Polycarbonate

About

Polycarbonate (PC) is an engineering-grade thermoplastic that outperforms standard FDM materials on both heat resistance and impact strength. It holds its shape up to around 150 °C, well above ABS's roughly 105 °C, PETG's roughly 80 °C, and PLA's roughly 60 °C, while also resisting impact and fracture better than ABS.

It's naturally transparent and resists many oils, acids, and alkalis.

Without UV stabilization, PC can gradually yellow under prolonged direct sunlight, similar to ABS, so for long-term outdoor use, ASA remains the better fit. It's also not ideal for parts under continuous repeated flexing, where fatigue can lead to stress cracking over time.

PC suits functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, protective covers, and parts that need to withstand both heat and impact.

Technical Details

Accuracy

±0.3% (lower limit of ±0.3 mm)

Density

1.2 g/cm³

Min. wall thickness

1 mm

Tensile strength

57 - 64 MPa

Tensile modulus

1700 - 2480 MPa

Tensile elongation

4 - 10.8%

Flexural strength

84.3 - 95 MPa

Flexural modulus

1685 - 2300 MPa

HDT (0.45 MPa)

110 - 113°C

Default layer height

0.2 mm

Default infill

20%

Embossing

min. 0.8 mm

Engraving

min. 0.8 mm

Interlocking parts

Yes

Warping risk

Yes, for parts over 140mm or parts with thin long structures

Maximum printing dimensions

1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 mm