Polycarbonate 3d Printing

Standard build surfaces like blue tape and glue stick have adhesives that tend to break down at the high temperatures which is a primary condition while printing with polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate 3d printing.

Abs pla nylon 910 and polycarbonate. The pc 3d printing polycarbonate material offers accuracy durability and stability producing strong parts that can withstand functional testing. Polycarbonate 3d printing guide and tips. The best build surface while 3d printing with polycarbonate is pei.

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. As polycarbonate is a thermoplastic which can be melted and then cooled without degradation it is used with 3d printers using the fdm process. Polycarbonate 3d printing can be difficult if you don t take the proper precautions. This makes a heated bed essential.

Use a proper build surface pei is the best build surface for polycarbonate. 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. The strongest 3d printing material.

The bed should ideally be between 135 and 150 c. This makes polycarbonate 3d printing an excellent choice for making functioning prototypes especially where transparency and non conductivity are desired. Download our free cheatsheet to get 100 reliable 3d prints. The material is prone to warping and shrinkage so it s imperative that a consistent temperature be maintained.

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. In addition pc can stand up to wear and tear. Moreover polycarbonate materials tend to have a higher glass transition temperature which indicates better high temperature performance. How to succeed when 3d printing polycarbonate.

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. These tips will help you reduce the chances of common 3d printing issues associated with polycarbonate such as warping stringing and oozing.