Filament comparison
PAHT-CF vs PLA Wood
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | High-temperature CF nylon (PAHT-CF)PA | Wood-filled PLAPLA |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $59.98/kg median; $49.99–$69.98/kg across 2 dated product listings | $34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | High-temperature carbon-fibre nylon. Bambu Lab's PAHT-CF and Polymaker's PA612-CF15 both use a long-chain polyamide matrix for lower moisture uptake than PA6[1][2] | PLA filled with wood powder — 10–18 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS); colorFabb woodFill uses a PLA/PHA base with recycled wood fibre[3][4] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.03 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 1.06 (Bambu Lab), ISO 1183[1][2] | 1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[5][4][6] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 60[1][7] | 1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[8][9][10] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 50–70 across brands; Bambu Lab 50, Polymaker Fiberon PA612-CF15 70[1][7] | 14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[9][8][11][12][13][10] |
| Market availability1–5 | Available from several mainstream brands[1][7] | Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][12][6] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[7][1] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[12][6][8] |
| Typical applications | Under-bonnet and near-motor parts needing 170 °C-plus heat deflection with less humidity drift than PA6[1][2] | Decorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[5][4] |
| Diameter tolerance± mm | Not documented | ±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[5] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 260–290 (Bambu Lab)[1] | 190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[5][4] |
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[5][6] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[1] | Open frame is fine[5] |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1] | Not documented |
| Part cooling fan | Not documented | Fan on[5] |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[14][15] | Not documented |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | 8 at Bambu Lab's 100 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][16] | Not documented |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Not documented | None[5] |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14] | Not documented |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Moderate — retraction tuning needed[15] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[1][17] | Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[18][5] |
| Extruder requirement | 0.6 mm nozzle recommended by Bambu Lab; 0.4 and 0.8 also supported[1] | Nozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[18] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA612-CF15 and recommends hardened steel or ruby[2] | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's PLA compatibility table lists no hardened-nozzle requirement, but its nozzle guide names wood among the abrasive filaments hardened steel exists for[18][19] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA612-CF15[2] | Moderately abrasive — wood fill[18] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[17] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[18] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[14] | Not documented |
| Hotend requirement | May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[14] | Not documented |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | High (0.8–2 %) — 0.88 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH for Bambu Lab PAHT-CF, a third of its PA6-CF; Polymaker's PA612-CF15 reaches 2.2 % equilibrium[1][2][20] | High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[5] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.88 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab PAHT-CF); 2.2 equilibrium (Polymaker PA612-CF15)[1][2] | 1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[5] |
| Drying temperature & time | 80 °C for 8–12 h (Bambu Lab)[1] | 55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[5][18] |
| Symptoms when wet | Not documented | Bambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[18] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | Polymaker publishes dry and wet printed blocks for PA612-CF15 itself: at 2.57 % moisture tensile falls only 91.9 → 83.1 MPa and modulus 5137 → 3991 MPa — the PA612 backbone absorbs far less than PA6[2][21] | No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. At 1.25 % saturated uptake the practical loss shows as poor layer adhesion, rough surface and weak layers[17][5] |
| Storage requirement | Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[17] | Not documented |
| Hydrolysis at melt temperature | Polymaker 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[22][23] | Not documented |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 92 ± 7 (Bambu Lab) and 91.9 ± 2.0 (Polymaker PA612-CF15, dry/annealed) printed XY, ISO 527; the Polymaker grade only falls to 83.1 ± 2.2 conditioned to 2.57 % moisture[1][2] | 26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[5][4][6] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 3860 ± 230 (Bambu Lab) and 5137 ± 192 (Polymaker PA612-CF15, dry) printed XY, ISO 527; Polymaker 3991 ± 137 conditioned[1][2] | 2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[5][4][6] |
| Elongation at break% | 2.6 ± 0.2 dry (Polymaker PA612-CF15) to 8.4 ± 1.8 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Polymaker 4.1 ± 0.3 conditioned[1][2] | 4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[5][4][6] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | Not documented | 55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[5] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 4230 ± 210 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[1] | 2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[5] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 8.1 ± 0.8 printed XY dry and 7.7 ± 0.5 conditioned, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker PA612-CF15)[2] | 3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[5][4] |
| Other impact data | Charpy unnotched 57.5 ± 3.4 and notched 22.8 ± 1.8 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[1] | Charpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[5][4] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 47 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 48.3 ± 3.9 (Polymaker PA612-CF15, dry) printed Z, ISO 527; Polymaker 35.6 ± 3.0 conditioned[1][2] | 15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[5] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Moderate[1] | Brittle — snaps with little warning[5] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Rockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre long-chain nylon filament[24] | Not documented |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Good. Ensinger rates its PA66-CF30 compound for sustained static and dynamic load with 110 °C continuous service; the long-chain PA612 matrix takes up 0.88 % at saturation, a third of the same maker's PA6-CF, so it holds dimension better[25][2] | Poor — no wood-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[26][27][28] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Good. Ensinger states carbon-filled PA66 compounds have improved fatigue strength in tension, flexure and compression[25] | Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the wood filler cuts elongation and the parts snap without warning[29][5] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[5] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 51 (Bambu Lab) to 53 (Polymaker PA612-CF15), printed[1][2] | 58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[5] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 175 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 194 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2] | 60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[5] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 114 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 170 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2] | 57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[5] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 70 (Bambu Lab, DSC)[1] | 54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[5][6] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | 210 (Polymaker PA612-CF15) and 225 (Bambu Lab) melting, DSC; Vicat 206 (Polymaker)[1][2] | 156 peak melt (DSC)[5] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[22] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[15] | Degrades within weeks outdoors[30] |
| Chemical resistance | Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis[15] | Not documented |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Absorbs water, properties shift — less than PA6 but more than PA12[21][1] | Not documented |
| Food contact | Not food-contact certified as filament[15] | Not documented |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[15] | Not documented |
| Recyclability | Not accepted in household plastic collection[15] | Not documented |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Polymaker PA612-CF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[2] | Not documented |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[31] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[31] |
| VOC emission rateµg/min | Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[31] | Not documented |
| Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min | ≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[31] | Not documented |
| Hazardous species emitted | Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[31] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[31] | None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[18] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[22] | Not documented |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands poorly — gums rather than powders[14] | Sands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[4] |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[14] | Not documented |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | No practical vapour smoothing[14] | Not documented |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5] |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Not documented | Wood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[5][4] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[32] | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[33] |
| Softened or crazed by | Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[32] | Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[33][34] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[32] | Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[35][34] |
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
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PAHT-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
- Safety Data Sheet SDS20250723SA16 — Bambu PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2025-07 · msds
- woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
- PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
- Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
- woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
- PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
- PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 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
- Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- 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