3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-CF vs PC-GF

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

Carbon-fibre PA12 (PA12-CF) guideGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-CF comparisonsMore PC-GF comparisons
PA12-CF vs PC-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PA12 (PA12-CF)PAGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$109.98/kg median; $52.00–$180.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Polymaker's grade is 10 wt%[1][2]Polycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[3]
Densityg/cm³1.06 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 1.16 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 52–180; the middle of the market is about 110[4][5][6]1 kg spools cluster near 71[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg52–180 across brands; IEMAI 3D 52, YXPOLYER 80 at 500 g, Polymaker Fiberon 140, 3DXTech CarbonX 180[4][5][8][6]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[7][3]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]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[7][3][4][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[4][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[3]
Typical applicationsStiff parts that must stay dimensionally stable in changing humidity — Polymaker sells this grade specifically on low moisture sensitivity[9][1]Functional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12 CF)[10]280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[3]
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12 CF)[10]80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[11][1]Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[12][13]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[14][11]Perforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12 at Extrudr's 150 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[10][15]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[11]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[11]Not documented
Extruder requirementNot documentedOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA12-CF10 and recommends hardened steel or ruby[1]Hardened steel required — Owens Corning states glass reinforcement shortens brass nozzle and drive-wheel life[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA12-CF10[1]Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[16]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[17][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[14]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[14]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — 1.5 % equilibrium, the lowest of Polymaker's nylon composites and less than half its PA6-GF25[1][19]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Owens Corning measures below 0.1 % at 23 °C and 50 % RH (ISO 62)[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%1.5 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker Fiberon PA12-CF10)[1]Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[3]
Drying temperature & time80–100 °C; storage below 20 % RH[16][1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's own dry/wet blocks for PA12-CF10 change little: at 2.92 % moisture tensile falls 77.4 → 71.7 MPa and modulus 3311 → 3132 MPa, against a halving for its PA6 grades[1][9]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[20][16]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[16]Not documented
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[21][22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa77.4 ± 1.1 printed XY dry (Polymaker Fiberon), 71.7 ± 0.7 conditioned to 2.92 % moisture, ISO 527; 3DXTech quotes 72 at break. Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 76.5-124 at break printed XZ across five machine and tip combinations (ASTM D638)[1][2][23]65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[3]
Young's modulusMPa3311 ± 135 printed XY dry and 3132 ± 124 conditioned, ISO 527 (Polymaker Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 8000. Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 7910-15400 printed XZ against 2130-3000 in ZX (ASTM D638)[1][2][23]5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[3]
Elongation at break%4.2 ± 0.4 printed XY dry and 5.3 ± 0.3 conditioned, ISO 527 (Polymaker Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[1][2]2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa90 (printed XY, 3DXTech, ISO 178). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 152-200 printed XZ against 61-73 in ZX (ASTM D790)[2][23]113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa7900 (printed XY, 3DXTech, ISO 178)[2]5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²9.9 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 10.2 ± 0.8 conditioned, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker Fiberon)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 102-138 J/m printed XZ against 22.4-45.5 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF, ASTM D256)[23]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa52.2 ± 0.8 printed Z dry (Polymaker Fiberon) — 67 % of XY, unusually isotropic for a filled nylon; 42.1 ± 1.8 conditioned. Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 32.7-38.4 at break printed ZX (ASTM D638)[1][23]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PA12 filament[24]Rockwell 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[25]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger rates its PA66-CF30 compound for sustained static and dynamic load at 110 °C continuous service; the PA12 matrix takes up 1.5 % equilibrium moisture against PA6's several per cent, so a PA12-CF part drifts less in service[26][1]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[27][3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Stratasys sells unfilled FDM Nylon 12 specifically for repetitive-flex parts on the strength of its fatigue properties, and Ensinger reports improved fatigue strength for carbon-filled nylon compounds[26]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%31-50 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF, ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638, five machine and tip combinations) against 67 (Polymaker Fiberon PA12-CF10, printed Z against XY)[1][23]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C131 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker Fiberon). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 160 printed XY and 168 ZX, and 175 with unidirectional toolpaths (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[1][23]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C105 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker Fiberon). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 130 printed XY and 154 ZX (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[1][23]137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (DSC, Polymaker Fiberon)[1]145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C171 melting (DSC); Vicat 170.2 (ISO 306)[1]270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KStratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 116 on XY-built and 37 on ZX-built specimens over -50 to 20 °C, rising to 181 (XY) and 46 (ZX) above the 37.5 °C glass transition (ASTM E831); Extrudr quotes 100 for DURAPRO PA12 CF (ISO 11359-2)[10][23]26.2 in XY and 77.4 in Z (printed, ISO 11359-2) — a threefold anisotropy, and the lowest in-plane expansion of any polycarbonate here[3]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[21]UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[11]Good — years with some colour shift. Owens Corning lists UV resistance as a product benefit but publishes no exposure data[3]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[11]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the most humidity-stable nylon composite here[9][1]Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[3]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[11]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[11]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[11]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Polymaker Fiberon, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1]Electrically insulating (Owens Corning)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[28]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[28]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[28]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[28]≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[28]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[28]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28][13]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[21]Owens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[14]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[14]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[14]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailPolymaker's own conditioning test found PA12-CF10 was the only nylon that did not grow past its original size after moisture conditioning[9]High dimensional stability is the headline benefit; the 26.2 um/m*K in-plane CTE is a third of unfilled PC's[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[29]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[30]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[29]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[30]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[29]Dichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. 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. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  2. CarbonX CF PA12 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI 3D CF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER PA12 CF 500 g — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  11. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  20. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  22. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  23. FDM Nylon 12CF — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2025-09 · tds
  24. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  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. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  31. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds