3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

LW-PLA vs TPU 85A

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

Lightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA) guideTPU 85A guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore LW-PLA comparisonsMore TPU 85A comparisons
LW-PLA vs TPU 85A — documented properties and sources
PropertyLightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA)PLATPU 85AFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$47.48/kg median; $37.49–$50.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$89.89/kg median; $31.99–$106.05/kg across 6 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]Soft thermoplastic polyurethane at 82–85 Shore A[5][6][7]
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]1.11 (BASF Ultrafuse 85A) to 1.19 (NinjaFlex 85A), ISO 1183 / ASTM D792[7][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 45[8][2][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 32–106; the middle of the market is about 90[10][11][5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg37–50 across brands; Polymaker LW-PLA 37, Bambu Lab Aero 45, colorFabb 50, PolyWood 50[9][8][2]32–106 across brands; Siraya Tech Flex TPU 85A 32 at 1 kg, add:north TPU Pro Matte 85A 72, Recreus Filaflex 82A 90 at 500 g, Proto-pasta Clear Flexible TPU 90, 3DXTech 3DXFLEX 85A 96, NinjaTek NinjaFlex 106[12][10][11][13][5]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[8][9][2]Available from several mainstream brands[10][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[9][2]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[10][12][5]
Typical applicationsRC aircraft, drone airframes and large props where mass matters more than strength[1][2]Soft-touch grips, seals, wearables and anything that must compress and rebound[5][6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–260 (Bambu Lab, foaming); 195–260 (colorFabb, foaming); 190–210 (Polymaker, pre-foamed)[1][2][3]200–220 (BASF Ultrafuse 85A, 210 typical)[7]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb); 25–60 (Polymaker)[1][2][3]40 (BASF Ultrafuse 85A)[7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[3]Open frame is fine[7]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][3]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick 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]1.2–3.2 at the 15–40 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[7]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[7]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything — Recreus states its 82A grade has excellent bed adhesion without a heated bed or additives[6]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — drying plus tuning needed[17][15]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; flow has to be cut to match the expansion[2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; at this hardness the filament will not push through a Bowden tube[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][18]Direct drive only. NinjaTek calls its 85A grade ideal for direct-drive extruders and Recreus specifies direct-drive printers for 82A; BASF caps print speed at 15–40 mm/s with a nozzle of 0.4 mm or larger[5][6][7]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[3][4]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[3][4]Non-abrasive[19]
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[18]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[17][15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedVery high — softens in the cold zone readily; soft filament buckles between the drive gear and the melt zone[15][5]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]Moderate — NinjaTek measures 0.22 % in 24 h (ASTM D570) and BASF specifies a 70 °C dry for at least 5 h[5][7]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]0.22 after 24 h water immersion (NinjaFlex 85A, ASTM D570) — an immersion figure, not an equilibrium moisture content at 50 % RH[5]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[1][3]70 °C for at least 5 h in a hot-air dryer or vacuum oven (BASF)[7]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[17]
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[17]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; wet TPU prints with poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers[17]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[17]
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]26 ultimate (NinjaFlex 85A, ASTM D638)[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]12 (NinjaFlex 85A, ASTM D638) — two orders of magnitude below any rigid filament; NinjaTek's 95A Cheetah reaches 26 by the same method[5][20]
Elongation at break%2.6 ± 0.7 (Bambu Lab) and 8.8 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]650 at break (Filaflex 82A) and 660 (NinjaFlex 85A); BASF measures 600 in XY and 320 in ZX[6][5][7]
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]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 28.8 printed XY (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 5.46 foamed[1][2]Not documented
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]Very ductile — bends far before failing[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented29 Shore D / 85 Shore A (BASF Ultrafuse 85A, ISO 7619-1); 85 Shore A (NinjaFlex, ASTM D2240); 82 A nominal for Filaflex[5][7][6]
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[21][22][23]Poor — no 85A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, and softer grades creep more[24]
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]Excellent — living hinges viable[15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[5][6]
Z strength as % of XY%75 by tensile, 38 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]53 — BASF measures 320 % elongation at break in ZX against 600 % in XY[7]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 0.08 g mass loss over 10 000 cycles (NinjaFlex, ASTM D4060); 82 mm³ (BASF, ISO 4649)[5][7]
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]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C150 peak melt (Polymaker, DSC); Vicat 60 °C[3]216 melting (NinjaFlex 85A, DSC)[5]
Annealing responseBambu Lab advises against annealing thin, low-infill Aero prints[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[26]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[15]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[15]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[27]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[27]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[27]Open a window / occasional ventilation[27]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[15]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[15]
Dimensional accuracy & detailFoamed surfaces are rough and matte; dimensional accuracy depends on holding the foaming temperature steady[1][2]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix; the foamed wall wicks solvent right through instead of only skinning over.[28]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[29]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[28][30]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour reaches only the resin skin; no workshop-safe smoothing agent exists for PLA of any kind.[31][30]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[29]

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. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Ultrafuse TPU 85A Technical Data Sheet (Version 3.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
  8. PLA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Siraya Tech Flex TPU 85A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. add:north TPU Pro Matte 85A product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  20. NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  21. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  25. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. 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
  28. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  29. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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