3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-FR vs HT soluble

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

Flame-retardant PC (PC-FR) guideHigh-temperature support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-FR comparisonsMore HT soluble comparisons
PC-FR vs HT soluble — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR)PCHigh-temperature supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.50/kg median; $54.99–$224.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$209.00/kg median; $100.00–$290.00/kg across 4 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]Break-away support compounded to survive high-temperature print chambers; 3DXTech sells separate grades for PC/ABS and for the PAEK and PEI class[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (Bambu Lab) and 1.2 (Polymaker), ISO 1183[2][1]1.37 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 55–224; the two mainstream 1 kg grades are 55 and the industrial grades 120–224[2][5]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 168[6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg55–224 across brands; Bambu Lab and Polymaker 55, 3DXTech FR PC/ABS 120, 3DXLABS FR-PC 224[2][5][6]100–290 across grades; 3DXTech THERMAX MTS1 100 at 2 kg, HTS2 168 at 250 g, HTS1 250 at 500 g, IEMAI 3D HT-SP 290 at 1 kg[6][7]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[2][5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[5][6][2]1.75 mm; 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg and 2 kg spools[6]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures, transport interiors and battery housings that must meet a flammability rating[1][2]Support for PEEK, PEI and PC-class prints, where PVA and PLA-based supports would decompose[3][4]
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]Not documented
Bed temperature°C90–110 (Bambu Lab); 90–105 (Polymaker)[2][1]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber, Polymaker 70–100 °C[2][1]Actively heated chamber required — it is used inside high-temperature builds[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab); 70–100 (Polymaker)[2][1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–60 % (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI plate (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
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][8]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[1][9]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[10][11]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[11]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][9]Expert / industrial hardware only[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA dual-extruder machine rated for high-temperature materials; 3DXTech states the grade is intended for dual-extruder printers designed to print high-temp materials[12]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[9]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[3]
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; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1[12][14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[10]Not documented
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[10]Not documented
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][15]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.12 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Drying temperature & time75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]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[11][16]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1 because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[12][14]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[11]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa60 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 67 ± 4.5 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[2][1]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1670 ± 40 (Bambu Lab) and 2634 ± 182 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[2][1]Not documented
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]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa96.6 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2518 ± 53 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²11.7 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%35 (Bambu Lab) to 69 (Polymaker), printed[2][1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its support grades — they are not characterised as structural materials[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C110 (Polymaker) and 113 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C107 (Polymaker) and 108 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]205 (THERMAX HTS1, printed XY, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C115 (Polymaker) and 145 (Bambu Lab), DSC[1][2]225 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, DSC) — high enough to stay solid inside a PEI or PEEK build[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 114 (Bambu Lab, ISO 306)[2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[20]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 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][21]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[11]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[11]Not documented
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[11]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[11]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[11]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq on all three THERMAX support grades (ASTM D257) — insulating[3][22][4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[23]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[23]
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][9]Open a window / occasional ventilation[23]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[10]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[10]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[10]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[10]This is the support material. MTS1 is matched to PC/ABS and PC; HTS1 and HTS2 to the higher-temperature classes[4][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[24]Aqueous alkali, not water: IEMAI specifies an alkaline bath in an ultrasonic cleaner until the support dissolves.[7]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[24]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[25]None — the alkaline bath dissolves the support rather than welding anything.[7]

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. THERMAX HTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D HT-SP alkaline-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  9. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DXTech Firewire FR-PC/ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. THERMAX MTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC 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. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  22. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 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. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds