3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Stone vs TPU 98A

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

Stone-filled PLA guideTPU 98A / hard TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Stone comparisonsMore TPU 98A comparisons
PLA Stone vs TPU 98A — documented properties and sources
PropertyStone-filled PLAPLATPU 98A / hard TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$22.99/kg median; $15.99–$49.16/kg across 6 dated product listings$94.99/kg median; $34.99–$149.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with stone or mineral powder — Formfutura StoneFil declares 40–50 wt% stone powder[1][2]Hard thermoplastic polyurethane at 98 Shore A to about 60 Shore D — the rigid end of the TPU range[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab PLA Marble) and 1.50–1.70 (Formfutura StoneFil), ISO 1183[2][1]1.23 (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A); 1.2 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 2781)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 21[5][6]1 kg spools cluster near 150[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]95–150 across brands; Proto-pasta Clear Rigid TPU 95, Push Plastic TPU 100A 150[12][7]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[5][6][8]Available from several mainstream brands[7][12][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools plus refills[6][1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[12][7]
Typical applicationsArchitectural models, sculpture and props with a matte mineral surface[2]Drive belts, wheels, snap-fits and bumpers that need to flex but hold shape under load[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Bambu Lab)[2]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab)[2]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanFan on[2]0–30 % (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[13][14]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4.6 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, stated max volumetric speed on a 0.4 mm nozzle)[4]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[15]Easy — minor profile tuning; at this hardness the filament pushes like a rigid material[4]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[15]Bowden viable at this hardness — Extrudr rates FLEX HARD to 100 mm/s where its soft grades cap lower[4]
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[15]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — stone fill[15][1]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[15]Low[16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed[14]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.44 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]Moderate — the TPU family absorbs readily; Extrudr specifies a 12 h dry at 60 °C for FLEX HARD[4][16]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.44 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 12 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]
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]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[16]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[16]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa33 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[2]53.7 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504)[3]
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]318 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504); Extrudr FLEX HARD 490 (ISO 527-2)[3][4]
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]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented98 Shore A and 60 Shore D (Fillamentum, ISO 7619-1); Extrudr FLEX HARD 58 Shore D (ISO 868)[3][4]
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]Poor — no 98A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[20]
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]Excellent — living hinges viable[14]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Semi-flexible[3][4]
Z strength as % of XY%91 by tensile, 73 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 23 mm³ (Fillamentum, ISO 4649 method A) and 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 4649-A) — the best abrasion figures in the group[3][4]
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]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C56 (DSC)[2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC); Formfutura gives a 120–170 melting range for StoneFil[2][1]190–210 melting (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 3146-C); Vicat A 140 (ISO 306)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[22]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[14]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[14]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[14]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[14]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[14]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[23]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments 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]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[14]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[14]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[14]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[2]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[14]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte mineral surface hides layer lines; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges as for plain PLA[2]Tear strength 170 kN/m (Fillamentum, ISO 34-1) and 175 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 34-1B)[3][4]
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]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[25]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[24][26]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[27][26]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[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. Flexfill TPU 98A Technical Data Sheet Fillamentum · 2019-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  5. PLA Marble — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 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. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · 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. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  27. 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