PLA versus ABS: which filament for your part

PLA and ABS serve different jobs. PLA is the easy default for models and prototypes. ABS is the pick when the part gets warm or takes a knock.

How they compare

The table covers the differences that decide most PLA versus ABS choices. PLA prints cool and clean. ABS prints hot and needs ventilation for its fumes.

When to pick PLA

Pick PLA for display models, miniatures, prototypes, and any part that stays at room temperature. It prints at 200 to 220 °C with the bed at 40 to 60 °C, per the Prusament PLA datasheet. It warps little and needs no enclosure.

When to pick ABS

Pick ABS for functional parts, brackets, and anything near a heat source. ABS holds its shape above 80 °C, where PLA softens. The Polymaker PolyLite ABS sheet lists a nozzle of 245 to 265 °C and a bed of 90 to 100 °C.

What to avoid

A few mistakes trip up PLA versus ABS swaps. Most come from treating the two as interchangeable.

• Do not print ABS in a cold room. It warps and lifts off the bed.
• Do not use PLA for a part that sits in a hot car. It softens near 60 °C.
• Do not skip ventilation with ABS. The fumes are real, not just a smell.

To go deeper, read the ABS filament guide or the PLA guide. For a third option in between, see PLA versus PETG or the PETG versus ABS comparison.