PC GF20
Reinforced grade
ISO 7391 · also Calibre, Makrolon
GF20 = 20% glass fiber reinforced
Balanced stiffness/strength upgrade for structural housings and brackets.
Values for the GF20 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 |
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 | — |
GF20This page 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 GF20?
PC GF20 is PC in the GF20 grade — balanced stiffness/strength upgrade for structural housings and brackets. PC GF20 has a yield strength of 63 MPa (9.14 ksi) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 74% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 5.8 GPa (0.841 Msi). PC GF20 has a density of 1.34 g/cm³ (0.0484 lb/in³), heavier than 74% 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
- Low, predictable mold shrinkage — 0.3%, better than 90% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 5.8 GPa (0.841 Msi), better than 89% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 55/100, worse than 94% of polymer grades
- Limited ductility — 4%, worse than 78% of polymer grades
PC GF20 properties
Typical room-temperature values for PC GF20; 13 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 GF20 has a density of 1.34 g/cm³ (0.0484 lb/in³), heavier than 74% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F).
Mechanical17
PC GF20 has a yield strength of 63 MPa (9.14 ksi) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 74% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 4% and the elastic modulus is 5.8 GPa (0.841 Msi).
Thermal11
PC GF20 is rated for continuous service to 130°C (266 °F). It conducts heat at 0.22 W/m·K (0.127 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 60% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 30 µm/m·K (16.7 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PC GF20 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 GF20 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 GF20's machinability is fair (50/100, worse than 73% of polymer grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability very good (75/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PC GF20
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 GF20 — frequently asked
What is PC GF20 used for?
PC GF20 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 GF20?
PC GF20 has a typical yield strength of 63 MPa (9.14 ksi) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 74% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 12 listed tempers.
Is PC GF20 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, worse than 73% 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 GF20 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 GF20?
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 GF20 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 GF20?
PC GF20 is rated for continuous use to about 130°C (266 °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 GF20?
Yes — PC GF20 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.