3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs PVB

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guidePVB guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore PVB comparisons
PLA+ vs PVB — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLAPVBSPECIALTY
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[1][2]Polyvinyl butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[3]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[9][6][10][11][12]49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[7][8]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[9][5][6][10][11]Available from several mainstream brands[7][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[10][11][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[7][8]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Display models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[13]+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[1][2]215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[4]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[1][2]75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][2]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][2]100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[1][2]Smooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[4]
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]Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[15]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[16][15]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[15]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[17][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[19]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]Very high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]2.36 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[3][20][4]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[1][2]Maximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[18]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[18]Polymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[3][18]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][14]Sealed with desiccant[18]
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]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)[3][20][4]
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][23][24]2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[3][4]
Elongation at break%5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2]5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[20]
Flexural strengthMPa62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[1][2][25][24]72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2]2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[20][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[1][2]7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[2][21]Charpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[4]
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]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][4]
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[26]Shore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[4]
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][27]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[28][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]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[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[3][20][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3][20][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[1][2]70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[3][20]
Melting point / Vicat°C149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[1][2]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[3][20]
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][29][26][27]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[30]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[19][31]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[19]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[32][19]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[32]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[33]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[33]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[33]Open a window / occasional ventilation[33]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[31][19]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[19][34]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[19]Isopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[3]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[1][2]PolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[35]
Dimensional accuracy & detail55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]PolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[20]
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]Isopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[17]
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][37]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[38][37]Isopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[37][17]

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. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  5. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  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. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  29. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  31. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  32. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  33. 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
  34. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  35. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  36. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  37. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  38. 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