3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-ESD vs PC-ESD

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

ESD-safe ABS guideESD-safe PC guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-ESD comparisonsMore PC-ESD comparisons
ABS-ESD vs PC-ESD — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe ABSABSESD-safe PCPC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$102.50/kg median; $47.00–$166.67/kg across 4 dated product listings$180.00/kg median; $180.00–$180.00/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS compounded with a conductive carbon filler for static-dissipative parts[1]Polycarbonate compounded with a conductive filler for static-dissipative parts[2]
Densityg/cm³1.09 (ISO 1183)[1]1.24 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech); Stratasys specific gravity 1.195 (ASTM D792)[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 47–167; the middle of the market is about 103[4][5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 180[4]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg47–167 across brands; IEMAI 47, YXPOLYER 65, 3DXTech 140 at 750 g pricing; the EMI-shielding ABS grade runs 167[4][5][6]180 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in this group[4]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[4]
Typical applicationsElectronics handling fixtures, trays and jigs used around static-sensitive parts[1]Electronics fixtures and trays that need PC heat resistance and static dissipation together[2]
Printing Parameters
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[7]Enclosure required (passive)[7][8]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[7][9]PEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[10]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[7]Severe — heated chamber needed[7][8]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[7]Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[10][11]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[12]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[11]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[7]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[7]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its ESD-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[13]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry[14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[9]Slightly sensitive[10]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[9]All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[10]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the ABS matrix takes up 0.51–0.65 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 80 °C, 4 h pre-dry[15][16][13]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry[17][18][14]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[19]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[11][19]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[19]Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[11]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa58 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — the conductive filler raises strength above the unfilled grade's 42[1][20]68 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) — above the 58 of 3DXTech's unfilled ezPC; Stratasys prints 47.6-49.4 at yield in XZ (ASTM D638)[2][21][3]
Young's modulusMPa2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2300 (printed XY, ISO 527); Stratasys prints 1960 in XZ and 1810-1910 in ZX (ASTM D638)[2][3]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]6 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 14 for the unfilled grade[2][21]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]95 (printed XY, ISO 178); Stratasys prints 82.6-83.2 at break in XZ against 46.3-49.5 in ZX (ASTM D790)[2][3]
Flexural modulusMPa2275 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2310 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented32.5-37.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the Fortus 450mc and F900)[3]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for an ESD grade[22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1]Excellent — holds load for years. Moulded unfilled PC was still running unbroken under 41 MPa tensile creep at room temperature when the test was stopped, and the conductive filler leaves the glass transition unchanged at 142 °C, so the creep mechanism is polycarbonate's[23][3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break 4 %, well below unfilled ABS[1][20]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented68-77 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented143-146 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi); 135 moulded[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented140-144 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi); 124 moulded[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]143 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 142 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426)[2][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[18]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented68.4 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D696; source states 3.8e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a conductive-filled grade[22]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[24]Withstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[11]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[12]Bisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[11]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[12]Not biodegradable[11]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[12]Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[11]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ABS[1][20]Surface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ezPC[2][21]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][7]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[25]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[25]≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[25]
Hazardous species emittedStyrene dominates. Bambu Lab states ABS and ASA release harmful gases such as styrene at printing temperature, which can be toxic and cause dizziness or nausea[25][7]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[25][7]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25][7]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Conductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[12]Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[10]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[12]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[10]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[10]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[26][7]Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[10]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[27][24]Dichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[28]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[27][29]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[30]Dichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[31]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. 3DXSTAT ESD-ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PC-ESD — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-10 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. IEMAI ESD-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. YXPOLYER ABS ESD product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  8. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  9. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. 3DXSTAT ESD-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  14. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  17. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  21. ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  22. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  24. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  26. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  29. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds