3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA HS vs TPU-CF

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

High-Speed PLA guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA HS comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PLA HS vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyHigh-Speed PLAPLACarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $11.49–$32.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 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]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[3]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183, at 21.5 °C)[1]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[4][5][6]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg11–33 across brands; budget house brands 11–18, Prusament 33[8][9][10]One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[7]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][6][12]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[4][6]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[7]
Typical applicationsLarge or repetitive prints on printers that can sustain high flow[13][11]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic, rated to 258 mm/s)[14]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 for high-speed work; 190–210 at classic speeds[1][11]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Bed temperature°C30–60 (Polymaker); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[1][15]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[1]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[16][17]
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][11][13][18]1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3]
Warping tendency1–5None[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[19]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a printer that can actually reach the flow rate[11][1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[20]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[21][20]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[20]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[22][3][16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[23]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[19]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40 % equilibrium at 23 °C / 70 % RH[1]Moderate[24]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.40 equilibrium at 23 °C / 70 % RH (Polymaker PolySonic)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6 h; 50 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1][15]60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[24]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[24]
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[24]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[24]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[15][19]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[24]
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][25]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2650 at 300 mm/s, 2878 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[3]
Elongation at break%15.1 at 300 mm/s, 21.5 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Flexural strengthMPa71.4 at 300 mm/s, 76.5 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2798 at 300 mm/s, 2868 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.0 at 300 mm/s, 6.1 at classic speed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataPrinting at 300 mm/s instead of 46.7 mm/s costs 4.6 % tensile strength and 18 % notched Charpy[1]Not documented
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][25]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[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[26]70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 17.7 mm over 6 days at 1.25 kg[25]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[3][27]
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)[28][23]Good — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[3]
Z strength as % of XY%74 at 300 mm/s, 81 at classic speed (printed)[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C59 (DSC)[1]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C164 peak melt (DSC); crystallisation 96 °C, Vicat 61 °C[1]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C53 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[25]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[29]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[15][2]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[23][30]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[17]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[17]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[15]Not documented
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[23]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[17]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[31][23]Not biodegradable[17]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[31]Not accepted in household plastic collection[17]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[32]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[32]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[32]Open a window / occasional ventilation[32]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[30][23]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[17]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[23][33]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[23]No practical vapour smoothing[17]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[1]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[17]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[3]
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.[34]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[35]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[34][36]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[37][36]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[35]

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. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  4. PolySonic PLA 1.75mm/1kg — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Overture High Speed PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. High Speed PLA filament collection Anycubic Official Store · 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. PLA Meta filament collection Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. QIDI PLA Rapido 1.75mm 1kg 3D Printers Depot · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PLA Prusa Pro Green 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PolySonic PLA — product page Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Creality PLA filament collection Creality Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker Launches New High-Speed 3D Printing Filament — PolySonic PLA & PLA Pro Polymaker · 2023-11 · doc
  14. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  28. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  29. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  30. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  31. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  32. 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
  33. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  34. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  35. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  37. 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