I haven’t used polycarbonate much and don’t really know how it prints, or its properties.
I have used fibre-reinforced nylon a lot (and regular nylon) and am familiar with it.
However a bunch of model publishers have recently been recommending polycarbonate for their models without giving any reasons why.
Related question, why is fibre-reinforced PC so rare?
Search engine seems to returning nothing but AI slop today.
Igor Gaspar did a review of Spectrum PC-CF a few weeks ago (and from the comments) was mentioning testing 8 different PC-CF filaments in the future.
PC is a strong, stiff material and has relatively low shrinkage, but is more brittle generally.
Nylon is tough, less stiff, and less brittle generally, and typically shrinks a lot more.
When we think about the value of adding gf or cf to a filament, it generally disrupts inter-molecular bonding and in the process reduces shrinkage - but since PC doesn’t have a big issue with that to begin with, that’s why you don’t see it.
There are a lot of PC blends out there, and I don’t have lots of experience but be very careful of the chamber heat requirements. Unless you’re in voron+ territory, you can’t get to the 90C+ chamber, so your parts will have to be small if printing from bambu/prusa/etc.
Is that mytechfun?
I used to like this channel a lot, but now I see they are sponsored by a filament manufacturer.
Even if their reviews are “honest” and they don’t review the sponsor’s product, there will now always be suspicion. On principle a reviewer should not accept any sponsorship from any entity related to the product it is reviewing.,
Yes, mytechfun on youtube. According to his page he isn’t sponsored, but maybe it’s just out of date.
There are no sponsored videos on my channel, all my honest reviews I do for free and there is no possibility for censoring the video. Also, it is important to mention, that for products sent outside of EU I have to pay duty and tax fees. Since I am still very small YouTube channel, sender must accept these fees. This is just short version of my terms, full version is available on mytechfun.com website.
He is now sponsored by Polymaker. Gives that disclaimer at the beginning of every video.
Completely discounting his process and data just because is not doing yourself, or anyone else, any favors.
It is a Polymaker filament channel that reviews filament.
Also, sometimes no data is better than incorrect data.
ok.
All of his methods are well documented and transparent in his videos. There’s nothing stopping you from making the effort and taking the time to verify or invalidate his data.
I mean… they are as rare as pretty much any blended engineering material on the market.
I have a harder time sourcing PETG-CF to be honest.
Good thing about PC-CF is that it’s available through some well known manufacturers like Prusa and Ambrosia. However, in my opinion, it has quite a limited application due to only one problem: it tends to shatter, so building anything functional enough out of it is kinda meh. There is a solution to this: It’s called PC-ABS. Honestly, probably the best engineering non-CF/GF material that has amazing heat resistance, toughness and decent printability. With one huge drawback… it releases two annoying VOCs - BPA and Styrene.
Thanks, useful info about the brittleness of PC-CF.
First time I have heard of Ambrosia Filaments (edit Which means they are probably EU or US). I checked their site. Looks good but there is no information about the company. Not even their nationality or country of manufacture. Do you have any secrets to share?
edit Never mind, zooming the photos I see “made in” stickers on the spools.