3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-ESD vs PLA Wood

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

ESD-safe PC guideWood-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-ESD comparisonsMore PLA Wood comparisons
PC-ESD vs PLA Wood — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe PCPCWood-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$180.00/kg median; $180.00–$180.00/kg across 1 dated product listings$34.49/kg median; $13.99–$76.40/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate compounded with a conductive filler for static-dissipative parts[1]PLA filled with wood powder — 10–18 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS); colorFabb woodFill uses a PLA/PHA base with recycled wood fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech); Stratasys specific gravity 1.195 (ASTM D792)[1][4]1.15 (colorFabb) to 1.23 (Fiberlogy), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.21[5][3][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 180[7]1 kg spools cluster near 25; counting the 0.5 kg specialty spools the middle of the market is about 34[8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg180 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in this group[7]14–76 across brands; SUNLU 14, ELEGOO 19, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 44, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools, colorFabb 76[9][8][11][12][13][10]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[7]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][12][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.6, 0.85 and 1 kg spools[12][6][8]
Typical applicationsElectronics fixtures and trays that need PC heat resistance and static dissipation together[1]Decorative and model-making prints that are sanded and stained like timber[5][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–240 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb advises 195–220 for its PLA/PHA base[5][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–70 (Fiberlogy)[5][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[14][15]Open frame is fine[5]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[14][15]None[5]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[16][17]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[17]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[14]Easy — minor profile tuning; pre-drying is required and the wood content chars if it sits hot[18][5]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible; Bambu Lab does not recommend the AMS lite[18]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's PLA compatibility table lists no hardened-nozzle requirement, but its nozzle guide names wood among the abrasive filaments hardened steel exists for[18][19]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Moderately abrasive — wood fill[18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry[20]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; wood particles char and block small nozzles[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[16]Not documented
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[16]Not documented
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[21][22][20]High — 1.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH, the highest in the PLA family[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented1.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[5]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer; Bambu Lab lists pre-drying as required[5][18]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[23]Bambu Lab flags pre-drying and ventilation as specific requirements for this grade[18]
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[17][23]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. At 1.25 % saturated uptake the practical loss shows as poor layer adhesion, rough surface and weak layers[23][5]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[17]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa68 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) — above the 58 of 3DXTech's unfilled ezPC; Stratasys prints 47.6-49.4 at yield in XZ (ASTM D638)[1][24][4]26 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 28.4 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy quotes 35 at yield[5][3][6]
Young's modulusMPa2300 (printed XY, ISO 527); Stratasys prints 1960 in XZ and 1810-1910 in ZX (ASTM D638)[1][4]2360 ± 190 (Bambu Lab) and 2479 (colorFabb) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 2950[5][3][6]
Elongation at break%6 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 14 for the unfilled grade[1][24]4.5 (colorFabb) to 15.3 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberlogy 6.5[5][3][6]
Flexural strengthMPa95 (printed XY, ISO 178); Stratasys prints 82.6-83.2 at break in XZ against 46.3-49.5 in ZX (ASTM D790)[1][4]55 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[5]
Flexural modulusMPa2310 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2780 ± 120 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented3.81 (colorFabb) and 6.3 ± 2.2 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[5][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 12.28 (colorFabb) and 15.7 (Bambu Lab), printed, ISO 179[5][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32.5-37.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the Fortus 450mc and F900)[4]15 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); flexural Z falls to 28 against 55 in XY[5]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]
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 an ESD grade[25]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Moulded unfilled PC was still running unbroken under 41 MPa tensile creep at room temperature when the test was stopped, and the conductive filler leaves the glass transition unchanged at 142 °C, so the creep mechanism is polycarbonate's[26][4]Poor — no wood-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27][28][29]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the wood filler cuts elongation and the parts snap without warning[30][5]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%68-77 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638)[4]58 by tensile, 51 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C143-146 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi); 135 moulded[4]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C140-144 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi); 124 moulded[4]57 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 142 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426)[1][4]54 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Fiberlogy quotes 55–60[5][6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented156 peak melt (DSC)[5]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[22]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K68.4 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D696; source states 3.8e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a conductive-filled grade[25]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[31]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[17]Not documented
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[17]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[17]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[17]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ezPC[1][24]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[32]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[32]
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[32]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[32][14]None needed in a normal room; Bambu Lab specifically advises ventilation for this grade[18]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[16]Sands and stains like timber — the usual reason for choosing it[3]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[16]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[16]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[16]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedWood grain hides layer lines; colour darkens with nozzle temperature[5][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[33]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[34]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[33]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[34][35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[36]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[37][35]

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. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Safety Data Sheet SDS20250723SA16 — Bambu PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2025-07 · msds
  3. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PC-ESD — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-10 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Wood Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. FiberWood technical data sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PLA Wood — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PLA+ WOODJet - Natur (1,75 mm; 0,5 kg) Filament PM shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. woodFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. SUNLU Optimized Wood PLA 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  16. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  23. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  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. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  31. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  32. 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
  33. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  34. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  35. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  37. 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