Flame-retardant filament properties
Data taken from 15 datasheets from manufacturers in Spain, Europe, the United States and China, reviewed on October 26, 2026. The shaded bar marks the median of the declared values and each colored tick is a different datasheet. The scales are the same across the whole library, so you can compare materials at a glance.
Temperature and settings for printing flame-retardant filament
| Setting | Typical value | Range in datasheets |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle | 235–260 °C | 210–280 °C |
| Bed | 80–100 °C | 40–110 °C |
| Print speed | 50–200 mm/s | 30–300 mm/s |
| Drying temperature | 78 °C | 65–80 °C |
| Drying time | 8 h | 6–12 h |
Flame retardant V-0 vs ABS, Polycarbonate, and PETG: comparison
Medians from each material's datasheets. Click a material to see its full range.
Meters of Flame retardant V-0 per spool
Calculated with the median density from the datasheets (1.22 g/cm³). Real spools can vary by a few meters because of diameter tolerance.
What is a flame-retardant filament
A flame-retardant filament is a plastic with additives that make it harder to burn and cause it to extinguish itself once the fire source is removed. It is used in electronics housings, brackets near power supplies, parts for trains and vehicles and any part that a regulation requires to be rated for fire behavior. The 15 datasheets analyzed include PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, PC and PC-ABS bases.
What UL94 V-0 means and why thickness matters
UL94 is the most widely used standard for rating the flammability of plastics. The V-0 class is the most demanding of the vertical tests: the specimen must extinguish within a few seconds and without dripping burning material. The HB class is the lowest and only ensures that it burns slowly in the horizontal position.
The class is always tied to a specimen thickness. In the datasheets analyzed, V-0 appears at 0.8 mm, at 1.6 mm and at 3.2 mm. A part thinner than the tested thickness is not guaranteed the same behavior.
Beware of the product name
Not every filament with "V0" or "FR" in its name shows the rating in its datasheet. In several of the datasheets reviewed, the UL94 class does not appear in the properties table or appears only in the product name. Some offer useful additional data, such as the oxygen index or the glow-wire tests (GWFI and GWIT) of the IEC 60695 standard. If your part has to meet a standard, ask for the material's certificate or test report.
Remember too that the rating is obtained with specimens under laboratory conditions. A part printed with partial infill and layers does not behave exactly the same.
How to print flame-retardant filament
- Follow the temperatures of its base: the median for the set is 235–260 °C at the nozzle and 80–100 °C at the bed.
- Flame-retardant additives tend to absorb moisture: the datasheets suggest drying at 78 °C for 8 h.
- To keep the fire behavior, print walls at the test thickness or more and high infill.
- Ventilate: some additives give off a smell when printed.
Frequently asked questions about flame-retardant filament
Does flame-retardant filament not burn?
It burns, but with difficulty, and extinguishes itself once the flame is removed. The UL94 V-0 class indicates the best behavior in that test, always for a specific thickness.
Is regular PLA flame retardant?
No. Standard PLA datasheets that state it classify it as UL94 HB. There are PLAs with additives that reach V-0.