3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-FR vs PC-GF

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

Flame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS) guideGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-FR comparisonsMore PC-GF comparisons
ABS-FR vs PC-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant ABS (FR-ABS)ABSGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$52.00/kg median; $44.99–$120.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS with a flame-retardant package; 3DXTech rates the base resin UL 94 V-0[1]Polycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[2]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (ISO 1183) — above unfilled ABS at 1.05 because of the retardant loading[1][3]1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 45–120; the middle of the market is about 52[4][5][6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 71[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg45–120 across brands; SUNLU 45, YXPOLYER 50, Coex 3D 52, 3DXTech 107 at 750 g pricing; the FR PC/ABS grade runs 120[4][5][6][7]71 — BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 at igo3d is the only priced listing found; Owens Corning sells XSTRAND GF30-PC in 500 g and 1 kg[8][2]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — neither Polymaker's nor 3DXTech's polycarbonate range contains a glass-fibre grade, but BASF Forward AM and Owens Corning both sell one through European retail[8][2][9][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[2]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures and transport interiors that must meet a flammability rating[1]Functional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[2]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[10]Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[11][10]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[10][12]Perforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[2]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[10]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[10]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[13]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[10]Not documented
Extruder requirementNot documentedOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[10]Hardened steel required — Owens Corning states glass reinforcement shortens brass nozzle and drive-wheel life[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its FR-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[14]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and Prusa lists glass-filled composites as a higher clogging risk[15][16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]Not documented
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[3][17][14]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Owens Corning measures below 0.1 % at 23 °C and 50 % RH (ISO 62)[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documentedBelow 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18]Not documented
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[18]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[19][18]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[18]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa45 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[2]
Young's modulusMPa1990 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[2]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — well below the 10 % of unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][20]2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[2]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa2250 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[2]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — elongation at break falls to 4 % from 10 % for the unfilled grade[1][20]Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[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 a glass-fibre grade[21]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][20]Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped, and 30 wt% glass raises the tensile modulus from about 2.3 to 5.4 GPa[22][2]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 4 % against 10 % for unfilled 3DXTech ABS[1][20]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[2]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented26.2 in XY and 77.4 in Z (printed, ISO 11359-2) — a threefold anisotropy, and the lowest in-plane expansion of any polycarbonate here[2]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin rather than the printed part[1]UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift. Owens Corning lists UV resistance as a product benefit but publishes no exposure data[2]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[23]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[2]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[13]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[13]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[13]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[24][10]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[24]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[24]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[24]≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[24]
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[24][10]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[24][10]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24][10]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[13]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[13]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[25][10]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedHigh dimensional stability is the headline benefit; the 26.2 um/m*K in-plane CTE is a third of unfilled PC's[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[26][23]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[27]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[26][28]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[29]Dichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[30]

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. Firewire Flame Retardant ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. SUNLU ABS-FR (ABS Flame Retardant) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. YXPOLYER ABS Flame-Retardant product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Flame Retardant Black ABS Coex 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  12. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. FIREWIRE FR-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  21. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  23. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  24. 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
  25. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  28. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds