3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Magnetic vs PC-ABS

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

Magnetic filament guidePC/ABS blend guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Magnetic comparisonsMore PC-ABS comparisons
Magnetic vs PC-ABS — documented properties and sources
PropertyMagnetic filamentSPECIALTYPC/ABS blendPC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$45.99/kg median; $34.99–$84.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[1]Polycarbonate/ABS alloy — PC stiffness and heat resistance with ABS processability[2][3]
Densityg/cm³About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[1]1.10 (Polymaker) and 1.24 (3DXTech FR grade), ISO 1183; Stratasys specific gravity 1.10 (ASTM D792)[2][3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 65[5]1 kg spools cluster near 50[6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[5]35–84 across brands; Reli3D 35, SUNLU 46, Polymaker 50, 3DXMAX 84[6][7][8][9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5]Available from several mainstream brands[6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[6][7]
Typical applicationsSensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[1]Automotive interior and electronics housings that need PC heat resistance without PC's warping[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C192 (Proto-pasta)[1]250–270 (Polymaker)[2]
Bed temperature°C60 (Proto-pasta)[1]90–105 (Polymaker)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 90–100 °C chamber[2]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented90–100 (Polymaker)[2]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff (Polymaker)[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1]20 at Polymaker's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][11]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[2][12]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds a specific surface plus adhesive[10][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; slow, and brittle in filament form[1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][12]
Extruder requirementProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[1]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely[12]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — metal fill[1]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists metal-filled composites as a higher clogging risk and recommends a 0.6 mm nozzle minimum[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry of 4 h or more[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[10]
Hotend requirementProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[1]All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[10]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedLow (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h or more pre-dry[16][17][15]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[18]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][18]
Storage requirementNot documentedAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[13]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented39.9 ± 1.0 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 60 at break for its FR PC/ABS[2][3]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1835 ± 65 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2250[2][3]
Elongation at break%Not documented4.2 ± 0.3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 10 at break[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented66.3 ± 0.9 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 85[2][3]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2081 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2300[2][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented25.8 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker) — above both unfilled PC and ABS[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedNotched Charpy still 13 ± 2 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA), against 1.5 in Z. Stratasys prints Izod notched at 241 J/m XZ against 34.0 J/m ZX, and unnotched 655 against 101 J/m (ASTM D256, F900 T16).[2][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented25.9-30.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 22.9 +/- 1.2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[2][4]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[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 PC/ABS filament[19]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded PC/ABS was still running unbroken at 30 MPa when the experiment was stopped for time; specimens failed within the test window at 39-47 MPa (ASTM D638)[20]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented75-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 57 (Polymaker, printed Z against XY tensile)[2][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented112 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 117.9 in XY and 126.1 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi), against 125.0 moulded[2][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented106 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 107.5 in XY and 112.0 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi), against 102.9 moulded[2][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented109 (Polymaker) and 137 (3DXTech FR grade), DSC; Stratasys measures 105.3 (ASTM D7426 inflection point)[2][3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 135 (Polymaker, ISO 306)[2]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[17]
Annealing responseNot documented90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[2]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented59.9 over -50 to 35 °C and 73.0 over -50 to 95 °C (printed XY, ASTM E831)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[13]
Outdoor durabilityDeliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[1]Not documented
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]
Electrical & ESD propertiesFerromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[21]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]
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[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21][12]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningPolishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[1]Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[10]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[10]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedAcetone attacks the ABS phase, so surface smoothing is partial rather than full[2]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[10]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[22][1]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the PC phase; acetone, MEK and THF dissolve the ABS phase.[23][24]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[22][1]Petrol, esters, ether and 1 % alkali stress-crack the PC phase; aromatics and esters soften the ABS phase.[23][24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[22]Acetone attacks only the ABS phase, so smoothing is partial; a dichloromethane cement welds the whole section.[2][25]

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. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Polymaker PC-ABS Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PC-ABS — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2023-08 · tds
  5. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Reli3D PC-ABS Filament, Black, 1000 g spool Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. SUNLU PC-ABS 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. 3DXTech 3DXMAX ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  21. 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
  22. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  23. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  24. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds