3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-FR vs PPA

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

Flame-retardant PC (PC-FR) guidePPA (polyphthalamide) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-FR comparisonsMore PPA comparisons
PC-FR vs PPA — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR)PCPPA (polyphthalamide)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.50/kg median; $54.99–$224.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$45.49/kg median; $45.49–$45.49/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryFlame-retardant polycarbonate. Polymaker builds its grade on Covestro's Makrolon family and rates it UL 94 V-0[1][2]Polyphthalamide — a semi-aromatic polyamide in which aromatic diacid units replace part of the aliphatic backbone; Raise3D and Bambu Lab both label it high-temperature nylon[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (Bambu Lab) and 1.2 (Polymaker), ISO 1183[2][1]1.21 (ISO 1183, Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 55–224; the two mainstream 1 kg grades are 55 and the industrial grades 120–224[2][6]One 1 kg listing on the market, at 45[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg55–224 across brands; Bambu Lab and Polymaker 55, 3DXTech FR PC/ABS 120, 3DXLABS FR-PC 224[2][6][8]45 for the only unfilled PPA filament found — Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA at 1 kg; every other PPA in retail is carbon- or glass-filled[7]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[2][6][8]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — Siraya Tech is the only brand found selling unfilled PPA filament[7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[6][8][2]1.75 mm, 1 kg[7]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures, transport interiors and battery housings that must meet a flammability rating[1][2]Gears, bearings and tooling that must hold load above the reach of PA6 or PA12, and parts exposed to fuels and industrial chemicals[5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab PC FR)[2]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–280 (Bambu Lab); 250–270 (Polymaker)[2][1]280–300 (Siraya Tech)[5]
Bed temperature°C90–110 (Bambu Lab); 90–105 (Polymaker)[2][1]70–80 (Siraya Tech)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber, Polymaker 70–100 °C[2][1]Enclosure recommended — Siraya Tech advises an enclosure to hold temperature and limit warping on larger prints[5]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab); 70–100 (Polymaker)[2][1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–60 % (Bambu Lab)[2]20–60 % (Siraya Tech)[5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI plate (Bambu Lab)[2]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a PVP glue coating[5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s24 at Bambu Lab's 300 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][9]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[1][10]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11][12]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[12]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; needs a 300 °C-class hot end and a dry spool[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[10]Brass fine indefinitely — Siraya Tech states a hardened steel nozzle is not needed for the unfilled grade[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 6 h pre-dry at 80 °C[13]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Siraya Tech tells users to dry only when moisture symptoms appear, rather than before every print[5]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[11]Not documented
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[11]High-quality metal nozzle, 0.4–1.0 mm; hardened steel not required (Siraya Tech)[5]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.12 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab), half that of unfilled Bambu Lab PC[2][14]High (0.8–2 %) — Siraya Tech publishes 2.59 % by ISO 62 immersion for the unfilled grade; on the equilibrium basis Bambu Lab uses, its 15 % carbon-filled PPA reaches 1.30 % against 2.35 % for the same maker's PA6-CF[5][4][15]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.12 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]2.59 by ISO 62 water immersion (Siraya Tech, unfilled) — an immersion figure, not the 25 °C / 55 % RH equilibrium basis the filled grades are quoted on, so the two are not directly comparable[5]
Drying temperature & time75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[1]80–100 °C for 4–6 h (Siraya Tech)[5]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]Oozing, bubbles and a rough surface finish (Siraya Tech)[5]
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[12][16]Siraya Tech publishes dry against saturated for the same grade: tensile 70 → 60 MPa, flexural 114 → 87 MPa, HDT at 1.8 MPa 73.5 → 48.5 °C, while Charpy rises 10 → 14.5 kJ/m²[5][7]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[12]Dry box below 15 % RH (Siraya Tech)[5]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa60 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 67 ± 4.5 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[2][1]72 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech); the product page quotes 70 dry and 60 saturated[5][7]
Young's modulusMPa1670 ± 40 (Bambu Lab) and 2634 ± 182 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[2][1]3600 (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[5]
Elongation at break%2.4 ± 0.3 (Bambu Lab) and 3.49 ± 0.7 (Polymaker) at break, printed XY, ISO 527 — the retardant roughly halves unfilled PC's elongation[2][1][17]10.5 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[5]
Flexural strengthMPa96.6 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]115 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech); 114 dry against 87 saturated on the product page[5][7]
Flexural modulusMPa2518 ± 53 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]3350 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²11.7 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker)[1]10.1 Charpy (printed, ISO 179, Siraya Tech); the data sheet does not state whether the specimen was notched[5]
Other impact dataNotched Charpy 7.5 ± 1.6 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA)[1]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 3 (Bambu Lab) and 46 ± 4.8 (Polymaker) printed Z, ISO 527[2][1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[2][1]Moderate — 10.5 % elongation at break puts it between PA6 and the fibre-filled grades[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 a flame-retardant filament[18]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Moulded unfilled PC sustained 41 MPa tensile creep at room temperature without breaking, but the retardant package drops the glass transition to 115 °C in Polymaker's grade, so the unfilled rating is not carried over in full[19][1]Good — Raise3D cites high creep resistance as a reason to choose the PPA matrix over other nylons[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid — 3.6 GPa tensile modulus[5]
Z strength as % of XY%35 (Bambu Lab) to 69 (Polymaker), printed[2][1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedSiraya Tech describes the unfilled grade as low-friction and self-lubricating, aimed at gears and bearings[5][7]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C110 (Polymaker) and 113 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]81 dry and 61 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method B at 0.45 MPa, Siraya Tech)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C107 (Polymaker) and 108 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]73.5 dry and 48.5 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa, Siraya Tech) — unfilled PPA deflects near its Tg; the 190–227 °C figures quoted for PPA are carbon-filled grades[5][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C115 (Polymaker) and 145 (Bambu Lab), DSC[1][2]80 (ASTM D3418, Siraya Tech)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 114 (Bambu Lab, ISO 306)[2]231 melting point (ASTM D3418) and 230 Vicat (ISO 306), Siraya Tech[5]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[20]Not documented
Annealing responseNot documentedSiraya Tech's product page offers annealing for strength while its own data sheet says annealing is not recommended because the print can warp; on its 15 % carbon-filled PPA, annealing lifts HDT at 1.8 MPa from 82.5 to 119 °C[5][7][21]
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 flame-retardant grade[18]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 (Polymaker PolyMax PC-FR); 3DXTech rates its FR PC/ABS V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin[1][22]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[12]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[12]Withstands fuels, oils and industrial chemicals; Bambu Lab rates semi-aromatic nylon better than general nylon against weak acids, weak alkalis and most organic solvents[5][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedAbsorbs water, properties shift — a saturated specimen loses about 15 % of its tensile strength and 25 °C of heat-deflection temperature[5][7]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[12]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[12]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[12]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[23]Not documented
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[23]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[23][10]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[11]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[11]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[11]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[11]Compatible with quick-release support materials (Siraya Tech)[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[24]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[25]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[24]Mineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not.[25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[26]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[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. PolyMax PC-FR Technical Data Sheet V5.5 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PC FR Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Technical Data Sheet V2.0 Raise3D · 2022-04 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PPA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  10. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. 3DXTech Firewire FR-PC/ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  15. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  18. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  20. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  21. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  23. 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
  24. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  25. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds