3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-GF vs TPU-CF

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

Glass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF) guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-GF comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PLA-GF vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF)PLACarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$44.99/kg median; $29.99–$59.99/kg across 2 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with chopped glass fibre — 12 wt% (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF), 15–20 wt% (eSUN PLA-GF). Bambu Lab PLA Galaxy uses glass microspheres, not fibre, and is not equivalent[1][2][3]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[4]
Densityg/cm³1.31 (eSUN) to 1.337 (Polymaker), ISO 1183 / GB/T 1033[1][2]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 30[5][6]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg30–60 across brands; Polymaker 30, Proto-pasta 60[5][6]One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[7]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[6][8]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[7]
Typical applicationsStiff brackets and fixtures; the Polymaker grade is aimed at parts annealed for heat resistance[1]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[4]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanFan on — eSUN specifies 100 %[2]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[9][10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s28 at Polymaker's stated 350 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; eSUN prints its specimens at 60 mm/s[1][2][11]1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Shrinkage%0.05 in X-Y and Z, 0.10 diagonal (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[12]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; a flexible base plus chopped carbon fibre, which Prusa lists as a higher nozzle-clogging risk, and Extrudr requires a hardened nozzle[12][4][9]
Hotend requirementHardened steel or ruby nozzle; Polymaker's own slicer preset sets a minimum nozzle hardness of 40 HRC[1]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[13][14]Moderate[15]
Drying temperature & time60 °C for 6 h (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[4]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker 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[15]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[15]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa50.1 as printed and 50.2 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 59.3 by GB/T 1040[1][2]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa3794 as printed, 4207 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[4]
Elongation at break%2.77 as printed, 2.3 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 7.99[1][2]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[4]
Flexural strengthMPa86.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3685 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 4415 flexural modulus by GB/T 9341[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.31 ± 0.46 as printed and 4.92 ± 0.50 annealed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); Z 4.28 ± 0.18[1]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod 10.16 kJ/m² (eSUN, GB/T 1843)[2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23.7 as printed, 22.5 annealed, printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Very brittle — elongation at break 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no GF-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[16][17][18]Below average — no CF-grade creep test; the grade is 70 Shore D where a 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[4][19]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation at break falls to 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[20][1]Good — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[4]
Z strength as % of XY%47 as printed (23.7 Z against 50.1 XY), printed[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictioneSUN describes high wear resistance and positions the grade for wear parts[2]Abrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75.5 as printed, 114.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the point of the material[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C59.7 as printed, 84 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.8 (DSC)[1]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[4]
Melting point / Vicat°C174.9 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 148.9 as printed, 148.3 annealed[1]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[4]
Annealing responseAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 75.5 to 114.7 °C and modulus from 3794 to 4207 MPa[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[21]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[10]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[10]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[22]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[22]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[22]Open a window / occasional ventilation[22]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[23]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[10]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[10]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[10]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[10]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNear-zero shrinkage — 0.05 % in X-Y and Z (Polymaker)[1]Tear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[24]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[25]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[24][26]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[27][26]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[25]

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. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  2. eSUN ePLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.0 (Nov 2023) eSUN (copy hosted on 3d.nice-cdn.com) · 2023-11 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Galaxy Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  5. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Extrudr TPU FLEX Hard CF — product page (1.75 mm, 0.5 and 2 kg coils, price) Extrudr (FD3D GmbH) · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  14. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  20. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  21. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. 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
  23. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  24. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  25. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  27. 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