3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Stone vs PSU

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

Stone-filled PLA guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Stone comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
PLA Stone vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyStone-filled PLAPLAPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$22.99/kg median; $15.99–$49.16/kg across 6 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with stone or mineral powder — Formfutura StoneFil declares 40–50 wt% stone powder[1][2]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[3]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab PLA Marble) and 1.50–1.70 (Formfutura StoneFil), ISO 1183[2][1]1.24 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 21[4][5]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–49 across brands; SUNLU 16, ELEGOO 19, Polymaker 21, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 38, Filament PM MarbleJet 49 on 0.5 kg spools[7][5][4][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[4][5][7]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools plus refills[5][1]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[6]
Typical applicationsArchitectural models, sculpture and props with a matte mineral surface[2]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab)[2]120–140 (3DXTech)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Actively heated chamber required[11][12]
Part cooling fanFan on[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[13]Expert / industrial hardware only[11][12]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[13]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's compatibility table says no hardened nozzle is needed while the note under the same table groups PLA Marble with particle-filled materials that should always use one[13]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[11]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — stone fill[13][1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[13]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.44 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.44 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[15]
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[16]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[14]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa33 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][15]
Young's modulusMPa2330 ± 240 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%6.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[3][17][15]
Flexural strengthMPa75 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[2]87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2920 ± 180 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[2]2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²9.5 ± 2.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 24.0 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[2]Izod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[15]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no stone-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[18][19][20]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[15]
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 the mineral filler leaves a brittle compound[21][2]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%91 by tensile, 73 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C56 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2]172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[3][15]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[15]
Glass transition (Tg)°C56 (DSC)[2]187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[3][17][15]
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC); Formfutura gives a 120–170 melting range for StoneFil[2][1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[15]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[15]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[15]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[22]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[23]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[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[23]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[23]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFormfutura's SDS sets an occupational limit of 1 mg/m³ for the stone powder and lists it as both a fibre and a particulate — do not dry-sand without extraction[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands to a stone-like matte surface[1]Not documented
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte mineral surface hides layer lines; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges as for plain PLA[2]Not documented
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.[24]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[25][26]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[24][27]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[26][25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[28][27]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[25]

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. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Marble Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. ThermaX PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PLA Marble — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. SUNLU High Speed PLA Marble 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filament PM PLA MarbleJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  12. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  18. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. 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
  24. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  25. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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