3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PMMA vs Breakaway

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

PMMA (acrylic) guideBreak-away support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PMMA comparisonsMore Breakaway comparisons
PMMA vs Breakaway — documented properties and sources
PropertyPMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERINGBreak-away supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[1]Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[4]26–80 across brands and grades; IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE 26, Polymaker PolySupport for PLA 40 at 750 g, YXPOLYER 45, PolySupport for PA12 80 at 500 g[5][6][7]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]Available from several mainstream brands[5][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[5]
Typical applicationsTransparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[1]Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedOpen frame is fine[2]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedEasy — minor profile tuning[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Not documentedBrass fine indefinitely[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedNon-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedModerate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Polymaker specifies a 55 °C dry for the PLA grade and warns brass nozzle life falls to about 9 h on the PA12 grade[2][3]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot documentedNot a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[9]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented43 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, PolySupport for PA12). Polymaker's sheet prints a higher figure at the higher load, which is physically inverted; treat both HDT numbers as approximate[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, PolySupport for PA12) — printed above the 0.45 MPa figure on Polymaker's own sheet, which cannot be right; treat both as approximate[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedVicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[3]
Environment & Chemical
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1)[10][11]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedLow hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[12]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedOpen a window / occasional ventilation[12]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedThis is the support material. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material, from very good to unusable, because break-away supports only work against the polymer they were matched to[2][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[13]None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[14]
Softened or crazed byAlcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[13]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[15]None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[14]

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. PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  11. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  12. 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
  13. Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
  14. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds