Polycarbonate 3d Printing

Polycarbonate 3d printing guide and tips.

Polycarbonate 3d printing.

How to succeed when 3d printing polycarbonate. Moreover polycarbonate materials tend to have a higher glass transition temperature which indicates better high temperature performance. Another option that people consider is build tak. These tips will help you reduce the chances of common 3d printing issues associated with polycarbonate such as warping stringing and oozing.

This makes a heated bed essential. As a 3d printing filament it s heat resistance is both a benefit and a problematic characteristic as it is even more prone to warping and splitting than abs filament. Polycarbonate 3d printing can be difficult if you don t take the proper precautions. When it comes to strength polycarbonate truly is the king of 3d printer filament dramatically out performing other materials in strength tests in an informal material strength test airwolf 3d printed a series of hooks using a variety of 3d printing materials.

Use a proper build surface pei is the best build surface for polycarbonate. The material is prone to warping and shrinkage so it s imperative that a consistent temperature be maintained. The best build surface while 3d printing with polycarbonate is pei. The strongest 3d printing material.

Polycarbonate filament absorbs moisture from it surroundings and thus needs to be dried before printing. Polycarbonate also denoted as pc is a strong durable and tough material. Abs pla nylon 910 and polycarbonate. Polycarbonate warps a lot even more than abs and layers often split if you 3d print polycarbonate under the wrong conditions the key to minimizing warping is a high temperature heated bed effective heated chamber or enclosure to keep heat in and good layer adhesion.

The pc 3d printing polycarbonate material offers accuracy durability and stability producing strong parts that can withstand functional testing. It s a naturally transparent thermoplastic with high impact resistance and excellent heat resistance. In addition pc can stand up to wear and tear. As polycarbonate is a thermoplastic which can be melted and then cooled without degradation it is used with 3d printers using the fdm process.

Download our free cheatsheet to get 100 reliable 3d prints. Polycarbonate is also available in a filament form which can be used with 3d printers to create prototypes using computer aided design files. It is not delicate and won t deform or break when handled.