3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PLA

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PC-GF vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[2][4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[5]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[6][7][8]
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]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[9][10][11][12]
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][13][14]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[15][16]
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; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[6][17][18][11][19]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[20]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[1]±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[2][6][21]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[2][4][3]
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[2][4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[22][23]Open frame is fine[4][15]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[2][16]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPerforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[1]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][24][16]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[25]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[26][15]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][3][16]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][16][27]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedBeginner — prints on any machine out of the box[15][16]
Extruder requirementOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[1]Any extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[15]
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[15]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[1]Non-abrasive[26][15]
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[28][29]Very low[15][16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[24][30]
Hotend requirementNot documentedAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[15]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[26][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 — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[3][4][31]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[1]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][3][30]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[32]
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[33][32]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[32]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][16]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[2][4][3][34][35]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][4][3]
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][3][2]
Flexural strengthMPa113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][36]
Flexural modulusMPa5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][36]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][35]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[24][26]
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[37]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[2][38]
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[39][1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[40][41]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[42][24]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[26]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][3][35]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2][4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[1]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2][4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[1]55–61 (DSC)[2][4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°C270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[1]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[20][4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[26][35]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[3][43]
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]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[44]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[3][4]
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[24][20]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[20][24]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][24]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[3][45]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[24][45]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[45][24][3]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[45]
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[46]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[46]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[46]
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[46]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[46]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[46]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[46][23]None needed in a normal room[46]
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 documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[20][24]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[24][21]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[24]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[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]Good — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[26][3][16]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[47]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[48]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[47]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[48][49]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[50]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[51][49]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  21. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  23. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  32. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  34. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  35. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  37. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  39. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  40. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  43. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  45. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  46. 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
  47. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  48. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  49. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  50. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  51. 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