3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA HS vs PPS

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

High-Speed PLA guidePPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA HS comparisonsMore PPS comparisons
PLA HS vs PPS — documented properties and sources
PropertyHigh-Speed PLAPLAPPSHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $11.49–$32.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$116.97/kg median; $84.00–$200.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA with rheology and crystallisation tuned for high volumetric flow; melt index 15.4 g/10 min vs 7–11 for standard PLA[1][2]Polyphenylene sulfide — a semi-crystalline high-temperature polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183, at 21.5 °C)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) and 1.33 (ISO 1183, Spectrum PPS AM230)[3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools span 84–200; the middle of the market is about 117[9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg11–33 across brands; budget house brands 11–18, Prusament 33[12][13][14]84-200 across brands and diameters; IEMAI 3D 84 at 1 kg, Spectrum PPS AM230 117 at 750 g, 3DXTech ThermaX PPS 140 at 2.85 mm and 200 at 1.75 mm[9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[15][8][16]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[9][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[6][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[9][10]
Typical applicationsLarge or repetitive prints on printers that can sustain high flow[17][15]Chemical-plant and under-bonnet parts needing solvent resistance above 200 °C[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic, rated to 258 mm/s)[18]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 for high-speed work; 190–210 at classic speeds[1][15]335-345 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); 300-330 (Spectrum)[3][5]
Bed temperature°C30–60 (Polymaker); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[1][19]110-130 (3DXTech); 100-120 (Spectrum)[3][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Actively heated chamber required[20][21]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented60-80 actively heated (Spectrum PPS AM230)[5]
Part cooling fanFan on[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedAdhesive required — Spectrum specifies Magigoo Pro HT[5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s≈24 at 300 mm/s with a 0.4 mm nozzle and 0.2 mm layer; 30 % more flow than regular PLA at the same temperature[1][15][17][22]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[23]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a printer that can actually reach the flow rate[15][1]Expert / industrial hardware only[20][21]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[24]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[25][24]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[24]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 110 °C pre-dry before every print[26]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[27]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[23]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40 % equilibrium at 23 °C / 70 % RH[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Polymaker states minimal water absorption at 0.05 %[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.40 equilibrium at 23 °C / 70 % RH (Polymaker PolySonic)[1]0.01 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570) — effectively non-absorbing[28]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6 h; 50 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1][19]At least 3 h at 90 °C in hot dry air if the filament has taken up moisture (Spectrum)[5]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[29]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[29]Little to measure — equilibrium uptake is 0.05 %; 3DXTech still specifies a 110 °C, 4 h pre-dry before printing[4][26]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[19][23]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa43.9 at 300 mm/s and 46.0 at 46.7 mm/s (printed XY, ISO 527); 58.6 on My Tech Fun bars for Creality Hyper PLA[1][30]50 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 65 at break injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 94 at yield on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][5][28]
Young's modulusMPa2650 at 300 mm/s, 2878 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2650 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 3650 injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 5769 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][5][28]
Elongation at break%15.1 at 300 mm/s, 21.5 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) against 2.0 injection-moulded (Spectrum) and 2.5 on extruded stock — the suppliers disagree by nearly an order of magnitude[3][5][28]
Flexural strengthMPa71.4 at 300 mm/s, 76.5 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]52 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech); 141 on extruded stock (ASTM D790)[3][28]
Flexural modulusMPa2798 at 300 mm/s, 2868 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2540 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.0 at 300 mm/s, 6.1 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[1]1.3 notched injection-moulded (ISO 179-1eA, Spectrum); unnotched 18[5]
Other impact dataPrinting at 300 mm/s instead of 46.7 mm/s costs 4.6 % tensile strength and 18 % notched Charpy[1]Izod notched 33 J/m on extruded PPS stock, converted from 0.62 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[28]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32.4 at 300 mm/s, 37.3 at classic speed (printed Z, ISO 527); 35.3 for Creality Hyper PLA vs 23.0 for average PLA on identical bars[1][30]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78.7 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu PLA Meta (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[31]Rockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded PPS stock (ASTM D785)[28]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 17.7 mm over 6 days at 1.25 kg[30]Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PPS stock, and Spectrum states that rigidity, strength and creep resistance are unchanged under continuous load at high temperature[28][5]
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 (R = 0.2)[32][27]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%74 at 300 mm/s, 81 at classic speed (printed)[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]90 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 129 injection-moulded (ISO 75, Spectrum); 204 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[3][5][28]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]107 injection-moulded (ISO 75 at 1.81 MPa, Spectrum); 104 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5][28]
Glass transition (Tg)°C59 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C164 peak melt (DSC); crystallisation 96 °C, Vicat 61 °C[1]283 melting (ISO 11357, 3DXTech) and 280 on extruded stock; Vicat softening 236 at 50 N injection-moulded (ISO 306, Spectrum)[3][5][28]
Continuous service temperature°C53 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[30]170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F[28]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[33]59.4 (extruded PPS stock, 22-60 °C, ASTM D696; source states 3.3e-5 in/in/°F)[28]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[19][2]UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[27][34]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1]Outstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[19]Excellent — essentially unaffected; extruded stock takes up 0.01 % water in 24 h[28]
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[27]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[35][27]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[35]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[36]Moderate — 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[36]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[36]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[36]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[34][27]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[27][37]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[27]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[38]None — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[39][40]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[38][41]Nothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[40]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[42][41]None — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[39]

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. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. ThermaX PPS Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  5. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  6. PolySonic PLA 1.75mm/1kg — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Overture High Speed PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. High Speed PLA filament collection Anycubic Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Spectrum PPS AM230 Natural, 1.75 mm / 750 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA Meta filament collection Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. QIDI PLA Rapido 1.75mm 1kg 3D Printers Depot · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PLA Prusa Pro Green 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PolySonic PLA — product page Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Creality PLA filament collection Creality Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Polymaker Launches New High-Speed 3D Printing Filament — PolySonic PLA & PLA Pro Polymaker · 2023-11 · doc
  18. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  21. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  26. THERMAX PPS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  33. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  34. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  35. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  36. 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
  37. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  38. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  39. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  42. 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