3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-GF vs PLA-GF

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

Glass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guideGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-GF comparisonsMore PLA-GF comparisons
PA12-GF vs PLA-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PAGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings$44.99/kg median; $29.99–$59.99/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[1]PLA filled with chopped glass fibre — 12 wt% (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF), 15–20 wt% (eSUN PLA-GF). Bambu Lab PLA Galaxy uses glass microspheres, not fibre, and is not equivalent[2][3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183)[1]1.31 (eSUN) to 1.337 (Polymaker), ISO 1183 / GB/T 1033[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[5][6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 30[8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg46–140 across brands; IEMAI 3D 46, 3DXTech 131 at 750 g and 130 at 2 kg, PrimaCreator NylonPower Glass Fiber 140 at 500 g[5][6][7]30–60 across brands; Polymaker 30, Proto-pasta 60[8][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8][9][3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[5][7]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[9][10]
Typical applicationsStiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[1][11]Stiff brackets and fixtures; the Polymaker grade is aimed at parts annealed for heat resistance[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–230 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[12]Open frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on — eSUN specifies 100 %[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[13][12]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented28 at Polymaker's stated 350 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; eSUN prints its specimens at 60 mm/s[2][3][14]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[12]Not documented
Shrinkage%Not documented0.05 in X-Y and Z, 0.10 diagonal (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[12]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — no nozzle-life figure is published for a PA12-GF30 grade; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its comparable fibre-filled nylons[15]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[15]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[16]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[13]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[13]Hardened steel or ruby nozzle; Polymaker's own slicer preset sets a minimum nozzle hardness of 40 HRC[2]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — the PA12 matrix takes up far less than PA6, on the evidence of Polymaker's 1.5 % for PA12-CF10 against 3.33 % for PA6-GF25[18][19]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[20][21]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 6 h (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's PA12 grades change little between wet and dry, unlike PA6; the CoPA dry-to-wet blocks show the PA6-type response[11][22]Polymaker 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[16]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[16]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[15][22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa82 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]50.1 as printed and 50.2 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 59.3 by GB/T 1040[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]3794 as printed, 4207 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[2]
Elongation at break%4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[1][19]2.77 as printed, 2.3 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 7.99[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]86.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3685 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 4415 flexural modulus by GB/T 9341[2][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.31 ± 0.46 as printed and 4.92 ± 0.50 annealed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); Z 4.28 ± 0.18[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod 10.16 kJ/m² (eSUN, GB/T 1843)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented23.7 as printed, 22.5 annealed, printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[2]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Very brittle — elongation at break 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[23]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for extruded PA66-GF30 stock, and the PA12 matrix absorbs far less water than PA6, so a PA12-GF part holds load better in a humid environment[23][12]Poor — no GF-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[24][25][26]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[23]Poor — 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 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[27][2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented47 as printed (23.7 Z against 50.1 XY), printed[2]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedeSUN describes high wear resistance and positions the grade for wear parts[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented75.5 as printed, 114.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the point of the material[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented59.7 as printed, 84 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented59.8 (DSC)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented174.9 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 148.9 as printed, 148.3 annealed[2]
Annealing responseNot documentedAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 75.5 to 114.7 °C and modulus from 3794 to 4207 MPa[2]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F) — no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[23]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[15]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[12]Degrades within weeks outdoors[28]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[12]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[11]Not documented
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[12]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[12]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[29]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[29]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[29]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[29]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[29]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[29]None needed in a normal room[29]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[30]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[13]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[13]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[13]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedNear-zero shrinkage — 0.05 % in X-Y and Z (Polymaker)[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[31]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[32]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[31]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[32][33]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[31]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[34][33]

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. FibreX PA12-GF30 Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  3. eSUN ePLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.0 (Nov 2023) eSUN (copy hosted on 3d.nice-cdn.com) · 2023-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Galaxy Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI 3D GF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower Glass Fiber product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  19. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  22. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  23. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  28. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. 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
  30. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  31. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. 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