3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
Magnetic vs PEBA
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Magnetic filamentSPECIALTY | PEBA (polyether block amide)FLEX |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings | $60.99/kg median; $60.99–$60.99/kg across 1 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | PLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[1] | Polyether block amide: rigid polyamide and flexible polyether blocks.[2] |
| Densityg/cm³ | About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[1] | 1.01 g/cm³ (GB/T 1033; eSUN manufacturer data)[2] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 65[3] | Not documented |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[3] | Not documented |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3] | Not documented |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[3] | 1.75 mm diameter, 1 kg spool.[4] |
| Typical applications | Sensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[1] | Manufacturer applications include footwear, sports equipment and cushioning.[2] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 192 (Proto-pasta)[1] | 230–260 °C; 240 °C recommended.[2] |
| Bed temperature°C | 60 (Proto-pasta)[1] | 60–90 °C[2] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Open frame is fine[1] | Not documented |
| Part cooling fan | Not documented | 10–50% fan recommended; mechanical-test specimens used 50–100%.[2] |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Not documented | PEI build plate[2] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | 1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1] | 9 mm³/s maximum in eSUN spiral-vase test; mechanical specimens used 2 mm³/s. Linear recommendation 25–110 mm/s is a separate quantity.[2] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; slow, and brittle in filament form[1] | Not documented |
| Extruder requirement | 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[1] | Not documented |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1] | Not documented |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Moderately abrasive — metal fill[1] | Not documented |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | 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[5] | Not documented |
| Hotend requirement | Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[1] | Not documented |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Drying temperature & time | Not documented | 70–75 °C for 6–8 h; re-dry after receiving or extended exposure.[2] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | 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[6] | Not documented |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | Not documented | >16.5 MPa printed XY, GB/T 1040; manufacturer lower bound, not an exact measurement.[2] |
| Elongation at break% | Not documented | >520% printed XY, GB/T 1040; manufacturer lower bound.[2] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | Not documented | 7.5 MPa printed Z, GB/T 1040 (manufacturer test)[2] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[1] | Not documented |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | 90 Shore A nominal grade designation; do not compare numerically with Shore D or Rockwell.[4] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Not documented |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Not documented | 110 °C Vicat softening (GB/T 1633, 120 °C/h, 10 N); not HDT or a continuous-use rating.[2] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| Outdoor durability | Deliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[1] | Not documented |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Ferromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[1] | Not documented |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[7] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Open a window / occasional ventilation[7] | Not documented |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Polishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[1] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[8][1] | Not documented |
| Softened or crazed by | Acetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[8][1] | Not documented |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[8] | Not documented |
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
- Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
- eSUN PEBA-90A Technical Data Sheet v1.0 (Aug 2025), checked 2026-10-17 eSUN · 2025-08 · tds
- Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
- eSUN PEBA-90A official product page: 1 kg price and product identity eSUN · 2026-10-17 · vendor
- Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 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
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds