3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
PC vs PC-ABS
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Polycarbonate (PC)PC | PC/ABS blendPC |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $39.99/kg median; $29.99–$92.00/kg across 9 dated product listings | $45.99/kg median; $34.99–$84.00/kg across 5 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Bisphenol-A polycarbonate — an amorphous engineering thermoplastic[1][2] | Polycarbonate/ABS alloy — PC stiffness and heat resistance with ABS processability[3][4] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.19 (Polymaker) to 1.22 (Prusament), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.20; Stratasys specific gravity 1.20 (ASTM D792)[1][5][6][7] | 1.10 (Polymaker) and 1.24 (3DXTech FR grade), ISO 1183; Stratasys specific gravity 1.10 (ASTM D792)[3][4][8] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 40[6][9][10] | 1 kg spools cluster near 50[9][11] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 30–92 across brands; Polymaker PolyLite 30, Bambu Lab 40, Polymaker PolyMax 52, Prusament 59, 3DXTech ezPC 64 and 3DXMAX PC 92[9][6][10][11] | 35–84 across brands; Reli3D 35, SUNLU 46, Polymaker 50, 3DXMAX 84[9][11][12][13] |
| Market availability1–5 | Available from several mainstream brands[6][9][11][10] | Available from several mainstream brands[9][11] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 0.9, 1 and 3 kg spools[9][11][10] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[9][11] |
| Typical applications | Light guides, lenses, under-bonnet automotive parts and impact-loaded housings that must hold shape above 110 °C[2][1] | Automotive interior and electronics housings that need PC heat resistance without PC's warping[3] |
| Diameter tolerance± mm | ±0.03 (Prusament PC Blend)[5] | Not documented |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 250–280 across brands; Prusament 275 ± 10, Bambu Lab 260–280, Polymaker 250–270. Polymaker's material guide gives a wider 260–310 for PC and its composites[5][6][1][2] | 250–270 (Polymaker)[3] |
| Bed temperature°C | 90–115; Prusament 110 ± 10, Bambu Lab 90–110, Polymaker 90–105[5][6][1] | 90–105 (Polymaker)[3] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 70–100 °C chamber, Bambu Lab 45–60 °C and rules out its P1P and A-series machines[1][6][14] | Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 90–100 °C chamber[3] |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | 70–100 (Polymaker); 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1][6] | 90–100 (Polymaker)[3] |
| Part cooling fan | Off or very low — Polymaker specifies off, Prusament 20 % within a 0–30 % range, Bambu Lab 0–60 %[1][5][6] | Off (Polymaker)[3] |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Textured PEI with glue when needed (Polymaker); smooth or textured PEI (Bambu Lab)[1][15] | PEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[16] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | 24 at Bambu Lab's 300 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Polymaker allows 50–200 mm/s and its material guide advises 30–60 for layer adhesion[6][1][2][17] | 20 at Polymaker's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][17] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Severe — heated chamber needed[1][2][14] | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[3][14] |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[1][14] | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[16][2] |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Moderate — retraction tuning needed[2] | Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[2] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][14] | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3][14] |
| Extruder requirement | All-metal hotend rated to 300 °C; Polymaker advises larger nozzles and high chamber temperatures to improve bonding[2] | Not documented |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely[14] | Brass fine indefinitely[14] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive[1] | Non-abrasive[3] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[2] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry of 4 h or more[18] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[16] | Slightly sensitive[16] |
| Hotend requirement | All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D); Polymaker advises a hot end rated above 300 °C[16][2] | All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[16] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Low — 0.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); Prusa measures 0.15 % after 7 days at 22 % RH. Polymaker nonetheless calls PC highly hygroscopic in service[6][5][2] | Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h or more pre-dry[6][5][18] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.15 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa)[6][5] | Not documented |
| Drying temperature & time | 80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab); 75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker); 70–80 °C for 6–8 h (Polymaker material guide)[6][1][2] | 75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[3] |
| Symptoms when wet | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[19] | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[2][19] | No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[2][19] |
| Storage requirement | Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[2] | Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[2] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 53.4 (PolyMax) to 69.1 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Bambu Lab 62 +/- 2 and Prusament 63 +/- 1 at yield; Stratasys 62.3-64.6 at yield printed XZ, ASTM D638 (its PC White table duplicates the Antero 840CN03 figures and was not used)[1][20][6][5][21][7] | 39.9 ± 1.0 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 60 at break for its FR PC/ABS[3][4] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2110 (Bambu Lab) to 2497 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1900, 3DXTech 2180[6][1][5][21] | 1835 ± 65 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2250[3][4] |
| Elongation at break% | 3.8 (Bambu Lab) to 4.8 (PolyLite) at break, printed XY, ISO 527; 3DXTech quotes 14 at break, Prusament 5.8 at yield[6][1][21][5] | 4.2 ± 0.3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 10 at break[3][4] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 81.3 (PolyMax) to 108 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 88 ± 1, PolyLite 106.1[20][6][5][1] | 66.3 ± 0.9 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 85[3][4] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 2050 (PolyMax) to 2640 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2100[20][1][5] | 2081 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2300[3][4] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 4.1 (PolyLite) to 21.3 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1[1][20][5] | 25.8 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker) — above both unfilled PC and ABS[3] |
| Other impact data | Charpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's pendulum in either orientation (ISO 179-1); PolyMax PC retains 9.2 kJ/m2 notched at -30 °C. Stratasys PC Black gives 85.3 MPa flexural strength at break in ZX against no break in XZ (ASTM D790, printed)[5][20][7] | Notched Charpy still 13 ± 2 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA), against 1.5 in Z. Stratasys prints Izod notched at 241 J/m XZ against 34.0 J/m ZX, and unnotched 655 against 101 J/m (ASTM D256, F900 T16).[3][8] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 37.1-45.3 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys PC Black and Red, ASTM D638); 41.4 (PolyMax) to 56 (Bambu Lab) printed Z; Prusa's interlayer adhesion test gives 21 +/- 2[5][20][6][7] | 25.9-30.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 22.9 +/- 1.2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[3][8] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2][5] | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Shore D 79 (Prusa Polymers method) and Shore D 79 on extruded PC stock (ASTM D2240); Rockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales[5][22] | Rockwell 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 PC/ABS filament[22] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded PC was still running unbroken at 41 MPa when the experiment was stopped for time; specimens failed within the test window only at 47-52 MPa (ASTM D638)[23] | Good. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded PC/ABS was still running unbroken at 30 MPa when the experiment was stopped for time; specimens failed within the test window at 39-47 MPa (ASTM D638)[23] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Good[5][2] | Not documented |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[3] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 59-73 (Stratasys PC Black and Red, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638); 76 for PolyLite PC and 90 for Bambu Lab (printed Z against XY tensile)[6][1][7] | 75-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 57 (Polymaker, printed Z against XY tensile)[3][8] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 110 (PolyMax PC-FR) to 114 (PolyMax PC), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Bambu Lab 112, PolyLite 111, Prusament 113. Stratasys FDM PC reaches 144 printed (ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi)[20][1][6][5][7] | 112 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 117.9 in XY and 126.1 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi), against 125.0 moulded[3][8] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 93 (Prusament) to 117 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; PolyLite 107, PolyMax 99. Stratasys FDM PC reaches 141 printed (ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi)[5][6][1][20][7] | 106 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 107.5 in XY and 112.0 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi), against 102.9 moulded[3][8] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 113 (Polymaker, DSC), 142.5 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426 inflection point) and 145 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Polymaker's material guide quotes 150[1][6][2][7] | 109 (Polymaker) and 137 (3DXTech FR grade), DSC; Stratasys measures 105.3 (ASTM D7426 inflection point)[3][4][8] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 117–120 (Polymaker, ISO 306); decomposition above 360 °C[1][20] | Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 135 (Polymaker, ISO 306)[3] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend; extruded PC stock is rated 121 long term (converted from 250 °F)[5][22] | 113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[5] |
| Annealing response | 90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[1] | 90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[3] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 51.6 in XY over -50 to 30 °C, falling to 35.8 over 30-75 °C and 11.5 over 75-130 °C; 49.2 in XZ over -50 to 120 °C (printed, ASTM E831). Extruded PC stock gives 68.4 (ASTM D696)[7][22] | 59.9 over -50 to 35 °C and 73.0 over -50 to 95 °C (printed XY, ASTM E831)[8] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating on standard PC, though V-0 grades exist[24][1] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Degrades within weeks outdoors — unstabilised PC yellows and embrittles under UV[2] | Degrades within weeks outdoors[2] |
| Chemical resistance | Withstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[2] | Withstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[2] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Good — minor absorption[6] | Not documented |
| Food contact | Bisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[2] | Bisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[2] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[2] | Not biodegradable[2] |
| Recyclability | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[2] | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[2] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an electrical insulator, which Polymaker lists as a headline advantage[21][2] | Not documented |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25] | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25] |
| 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[25] | ≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[25] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25][14] | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25][14] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[16] | Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[16] |
| Painting & finishing | Optical clarity survives printing, so transparent parts are usually left unpainted[2] | Not documented |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Cyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[16] | Cyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[16] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | No practical vapour smoothing[16] | Acetone attacks the ABS phase, so surface smoothing is partial rather than full[3] |
| Support material pairing | Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[16] | Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[16] |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Warping is the dominant accuracy limit; light transmission 89 % on PolyLite PC (GB/T 2410)[1][2] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Dichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[26] | Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the PC phase; acetone, MEK and THF dissolve the ABS phase.[26][27] |
| Softened or crazed by | Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[26] | Petrol, esters, ether and 1 % alkali stress-crack the PC phase; aromatics and esters soften the ABS phase.[26][27] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Dichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[28] | Acetone attacks only the ABS phase, so smoothing is partial; a dichloromethane cement welds the whole section.[3][28] |
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
- PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Polymaker PC-ABS Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- PC (Polycarbonate) — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-04 · tds
- PC-ABS — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2023-08 · tds
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Reli3D PC-ABS Filament, Black, 1000 g spool Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU PC-ABS 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PC FR Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- 3DXTech 3DXMAX ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- PolyMax PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
- PolyMax PC-FR Technical Data Sheet V5.5 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- 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
- Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds