PC
ISO 7391 · also Calibre, Makrolon
PC is an amorphous bisphenol-A polycarbonate with about 88% light transmission, high notched impact toughness and a glass transition near 145 °C.
PC grades and fills
PC is supplied in 12 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 12 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDM/FFF filament part | For 3D-printed PC tooling and jigs: keeps PC's heat resistance but layer bonding cuts strength and impact sharply. | — | 50 | 5 | — |
PTFE-lubricated bearing grade | Internally lubricated compound for gears, bushings and sliding parts where unfilled PC would squeal and wear. | 54 | 55 | 6 | 79 Shore D |
ESD / static-dissipative compound | For electronics trays, carriers and covers requiring controlled surface resistivity; opaque, black, reduced ductility. | 58 | 60 | 20 | 85 Shore D |
UL 94 V-0 rated | For thin-wall electrical parts that must certify V-0 at 1.5 mm or less, often with 5VA option. | 61 | 63 | 90 | 85 Shore D |
Flame retardant | Choose for enclosures needing a flame rating with only a small loss of impact and heat resistance. | 62 | 65 | 100 | 84 Shore D |
Standard injection/extrusion grade (medium viscosity) | The commodity medium-viscosity molding grade (Makrolon 2405/2407, Lexan 940-class) for general housings and covers. | 63 | 66 | 110 | 84 Shore D |
10% glass fiber reinforced | Modest stiffness and shrinkage improvement while keeping usable toughness; opaque. | — | 80 | 6 | — |
20% glass fiber reinforced | Balanced stiffness/strength upgrade for structural housings and brackets. | — | 100 | 4 | — |
10% carbon fiber reinforced | Stiff, light and partially static-dissipative; used for handling fixtures and slim electronic frames. | — | 105 | 3 | — |
30% glass fiber reinforced | Maximum stiffness/creep resistance and lowest shrinkage in PC; brittle and abrasive to tooling. | — | 125 | 3 | — |
20% carbon fiber reinforced | Highest specific stiffness PC compound, conductive enough for ESD housings; anisotropic and brittle. | — | 145 | 2 | — |
40% Glass Fiber | Highly glass-reinforced polycarbonate with maximum stiffness and dimensional stability, low CTE and near-zero ductility; used for structural housings, brackets and metal-replacement parts. | — | 150 | 2 | 93 HRM |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PC is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Extruded Sheet | Extruded solid sheet | Supply form |
ISO Medical | ISO 10993 tested medical grade | Certification |
Medical | Medical grade | Certification |
Optical | Optical grade | Grade option |
UV Stabilized | UV stabilized / weatherable | Grade option |
UnfilledDefault | Natural/transparent general purpose PC | Standard supply |
What is PC?
PC is an amorphous bisphenol-A polycarbonate with about 88% light transmission, high notched impact toughness and a glass transition near 145 °C. It is specified for safety guards, lighting, electronic housings and optical parts, supplied as moulding resin, extruded sheet, machining stock and filament; unfilled tensile is 68 MPa at 110% elongation. Weak points are poor resistance to aromatic solvents, ketones and alkalis, stress-crack sensitivity, moderate wear and weathering (yellowing without UV stabiliser), and moisture sensitivity that makes pre-drying mandatory. PC/ABS is the usual alternative where chemical resistance matters more than clarity. PC has a density of 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F). PC has a yield strength of 63 MPa (9.14 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — stronger than 74% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 110% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.341 Msi).
What is PC used for?
- Machine guards and safety shields
- Clear windows and glazing panels
- Lighting lenses and light pipes
- Electronic and instrument enclosures
- Medical device housings
- Battery and connector housings
- Face shields and protective covers
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 85/100, better than 92% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 55/100, worse than 94% of polymer grades
PC properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Unfilled condition; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
PC has a density of 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F).
Mechanical17
PC has a yield strength of 63 MPa (9.14 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — stronger than 74% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 110% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.341 Msi).
Thermal11
PC is rated for continuous service to 120°C (248 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 67 µm/m·K (37.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PC is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), worse than 94% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PC takes about 105 MJ of energy and emits 6.3 kg of CO₂ — more than 54% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability8
PC's machinability is good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability very good (75/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. PC is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PC
Is PC easy to machine?
Machines cleanly with sharp, high-rake tools, high speed and low feed with air/mist cooling; anneal 1–2 h near 120 °C before/after cutting to avoid stress crazing, and never use aggressive coolants.
Can PC be welded?
Joins well by ultrasonic, hot-plate, laser and solvent/adhesive bonding (methylene-chloride or urethane/epoxy); avoid over-welding that traps stress, and dry parts first.
Can PC be formed, bent or molded?
Dry to <0.02% moisture (120 °C, 3–4 h) before molding at 280–320 °C melt / 80–120 °C mold; sheet thermoforms and cold line-bends easily with generous bend radii (>1.5× thickness cold).
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to PC. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
CNC machining
| Machinability | Better65 / 100 |
|---|---|
| ISO material group | N.8 |
| Cutting speed (rough / finish) | 400 / 500 m/min |
| Minimum wall | 0.5 mm |
| Minimum internal radius | 1 mm |
| Drill depth limit | 10× diameter |
| Best surface (machined / polished) | Ra 0.8 / — |
| Hardenable after machining | No |
Sheet metal
| Formability | Excellent75 / 100 |
|---|---|
| Weldability | Excellent70 / 100 |
Injection molding
| Mold shrinkage | 0.3 – 0.7 % |
|---|---|
| Wall thickness | 0.8 – 4 mm |
| Recommended draft | 1 ° |
| Pre-drying | 80 °C for 4 h |
| UV resistance | Fair |
3D printing
| Technologies | FDM |
|---|---|
| Layer height | 50 – 300 µmdefault 100 µm |
| Minimum wall / feature | 1 / 0.5 mm |
| Build envelope | 300 × 300 × 380 mm |
| Supports | Yes |
| Anisotropy | Moderate |
PC chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| heat/process stabilizer (phosphite, hind | 0.05 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| mold release (ester/wax) | 0.1 – 0.6 | 0.3 |
| UV absorber (benzotriazole/triazine)only in UV-stabilized/weatherable grades | 0 – 1 | 0 |
| glass fiberGF10–GF40 reinforced variants | 0 – 40 | 0 |
| carbon fiberCF10–CF30 variants | 0 – 30 | 0 |
| flame retardant (organic phosphate / sulFR / V-0 variants | 0 – 8 | 0 |
| bisphenol-A polycarbonate (BPA-PC) resinlinear aromatic polycarbonate from bisphenol A + phosgene or melt transesterification with diphenyl carbonate | ≥ 95 (balance) | — |
What surface finishes work on PC?
Takes vacuum metallizing, hard-coat (silicone/acrylic) for scratch and UV protection, pad printing and paint with PC-compatible solvent systems; polish with fine abrasives and plastic compound, and avoid alkaline or ketone cleaners.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on polymer parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Coating
Injection Molding Coating
Organic Coating
Metallization / Functional
Coloring
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to PC in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- 7391
- Trade names
- CalibreMakrolonPanliteSabic PCTarflonPC FilamentLexanIupilonIupilon S-2000Iupilon S-3000Lexan 121Lexan 121RLexan 141Lexan 141RLexan 940ALexan HP1Makrolon 2407Makrolon 2458Makrolon 2605Makrolon 2805Makrolon 2807Makrolon 3105Makrolon 3108Panlite L-1225Panlite L-1225YPC-101PC-102PC-105PC-108PC-110PC-112PC-115PC-118PC-122PC-175TrirexTrirex 3022WonderliteWonderlite PC-110Xantar
- Also called
- Polycarbonate
How much does PC cost?
PC is a budget-cost polymer ($), cheaper than about 82% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PC — frequently asked
What is PC used for?
PC is typically used for machine guards and safety shields, clear windows and glazing panels, lighting lenses and light pipes, electronic and instrument enclosures, medical device housings and battery and connector housings. In short: impact resistant; stiff.
What is the yield strength of PC?
PC has a typical yield strength of 63 MPa (9.14 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — stronger than 74% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 12 listed tempers.
Is PC easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades). Machines cleanly with sharp, high-rake tools, high speed and low feed with air/mist cooling; anneal 1–2 h near 120 °C before/after cutting to avoid stress crazing, and never use aggressive coolants.
Can PC be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Joins well by ultrasonic, hot-plate, laser and solvent/adhesive bonding (methylene-chloride or urethane/epoxy); avoid over-welding that traps stress, and dry parts first.
What surface finishes work on PC?
Takes vacuum metallizing, hard-coat (silicone/acrylic) for scratch and UV protection, pad printing and paint with PC-compatible solvent systems; polish with fine abrasives and plastic compound, and avoid alkaline or ketone cleaners.
Can PC be formed, bent or molded?
Dry to <0.02% moisture (120 °C, 3–4 h) before molding at 280–320 °C melt / 80–120 °C mold; sheet thermoforms and cold line-bends easily with generous bend radii (>1.5× thickness cold).
What is the maximum service temperature of PC?
PC is rated for continuous use to about 120°C (248 °F), and briefly to 145°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does PC cost?
PC is a budget-cost polymer ($), cheaper than about 82% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Can FabDigit make parts in PC?
Yes — PC is available for CNC machining, sheet metal, injection molding and 3D printing with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- Makrolon polycarbonate product datasheets and processing guide — Covestro (2023)
- LEXAN resin product datasheets — SABIC (2023)
- Panlite / Iupilon PC grade data — Teijin / Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics (2022)
- CAMPUS plastics database — PC ISO 10350 datasets — CWFG/CAMPUS (2024)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- ISO 7391 Plastics — Polycarbonate moulding and extrusion materials — ISO (2006)
- ASTM D3935 Standard Classification System for Polycarbonate Molding and Extrusion Materials — ASTM (2017)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.