3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

POM vs PPSU

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

POM (acetal) guidePPSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore POM comparisonsMore PPSU comparisons
POM vs PPSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyPOM (acetal)ENGINEERINGPPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshotsNot documented$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/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]Polyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[3]
Densityg/cm³1.41 (extruded POM-C stock)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[5][6][7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented223-733 across brands; IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PPSU 250 at 500 g, 3D4Makers 425 at 750 g, Kimya PPSU-S 733 at 500 g[5][6][7][8]
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][9][10][11]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6][7]
Spool sizes & diametersNot documented1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[5][6][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]Steam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[3]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented130–150 (3DXTech)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedActively heated chamber required[12][13]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSevere — heated chamber needed[12]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedExpert / industrial hardware only[12][13]
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, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[12]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedNon-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedModerate — 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)1–5Low (0.1-0.3 %) — extruded POM-C stock takes up 0.18 % in 24 h and 0.80 % at saturation (ASTM D570)[1]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[15]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot documentedNo 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)MPa66.9 at break and 64.1 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 9700 and 9300 psi)[1]55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[3][4][15]
Young's modulusMPa2275 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 330,000 psi)[1]2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[3][4][15]
Elongation at break%40 at break and 9 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638)[1]3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[3][4][15]
Flexural strengthMPa89.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 13,000 psi)[1]110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[3][4][15]
Flexural modulusMPa2758 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 400,000 psi)[1]2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[3][4]
Other impact dataIzod 53 J/m on extruded POM-C stock, converted from 1.0 ft-lb/in[1]Izod notched 58.7 J/m and unnotched 165.5 J/m (printed, ASTM D256 Method A, Stratasys PPSF); 160 J/m notched on extruded stock[4][15]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; extruded stock elongates 40 % before failing. No printed figure is published[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[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 M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[4][15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Printed PPSF holds 189 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded stock is rated 149 °C long-term service, but Ensinger does not claim the creep resistance it claims for PSU and PPS[4][15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[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]190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C110 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 230 °F)[1]189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[4][15]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C165 melting (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 329 °F)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C91 long term and 141 intermittent (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 195 °F and 285 °F)[1]149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[15]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K84.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D696; source states 4.7e-5 in/in/°F)[1]55.0 (printed PPSF, ASTM D696; source states 5.5e-5 mm/mm/°C) and 55.8 on extruded stock (ASTM D696, from 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[4][15]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 HB on extruded POM-C stock[1]UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[3]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceGood chemical resistance, particularly to bases; Apium lists resistance to bases as a headline property[1][2]Withstands repeated steam autoclaving, the usual reason to choose PPSU over PSU; Stratasys also lists PPSF as passing 24 h stress-crack exposure to antifreeze, petrol, motor oil, power-steering, transmission and washer fluid at 23 °C and 100 °C[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; 0.80 % water at saturation (ASTM D570, extruded stock)[1]Not documented
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]Volume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedModerate — 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[16]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedVentilated room or enclosure recommended[16]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of POM-C stock[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inHexafluoroisopropanol dissolves it at room temperature; NMP and DMF only when hot. Laboratory reagents.[17]Dichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[18]
Softened or crazed byAcids, oxidants, halogens and hot concentrated zinc chloride attack it; alcohols, ketones and esters do not.[17][19]MEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[18]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens POM below its melting point, which is why it is bolted or heat-welded rather than glued.[17]Dichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[18]

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. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PPSU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX PPSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TECASON P black (PPSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. 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
  17. Resistance of Ultramid, Ultraform and Ultradur to chemicals (TI-KTU/AS-28 e) BASF · 2000-10 · tds
  18. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds