3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-ABS vs rPETG

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

PC/ABS blend guideRecycled PETG (rPETG) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-ABS comparisonsMore rPETG comparisons
PC-ABS vs rPETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyPC/ABS blendPCRecycled PETG (rPETG)PETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$45.99/kg median; $34.99–$84.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$28.99/kg median; $17.24–$39.98/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate/ABS alloy — PC stiffness and heat resistance with ABS processability[1][2]PETG regranulated from recycled polyester waste; Polymaker's Fiberon PETG-rCF08 adds 8 wt% recycled carbon fibre[3][4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Polymaker) and 1.24 (3DXTech FR grade), ISO 1183; Stratasys specific gravity 1.10 (ASTM D792)[1][2][6]1.27 (Prusament) and 1.30 (Fiberon PETG-rCF08), ISO 1183[3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[7][8]1 kg spools cluster near 29[8][9][7][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg35–84 across brands; Reli3D 35, SUNLU 46, Polymaker 50, 3DXMAX 84[7][8][11][12]17–40 across brands; Filament PM RePETG 17, 3DXTech ECOMAX 26, GreenGate3D 32, Fiberon rCF08 40[8][9][7][10]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][8]Available from several mainstream brands[8][9][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[7][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 1 and 3 kg spools[7][9]
Typical applicationsAutomotive interior and electronics housings that need PC heat resistance without PC's warping[1]Not documented
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.05 (Prusament PETG Recycled), against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PETG[3][13]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker)[1]250 ± 10 (Prusament); 230–255 (Spectrum)[3][4]
Bed temperature°C90–105 (Polymaker)[1]80 ± 10 (Prusament); 60–80 (Spectrum)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 90–100 °C chamber[1]Open frame is fine — Spectrum states a closed chamber is not necessary[4]
Recommended chamber temperature°C90–100 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fanOff (Polymaker)[1]50 % (Prusament); up to 100 % (Spectrum)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[14]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[13][15]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s20 at Polymaker's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[1][17]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14][18]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[13][15]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[18]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[15]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1][17]Easy — minor profile tuning; Spectrum describes printing as similar to standard PETG[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[17]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Not documented
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry of 4 h or more[19]Low — recycled PETG prints on the same hardware as virgin PETG: no special hot-end, no drybox and no hardened nozzle[20][21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Slightly sensitive[20]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[14]No special hot-end required[20]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (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[22][23][19]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — recycled PETG shares the virgin matrix, which reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.07 after 24 h and 0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[3]
Drying temperature & time75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[24]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[24]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo 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[18][24]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[24]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[18]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[24][15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa39.9 ± 1.0 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 60 at break for its FR PC/ABS[1][2]43 ± 1.8 printed horizontal at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament), against 47 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 52 at yield on moulded specimens[3][13][4]
Young's modulusMPa1835 ± 65 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2250[1][2]1500 printed horizontal, 1600 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 527-1) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[3][13]
Elongation at break%4.2 ± 0.3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 10 at break[1][2]4.5 at yield printed (Prusament); Spectrum quotes 400 at break on moulded specimens[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa66.3 ± 0.9 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 85[1][2]63 ± 1 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament), against 66 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG[3][13]
Flexural modulusMPa2081 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2300[1][2]1800 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²25.8 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker) — above both unfilled PC and ABS[1]12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 15 ± 3 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[3]
Other impact dataNotched 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).[1][6]Charpy unnotched 25 ± 3 printed horizontal and 38 ± 11 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa25.9-30.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 22.9 +/- 1.2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1][6]15 ± 5 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test), against 18 ± 4 for virgin Prusament PETG[3][13]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 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[25]74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[3][13]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. 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)[26]Below average — no recycled-grade creep test; virgin PETG sagged from 12 to 17.1–20.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27][28][29][30]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — no recycled-grade S-N curve; virgin printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[31]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%75-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 57 (Polymaker, printed Z against XY tensile)[1][6]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C112 (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[1][6]68 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 70[3][13][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C106 (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[1][6]68 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C109 (Polymaker) and 137 (3DXTech FR grade), DSC; Stratasys measures 105.3 (ASTM D7426 inflection point)[1][2][6]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 135 (Polymaker, ISO 306)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[23]Not documented
Annealing response90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K59.9 over -50 to 35 °C and 73.0 over -50 to 95 °C (printed XY, ASTM E831)[6]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[32]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[18]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[18]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[15]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[18]Not certified for food contact as filament[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Not biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[18]The feedstock itself — Spectrum describes collecting, shredding and re-homogenising PETG waste[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[33]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[33]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[33]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[33][17]Open a window / occasional ventilation[33]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[14]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[20]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[14]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[20]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone attacks the ABS phase, so surface smoothing is partial rather than full[1]No practical vapour smoothing[20]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[14]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[20]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the PC phase; acetone, MEK and THF dissolve the ABS phase.[34][35]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[36][37]
Softened or crazed byPetrol, esters, ether and 1 % alkali stress-crack the PC phase; aromatics and esters soften the ABS phase.[34][35]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[36]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone attacks only the ABS phase, so smoothing is partial; a dichloromethane cement welds the whole section.[1][38]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[37]

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. Polymaker PC-ABS Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PETG Recycled Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Spectrum r-PETG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Fiberon PETG-rCF08 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PC-ABS — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2023-08 · tds
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. GreenGate3D Recycled PET-G — product data GreenGate3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filament PM RePETG technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  11. Reli3D PC-ABS Filament, Black, 1000 g spool Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. SUNLU PC-ABS 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  14. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. 3DXTech 3DXMAX ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  27. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  32. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  33. 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
  34. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  35. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  38. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds