Materials / Compare
FDM Polycarbonate vs. Plastic PBT GF30
Compare FDM Polycarbonate vs. Plastic PBT GF30 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 53.3MPasourcetypical | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 140MPasourcestress at break, 23 °C |
| Flexural strength | 89.4MPasourcetypical | 210MPasourcetypical, 23 °C |
| Elongation at break | 9.2%sourcetypical | 3%sourcestrain at break, 23 °C |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.39GPasourcetypical | 9.8GPasourcetypical, 23 °C |
| Density | 1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange | 1,530kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 44.8kN·m/kg | 91.5kN·m/kg2.04x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.01MN·m/kg | 6.41MN·m/kg3.18x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1) | not sourced |
| Shear modulus | 0.867GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 3.33GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,418m/s | 2,531m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C | 0.27W/m·Ksourcetypical (DIN 52612-1) |
| Thermal expansion | 65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel | 25µm/m·Ksourcelongitudinal (flow), mean 23-55 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 325µm growth | 125µm growth2.6x less |
| Specific heat | not sourced | 1,050J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 23 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | not sourced | 0.168mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 42.5W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | not sourced | 223°CsourceDSC (ISO 11357) |
| Glass transition | 108°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 205°CsourceHDT 1.8 MPa |
| 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. | BASF Ultradur B 4300 G6 (PBT, 30% glass fibre), injection moulding grade; product information sheet 09/2026, typical values for uncoloured product at 23 °C. |
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 Plastic PBT GF30?
Plastic PBT GF30 is stronger: its tensile strength is 140 MPa against yield strength 53.3 MPa for FDM Polycarbonate (2.63x).
Which is lighter, FDM Polycarbonate or Plastic PBT GF30?
FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 1,530 kg/m³ for Plastic PBT GF30.
Which is stiffer, FDM Polycarbonate or Plastic PBT GF30?
Plastic PBT GF30 is stiffer: Young's modulus 9.8 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Plastic PBT GF30 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, FDM Polycarbonate or Plastic PBT GF30?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic PBT GF30 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | FDM Polycarbonate | Plastic PBT GF30 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 3.18x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 1.57x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 24% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | 2.04x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 48% heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 26% heavier | lighter |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, FDM Polycarbonate or Plastic PBT GF30?
Plastic PBT GF30 conducts heat better: 0.27 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.
Which expands less with temperature?
Plastic PBT GF30 expands less: 25 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.