3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

LW-PLA vs TPU-CF

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

Lightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA) guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore LW-PLA comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
LW-PLA vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyLightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA)PLACarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$47.48/kg median; $37.49–$50.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/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]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[5]
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]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 45[6][2][7]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg37–50 across brands; Polymaker LW-PLA 37, Bambu Lab Aero 45, colorFabb 50, PolyWood 50[7][6][2]One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][7][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[7][2]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[8]
Typical applicationsRC aircraft, drone airframes and large props where mass matters more than strength[1][2]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–260 (Bambu Lab, foaming); 195–260 (colorFabb, foaming); 190–210 (Polymaker, pre-foamed)[1][2][3]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[5]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb); 25–60 (Polymaker)[1][2][3]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[3]Open frame is fine[5]
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[9][10]
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]1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5]
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; hardened nozzle needed[5]
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]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[3][4]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[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]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; a flexible base plus chopped carbon fibre, which Prusa lists as a higher nozzle-clogging risk, and Extrudr requires a hardened nozzle[13][5][9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]Moderate[14]
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]60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[14]
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[14]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[14]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[14]
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]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1350 ± 250 (Bambu Lab) and 1689 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; colorFabb falls from 3334 unfoamed to 864 foamed[1][3][2]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[5]
Elongation at break%2.6 ± 0.7 (Bambu Lab) and 8.8 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[5]
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 documented70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[5]
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]Below average — no CF-grade creep test; the grade is 70 Shore D where a 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[5][18]
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[19][1]Good — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[5]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[5]
Z strength as % of XY%75 by tensile, 38 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[5]
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]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°C150 peak melt (Polymaker, DSC); Vicat 60 °C[3]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[5]
Annealing responseBambu Lab advises against annealing thin, low-infill Aero prints[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[20]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[10]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[10]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[21]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[5]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[10]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[10]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[10]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[10]
Dimensional accuracy & detailFoamed surfaces are rough and matte; dimensional accuracy depends on holding the foaming temperature steady[1][2]Tear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix; the foamed wall wicks solvent right through instead of only skinning over.[22]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[23]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[22][24]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour reaches only the resin skin; no workshop-safe smoothing agent exists for PLA of any kind.[25][24]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[23]

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. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  6. PLA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Extrudr TPU FLEX Hard CF — product page (1.75 mm, 0.5 and 2 kg coils, price) Extrudr (FD3D GmbH) · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  19. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. 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
  22. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  23. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  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