3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA-CF ESD vs PLA

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

ESD-safe CF nylon guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA-CF ESD comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PA-CF ESD vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe CF nylonPAPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$129.98/kg median; $129.98–$129.98/kg across 1 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryCarbon-filled polyamide compounded to a static-dissipative resistivity — Polymaker's grade uses a PA612 matrix[1]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (ISO 1183)[1]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[2][4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 130[5]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[6][7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg130 at Polymaker's 0.5 kg pricing[5]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[9][10][11][12]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[5]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[13][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 kg spools[5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[6][15][16][11][17]
Typical applicationsElectronics jigs and trays that also need nylon toughness and heat resistance[1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[18]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[2][6][19]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[2][4][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[2][4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[20]Open frame is fine[4][13]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[2][14]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[21][20]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][22][14]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[23]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[24][13]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[21]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][3][14]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[20]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][14][25]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[20][26]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[13][14]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[13]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA612-ESD and recommends hardened steel or ruby[1]Brass fine indefinitely[13]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — carbon-filled nylon composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA612-ESD[1]Non-abrasive[24][13]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[26]Very low[13][14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[21]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[22][27]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[21]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[13]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[24][13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — the PA612 matrix sits between PA6 and PA12[28][29]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[3][4][30]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][3][27]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[26]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker publishes dry and wet printed blocks for PA612-ESD itself: at 4.64 % moisture tensile falls 84.3 → 73.6 MPa and modulus 4294 → 3731 MPa[1][29]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[26]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[26]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][14]
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[31][32]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa84.3 ± 2.3 printed XY dry (annealed 100 °C/16 h), 73.6 ± 2.3 conditioned to 4.64 % moisture, ISO 527[1]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[2][4][3][33][34]
Young's modulusMPa4293.7 ± 116.4 printed XY dry and 3730.8 ± 156.2 conditioned, ISO 527[1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][4][3]
Elongation at break%3.0 ± 0.1 printed XY dry and 4.2 ± 0.4 conditioned, ISO 527[1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][3][2]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][35]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][35]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.9 ± 0.4 printed XY dry and 4.9 ± 0.3 conditioned, ISO 179 notched[1]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 24.1 ± 2.4 printed XY and 4.5 ± 0.2 printed Z (ISO 179)[1]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.5 ± 2.7 printed Z dry — only a quarter of XY, the most anisotropic nylon composite here; 19.2 ± 1.6 conditioned[1]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][34]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 3.0 % in XY and 1.4 % in Z[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[22][24]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a conductive carbon-filled nylon filament[36]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[2][37]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger rates its PA66-CF30 compound for sustained static and dynamic load at 110 °C continuous service; the PA612 matrix here still takes up 4.64 % moisture at conditioning, which softens it[38][1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[39][40]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger states carbon-filled PA66 compounds have improved fatigue strength in tension, flexure and compression[38]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[41][22]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[24]
Z strength as % of XY%26 (printed Z against XY tensile)[1]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][3][34]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C157.0 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2][4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C125.4 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2][4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C41.8 (DSC)[1]55–61 (DSC)[2][4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°C187.3 melting (DSC); Vicat 190.0 (ISO 306)[1]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[18][4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[24][34]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[3][42]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[43]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[31]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[3][4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[20]Degrades within weeks outdoors[22][18]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[18][22]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[20]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][22]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[3][44]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[20]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[22][44]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[20]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[44][22][3]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[20]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[44]
Electrical & ESD propertiesStatic-dissipative — the reason the grade exists; Polymaker's insulating nylon composites sit above 10¹² ohm by contrast[1][28]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[45]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[45]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[45]4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[45]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[45]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[45]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[45]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[45]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[45]None needed in a normal room[45]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[31]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[21]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[18][22]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[21]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[22][19]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[21]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[22]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[24][3][14]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[46]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[47]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[46]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[47][48]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[46]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[49][48]

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. Fiberon PA612-ESD Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2025-06 · tds
  2. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  19. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  29. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  31. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  32. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  34. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  36. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  39. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  42. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  43. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  44. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  45. 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
  46. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  47. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  48. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  49. 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