Polycarbonate (PC) Filament Explained: Types, Heat, Setup

Who this guide is for

You need parts that take more heat than PETG, ABS, or ASA, or a tough translucent plastic, and polycarbonate keeps coming up. This guide covers the kinds of PC that makers sell, what their heat figures mean, and the hotend, bed, chamber, drying, and annealing each maker asks for. It also covers AMS rules, what makers say about transparency, and which printers can do the job.

Everything here comes from documents published by Bambu Lab, Prusa, Polymaker, and eSUN, listed in the sources. We haven't printed these filaments for this page. Each figure describes one maker's product under that maker's test conditions. Our heat deformation guide compares PC with PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, and nylon, and our annealing guide covers oven cycles for every material. This page sticks to what's specific to PC.

The PC types makers sell

Prusa's PC guide says "Pure polycarbonate is not suitable for 3D printing because of its bad surface adhesion and significant thermal expansion," and that "various additives are usually added to improve printability." Prusa doesn't say what those additives are. These are the grades we checked:

Polymaker's wiki also lists "PC-ABS Blends" and "PC-ISO (Medical Grade)" as variants. We didn't find a PC-ABS product page from these four makers to check, so this guide doesn't cover it. Bambu Lab's filament guide names PC-CF among the materials for which it recommends an enclosed printer, but we didn't check a Bambu PC-CF product.

With and without carbon fiber

Prusa's two PC grades show the trade-off. Prusa rates unfilled PC Blend's printing difficulty "High" and its susceptibility to warping "High." It rates PC Blend Carbon Fiber "Easy" and "Low," and says it's "possible to print large models." The carbon version needs "a hardened steel nozzle," and Prusa lists "Breakable filament (unlike Prusament PC Blend)" as a con.

Their data sheets, both printed on an Original Prusa i3 MK3S, show the filled grade stiffer. Tensile modulus is 2.6 GPa horizontal and 3.2 GPa vertical, against 1.9 and 2.0 GPa (ISO 527-1). Interlayer adhesion is 23 ± 2 MPa against 21 ± 2 MPa (Prusa Polymers method). Our carbon fiber guide covers what fiber does to every base plastic, and our PLA-CF vs PETG-CF guide compares two more common carbon-filled grades.

How heat resistant is PC filament?

Heat deflection temperature (HDT) is the main heat figure on PC data sheets. It's measured under a set load, so a figure at 0.45 MPa can't be compared with one at 1.8 MPa. All HDT figures below are ISO 75 unless noted.

Vicat is ISO 306 / GB/T 1633 on the Bambu and Polymaker sheets. Glass transition is by DSC at 10 °C/min.

What to watch for in these numbers

• Bambu PC's figures run the wrong way. Its V2.0 data sheet lists 117 °C at 1.8 MPa and 112 °C at 0.45 MPa. On every other sheet here, the 1.8 MPa figure is the lower one, including Bambu's own PC FR sheet. We've reported the figures as printed, and Bambu Lab doesn't explain them.
• How specimens were treated differs. Bambu Lab's PC and PC FR sheets say all specimens "were annealed and dried at 80 °C for 12 hours" (PC FR: "12 h") before testing. Polymaker printed its PC specimens at an "Environmental temperature" of 90 °C and doesn't say they were annealed. Prusa's specimen notes give print settings and don't mention annealing.
• eSUN gives no test load. Its PC-HT page says HDT "has been increased by 33%, reaching an impressive 114°C," while the specification table gives 113.6 °C. It doesn't say what the 33% is measured against.
• Prusa's "temperature resistance" is the 0.45 MPa figure. The material pages give "High temperature resistance up to 113 °C" for PC Blend and "Excellent temperature resistance (114 °C)" for the carbon version. Those match the 0.45 MPa HDT on each data sheet.
• Polymaker's wiki and data sheets disagree. The wiki's PC page says PC "Maintains structural integrity up to 150°C (glass transition temperature)" with HDT "exceeding 115°C." Polymaker's PolyLite PC and PolyMax PC sheets give a 113 °C glass transition and HDT of 99–114 °C. For a spool you're buying, go by its data sheet.

