3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Metal vs PVB

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

Metal-filled PLA guidePVB guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Metal comparisonsMore PVB comparisons
PLA Metal vs PVB — documented properties and sources
PropertyMetal-filled PLAPLAPVBSPECIALTY
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[1][2][3][4][5][6]Polyvinyl butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[7]
Densityg/cm³1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[4][1][2][8]1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[7][9]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 78[10][11][3]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[10][3][11][8]49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[12][13]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[11][3][8][10]Available from several mainstream brands[12][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[14][11]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[12][13]
Typical applicationsDecorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[1][3]Display models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[7]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[9]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[1][3][8][4]215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[9]
Bed temperature°C50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[1][3][4]75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[9]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[7]
Part cooling fanOn (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[1][2]100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[9]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[1][2]Smooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[9]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][8][1][15]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[3][8]Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[7]
Extruder requirementProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[3][8]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[3][8]Brass fine indefinitely[7]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — metal fill[3][8]Non-abrasive[7]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[8]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa calls PVB very prone to absorbing moisture and requires a 60 °C, 4 h dry before every print[16][17]
Hotend requirementProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[3][8]Not documented
Other hardware wearProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[3][8]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[18][19]Very high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[7]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented2.36 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth); 2.09 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB takes up 0.18 in 24 h and 0.35 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH[7][20][9]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedMaximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[9]
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[17]Polymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[7][17]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant[17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[1][2][4]51.8 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); 53.2 ± 1.1 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB gives 50 +/- 5 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1) and 57 +/- 1 on the filament (ISO 527)[7][20][9]
Young's modulusMPa1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[7][9]
Elongation at break%3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[1][2][4]5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[20]
Flexural strengthMPa75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[9]
Flexural modulusMPa2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[20][9]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[9]
Other impact dataIzod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[1][2][4]Charpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[9]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]26.3 ± 2.1 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 49 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1) and 9 +/- 1 on Prusa's interlayer adhesion test[20][9]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[3][8]Moderate[7]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[9]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[21][22][23]Not documented
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 Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[24][3][8]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[4]Rigid[7]
Z strength as % of XY%82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]98 (Prusament PVB, printed vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1: 49 +/- 5 against 50 +/- 5) — the most isotropic printed material in this dataset[9]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[7][20][9]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[7][20][9]
Glass transition (Tg)°C56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[7][20]
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[7][20]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[25]Not documented
Outdoor durabilityProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[3]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesProto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[3]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[26]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[26]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[26]Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningPolishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[1][2][8]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedIsopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[7]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[27]
Dimensional accuracy & detailcolorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[2]PolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[20]
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.[28]Isopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[16]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[28][29]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[30][29]Isopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[29][16]

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. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  2. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  8. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  10. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  19. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  28. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. 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