FDM Polycarbonate vs. PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes

Compare FDM Polycarbonate vs. PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planesComposite

Mechanical
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD
Yield strength	53.3MPasourcetypical	not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength	53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield)	246–385MPasourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D3039)
Flexural strength	89.4MPasourcetypical	not sourced
Elongation at break	9.2%sourcetypical	not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)	2.39GPasourcetypical	21.9–25.8GPasourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction (ASTM D790-15e2); the copper planes are left out
Density	1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange	not sourced
Strength to weight	44.8kN·m/kg	not sourced
Stiffness to weight	2.01MN·m/kg	not sourced
Poisson's ratio	0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)	0.171–0.177sourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane: cross direction .. length direction
Shear modulus	0.867GPa	10.2GPa11.7x stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus	3.33GPa	12.2GPa
Speed of sound	1,418m/s	not sourced
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C	not sourced
Thermal expansion	65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel	13–14µm/m·Ksourcethe bare laminate's (fr4-370hr), in-plane X/Y-axis, below Tg (IPC-TM-650 2.4.24C)
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	325µm growth	67.5µm growth4.81x less
Specific heat	not sourced	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	not sourced	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	42.5W/m	not sourced
Glass transition	108°Csourcetypical	not sourced
Max service temperature	105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)	not sourced
Values for	Ultimaker PC, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS (file v5.00), April 20, 2022.	A whole circuit board read as one orthotropic plate: the JEDEC high-K thermal test board (JESD51-7, "2s2p"), 0.062 in (1.575 mm) thick with two internal solid copper planes 0.0014 in (1 oz) thick, as Texas Instruments SZZA017A Table 1 gives it. Copper C110 and the Isola 370HR laminate from this library; the layers conduct in parallel along the board and in series through it (boardStackup.ts). Its two 0.0028 in trace layers cover little of the board and are left out; vias are ignored. Mechanical values are the bare laminate's.

Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

FDM Polycarbonate is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Is FDM Polycarbonate stronger than PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes?

PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes is stronger: its tensile strength is 315 MPa against yield strength 53.3 MPa for FDM Polycarbonate (5.92x).

Which is stiffer, FDM Polycarbonate or PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes?

PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes is stiffer: Young's modulus 23.9 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes deflects less under the same load.

Which expands less with temperature?

PCB Board FR-4, 2 copper planes expands less: 13.5 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.

Among 73 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density