3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-FR vs TPU soft

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

Flame-retardant PC (PC-FR) guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-FR comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
PC-FR vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR)PCSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.50/kg median; $54.99–$224.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/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]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[3]
Densityg/cm³1.18 (Bambu Lab) and 1.2 (Polymaker), ISO 1183[2][1]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, 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][4]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg55–224 across brands; Bambu Lab and Polymaker 55, 3DXTech FR PC/ABS 120, 3DXLABS FR-PC 224[2][4][8]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[5][7][6]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[2][4][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][9][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[4][8][2]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[3][5][10][6]
Typical applicationsElectrical enclosures, transport interiors and battery housings that must meet a flammability rating[1][2]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[3]
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]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber, Polymaker 70–100 °C[2][1]Open frame is fine[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]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[11][12]
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][13]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[1][14]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15][16]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[16]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][14]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[10][12]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[10][9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[14]Brass fine indefinitely[17]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[17]
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[18]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[11][12][19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[15]Very high — softens in the cold zone readily[12]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[15]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11]
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][20]Moderate[19]
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[19]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]
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[16][19]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[19]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[16]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[19]
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][21]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[3]
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]Very ductile — bends far before failing[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 flame-retardant filament[22]81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[3]
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[23][1]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[24]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable[12]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[3]
Z strength as % of XY%35 (Bambu Lab) to 69 (Polymaker), printed[2][1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[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]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C115 (Polymaker) and 145 (Bambu Lab), DSC[1][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 114 (Bambu Lab, ISO 306)[2]170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[25]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[22]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][26]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[16]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[12]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[16]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[12]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[16]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[16]Not biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[16]Not accepted in household plastic collection[12]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[27]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[27]
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[27]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[27][14]Open a window / occasional ventilation[27]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[15]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[12]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[15]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[15]No practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[15]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[12]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[28]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[29]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[28]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[30]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[29]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  11. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  18. 3DXTech Firewire FR-PC/ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  22. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  24. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  25. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  26. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  27. 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
  28. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  29. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds