3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs HT soluble

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guideHigh-temperature support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore HT soluble comparisons
PLA+ vs HT soluble — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLAHigh-temperature supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$209.00/kg median; $100.00–$290.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[1][2]Break-away support compounded to survive high-temperature print chambers; 3DXTech sells separate grades for PC/ABS and for the PAEK and PEI class[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]1.37 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 168[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[8][6][9][10][11]100–290 across grades; 3DXTech THERMAX MTS1 100 at 2 kg, HTS2 168 at 250 g, HTS1 250 at 500 g, IEMAI 3D HT-SP 290 at 1 kg[7][12]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][5][6][9][10]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[9][10][8]1.75 mm; 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg and 2 kg spools[7]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Support for PEEK, PEI and PC-class prints, where PVA and PLA-based supports would decompose[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[13]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]Actively heated chamber required — it is used inside high-temperature builds[3]
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[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA dual-extruder machine rated for high-temperature materials; 3DXTech states the grade is intended for dual-extruder printers designed to print high-temp materials[15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[16]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[17][16]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[16]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1[15][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]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[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 for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1 because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[15][18]
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]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][23][24]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][25][24]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][21]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][22]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2][21]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[26]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[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]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[1][2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its support grades — they are not characterised as structural materials[3]
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]205 (THERMAX HTS1, printed XY, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[1][2]225 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, DSC) — high enough to stay solid inside a PEI or PEEK build[3]
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][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
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq on all three THERMAX support grades (ASTM D257) — insulating[3][33][4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[34]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[34]Open a window / occasional ventilation[34]
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][35]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[19]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[1][2]This is the support material. MTS1 is matched to PC/ABS and PC; HTS1 and HTS2 to the higher-temperature classes[4][3]
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]Aqueous alkali, not water: IEMAI specifies an alkaline bath in an ultrasonic cleaner until the support dissolves.[12]
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]None — the alkaline bath dissolves the support rather than welding anything.[12]

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 HTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D HT-SP alkaline-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 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. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  18. THERMAX MTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  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. 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. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  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. 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