3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

POM vs PP

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

POM (acetal) guidePolypropylene (PP) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore POM comparisonsMore PP comparisons
POM vs PP — documented properties and sources
PropertyPOM (acetal)ENGINEERINGPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshotsNot documented$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyoxymethylene, normally the copolymer POM-C. Apium's filament grade is POM-C with antistatic additives; no unfilled POM filament was found on sale[1][2]Polypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.41 (extruded POM-C stock)[1]0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[5]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 27–53; the middle of the market is about 44[6][7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented27–53 across brands; Reli3D 32 on Amazon, SUNLU 44 at 0.8 kg, Fiberlogy 49 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 53, and the 3DJake PP listing spans 27–49[6][10][7][8][9]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1-2 makers worldwide — Apium sells a POM-C ESD filament through its own shop and states its printers are the only ones able to process POM-C; no POM filament appears in the 3DJAKE or igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid[2][11][12][13]Available from several mainstream brands[10][7][6]
Spool sizes & diametersNot documented1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[7]
Typical applicationsGears, bushings, bearings, conveyor and food-machinery parts; Apium markets its POM-C ESD grade for semiconductor insulators, aerospace fasteners and sliding parts[1][2]Living hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedEnclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[14][4]
Part cooling fanNot documentedPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[14]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPacking tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[14][4]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[5][15]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedVery difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[5][4]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedAdvanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[4][5]
Extruder requirementApium states that the adaptive heating system on its industrial machines is what makes POM-C printable, and that no other 3D printer can process it[2]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Not documentedBrass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[14]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedNon-abrasive when unfilled[14]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedLow — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[16][14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[14]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1-0.3 %) — extruded POM-C stock takes up 0.18 % in 24 h and 0.80 % at saturation (ASTM D570)[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers, measured on its PP composite)[5]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNo drying step is published for PP; uptake is below the level that affects printing[5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[4]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot documentedNot applicable in practice — with equilibrium uptake at 0.04 %, there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure. Polymaker's sensitivity tiers put polyolefins below even PLA[5][16]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[5]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa66.9 at break and 64.1 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 9700 and 9300 psi)[1]12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2275 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 330,000 psi)[1]724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[17]
Elongation at break%40 at break and 9 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638)[1]Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa89.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 13,000 psi)[1]31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[17]
Flexural modulusMPa2758 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 400,000 psi)[1]402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[3]
Other impact dataIzod 53 J/m on extruded POM-C stock, converted from 1.0 ft-lb/in[1]Izod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[17]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; extruded stock elongates 40 % before failing. No printed figure is published[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 86 (and R120) — the source names only the R scale on extruded POM-C stock (ASTM D785)[1]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[17]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedSemi-flexible[3]
Wear resistance & frictionWear factor 65e-10 in3*min/(ft*lb*h) and a dynamic coefficient of friction of 0.21 at 40 psi and 50 fpm (ASTM D3702, extruded stock) — the properties that make acetal the default gear and bushing plastic; Apium lists good sliding properties as the reason for its grade[1][2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C158 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 316 °F)[1]74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[17]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C110 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 230 °F)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C165 melting (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 329 °F)[1]205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C91 long term and 141 intermittent (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 195 °F and 285 °F)[1]Bounded by a melting point of 205 ± 15 °C and by the 158 °C heat deflection of the carbon-filled grade; no loaded-bar service figure is published for unfilled PP[3][5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K84.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D696; source states 4.7e-5 in/in/°F)[1]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 HB on extruded POM-C stock[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[5]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedMonths outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[4]
Chemical resistanceGood chemical resistance, particularly to bases; Apium lists resistance to bases as a headline property[1][2]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; 0.80 % water at saturation (ASTM D570, extruded stock)[1]Excellent — essentially unaffected[5]
Food contactNot documentedPolypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[4]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[4]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[4]
Electrical & ESD propertiesVolume resistance 1e14 ohm-cm, dielectric strength 500 V/mil and dielectric constant 3.7 at 60 Hz on extruded stock (ASTM D257, D149, D150); Apium's filament grade adds antistatic agents[1][2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedLow hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[18]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedOpen a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[18]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of POM-C stock[1]Sands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[14]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[4]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedNothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[4]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[14]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[14]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inHexafluoroisopropanol dissolves it at room temperature; NMP and DMF only when hot. Laboratory reagents.[19]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[20][21]
Softened or crazed byAcids, oxidants, halogens and hot concentrated zinc chloride attack it; alcohols, ketones and esters do not.[19][22]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[20]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens POM below its melting point, which is why it is bolted or heat-welded rather than glued.[19]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[20]

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. TECAFORM AH natural (POM-C) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  2. POM-C ESD 3D printing — material page Apium 3D Technologies · 2026-08 · doc
  3. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  5. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  6. SUNLU product catalogue SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Fiberlogy PP Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Reli3D Low Warp PP Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PP 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. 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
  19. Resistance of Ultramid, Ultraform and Ultradur to chemicals (TI-KTU/AS-28 e) BASF · 2000-10 · tds
  20. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  21. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  22. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds