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PLA vs ABS: strength, heat and cost

PLA starts to bend under load at 57 °C and ABS at 87 °C. Compare strength, print settings, drying and price per gram from Bambu Lab's datasheets.

Which to choose

Choose ABS when heat decides it, or knocks along the layers: it holds its shape far hotter than PLA. It also asks for a hot bed and a warm chamber, and Bambu Lab’s own sheet says it warps easily and smells while it prints. Choose PLA for everything else: it needs none of that, and on these tests it is slightly stronger in tension.

Side by side

PLABambu Lab TDSABSBambu Lab TDS
Heat deflection57 °C87 °C
Tensile strength, along layers35 MPa33 MPa
Tensile strength, across layers31 MPa28 MPa
Impact strength, along layers26.6 kJ/m²39.3 kJ/m²
Impact strength, across layers13.8 kJ/m²7.4 kJ/m²
Water absorption0.43%0.65%
Price per gram$0.015$0.016
Length per kilogram335 m396 m
Nozzle190–230 °C240–270 °C
Bed35–45 °C80–100 °C
Chamber25–45 °C45–60 °C
Drying50 °C, 8 h80 °C, 8 h

Every figure is from Bambu Lab’s own datasheets, because one lab’s tests compare with each other and two labs’ tests may not. In bold is the side ahead on that row. Other makers’ settings are in the temperature chart, and any other pair is in the filament comparison.

Each material in full

Other comparisons

Keep these numbers for every print

Printyard runs this arithmetic on your phone at the machine and on the web: every quote itemised, every roll to the gram, and a month with the fees and the failed prints already taken out.

Price your shopDownload on the App Store

Sources