3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PE vs PLA+

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

Polyethylene (PE) guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PE comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
PE vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFINPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 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 compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[1][2]1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[5]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[5]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[8][7][9][10][11]
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[12][13][14][5]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][6][7][9][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[5][12]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[9][10][8]
Typical applicationsChemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[1]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[15]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[3][4]
Bed temperature°C80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[1]Open frame is fine[3][4]
Part cooling fan0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[1]Fan on[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSpectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[1]Textured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[3][4]
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]None[3]
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]Sticks to anything[16]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[3][16]
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]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[17]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[18][17]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[1]Very low[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[19]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[1]Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Drying temperature & timeNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[1]55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[3][4]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[20]
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 the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[20]
Storage requirementStore dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[1]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][16]
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]35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[3][4][21][22]
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]1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[3][4][23][24]
Elongation at break%18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][2]5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[2]62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[3][4][25][24]
Flexural modulusMPa3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[1][2]2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[3][4]
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]Charpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[4][21]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[3][4][22]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4][21]
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]78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[26]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[22][27]
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]Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[28][4][21]
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[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[2]55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[3][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented61 (DSC)[3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[3][4]
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]48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[22][29][26][27]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[2]96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[30]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][3]
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[19][31]
Chemical resistanceExcellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[1][2]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3][4]
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
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[19]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[32][19]
RecyclabilitySpectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[1]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[32]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedLow hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[33]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedNone needed in a normal room[33]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[2]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[31][19]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[19][34]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[19]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailSpectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[1]55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[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.[35][36]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[37]
Softened or crazed byToluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[36]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[37][38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[36][35]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[39][38]

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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  22. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  24. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  29. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  31. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  32. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  33. 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
  34. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  35. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  36. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  38. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. 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