3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEI 1010 vs PLA

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

PEI (ULTEM 1010) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

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PEI 1010 vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEI (ULTEM 1010)HIGHTEMPPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$281.22/kg median; $195.00–$698.00/kg across 6 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyetherimide, ULTEM 1010 grade — the higher-temperature, food- and medical-contact PEI[1][2]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.27 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech and Prusament); 1.29 specific gravity on moulded plaques (ASTM D792, Stratasys)[1][2][5]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[3][6][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 195–698; the middle of the market is about 270[7][8][9][10][11]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[12][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg195-698 across brands and grades; 3DXTech ThermaX PEI 1010 195 at 2 kg, IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3D4Makers 270 at 2 kg, Prusament 292 at 500 g, Kimya 347 at 500 g, 3DXTech ESD-PEI 1010 698 at 500 g[7][8][9][10][11]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[15][16][17][18]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][8][9][10]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[19][20]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[7][10][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[12][21][22][17][23]
Typical applicationsAutoclavable tooling, food-contact fixtures and parts that must hold load near 200 °C[2]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[24]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[3][12][25]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C410 ± 10 (Prusament) — the hottest nozzle in the dataset[2]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[3][6][4]
Bed temperature°C140–160 (Prusament); 130–140 (3DXTech)[2][1]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[3][6][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required — Prusa specifies 90 °C[2]Open frame is fine[6][19]
Recommended chamber temperature°C90 (Prusament)[2]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[3][20]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPA nylon sheet or powder-coated sheet with high-temperature glue (Prusament)[2]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[6][26][20]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[27]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[2]None[28][19]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[6][4][20]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[6][20][29]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[2][30]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[19][20]
Extruder requirementA hot end rated to 420 °C, a heated chamber and a high-temperature bed; Prusa dries the filament at 150 °C for 6–8 h before printing[2]Any extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[19]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[2]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[28][19]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 150 °C pre-dry before every print[31]Very low[19][20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[26][32]
Hotend requirementNot documentedAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[19]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[28][19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[4][6][33]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.4 in 24 h and 0.7 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH (Prusament)[2]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][6]
Drying temperature & time150 °C for 6–8 h (Prusament) — the hottest drying schedule in the dataset[2]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[6][4][32]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[34]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 150 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[31]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[34]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][20]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa79-95 printed in plane: Stratasys 79.2 (F900 T14) to 91.6 (F3300 N500) at break in XZ, ASTM D638; Prusament 95 +/- 3.5 at yield printed horizontal, ISO 527-1; 3DXTech quotes 56 (ISO 527)[5][2][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[3][6][4][35][36]
Young's modulusMPa2300-3040 printed in plane: Prusament 2300 +/- 100 horizontal (ISO 527-1), Stratasys 2920-3040 in XZ (ASTM D638); 3DXTech quotes 2500[5][2][1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][6][4]
Elongation at break%4.0-4.1 at break in XZ (ASTM D638, Stratasys); Prusament gives 6.6 +/- 0.7 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); 3DXTech quotes 3[5][2][1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[6][4][3]
Flexural strengthMPa128 at 5 % strain (F900 T14) and 144 at break (F3300) printed XZ, ASTM D790; Prusament 98 +/- 6.5 horizontal and 138 +/- 5.3 vertical (ISO 178); 3DXTech quotes 110[5][2][1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[3][6][4][37]
Flexural modulusMPa2910-3260 printed XZ (ASTM D790, Stratasys); Prusament 2300 horizontal and 2700 vertical (ISO 178); 3DXTech quotes 2510[5][2][1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[3][6][4][37]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.4 ± 0.9 printed horizontal and 3.6 ± 0.4 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[2]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[6][4]
Other impact dataIzod notched 26.6-36.3 J/m XZ against 21.7-27.2 J/m ZX; unnotched 260-406 J/m XZ against 68-116 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Stratasys). Charpy unnotched 19.7 +/- 4.3 horizontal and 39 +/- 10 vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[5][2]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa28-37 at break (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Stratasys F900 and F3300) against 72 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1, Prusament on the Pro HT90 with a 0.6 mm nozzle and 90 °C chamber) — a fourfold spread driven by chamber temperature and bead size[5][2]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][36]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; notched Charpy only 3.4 kJ/m²[2]Brittle — snaps with little warning[26][28]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 83.5 (Prusa Polymers method); Rockwell M110 / R126 on extruded PEI stock (ASTM D785)[2][38]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[3][39]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Printed coupons hold 215 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded PEI stock is rated 170 °C long-term service[5][38]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[40][41]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[42][26]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Rigid[28]
Z strength as % of XY%36-40 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 76 (Prusament vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1)[5][2]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[6][4][36]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C207 (Prusament, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa) to 217 (printed XY 216.9 and XZ 217.1, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Stratasys); 3DXTech quotes 208[2][5][1]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3][6][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C194 (Prusament, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa) to 215 (printed XY 215.1 and XZ 214.5, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Stratasys) — the highest heat deflection in the dataset[2][5]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3][6][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C209 (moulded plaque, ASTM D7426 inflection point, Stratasys); 217 (DSC, 3DXTech)[5][1]55–61 (DSC)[3][6][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[24][6][4]
Continuous service temperature°C170 long-term service on extruded PEI stock, converted from 338 °F; 200 short term[38]50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[28][36]
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[4][43]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K36.1 (printed XY, -50 to 60 °C, ASTM E831), falling to 29.8 over 60-205 °C; ZX gives 32.5 over -50 to 110 °C and 16.2 over 110-165 °C[5]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[44]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[26][24]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[24][26]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[6][26]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[4][45]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[26][45]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[45][26][4]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[45]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[46]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[46]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[46]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[46]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[46]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[46]None needed in a normal room[46]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[24][26]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[26][25]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[26]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[28][4][20]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane and chloroform — are solvents for polyetherimide. Laboratory reagents.[47][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 byAcetone, MEK, benzene, toluene and butyl acetate craze or stress-crack it; alcohols, fuels and dilute acids do not.[48][47]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 agentDichloromethane is the only welding route, and it is a controlled carcinogen rather than a workshop material.[47][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. ThermaX PEI 1010 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  3. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. ULTEM 1010 Resin — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-06 · tds
  6. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Kimya PEI-1010 Amber Yellow 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusa Prusament PEI 1010 Natural (NFC), 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D PEI 1010 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  25. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  31. THERMAX PEI 1010 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  34. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  35. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  36. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  38. TECAPEI natural (PEI) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  43. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  45. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  46. 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
  47. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  48. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 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