3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA-CF ESD vs Breakaway

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

ESD-safe CF nylon guideBreak-away support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA-CF ESD comparisonsMore Breakaway comparisons
PA-CF ESD vs Breakaway — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe CF nylonPABreak-away supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$129.98/kg median; $129.98–$129.98/kg across 1 dated product listings$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryCarbon-filled polyamide compounded to a static-dissipative resistivity — Polymaker's grade uses a PA612 matrix[1]Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (ISO 1183)[1]1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 130[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45[4][5][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg130 at Polymaker's 0.5 kg pricing[4]26–80 across brands and grades; IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE 26, Polymaker PolySupport for PLA 40 at 750 g, YXPOLYER 45, PolySupport for PA12 80 at 500 g[4][5][6]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]Available from several mainstream brands[4][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[4]
Typical applicationsElectronics jigs and trays that also need nylon toughness and heat resistance[1]Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[8]Open frame is fine[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[9][8]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[8]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[8][10]Easy — minor profile tuning[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer[2]
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[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — carbon-filled nylon composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA612-ESD[1]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[10]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Polymaker specifies a 55 °C dry for the PLA grade and warns brass nozzle life falls to about 9 h on the PA12 grade[2][3]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[9]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[9]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — the PA612 matrix sits between PA6 and PA12[11][12]Moderate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[2]
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][12]Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[10]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[10]Not documented
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[13][14]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]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa4293.7 ± 116.4 printed XY dry and 3730.8 ± 156.2 conditioned, ISO 527[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%3.0 ± 0.1 printed XY dry and 4.2 ± 0.4 conditioned, ISO 527[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.9 ± 0.4 printed XY dry and 4.9 ± 0.3 conditioned, ISO 179 notched[1]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 24.1 ± 2.4 printed XY and 4.5 ± 0.2 printed Z (ISO 179)[1]Not documented
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]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 3.0 % in XY and 1.4 % in Z[1]Not documented
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[15]Not documented
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[16][1]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger states carbon-filled PA66 compounds have improved fatigue strength in tension, flexure and compression[16]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%26 (printed Z against XY tensile)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C157.0 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]43 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, PolySupport for PA12). Polymaker's sheet prints a higher figure at the higher load, which is physically inverted; treat both HDT numbers as approximate[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C125.4 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, PolySupport for PA12) — printed above the 0.45 MPa figure on Polymaker's own sheet, which cannot be right; treat both as approximate[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C41.8 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C187.3 melting (DSC); Vicat 190.0 (ISO 306)[1]Vicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[3]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[13]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[8]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[8]Not documented
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[8]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[8]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[8]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesStatic-dissipative — the reason the grade exists; Polymaker's insulating nylon composites sit above 10¹² ohm by contrast[1][11]Surface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1)[17][18]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[19]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[19]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[19]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[19]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[19]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[19]Open a window / occasional ventilation[19]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[13]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[9]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[9]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[9]Not documented
Support material pairingNot documentedThis is the support material. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material, from very good to unusable, because break-away supports only work against the polymer they were matched to[2][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[20]None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[21]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[20]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[20]None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[21]

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. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  12. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  14. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  18. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  19. 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
  20. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  21. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor