3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PCTG

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guidePCTG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PCTG comparisons
PC-GF vs PCTG — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCPCTGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]Poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[5]1 kg spools cluster near 34[6][4][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg71 — BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 at igo3d is the only priced listing found; Owens Corning sells XSTRAND GF30-PC in 500 g and 1 kg[5][1]14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[6][4][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands — neither Polymaker's nor 3DXTech's polycarbonate range contains a glass-fibre grade, but BASF Forward AM and Owens Corning both sell one through European retail[5][1][9][10]Available from several mainstream brands[6][4][7][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[6][7][4]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Transparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[2][3]
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]60–100 (Spectrum)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[12][13]Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[2][3]
Part cooling fanNot documentedUp to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPerforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[1]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[14][15]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][16]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[14][15]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[15]
Shrinkage%Not documented0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedEasy — minor profile tuning[2][3]
Extruder requirementOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[1]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Owens Corning states glass reinforcement shortens brass nozzle and drive-wheel life[1]Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[1]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and Prusa lists glass-filled composites as a higher clogging risk[17][18]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[20]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[20]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Owens Corning measures below 0.1 % at 23 °C and 50 % RH (ISO 62)[1]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[14][19]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[21]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[22][21]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[21]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[21][15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[2][3][23]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[2][3][4]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[23]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[23]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2][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 glass-fibre grade[24]69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[23]
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, and 30 wt% glass raises the tensile modulus from about 2.3 to 5.4 GPa[25][1]Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[2][3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[23]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[1]78 (3DXTech, DSC)[4]
Melting point / Vicat°C270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[1]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[2][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[23]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K26.2 in XY and 77.4 in Z (printed, ISO 11359-2) — a threefold anisotropy, and the lowest in-plane expansion of any polycarbonate here[1]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[26]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Good — years with some colour shift. Owens Corning lists UV resistance as a product benefit but publishes no exposure data[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[15]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Good — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[2]
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact as filament[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Surface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[27]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[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][13]Open a window / occasional ventilation[27]
Dust & fibre handling hazardOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[20]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[20]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[20]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[20]
Dimensional accuracy & detailHigh dimensional stability is the headline benefit; the 26.2 um/m*K in-plane CTE is a third of unfilled PC's[1]Optical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[28]No common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[29]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[28]Acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[30]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[31]

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. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  2. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  4. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  15. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  26. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 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. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc