FDM – PC-ABS
PC-ABS is a high-performance composite material used in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. It combines the properties of Polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), two widely used engineering plastics. The result is a material that offers a balance of toughness, heat resistance, and impact resistance, with the added benefits of easier printability compared to pure Polycarbonate. It’s perfect for functional prototyping, rugged tooling, and production parts.
Key Material Facts:
- Impact Resistance: PC-ABS offers excellent toughness and impact resistance, making it suitable for parts that need to withstand mechanical stress, impacts, and general wear and tear.
- Moderate Heat Resistance: While not as heat-resistant as pure Polycarbonate (PC), PC-ABS still offers a glass transition temperature (Tg) of around 105°C, which allows it to perform in applications that require moderate heat resistance.
- Chemical Resistance: PC-ABS exhibits good resistance to a variety of chemicals, including oils, greases, and some solvents, providing reliability in harsh environment’s
- Dimensional Stability: The material offers good dimensional accuracy and stability during printing, reducing the likelihood of shrinkage and warping.
- Easy to clean
- Bonds well with other Materials
- Durable and Weather Resistant
- Material can be Vapor Smoothed
Common Applications:
- Functional Prototypes: PC-ABS is commonly used for prototyping applications where durability, impact resistance, and heat resistance are important. It is ideal for producing functional prototypes that mimic the performance of final products.
- Automotive Parts: Due to its strength and toughness, PC-ABS is used in automotive applications such as interior parts, housings, and brackets, which need to withstand mechanical stress and exposure to heat.
- Industrial Equipment: Suitable for producing durable components used in industrial equipment, jigs, fixtures, and tooling that require impact resistance and toughness.
- Consumer Goods: Used for creating prototypes and end-use parts in the consumer electronics, appliances, and toys industries, where a balance of strength, heat resistance, and ease of manufacturing is required.
- Electronics: PC-ABS is often used for producing housings and enclosures for electronic devices, providing both protection and the ability to withstand moderate temperatures.
- Aerospace and Defense: While not as heat-resistant as pure PC, PC-ABS is still suitable for some aerospace and defense applications that need a balance of strength, toughness, and moderate heat resistance.
Material Reference Data:
- For more information on how the FDM printing process works please check out this page.
- For FDM part design trick and tips check out this page.
- Material manufacturers website
FDM – PC-ABS: Technical Specifications
Mechanical Properties
| Property Description | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | 41 MPa |
| Tensile Elongation | 6% |
| Flexural Strength | 68 MPa |
| Impact Strength (Unnotched) | 481 J/m |
| Heat Deflection (HDT) @ 66 psi, 0.125” | 110 °C |
| Volume Resistivity | 2.0×1014 – 4.4×1013 ohm-cm |
| Dissipation Factor | .0035 – .0032 |
FDM – PC-ABS: Part Gallery
