3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PETG-ESD

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guideESD-safe PETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PETG-ESD comparisons
PC-GF vs PETG-ESD — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCESD-safe PETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$102.99/kg median; $65.98–$140.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]PETG compounded with a conductive filler to bring surface resistivity into the static-dissipative range[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]1.24 (Fiberon) and 1.28 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 66–140; the middle of the market is about 103[5][6]
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]66–140 across brands; Fiberon PETG-ESD 66, 3DXSTAT ESD-PETG 140[5][6]
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][5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[1]1.75 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[5][6]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Electronics fixtures, trays and jigs handled around static-sensitive components[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]250–290 (Fiberon)[2]
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]70–80 (Fiberon); 70 (3DXTech)[2][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[7][8]Open frame is fine — Fiberon specifies room-temperature chamber[2]
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[9][10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documentedFiberon rates the material to 500 mm/s, equivalent to 40 on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — a machine-limited headline rather than a measured melt rate[2][11]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[9][10]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[10]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedIntermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; resistivity depends on getting the nozzle temperature right[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]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[1]Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[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[12][13]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its ESD-PETG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[15]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[15]
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 PETG matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[9][14]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[1]0.41 equilibrium water absorption (Fiberon PETG-ESD)[2]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented65 °C for 3 h (Fiberon)[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]
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[17][16]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[16]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[16][10]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]36.1 ± 0.9 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 50 at break[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]1983 ± 75 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon)[2]
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]7.3 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 13 at break[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]54.0 ± 2.5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]1651 ± 141 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon)[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 29.3 ± 2.2 printed XY (Fiberon, ISO 179)[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented20.7 ± 0.6 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon)[2]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Moderate[2]
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[18]Not documented
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[19][1]Below average — no ESD-grade creep test; unfilled PETG sagged from 12 to 17.1–20.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[20][21][22][23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — no ESD-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[24]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented57 (Fiberon, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented76 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Fiberon)[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[1]72 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Fiberon)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°C145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[1]77 (Fiberon) and 80 (3DXTech), DSC[2][3]
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 86 (Fiberon, ISO 306)[2]
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[25]
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[10]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact as filament[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Surface resistivity falls with nozzle temperature: 7.0×10⁶–1.6×10⁷ ohm at 250 °C, 3.2×10⁵–4.7×10⁵ at 270 °C and below 1×10⁴ at 290 °C (Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq[2][3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]
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[26]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[26][8]Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]
Dust & fibre handling hazardOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[1]Conductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[15]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[15]
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]Nozzle temperature has to be held steady — it moves surface resistivity by three orders of magnitude[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[27]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[28][29]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[27]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[28]
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.[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. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  2. Fiberon PETG-ESD Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXSTAT ESD-PETG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  8. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  10. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. 3DXSTAT ESD-PETG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  26. 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
  27. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  28. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds