3D Printing InfoWhere it is used
Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand
Sources
- PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
Support materials · Material guide
Break-away support
Support that peels off by hand rather than dissolving, avoiding PVA's moisture handling. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material because these grades only work against the…
Open in interactive comparisonUnderstand the material
At a glance
Before you print
- Setup difficulty
- Easy — minor profile tuning
- Nozzle wear
- Non-abrasive
Read the full material overview
Support that peels off by hand rather than dissolving, avoiding PVA's moisture handling. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material because these grades only work against the polymer they were matched to.
Applications
Breakaway support is a temporary printing aid for overhangs and supported surfaces that remain reachable after the build. A matched support forms a stable interface during printing and then separates mechanically, reducing the need to tear fused model-material supports from a surface. Its practical attraction is quick dry removal without a dissolution bath.
The pairing matters more than the category name: Polymaker sells separate PolySupport formulations for PLA-based and PA12-based materials. A support that detaches cleanly from one polymer may bond poorly or fuse to another. Mechanical removal also limits the geometry: a sealed cavity or tortuous internal passage can trap breakaway support permanently. The finished object is made from the model polymer; the support is discarded.
Matched PLA and PA12 support interfaces ↗
FFF/FDM sacrificial support · Separate PolySupport for PLA and PolySupport for PA12 products · Manufacturer-listed applications
Polymaker offers different support formulations for its PLA-based and PA12-based model materials rather than treating breakaway support as universally compatible.
Sources
- PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
- PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
- THERMAX HTS1 — product page · 2026-08 · vendor
Find printable models
Check the model’s material and process notes before choosing a filament.
Plan your printer setup
All print settings ↓Printing quick reference
Representative catalog values. Check the exact grade and its linked conditions before using a setting.
Nozzle temperature (°C)
220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)
Full value & sources
220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)
- PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
Bed temperature (°C)
25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)
Full value & sources
25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)
- PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
Enclosure
Open frame is fine
Drying
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Full value & sources
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—Go deeper when you need to
28 documented fieldsProperties & source data
Open a topic to explore the complete data. Each value keeps its original conditions, units and dated sources.
Material & market7 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Base polymer / chemistry | Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12 | 2 sources
|
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183 | 2 sources
|
| Typical price (USD/kg) | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45 | 3 sources
|
| Price range across brands (USD/kg) | 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 | 3 sources
|
| Market availability (1–5) | Available from several mainstream brands | 2 sources
|
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools | 1 source
|
| Typical applications | Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand | 1 source
|
Print settings6 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 220–230 (PolySupport for PLA) | 1 source
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 25–60 (PolySupport for PLA) | 1 source
|
| Enclosure / chamber requirement (1–5) | Open frame is fine | 1 source
|
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions) (mm³/s) | 4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer | 1 source
|
| Overall printing difficulty (1–5) | Easy — minor profile tuning | 1 source
|
| Extruder requirement | A second extruder or a tool changer | 1 source
|
Nozzle wear & reliability3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle hardness required (1–4) | Brass fine indefinitely | 1 source
|
| Abrasiveness (1–5) | Non-abrasive | 1 source
|
| Nozzle clog risk (1–5) | Moderate — 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 sources
|
Moisture & drying3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity) (1–5) | Moderate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA) | 1 source
|
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH (%) | 0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA) | 1 source
|
| Effect of moisture on strength | Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published | 1 source
|
Heat & temperature3 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 43 (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 | 1 source
|
| HDT at 1.8 MPa (°C) | 53 (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 | 1 source
|
| Melting point / Vicat (°C) | Vicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306) | 1 source
|
Weather & chemical resistance1 field
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1) | 2 sources
|
Health & safety2 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fume toxicity (1–5) | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study | |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement (1–5) | Open a window / occasional ventilation |
Finishing & post-processing1 field
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Support material pairing | This 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 sources
|
Solvents & solubility2 fields
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Soluble in | None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it. | 1 source
|
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with. | 1 source
|
How to read these values
Values describe representative grades, not every spool. Manufacturer datasheets and independent tests retain their source labels and dates. Printed orientation, test method, conditioning and formulation can change results. Unknown values are —. A listed use is not a certification. Shore A, Shore D and Rockwell hardness are separate scales.
Find a specific filament
4 listingsProduct listings and datasheets
Historical USD/kg snapshots. Read each listing’s sale/from qualifiers, spool mass, source date, shipping and tax notes. Product figures are separate from the material summary.
Browse 4 products from 3 brands
IEMAI 3DE-REMOVE26.00 USD/kg
$26.00 / 1 kg spool, store.iemai3d.com, Aug 2026
White, 1.75 mm. Aimed at general engineering polymers and their fibre-filled composites. IEMAI 3D publishes no specification for this support material: the store page lists only diameter, weight and colour, and the IEMAI3D datasheet library covers its printing filaments and pellets but carries no entry for E-WATER, E-REMOVE or HT-SP.
Open product listing ↗- IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page · 2026-08 · vendor
PolymakerPolySupport for PLA39.99 USD/kg
$29.99 / 0.75 kg spool = $39.99/kg, Polymaker product catalogue, Aug 2026
Handle polysupport-for-pla.
Open product listing ↗- Polymaker PolySupport for PLA product page · 2026-08 · vendor
- PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.22 (ISO 1183) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 220–230 |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 25–60 |
|
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH (%) | 0.64 equilibrium water absorption |
|
YXPOLYERBreakaway Support44.99 USD/kg
$44.99 / 1 kg spool, yxpolyer.com, Aug 2026
Listed as compatible with ABS, nylon, ASA, PC, PPS, PA-CF, PA-GF and PETG; no technical data sheet is published. YXPOLYER publishes no specification of any kind for this filament: the product page carries marketing bullets only, and yxpolyer.com has no downloads, data-sheet or technical section.
Open product listing ↗- YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page · 2026-08 · vendor
PolymakerPolySupport for PA1279.98 USD/kg
$39.99 / 0.5 kg spool = $79.98/kg, Polymaker product catalogue, Aug 2026
Handle polysupport. Vicat 171 °C so it survives nylon print temperatures.
Open product listing ↗- Polymaker PolySupport for PA12 product page · 2026-08 · vendor
- PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 · 2024-11 · tds
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.29 (ISO 1183) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 270–300 |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 50–80 |
|
| Melting point / Vicat (°C) | Vicat 171 (ISO 306) |
|