Polymaker filament specs: reading PolyLite, Panchroma and Fiberon data sheets

Two data sheet layouts

Polymaker uses two TDS formats. The older multi-page V5.4/V5.5 sheets (PolyLite PLA, PolyLite ABS, PolyFlex TPU95, PolyMide CoPA, PolyMax PC, PolyDissolve S1) give physical, thermal and mechanical properties on separate pages ^[6]. The newer single-page sheets (Polymaker PLA Pro V6.0, PolySonic PLA V6.0, Polymaker PETG V3.0, Polymaker ASA V6.0, Fiberon V1.x) carry the same sections on one long page ^{[7, 16]}. Panchroma is different again: one table covers the whole color range, split into Basic, CoPE, Matte, Satin, Silk and Others columns ^[9].

Each sheet ends with “recommended printing conditions” for a 0.4 mm nozzle: nozzle and build plate temperature, build surface, cooling fan, print speed, retraction, whether an enclosure is needed, a support material, and a drying setting ^[6]. A “how to make specimens” block records how the test bars were printed. PolyLite PLA was printed at 230 °C on a 50 °C bed with two shells and 100% infill. PolyLite ABS specimens were printed in a 90 °C environment, and Polymaker PLA Pro specimens on a Bambu Lab P1S ^{[6, 11, 7]}.

Test methods and the Z-direction numbers

The property tables name both ISO and Chinese GB/T methods: ISO 1183 for density, ISO 306 for Vicat, ISO 75 for HDT at 1.8 and 0.45 MPa, ISO 527 for tensile, ISO 178 for bending and ISO 179 for notched Charpy ^[6]. PolyFlex TPU95 instead uses ISO 37 for stress at 100–400% strain and ISO 7619-1 for its 95A Shore hardness. It publishes no tensile strength, and its density is given as a range of 1.20–1.24 g/cm³ ^[13].

Most sheets give tensile strength for both X-Y and Z specimens, which shows how much layer bonding costs each material. PolyLite PLA keeps 40.5 of its 52.3 MPa in Z ^[6]. Polymaker PETG nearly matches its X-Y value at 45.71 versus 47.96 MPa ^[10]. Panchroma Matte drops from 23.2 to 12.2 MPa ^[9], and Fiberon PA6-CF20 from 109.3 to 54.0 MPa ^[16]. The layer separation guide covers the print-side causes.

Drying and annealing settings

Each of these sheets gives one drying temperature and time. The PLA products use 55 °C for 6 hours, Polymaker PETG 60 °C for 6 hours, PolyLite ABS 70 °C for 6 hours and Polymaker ASA 70 °C for 7 hours ^{[6, 10, 11, 12]}. The engineering grades go higher: 75 °C for 6 hours for PolyMax PC, 100 °C for 8 hours for PolyMide CoPA and 100 °C for 10 hours for Fiberon PA6-CF20 ^{[15, 14, 16]}. PolyDissolve S1 needs 80 °C for 12 hours and reaches an equilibrium water absorption of 10.21% ^[18]. These values feed the drying planner.

Annealing appears only where it matters. PolyMax PC should go into a 90 °C oven for 2 hours right after printing ^[15]. CoPA is annealed at 80 °C for 6 hours and PA6-CF20 at 100 °C for 16 hours ^{[14, 16]}. Both nylons also report wet-state results, and the gap is large. CoPA falls from 78.0 MPa X-Y dry to 34.3 MPa at 6.16% moisture, and PA6-CF20 from 109.3 to 54.7 MPa at 5.30% moisture ^{[14, 16]}. The Polymaker Wiki adds that annealed nylon parts come out dry and need moisture conditioning, and suggests 48 hours in a humid environment to speed it up ^[19].

Speed limits and volumetric flow

The data sheets give speed in mm/s: 50–200 mm/s for PolyLite PLA, up to 300 mm/s for Polymaker PLA Pro and PETG, and 30–50 mm/s for PolyFlex TPU95 ^{[6, 7, 10, 13]}. PolySonic PLA lists a classic 50–100 mm/s mode and a high-speed 100–300 mm/s mode. At 300 mm/s and 230 °C its X-Y tensile strength is 43.9 MPa against 46.0 MPa at classic speed ^[8].

Maximum volumetric speed comes from the Polymaker Wiki: 15 mm³/s for PolyLite PLA, 22 mm³/s for Polymaker PLA Pro, 24 mm³/s for PolySonic PLA and 8 mm³/s for PolyDissolve S1 ^[19]. Use the volumetric speed calculator to convert these into mm/s for a given line width and layer height.

Names, versions and mismatches

Several products have changed names. The shop says PolyLite PETG will be discontinued and replaced by Polymaker PETG ^[2]. The Polymaker ASA sheet is based on PolyLite ASA (SKU PF01046) ^[12]. Fiberon PA6-CF20 was formerly PolyMide PA6-CF and contains 20% carbon fiber ^[4]. PDF file names do not always match the version printed inside: the PolyLite ABS file is named V5.4 but its cover reads V5.5 ^[11].

A few shop-page figures differ from the data sheets. The PolyLite PLA page lists 1.19 g/cm³ against 1.17 g/cm³ in the TDS ^{[1, 6]}. The PolySonic PLA page gives a 25–60 °C bed where the TDS says 30–60 °C ^{[3, 8]}. The PETG-rCF08 page credits PETG with natural moisture resistance, while its TDS says to store and use it below 20% relative humidity ^{[5, 17]}. The filament table follows the data sheets.