PC ESD
Grade
ISO 7391 · also Calibre, Makrolon
ESD = eSD / static-dissipative compound
For electronics trays, carriers and covers requiring controlled surface resistivity; opaque, black, reduced ductility.
Values for the ESD condition
Other PC grades and fills
PC is listed in 12 conditions; see the grade overview at PC.
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 |
ESDThis page 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 |
What is PC ESD?
PC ESD is PC in the ESD grade — for electronics trays, carriers and covers requiring controlled surface resistivity; opaque, black, reduced ductility. PC ESD has a yield strength of 58 MPa (8.41 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 66% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 2.6 GPa (0.377 Msi). PC ESD has a density of 1.22 g/cm³ (0.0441 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F).
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 85/100, better than 92% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 50/100, worse than 97% of polymer grades
PC ESD properties
Typical room-temperature values for PC ESD; 30 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are PC reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
PC ESD has a density of 1.22 g/cm³ (0.0441 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F).
Mechanical17
PC ESD has a yield strength of 58 MPa (8.41 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 66% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 2.6 GPa (0.377 Msi).
Thermal11
PC ESD is rated for continuous service to 115°C (239 °F). It conducts heat at 0.25 W/m·K (0.144 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 67 µm/m·K (37.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PC ESD is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1,000,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (50/100), worse than 97% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PC ESD 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 ESD's machinability is good (65/100, better than 66% of polymer grades); weldability fair (50/100); formability fair (40/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PC ESD
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).
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.
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) | — |
PC ESD — frequently asked
What is PC ESD used for?
PC ESD 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 ESD?
PC ESD has a typical yield strength of 58 MPa (8.41 ksi) and a tensile strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) — stronger than 66% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 12 listed tempers.
Is PC ESD 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 ESD be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (50/100). 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 ESD?
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 ESD 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 ESD?
PC ESD is rated for continuous use to about 115°C (239 °F), and briefly to 145°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in PC ESD?
Yes — PC ESD 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. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.