3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

LW-PLA vs PVDF

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

Lightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA) guidePVDF guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore LW-PLA comparisonsMore PVDF comparisons
LW-PLA vs PVDF — documented properties and sources
PropertyLightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA)PLAPVDFENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$47.48/kg median; $37.49–$50.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 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]Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[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]1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 45[7][2][8]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg37–50 across brands; Polymaker LW-PLA 37, Bambu Lab Aero 45, colorFabb 50, PolyWood 50[8][7][2]251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][8][2]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[9][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[8][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[9]
Typical applicationsRC aircraft, drone airframes and large props where mass matters more than strength[1][2]Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–260 (Bambu Lab, foaming); 195–260 (colorFabb, foaming); 190–210 (Polymaker, pre-foamed)[1][2][3]Not documented
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb); 25–60 (Polymaker)[1][2][3]70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[3]Enclosure required (passive)[5]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][3]Not documented
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][11]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; flow has to be cut to match the expansion[2]Expert / industrial hardware only[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][12]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[3][4]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[3][4]Non-abrasive when unfilled[5]
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[12]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[10]
Other hardware wearNot documentedHydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[6]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[5]
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
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[13]Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[10]
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]51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[5]
Young's modulusMPa1350 ± 250 (Bambu Lab) and 1689 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; colorFabb falls from 3334 unfoamed to 864 foamed[1][3][2]2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[5]
Elongation at break%2.6 ± 0.7 (Bambu Lab) and 8.8 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[5]
Flexural strengthMPa45 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 50.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 178[1][3]50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5]
Flexural modulusMPa1690 ± 120 (Bambu Lab) and 1959 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 178[1][3]1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3.67 foamed[1][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 28.8 printed XY (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 5.46 foamed[1][2]Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[14]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z collapses to 17 against 45 in XY[1]Not documented
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]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[14]
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[15][16][17]Not documented
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[18][1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[5]
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]149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[14]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C48 (Bambu Lab) and 50 (Polymaker), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][3]113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[14]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (Bambu Lab) and 59 (Polymaker), DSC[1][3]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C150 peak melt (Polymaker, DSC); Vicat 60 °C[3]170 melting (ISO 11357)[5]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[14]
Annealing responseBambu Lab advises against annealing thin, low-infill Aero prints[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[14]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[14]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[19]Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[5][14]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedOutstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[5]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[20]Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[6]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedAbove 315 °C: hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenols, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and dense smoke. HF is extremely corrosive, its skin burns may not be immediately visible or painful, and exposure can be fatal by skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion[6]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[20]Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[6]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedMolten polymer causes thermal burns and must not be pulled off the skin. If HF is detected during a decomposition event, cut the heat but keep the extraction running, ventilate, and clear non-essential people from the area[6]
Post-Processing
Dimensional accuracy & detailFoamed surfaces are rough and matte; dimensional accuracy depends on holding the foaming temperature steady[1][2]The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[5][6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix; the foamed wall wicks solvent right through instead of only skinning over.[21]THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[22]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[21][23]Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[22][24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour reaches only the resin skin; no workshop-safe smoothing agent exists for PLA of any kind.[25][23]None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[22]

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. FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
  7. PLA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  15. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  16. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  19. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. 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
  21. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  22. Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  25. 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