3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Stone vs HT soluble

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

Stone-filled PLA guideHigh-temperature support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Stone comparisonsMore HT soluble comparisons
PLA Stone vs HT soluble — documented properties and sources
PropertyStone-filled PLAPLAHigh-temperature supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$22.99/kg median; $15.99–$49.16/kg across 6 dated product listings$209.00/kg median; $100.00–$290.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with stone or mineral powder — Formfutura StoneFil declares 40–50 wt% stone powder[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/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab PLA Marble) and 1.50–1.70 (Formfutura StoneFil), ISO 1183[2][1]1.37 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 21[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 168[7]
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[8][6][5][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[5][6][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools plus refills[6][1]1.75 mm; 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg and 2 kg spools[7]
Typical applicationsArchitectural models, sculpture and props with a matte mineral surface[2]Support for PEEK, PEI and PC-class prints, where PVA and PLA-based supports would decompose[3][4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Actively heated chamber required — it is used inside high-temperature builds[3]
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[3]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[13]A dual-extruder machine rated for high-temperature materials; 3DXTech states the grade is intended for dual-extruder printers designed to print high-temp materials[14]
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[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — stone fill[13][1]Non-abrasive[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 for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1[14][15]
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]Not documented
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 for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1 because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[14][15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa33 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2330 ± 240 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Elongation at break%6.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa75 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2920 ± 180 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
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]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]Not documented
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[17][18][19]Not documented
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[20][2]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%91 by tensile, 73 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[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°C56 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]205 (THERMAX HTS1, printed XY, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C56 (DSC)[2]225 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, DSC) — high enough to stay solid inside a PEI or PEEK build[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC); Formfutura gives a 120–170 melting range for StoneFil[2][1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[21]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq on all three THERMAX support grades (ASTM D257) — insulating[3][22][4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[23]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[23]Open a window / occasional ventilation[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]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 & 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]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 the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[24][25]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[26][25]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. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Marble 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. PLA Marble — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. SUNLU High Speed PLA Marble 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filament PM PLA MarbleJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  12. IEMAI 3D HT-SP alkaline-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. THERMAX MTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  21. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  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. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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