3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-GF vs PLA

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

Glass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-GF comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PA12-GF vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PAPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[1]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183)[1]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[2][4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[5][6][7]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[8][9][10]
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]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[11][12][13][14]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[15][16]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[5][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[8][17][18][13][19]
Typical applicationsStiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[1][20]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[21]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[2][8][22]
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)[23]Open frame is fine[4][15]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[2][16]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[24][23]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][25][16]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[26]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[27][15]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[24]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][3][16]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[23]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][16][28]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[23]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[15][16]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[15]
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[29]Brass fine indefinitely[15]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[29]Non-abrasive[27][15]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[30]Very low[15][16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[24]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[25][31]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[24]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[15]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[27][15]
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[32][33]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[3][4][34]
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][31]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[30]
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[20][35]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[30]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[30]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][16]
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[29][35]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa82 at break (printed XY, 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][36][37]
Young's modulusMPa7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][4][3]
Elongation at break%4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[1][33]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][3][2]
Flexural strengthMPa94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][38]
Flexural modulusMPa7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][38]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][37]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[25][27]
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[39]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[2][40]
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[39][23]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[41][42]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[39]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[43][25]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[27]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][3][37]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2][4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2][4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented55–61 (DSC)[2][4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[21][4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[27][37]
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][44]
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[39]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[45]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[29]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[23]Degrades within weeks outdoors[25][21]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[21][25]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[23]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][25]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[20]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[3][46]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[23]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[25][46]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[23]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[46][25][3]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[23]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[46]
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[47]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[47]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[47]4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[47]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[47]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[47]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[47]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[47]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[47]None needed in a normal room[47]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[24]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[21][25]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[24]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[25][22]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[24]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[25]
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[27][3][16]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[48]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[49]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[48]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[49][50]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[48]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[51][50]

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. 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. 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. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  22. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  30. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  33. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  34. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  36. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  37. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  39. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  40. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  44. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  45. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  46. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  47. 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
  48. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  49. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  50. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  51. 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