3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs PSU

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
PLA+ vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLAPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/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]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[3]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]1.24 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[4][5]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[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]168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[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 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[6]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[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]120–140 (3DXTech)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][2]Actively heated chamber required[12][13]
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[14]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[1][14]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[1][2]Expert / industrial hardware only[12][13]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[15]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[12]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[16][15]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[15]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[14]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]0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[19]
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[20]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[20]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[17]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][14]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][21][22]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][19]
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][23][24]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2]8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[3][25][19]
Flexural strengthMPa62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[1][2][26][24]87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2]2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
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][21]Izod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[19]
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][22]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2][21]Moderate[3]
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[27]Rockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[19]
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[22][28]Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[19]
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[29][2][21]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
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]172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[3][19]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[19]
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[1][2]187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[3][25][19]
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+[22][30][27][28]141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[19]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[19]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][1]UL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[19]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[18][32]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[18]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[33][18]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[33]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]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[34]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[34]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[34]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[32][18]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[18][35]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[18]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.[36]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[37][38]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[36][39]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[38][37]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[40][39]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[37]

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. ThermaX PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 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. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  17. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  22. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  24. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  32. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  33. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  34. 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
  35. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  36. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  37. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. 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