Prusa says annealing raises PC Blend Carbon Fiber's temperature resistance "up to 130 °C," without naming a test or load. The annealing section below covers this. For how these figures compare with other plastics, see our heat deformation guide.

Toughness

Makers sell PC on toughness, but their impact figures vary widely. These are notched Charpy figures (ISO 179), X-Y or horizontal:

Polymaker's two PC grades sit at opposite ends. It markets PolyLite PC on stiffness and translucency, and PolyMax PC on "strength, toughness, and heat resistance." eSUN reports Izod rather than Charpy figures, so we've left them out of this table. It claims "2.8× Greater Impact Resistance" for PC-HT without saying what that's compared with. Prusa's PC guide lists "High impact tenacity and tensile strength" as a pro of PC in general.

Hotend and nozzle

Some makers' general advice differs from their product sheets. Polymaker's wiki says PC needs an "All-metal hotend capable of 260–310°C," while both its PC products list 250–270 °C. Prusa's PC guide recommends 275 °C, and its CORE One+ page lists 270–285 °C for "PC / PCCF." Bambu Lab's filament guide marks a 0.2 mm nozzle "Not Recommended" for PC, but the PC FR data sheet lists 0.2 mm among its nozzle sizes.

Most makers keep the part-cooling fan low or off. Polymaker says "OFF," Bambu Lab gives 0–60%, and Prusa gives 20% (0–30%) for PC Blend and 0% (0–20%) for the carbon version. Prusa notes that for the carbon blend, "cooling decreases significantly interlayer adhesion with just small or no effect on printing quality."

Only Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber and eSUN PC-ESD call for a hardened nozzle among the grades here. Our abrasive filament nozzle guide covers nozzle materials, and our worn nozzle guide covers the signs that a nozzle has worn out.

Bed and adhesion

PC grips some surfaces too well, so makers ask for a separating layer more often than for extra grip:

• Prusa says "We do not suggest using PC on a smooth PEI sheet. Its great adhesion might damage the surface!" and to use glue stick as a separation layer if you have to. Its PC guide recommends a powder-coated textured or satin sheet with glue stick, adding that the satin sheet "works perfectly without a glue stick" but that "it is recommended to use a separation layer to prevent surface wear." For PC Blend, the material page says a separating agent is required even on the textured sheet, which its other documentation says doesn't need glue: "the PC Blend is an exception." For the carbon version, Prusa lists "clean Satin and Powder-coated TXT sheet," or smooth PEI with glue stick, and warns that damage to smooth PEI "is not covered by the warranty." Bed: 110 ± 10 °C for both. The PC guide says 110 °C for the first layer and 115 °C after.
• Bambu Lab lists PC at 100–120 ℃ on its Engineering, Smooth PEI/High-Temperature, and Textured PEI plates, and "Not recommended" on the Cool Plate. Its glue table gives 100–120 °C with glue stick and marks liquid glue "Not Recommended" for PC. The PC data sheet gives 90–110 °C with "PVP Glue" on the Engineering, High Temperature, or Textured PEI plate. The PC product page says PC is not compatible with the Cool Plate SuperTack or Bambu Liquid Glue.
• Polymaker gives 90–105 °C on "Texture PEI (Glue when needed)" for PolyLite PC and PolyMax PC. Its product pages say "Magigoo PC highly recommended to help with bed adhesion." Its wiki gives 90–120 °C for PC in general.
• eSUN gives 100–110 °C for PC-HT and 100 °C for PC-ESD, and marks a heated bed "Required" for both.

Bed adhesion also depends on the room. Prusa says a printer can show a "Bed thermal runaway" error when the room is below 18 °C, because it "cannot hold the high heatbed temperature." It suggests a brim for parts with a small footprint, and its PC Blend data sheet says to "Use a 4 mm brim for parts bigger than 5 cm." For the carbon blend, "The brim is not necessary in general." Our bed adhesives guide and PEI sheet damage guide cover the options and the risks.

Does PC need an enclosure?

Every maker except Prusa (for its carbon blend) asks for an enclosure. They don't agree on how hot it should be:

The 70–100 °C on Polymaker's data sheets is above what the printer makers below say their chambers reach. Polymaker's own wiki says most makers don't have "a heated chamber that can get above 60˚C," which is why it asks for annealing straight after the print (see the next section).

Prusa says PC "tends to warp a lot, even with the additives," and "Polycarbonate is not suitable for printing large objects covering the whole sheet." It suggests fewer perimeters and less infill for large PC parts, rounded rather than sharp edges, and a skirt as tall as the part to "make a microclimate" around it if you have no enclosure.

Cracking between layers is the other failure makers mention. Polymaker's wiki says that "If polycarbonate cools too rapidly - then it is very likely that the layers will 'crack' and delaminate." Its PolyLite PC FAQ says to keep "ambient air temps as high as possible" and anneal "the moment the print finishes." Our enclosure planning guide covers what an enclosure can and can't do, including heat around the electronics, and the warping and layer adhesion guides cover the fixes.

Does PC filament need drying?

Makers disagree most here. Prusa's PC guide says "most polycarbonates" are "extremely hygroscopic," but that Prusament PC Blend "tends to absorb moisture much less than other polycarbonates." Bambu Lab says its PC "is highly moisture-absorbent." Polymaker's FAQ says PolyLite PC "will absorb moisture slightly faster than regular PLA."

Published absorption figures are low, and the conditions differ, so compare within one maker only:

Each maker's drying advice:

Where the drying advice conflicts

• Polymaker's PolyLite PC page gives three settings. Its print settings say 75 °C for 12 hours, its printing tips say "the listed 75°C / 6h drying cycle," and its spec box says 100 °C for 8 hours. The data sheet says 75 °C for 6 hours. The spec box is the outlier.
• Prusa says no drying, then gives a drying setting. The material pages say its PC blends don't need drying before printing. Its drying guide still lists 85 °C for PC Blend and 90 °C for the carbon version, for when they do. Prusa says not to exceed its listed temperatures "or the filament will soften and stick together," and its newer black spools resist up to 90 °C.
• Bambu Lab's pages differ slightly. Its filament guide and data sheet say 80 °C, and its drying guide says 75–85 °C. Its spools are rated to 90 °C, according to the data sheet.

Bambu Lab adds a PC-specific warning. Its drying guide says PC "may become brittle after repeated" heating and cooling during drying, "due to accumulated thermal stress." It says this doesn't affect printed parts, but "increases the risk of filament breakage during printing." Its advice is to keep a dried PC spool sealed with desiccant, so the next print needs a short drying cycle or none. Our dryer vs dry box guide and wet filament guide cover the equipment and the symptoms.

Annealing

Polymaker and Prusa anneal PC for different reasons:

• Polymaker PolyLite PC and PolyMax PC: 90 °C for 2 hours, "right after the printing process to release the residual internal stress." Its wiki says this "is done for a completely different reason" than annealing semi-crystalline materials such as nylon. It wants the oven "already at its set temperature before the print finishes," the print moved "directly into that oven," then "let the oven slowly cool to room temperature." It adds "You may need to transfer the print with the build plate." The PolyMax PC FAQ says the internal stress "can creates micro cracks over time and weaken the part."
• Bambu PC FR: its data sheet suggests 85–100 °C for 6–12 hours, and warns that "some prints may deform and warp after annealing." Bambu's PC data sheet gives no annealing setting for prints.
• Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber: preheat the oven to 140 °C, anneal for 120 minutes, then let the part cool to room temperature. Prusa says this can raise "the temperature resistance to 130 °C" and that shrinkage is "less than 1%." Prusa gives no annealing advice for unfilled PC Blend.

Our annealing guide covers every maker's cycle, the shrinkage annealing causes, and oven safety.

AMS and other automatic feeders

Bambu Lab's rules for its own PC and third-party PC differ:

• Bambu PC and PC FR: both product pages say "AMS 2 Pro, AMS HT & AMS Compatible" and "AMS lite NOT Compatible."
• The filament guide doesn't separate the AMS lite. Its compatibility table lists PC as "Compatible" in a column headed "AMS / AMS lite." The product pages are more specific, and both say no to the AMS lite, so we'd follow them.
• Drying in the AMS: Bambu Lab says the AMS 2 Pro is for filaments that dry at 65 °C or lower, and marks PC drying in it "Not recommended" (filament guide) or "Not compatible" (drying guide). The AMS HT can dry PC at 80 °C for 8 hours.
• Third-party filament: Bambu Lab's Notes for AMS recommend Bambu filament, and advise against "third-party fiber reinforcement materials (PA-CF/GF, PET-CF/GF, PLA-CF /GF, etc.)," which can wear the AMS PTFE tubes and break. That list doesn't name PC-CF, but Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber is a third-party fiber-filled filament, and Prusa calls it "Breakable."

Polymaker says its spools "spin great in the AMS." That's a statement about the spool, not the filament. Neither Prusa nor eSUN says its PC is AMS compatible on the pages we checked. Bambu Lab also warns that "Due to the transparent properties of the filament, Lidar Extrusion Calibration can be affected when printing Transparent PC." Our AMS filament compatibility guide covers the external spool route.

Transparency claims

Makers describe PC's clarity in different terms:

• Bambu Lab calls PC "a naturally transparent thermoplastic," and its PC page refers to "Transparent PC."
• Prusa lists "Pure polycarbonate is transparent" as a pro of PC in general. It makes no clarity claim for PC Blend.
• Polymaker's PolyLite PC data sheet lists 89% light transmission (GB/T 2410), and the product page calls it "Translucent & Light Diffusing." Its wiki says PC "Retains transparency post-printing, suitable for light diffusers." PolyMax PC's sheet lists light transmission as "N/A."

None of these makers says a printed PC part will be glass-clear, though Polymaker's wiki says PC's optical clarity makes it "ideal for lenses, light guides, and transparent housings." Polymaker sells PolyLite PC for light diffusion. Polymaker's wiki also says PC is "Difficult to sand or smooth; machining or vapor polishing required."

Outdoor use

Makers disagree on sunlight. Polymaker's wiki lists "UV Sensitivity: Degrades under prolonged sunlight unless coated" as a limitation of PC. eSUN's PC-HT page refers to "the excellent weather resistance inherent to PC." Prusa lists "Good UV stability" for PC Blend Carbon Fiber specifically. If a part will live outdoors, check the claim for your exact spool.

Which printers can print PC?

A printer needs a hotend that covers the filament's range, a bed that reaches 100–120 °C for most grades, and usually an enclosure. These notes come from printer makers' documentation and our printer pages:

• Open-frame Bambu Lab printers (A series, P1P): the filament guide marks PC "Not Recommended" on open-frame printers, and the PC product page says it's "Not compatible with A Series Printers." Bambu Lab's A1 FAQ is less strict. It says not to use PC on the A1 for large or high-infill parts that need interlayer strength, but that high-temperature materials "can be used on A1 for printing small-sized models with low infill densities." The same FAQ gives the A1 a 100 ℃ maximum bed, the bottom of the filament guide's 100–120 ℃ PC range.
• Enclosed Bambu Lab printers: the filament guide marks the H2 series, X2D, P2S, X1 series, and P1S "Recommended" for PC. Bambu Lab's H2D page lists "65°C active chamber heating" and a 350 °C hotend. Our catalog lists a 300 °C maximum hotend for the P1S, P2S, and X1 Carbon, and 320 °C for the X1E. The H2D's 65 °C doesn't reach the 70–100 °C chamber on Polymaker's data sheets, but it covers Bambu Lab's own 45–60 °C chamber setting.
• Prusa CORE One+ and CORE One L: Prusa says the CORE One+ chamber "heats up to 55 °C" and the CORE One L to 60 °C, with a 290 °C maximum nozzle temperature (400 °C with Prusa's HT option, per its comparison table). Prusa's CORE One+ page says PC "Requires elevated chamber temperatures - this is where CORE One+ excels." PC Blend's 275 ± 10 °C fits under 290 °C. The top of PC Blend Carbon Fiber's 285 ± 10 °C range doesn't, so stay at or below 290 °C, and fit a hardened nozzle, since the stock nozzle is brass in our catalog.
• Open Prusa printers: our catalog lists the MK4S and XL as open-frame with 290 °C hotends, and the MINI/MINI+ at 280 °C. Prusa's PC Blend Carbon Fiber is the grade that its maker says needs no enclosure. The MINI's 280 °C is below the top of either Prusament PC range.
• Creality: our catalog lists the K1, K1 Max, and K1C as enclosed with 300 °C hotends. The Ender-3 V3 SE is listed at 260 °C and the Ender-3 V2 at 250 °C. The V2's 250 °C only reaches the bottom of Polymaker's range and none of the others.

eSUN's PC-HT asks for 290–300 °C, which is at or above the maximum for most printers here. Never set a hotend above its maker's maximum.

Checklist before you buy PC

• Pick the grade for the job: PolyLite PC for translucent, light-diffusing parts; PolyMax PC, Bambu PC, or Prusament PC Blend for tough functional parts; Bambu PC FR where flame retardancy matters; PC Blend Carbon Fiber if you have no enclosure but do have a hardened nozzle.
• Compare heat figures at the same test load from the same maker, and check whether the specimens were annealed.
• Check your hotend against the range. Most grades here need 250–290 °C, and eSUN PC-HT needs up to 300 °C.
• Check your bed reaches the maker's range. Most need 100–110 °C, and Bambu Lab lists up to 120 ℃.
• Plan a separating layer: glue stick on Prusa and Bambu Lab plates, Magigoo PC for Polymaker. Avoid bare smooth PEI.
• Check the chamber you can reach against the filament maker's figure, from 45–60 °C (Bambu Lab) to 70–100 °C (Polymaker data sheets).
• Have a dryer that reaches 75–90 °C and a sealed box with desiccant, and avoid drying the same spool over and over.
• If you can't hold a hot chamber, plan to anneal Polymaker PC straight after printing.
• Don't load Bambu PC or PC FR into an AMS lite (both product pages say no), or third-party fiber-filled PC into any Bambu AMS.

Ready to choose?

The specialty filament shortlist includes Polymaker PolyLite PC (Transparent) and Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber alongside ASA, with each maker's nozzle, bed, enclosure, and drying needs. The carbon fiber filament shortlist also covers PC Blend Carbon Fiber, next to fiber nylon, PETG, and PLA. Before you buy, check your enclosure options in the printer enclosure shortlist, your dryer in the filament dryer shortlist, and, for the carbon blend, your nozzle in the replacement nozzle shortlist. For other heat-resistant materials, read our nylon filament guide or ABS vs ASA.

How this page was checked

Every claim above comes from the manufacturer documents in the sources section, retrieved on 2026-10-13. Where makers disagree, or one maker's pages disagree with each other, we report each statement and name the document. Heat, impact, and moisture figures are copied from each data sheet's own tables, and specimen notes are attributed to the table they sit under. We didn't use product-page reviews or customer comments, and we used help-article comments only where a Prusa staff member is labelled as official, which none of the claims above relies on. Settings change between data sheet versions, so check the current one for your spool. Read more in our editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.

Specialty materials: what to check before you buy a spool ↗