3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-CF vs PLA Metal

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

Carbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guideMetal-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-CF comparisonsMore PLA Metal comparisons
PC-CF vs PLA Metal — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PCMetal-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]PLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[6][3][4][9]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 35–117; the middle of the market is about 63[10][11][12][13][14]1 kg spools cluster near 78[15][16][5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg35–117 across brands; Ambrosia 35, IEMAI 39, YXPOLYER 55, Spectrum PC CF 70, Prusament 94, 3DXTech 117[10][11][12][13][14]25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[15][5][16][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[10][12][17]Available from several mainstream brands[16][5][9][15]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[10][12]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[18][16]
Typical applicationsStiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[1][2]Decorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[3][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C285 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[3][5][9][6]
Bed temperature°C110 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[3][5][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][19]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[1]On (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[20]Glass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[3][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5][9][3][21]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[1][19]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[20][22]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[22]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[19][1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[5][9]
Extruder requirementNot documentedProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[5][9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[19]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[5][9]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[19]Moderately abrasive — metal fill[5][9]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle, 0.25 mm layers and a 120 °C pre-dry[23][20][24]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[9]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[20]Not documented
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[20]Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[5][9]
Other hardware wearNot documentedProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[5][9]
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 pre-dry[25][26][23]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[27][28]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[29]Not documented
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[22][29]Polymaker 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[29]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa64 ± 3 printed horizontal and 70 ± 3 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 73 at break[1][2]25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[3][4][6]
Young's modulusMPa2600 printed horizontal and 3200 printed vertical, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6980[1][2]1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Elongation at break%4.6 at yield printed horizontal (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[1][2]3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[3][4][6]
Flexural strengthMPa94 ± 3 printed horizontal and 130 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 85[1][2]75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa3500 printed horizontal and 4200 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6540[1][2]2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 17 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[1]23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32 ± 5 printed horizontal and 35 ± 4 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[1]Izod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[3][4][6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — above the 21 ± 2 of unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][26]32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[5][9]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][26]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped; short carbon fibre raises the flexural modulus from about 2.1 to 3.5-6.5 GPa, which reduces creep strain further[30][1]Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[31][32][33]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. No fatigue test data was found for a carbon-fibre PC filament; the unfilled polymer is rated Good on the same scale[30]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[34][5][9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[6]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C114 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Prusament)[1]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C106 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Prusament), against 93 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][26]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C127 (3DXTech, DSC)[2]56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[26]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[22]Degrades within weeks outdoors[35]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[5]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[22]Not documented
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[22]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[22]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Proto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[36]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[36]
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[36]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[36][19]None needed in a normal room[36]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[20]Polishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[3][4][9]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[20]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[20]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[20]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedcolorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[37]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[38]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[37]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[38][39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[40]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[41][39]

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. Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v2.0 Prusa Polymers · 2023-04 · tds
  2. CarbonX Carbon Fiber ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Spectrum PC CF Carbon Black, 1.75 mm / 250 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI CF-PC 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. YXPOLYER PC CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  31. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  35. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  36. 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
  37. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  38. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  41. 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