3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

LW-PLA vs PC-FR

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

Lightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA) guideFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore LW-PLA comparisonsMore PC-FR comparisons
LW-PLA vs PC-FR — documented properties and sources
PropertyLightweight / foaming PLA (LW-PLA)PLAFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$47.48/kg median; $37.49–$50.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$87.50/kg median; $54.99–$224.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA with a blowing agent. Two distinct types: active-foaming grades that expand at the nozzle (Bambu Lab PLA Aero, colorFabb LW-PLA) and pre-foamed grades that do not (Polymaker PolyLite LW-PLA, PolyWood)[1][2][3][4]Flame-retardant polycarbonate. Polymaker builds its grade on Covestro's Makrolon family and rates it UL 94 V-0[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Filament 1.21 (Bambu Lab) and 1.24 (colorFabb); pre-foamed filament 0.8 (PolyWood, at 21.5 °C) and 0.9 (Polymaker LW-PLA); foamed prints reach 0.40[1][2][3][4]1.18 (Bambu Lab) and 1.2 (Polymaker), ISO 1183[6][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 45[7][2][8]1 kg-equivalent spools span 55–224; the two mainstream 1 kg grades are 55 and the industrial grades 120–224[6][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg37–50 across brands; Polymaker LW-PLA 37, Bambu Lab Aero 45, colorFabb 50, PolyWood 50[8][7][2]55–224 across brands; Bambu Lab and Polymaker 55, 3DXTech FR PC/ABS 120, 3DXLABS FR-PC 224[6][8][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][8][2]Available from several mainstream brands[6][8][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[8][2]1.75 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[8][9][6]
Typical applicationsRC aircraft, drone airframes and large props where mass matters more than strength[1][2]Electrical enclosures, transport interiors and battery housings that must meet a flammability rating[5][6]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab PC FR)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–260 (Bambu Lab, foaming); 195–260 (colorFabb, foaming); 190–210 (Polymaker, pre-foamed)[1][2][3]260–280 (Bambu Lab); 250–270 (Polymaker)[6][5]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb); 25–60 (Polymaker)[1][2][3]90–110 (Bambu Lab); 90–105 (Polymaker)[6][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[3]Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber, Polymaker 70–100 °C[6][5]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented45–60 (Bambu Lab); 70–100 (Polymaker)[6][5]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][3]0–60 % (Bambu Lab)[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth or textured PEI plate (Bambu Lab)[6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s3.2–8 at the 40–100 mm/s colorFabb specifies and the 50–100 mm/s Polymaker specifies, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][2][10]24 at Bambu Lab's 300 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[6][10]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSevere — heated chamber needed[5][11]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds a specific surface plus adhesive[12][13]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[13]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; flow has to be cut to match the expansion[2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[6][11]
Extruder requirementBambu Lab PLA Aero is 0.4 mm nozzle only on the store and wiki, while its own TDS lists 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8[1][14]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[3][4]Brass fine indefinitely[11]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[3][4]Non-abrasive[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; Bambu Lab warns the foamed extrudate swells and easily clogs the nozzle, and rules out 0.2 mm nozzles[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 6 h pre-dry at 80 °C[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[12]
Hotend requirementNot documentedAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[12]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.45 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.12 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab), half that of unfilled Bambu Lab PC[6][16]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.40 equilibrium (Polymaker)[1][3]0.12 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[6]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[1][3]75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[17]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[17]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[13][17]
Storage requirementNot documentedAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[13]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa24 ± 2 (Bambu Lab) and 24.4 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; colorFabb falls from 43.1 unfoamed to 10.8 at 45 % flow[1][3][2]60 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 67 ± 4.5 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[6][5]
Young's modulusMPa1350 ± 250 (Bambu Lab) and 1689 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; colorFabb falls from 3334 unfoamed to 864 foamed[1][3][2]1670 ± 40 (Bambu Lab) and 2634 ± 182 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[6][5]
Elongation at break%2.6 ± 0.7 (Bambu Lab) and 8.8 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]2.4 ± 0.3 (Bambu Lab) and 3.49 ± 0.7 (Polymaker) at break, printed XY, ISO 527 — the retardant roughly halves unfilled PC's elongation[6][5][18]
Flexural strengthMPa45 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 50.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 178[1][3]96.6 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[5]
Flexural modulusMPa1690 ± 120 (Bambu Lab) and 1959 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 178[1][3]2518 ± 53 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.2 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3.67 foamed[1][2]11.7 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker)[5]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 28.8 printed XY (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 5.46 foamed[1][2]Notched Charpy 7.5 ± 1.6 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA)[5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z collapses to 17 against 45 in XY[1]21 ± 3 (Bambu Lab) and 46 ± 4.8 (Polymaker) printed Z, ISO 527[6][5]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2.6 % in XY and 1.2 % in Z[1]Moderate[6][5]
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 flame-retardant filament[19]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no foamed-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, and the foam carries less solid[20][21][22]Good. Moulded unfilled PC sustained 41 MPa tensile creep at room temperature without breaking, but the retardant package drops the glass transition to 115 °C in Polymaker's grade, so the unfilled rating is not carried over in full[23][5]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation at break falls to 2.6 % in XY and 1.2 % in Z[24][1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%75 by tensile, 38 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[1]35 (Bambu Lab) to 69 (Polymaker), printed[6][5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C53 (Bambu Lab) and 54 (Polymaker), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][3]110 (Polymaker) and 113 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[5][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C48 (Bambu Lab) and 50 (Polymaker), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][3]107 (Polymaker) and 108 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[5][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (Bambu Lab) and 59 (Polymaker), DSC[1][3]115 (Polymaker) and 145 (Bambu Lab), DSC[5][6]
Melting point / Vicat°C150 peak melt (Polymaker, DSC); Vicat 60 °C[3]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 114 (Bambu Lab, ISO 306)[6]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[25]
Annealing responseBambu Lab advises against annealing thin, low-infill Aero prints[1]Not documented
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 flame-retardant grade[19]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 (Polymaker PolyMax PC-FR); 3DXTech rates its FR PC/ABS V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin[5][26]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[27]Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[13]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[13]
Food contactNot documentedBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[13]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[13]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[13]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[28]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[28]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[28]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[28]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28][11]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[12]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[12]
Dimensional accuracy & detailFoamed surfaces are rough and matte; dimensional accuracy depends on holding the foaming temperature steady[1][2]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix; the foamed wall wicks solvent right through instead of only skinning over.[29]Dichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[30]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[29][31]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[30]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour reaches only the resin skin; no workshop-safe smoothing agent exists for PLA of any kind.[32][31]Dichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[33]

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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA Aero Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  2. LW-PLA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PolyLite LW-PLA Technical Data Sheet (V7.0) Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyWood Technical Data Sheet Version 4.0 (Nov 2018) Polymaker (copy hosted by 3Dee) · 2018-11 · tds
  5. PolyMax PC-FR Technical Data Sheet V5.5 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PC FR Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PLA Aero — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  11. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. 3DXTech Firewire FR-PC/ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  26. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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
  29. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  30. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper
  33. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds