3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs PMMA

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guidePMMA (acrylic) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore PMMA comparisons
PLA+ vs PMMA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLAPMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[1][2]Poly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[3]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]Not documented
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[4][5]1 kg spools cluster near 50[6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[7][5][8][9][10]50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[6]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][4][5][8][9]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[8][9][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[6]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Transparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[11]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[1][2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[1][2]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][2]Not documented
Part cooling fanFan on[1][2]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[1][2]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[12]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[1][12]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[1][2]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Not documented
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[14][13]Not documented
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[13]Not documented
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[15]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]Not documented
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[1][2]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[16]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker 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[16]Not documented
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][12]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[1][2][17][18]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][19][20]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[1][2][21][20]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[1][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[2][17]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[1][2][18]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2][17]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[22]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[18][23]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[24][2][17]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[1][2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[1][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[1][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C48–57 — 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+[18][25][22][23]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[26]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[15][27]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1][2]Not documented
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[15]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[28][15]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[28]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[29]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[29]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[27][15]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[15][30]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[15]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[1][2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detail55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]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.[31]Acetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[32]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[31][33]Alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[34][33]Dichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  18. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  20. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — 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. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  27. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  28. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. 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
  30. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  31. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  32. Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. 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
  35. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds