainstream brands[10][7][11][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[9][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[10][11][7]
Typical applicationsRC aircraft, drone airframes and large props where mass matters more than strength[1][2]Transparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[5][6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–260 (Bambu Lab, foaming); 195–260 (colorFabb, foaming); 190–210 (Polymaker, pre-foamed)[1][2][3]250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[5][6]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb); 25–60 (Polymaker)[1][2][3]60–100 (Spectrum)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[3]Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[5][6]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][3]Up to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[5][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[14][15]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s3.2–8 at the 40–100 mm/s colorFabb specifies and the 50–100 mm/s Polymaker specifies, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][2][16]1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[6][16]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[14][15]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[15]
Shrinkage%Not documented0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[6]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; flow has to be cut to match the expansion[2]Easy — minor profile tuning[5][6]
Extruder requirementBambu Lab PLA Aero is 0.4 mm nozzle only on the store and wiki, while its own TDS lists 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8[1][17]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[3][4]Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[6]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[3][4]Non-abrasive[6]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; Bambu Lab warns the foamed extrudate swells and easily clogs the nozzle, and rules out 0.2 mm nozzles[17]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[19]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[14][18]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]Not documented
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[1][3]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[20]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[20][15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa24 ± 2 (Bambu Lab) and 24.4 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; colorFabb falls from 43.1 unfoamed to 10.8 at 45 % flow[1][3][2]43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[5][6][21]
Young's modulusMPa1350 ± 250 (Bambu Lab) and 1689 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; colorFabb falls from 3334 unfoamed to 864 foamed[1][3][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%2.6 ± 0.7 (Bambu Lab) and 8.8 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[5][6]
Flexural strengthMPa45 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 50.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 178[1][3]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1690 ± 120 (Bambu Lab) and 1959 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 178[1][3]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3.67 foamed[1][2]93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[5][6][7]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 28.8 printed XY (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 5.46 foamed[1][2]Izod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[21]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z collapses to 17 against 45 in XY[1]21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[21]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2.6 % in XY and 1.2 % in Z[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5][6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[21]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no foamed-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, and the foam carries less solid[22][23][24]Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[21]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation at break falls to 2.6 % in XY and 1.2 % in Z[25][1]Good — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[5][6]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[21]
Z strength as % of XY%75 by tensile, 38 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C53 (Bambu Lab) and 54 (Polymaker), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][3]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C48 (Bambu Lab) and 50 (Polymaker), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][3]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (Bambu Lab) and 59 (Polymaker), DSC[1][3]78 (3DXTech, DSC)[7]
Melting point / Vicat°C150 peak melt (Polymaker, DSC); Vicat 60 °C[3]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[5][6]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[21]
Annealing responseBambu Lab advises against annealing thin, low-infill Aero prints[1]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[26]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[27]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[15]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[5]
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact as filament[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[7]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[28]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[28]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[28]Open a window / occasional ventilation[28]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[19]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[19]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[19]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[19]
Dimensional accuracy & detailFoamed surfaces are rough and matte; dimensional accuracy depends on holding the foaming temperature steady[1][2]Optical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix; the foamed wall wicks solvent right through instead of only skinning over.[29]No common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[30]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[29][31]Acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[30]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour reaches only the resin skin; no workshop-safe smoothing agent exists for PLA of any kind.[32][31]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[31]

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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA Aero Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  2. LW-PLA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PolyLite LW-PLA Technical Data Sheet (V7.0) Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyWood Technical Data Sheet Version 4.0 (Nov 2018) Polymaker (copy hosted by 3Dee) · 2018-11 · tds
  5. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  7. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  8. PLA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  15. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  26. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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
  29. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  30. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. 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