3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC vs PLA

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

Polycarbonate (PC) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

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PC vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolycarbonate (PC)PCPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$39.99/kg median; $29.99–$92.00/kg across 9 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryBisphenol-A polycarbonate — an amorphous engineering thermoplastic[1][2]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.19 (Polymaker) to 1.22 (Prusament), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.20; Stratasys specific gravity 1.20 (ASTM D792)[1][5][6][7]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[3][8][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 40[6][9][10]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg30–92 across brands; Polymaker PolyLite 30, Bambu Lab 40, Polymaker PolyMax 52, Prusament 59, 3DXTech ezPC 64 and 3DXMAX PC 92[9][6][10][14]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[15][16][17][18]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][9][14][10]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[19][20]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 0.9, 1 and 3 kg spools[9][14][10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[11][21][22][17][23]
Typical applicationsLight guides, lenses, under-bonnet automotive parts and impact-loaded housings that must hold shape above 110 °C[2][1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[24]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Prusament PC Blend)[5]±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[3][11][25]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–280 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]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[3][8][4]
Bed temperature°C90–115; Prusament 110 ± 10, Bambu Lab 90–110, Polymaker 90–105[5][6][1]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[3][8][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure 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][26]Open frame is fine[8][19]
Recommended chamber temperature°C70–100 (Polymaker); 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1][6]Not documented
Part cooling fanOff or very low — Polymaker specifies off, Prusament 20 % within a 0–30 % range, Bambu Lab 0–60 %[1][5][6]100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[3][20]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI with glue when needed (Polymaker); smooth or textured PEI (Bambu Lab)[1][27]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[8][28][20]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s24 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][29]12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[29]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[1][2][26]None[30][19]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[1][26]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[8][4][20]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[2]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[8][20][31]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][26]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[19][20]
Extruder requirementAll-metal hotend rated to 300 °C; Polymaker advises larger nozzles and high chamber temperatures to improve bonding[2]Any extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[19]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[26]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[30][19]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[2]Very low[19][20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[32]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[28][33]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D); Polymaker advises a hot end rated above 300 °C[32][2]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[19]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[30][19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low — 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]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[4][8][34]
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]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][8]
Drying temperature & time80 °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]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[8][4][33]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[35]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[35]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo 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][35]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[35]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[2]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][20]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa53.4 (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][36][6][5][37][7]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[3][8][4][38][39]
Young's modulusMPa2110 (Bambu Lab) to 2497 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1900, 3DXTech 2180[6][1][5][37]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][8][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][37][5]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[8][4][3]
Flexural strengthMPa81.3 (PolyMax) to 108 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 88 ± 1, PolyLite 106.1[36][6][5][1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[3][8][4][40]
Flexural modulusMPa2050 (PolyMax) to 2640 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2100[36][1][5]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[3][8][4][40]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²4.1 (PolyLite) to 21.3 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1[1][36][5]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[8][4]
Other impact dataCharpy 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][36][7]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa37.1-45.3 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][36][6][7]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][39]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2][5]Brittle — snaps with little warning[28][30]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore 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][41]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[3][42]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — 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)[43]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[44][45]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good[5][2]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[46][28]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[30]
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]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[8][4][39]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C110 (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)[36][1][6][5][7]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3][8][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C93 (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][36][7]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3][8][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C113 (Polymaker, DSC), 142.5 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426 inflection point) and 145 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Polymaker's material guide quotes 150[1][6][2][7]55–61 (DSC)[3][8][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 117–120 (Polymaker, ISO 306); decomposition above 360 °C[1][36]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[24][8][4]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend; extruded PC stock is rated 121 long term (converted from 250 °F)[5][41]50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[30][39]
Annealing response90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[1]Bambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[4][47]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K51.6 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][41]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[48]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating on standard PC, though V-0 grades exist[49][1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][8]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors — unstabilised PC yellows and embrittles under UV[2]Degrades within weeks outdoors[28][24]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[24][28]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[2]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[8][28]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[6]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[4][50]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[2]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[28][50]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[2]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[50][28][4]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[2]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[50]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an electrical insulator, which Polymaker lists as a headline advantage[37][2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[51]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[51]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[51]
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[51]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[51]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[51]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[51][26]None needed in a normal room[51]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[32]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[24][28]
Painting & finishingOptical clarity survives printing, so transparent parts are usually left unpainted[2]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[32]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[28][25]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[32]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[28]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[32]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[8][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailWarping is the dominant accuracy limit; light transmission 89 % on PolyLite PC (GB/T 2410)[1][2]Good — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[30][4][20]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[52]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[53]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[52]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[53][54]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[55]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[56][54]

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. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  3. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PC (Polycarbonate) — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-04 · tds
  8. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  25. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PC FR Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  31. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  34. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PolyMax PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  37. ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  38. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  39. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  41. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  42. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  44. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  45. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  46. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  47. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  48. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  49. PolyMax PC-FR Technical Data Sheet V5.5 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  50. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  51. 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
  52. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  53. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  54. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  55. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  56. 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