3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PE

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guidePolyethylene (PE) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PE comparisons
PC-GF vs PE — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]Polyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[4]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[5]
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[4][1]87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[5]
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[4][1][6][7]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order[8][9][10][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[1]1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[5][8]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[2]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[2]
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[11][12]Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[2]
Part cooling fanNot documented0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPerforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[1]Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[2]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedIntermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[2]
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 — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[1]Non-abrasive[2]
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[13][14]Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[2]
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]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[2]
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
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[2]
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[15][16]Not applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedStore dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene[2][3]
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[2][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[2][3]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[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[17]Shore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[3][2]
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[18][1]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible[2][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[3]
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]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76[2][3]
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]117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[3]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
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]Moderate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[2]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedExcellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[2][3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Excellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[2][3]
RecyclabilityNot documentedSpectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[2]
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[19]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[19]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[19][12]Not documented
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 documentedEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[3]
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]Spectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[20]None at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[21][22]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[20]Toluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[22]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[23]None — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[22][21]

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 HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  3. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  4. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  12. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  19. 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
  20. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  21. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  22. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds