Materials · Demanding
PC (polycarbonate)
Among the toughest, and the most heat-resistant on this list. Also among the hardest.
Handles heatHandles impactsStiff and firm
What changes most if you're coming from PLA:
What it's for
- Mechanical parts that work under heat and load.
- Clear parts that are very impact resistant.
What it's not for
- An open printer, except for small parts: it shrinks hard as it cools.
- A printer that can't reach about 290 °C at the nozzle: its profile runs from 260 to 290 °C.
If you're coming from another material
- Nozzle temperature220 °C 280 °C60 °C hotter. PC (polycarbonate) needs more heat to melt properly; printed like PLA, the layers don't fuse and the part breaks easily.
- Bed temperature65 °C 100 °C35 °C hotter. A hotter bed keeps the base warm while the rest prints, so it doesn't shrink or lift at the corners.
- Part fan60–80 % 10–20 %Less air. This material prefers to cool slowly: with lots of fan the layers bond poorly or the part cracks.
- Max volumetric speed12 mm³/s 16 mm³/sIt takes more plastic per second: the profile lets it print faster.
- Softens at45 °C 120 °CIt handles 75 °C more before softening: good for parts that will sit in the sun or near something hot.
What it's like to print
- One of the hottest nozzles on this list (only fiber-filled nylon asks for more) and a very hot bed.
- Almost no fan.
- It wants an enclosed printer: it lifts and cracks easily.
Starting values
From Bambu Studio's generic profile for the A1: they're meant for any brand, so they're cautious. They're a starting point; the calibration tests get you to your filament's own values.
| Nozzle | 280 °C (260–290) |
|---|---|
| Bed, textured plate | 100 °C |
| Bed, smooth plate (PEI) | 100 °C |
| Bed, cool plate | not recommended |
| Fan | 10–20 % |
| Max flow | 16 mm³/s |
| Softens at | 120 °C |
| Hardened nozzle | not needed |
Moisture
It absorbs quite a lot of moisture: when damp it bubbles, comes out weak and with a rough surface.
Drying time and temperature come from your filament's maker: every brand and blend is different, so we don't give numbers here. Look for them on the filament's label or the brand's data sheet.
The settings that change the most
- Nozzle temperatureFilament › FilamentIt needs lots of heat: too cold and the layers don't fuse.
- Maximum fan speedFilament › CoolingAlmost off, so it doesn't crack.
Typical problems:The corners liftThe part breaks or the layers split
Calibrate first:1Temperature
The numbers come from Bambu Studio and the A1, but the material is the same on any FDM printer: on another machine or slicer, the values are similar and everything explained here still applies.
Other materials
PLAPLA SilkPETGPCTGTPUABSASANylon (PA)PP (polypropylene)HIPSFiber-filled (CF and GF)Soluble supports (PVA and BVOH)