3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PE vs PLA Metal

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

Polyethylene (PE) guideMetal-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PE comparisonsMore PLA Metal comparisons
PE vs PLA Metal — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFINMetal-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE[1][2]PLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[1][2]1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[6][3][4][9]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[10]1 kg spools cluster near 78[11][12][5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[10]25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[11][5][12][9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order[13][14][15][10]Available from several mainstream brands[12][5][9][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[10][13]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[16][12]
Typical applicationsChemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[1]Decorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[3][5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[3][5][9][6]
Bed temperature°C80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[3][5][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[1]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fan0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[1]On (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSpectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[1]Glass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[3][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5][9][3][17]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[5][9]
Extruder requirementNot documentedProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[5][9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[1]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[5][9]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Moderately abrasive — metal fill[5][9]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[1]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[5][9]
Other hardware wearNot documentedProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[5][9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[1]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[18][19]
Drying temperature & timeNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[1]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[20]
Storage requirementStore dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[1]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[1][2]25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[3][4][6]
Young's modulusMPa3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene[1][2]1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Elongation at break%18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][2]3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[3][4][6]
Flexural strengthMPa27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[2]75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[1][2]2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Other impact dataCharpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[1][2]Izod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[3][4][6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[1][2]Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[5][9]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[2][1]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[21][22][23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[1]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[24][5][9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible[1][2]Rigid[6]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[2]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Continuous service temperature°C110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76[1][2]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[2]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[1]Degrades within weeks outdoors[25]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[5]
Chemical resistanceExcellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[1][2]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[1][2]Not documented
RecyclabilitySpectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedProto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedLow hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[26]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedNone needed in a normal room[26]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[2]Polishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[3][4][9]
Dimensional accuracy & detailSpectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[1]colorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[27][28]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[29]
Softened or crazed byToluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[28]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[29][30]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[28][27]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[31][30]

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. Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  2. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  3. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  10. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  19. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  28. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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