3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG-CF vs PLA+

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

Carbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF) guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG-CF comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
PETG-CF vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF)PETGPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $16.00–$74.22/kg across 11 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPETG reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]PLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.25 (Bambu Lab) to 1.34 (3DXTech), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.27[1][5][2]1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 16–74; the middle of the market is about 29[1][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–74 across brands; ELEGOO 16 in a 5 kg pack, Reli3D 17, SUNLU 20, IEMAI 22, Siraya Tech 25, Bambu Lab 32, Sakata 3D 53, 3DXTech 67, Prusament 70, Filament PM 74 on 0.5 kg spools[15][1][16][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[17][14][18][19][20]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[1][16][6][15]Stocked by most mainstream brands[17][13][14][18][19]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[16][1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[18][19][17]
Typical applicationsStiff functional parts and fixtures where PETG's toughness is traded for rigidity and a matte finish[1][2]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[2]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[21]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240–270 (Bambu Lab); 265 ± 10 (Prusament)[1][2]190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[3][4]
Bed temperature°C65–75 (Bambu Lab); 90 ± 10 (Prusament)[1][2]25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame fine; draught shield helps — Bambu Lab specifies a 35–50 °C chamber[1]Open frame is fine[3][4]
Recommended chamber temperature°C35–50 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–60 % (Bambu Lab); 50 % (Prusament)[1][2]Fan on[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI or engineering plate with glue (Bambu Lab)[1]Textured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[3][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s11.5 on My Tech Fun's Bambu Lab PETG-CF profile[22]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive[1]Sticks to anything[23]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — the fibre reduces stringing against unfilled PETG[1][24]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[3][23]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[25]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Non-abrasive[26][25]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[27][28]Very low[25]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[24]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[29]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; no high-temperature hot-end needed[1][24]No special hot-end required[23]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low — 0.30 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.30 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); Prusa measures 0.10 after 7 days at 22 % RH[1][2]0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Drying temperature & time65 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1]55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[3][4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[30]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[30]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures published; Bambu Lab states PETG-CF must be properly dried before printing and stored dry after use[1][30]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[30]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Bambu Lab says store dry after use[1][30]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][23]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 47 ± 2 at yield (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527; 56 at break for 3DXTech[1][2][5]35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[3][4][31][32]
Young's modulusMPa2460 ± 230 (Bambu Lab) and 1700 (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[3][4][33][34]
Elongation at break%4.3 at yield (Prusament, printed XY, ISO 527); 3 at break for 3DXTech[2][5]5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa68 ± 3 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[2]62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[3][4][35][34]
Flexural modulusMPa2300 printed horizontal, 3100 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament)[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 unnotched 29 ± 6 printed horizontal and 43 ± 8 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1); Izod 4.91 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun bars[2][22]Charpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[4][31]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa29 ± 4 printed Z (Bambu Lab, ISO 527); 18 ± 3 by Prusa's interlayer adhesion test; 10.7 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][22]20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[3][4][32]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4][31]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell77 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[2]78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[36]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 16.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, less than plain PETG's 19.4[22]Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[32][37]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no CF-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[38]Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[38][4][31]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%83 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile)[1]60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C74 (Bambu Lab) and 96 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[3][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (3DXTech), DSC[1][5]61 (DSC)[3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°C225 melting (Bambu Lab, DSC) — the carbon fibre lets the PET fraction crystallise[1]149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[3][4]
Continuous service temperature°C77 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 61 for Bambu Lab PETG Basic[22]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+[32][39][36][37]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[40]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two; the carbon fibre does not add UV stabilisation[41]Degrades within weeks outdoors[29][42]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure, as for unfilled PETG[41]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3][4]
Food contactNot certified for food contact[41]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[29]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[41]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[43][29]
RecyclabilityFibre-filled PETG is not accepted in household plastic collection[41]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[43]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — carbon fibre at this loading is not static-dissipative (3DXTech)[5]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[44]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[44]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[44]None needed in a normal room[44]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[5]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands to a matte finish more readily than unfilled PETG[24]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[42][29]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds it[24]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[29][45]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[24]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[29]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA or its own material (Bambu Lab)[1]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte finish hides layer lines; stringing is reduced against unfilled PETG[1]55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[46][47]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[48]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[46]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[48][47]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[47]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[49][47]

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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Prusament PETG Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 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. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. SUNLU PETG-CF (PETG Carbon Fiber) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Fibreheart PETG-CF Pro Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI CF-PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PETG Filament 1.75 mm, 1 kg Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PET-G CF15 Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filament PM CFJet technical data sheet (TDS CFJet ENG.pdf) Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  13. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  27. CARBONX PETG+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  32. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  34. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  39. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  41. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  42. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  43. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  44. 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
  45. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  46. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  47. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  48. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  49. 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