3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PLA-CF

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guideCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PLA-CF comparisons
PC-GF vs PLA-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]PLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[4][3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[6]1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[7][8][5][9][10]
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[6][1]19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[8][7][5][11][9][12][10]
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[6][1][13][14]Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][5][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 and 3 kg spools[11][5][13]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Stiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[4][3]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[1]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[7]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[4][3]
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[15][16]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[4][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPerforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented16 at Bambu Lab's 200 mm/s cap and 24 at Polymaker's 300 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's own filament guide says 250 mm/s where its TDS says 200[4][17][3][18]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[4]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedEasy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[17][3]
Extruder requirementOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[1]Nozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[17]
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[17][3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[17][19]
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[20][21]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[17]
Hotend requirementNot documentedHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[19][17]
Other hardware wearNot documentedBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[17][3]
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 — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[1]0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h[4][3]
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][23]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[23]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Flexural strengthMPa113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[4][3]
Flexural modulusMPa5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[4][3][5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[4][3]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[3][4]
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]71.5 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu CF PLA (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's unfilled PLA[25]
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[26][1]Poor — 12 mm bars sagged to 15.1, 19.8 and 21.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg across three brands, against 16.2–21.8 mm for their unfilled PLA[27][28][25]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — no CF-grade S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation in Z falls to 0.9 %[29][3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[4][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[1]50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[1]62–63 (DSC)[4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°C270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[1]162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[27][28][25]
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]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]Degrades within weeks outdoors[30]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[31]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[31]
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[31]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[31][16]None needed in a normal room[31]
Dust & fibre handling hazardOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[1]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[4][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]Matte finish hides layer lines; stiffness is the gain — tensile strength stays at or below Bambu Lab PLA Basic's 35 MPa and Polymaker PolyLite PLA's 52.3 MPa[4][3][32][33]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[34]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[35]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[34]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[35][36]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[37]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[38][36]

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. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A50 — Bambu PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  3. PolyLite PLA-CF Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  16. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  27. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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
  32. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  34. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  35. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  37. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  38. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper