When it has to take a hit.

Polycarbonate printed to order, light-transmitting grade included. Black PC is highly impact resistant and holds about 100 C without load after annealing.

Some parts have to take a hit: a guard, a holder that has to survive a fall, a window someone walks into. Polycarbonate is made for that. Of everything we print, black PC is among the toughest.

On top of that, after annealing PC holds about 100 C without load and about 85 C under load (the transparent grade 100 and 95), which is the heat deflection temperature from the manufacturer minus a 10 C margin. That is higher than for PETG or PCTG. It also comes transparent. Expect light passing: you can see whether a lamp is lit, not what stands behind it.

Two forms

Black or transparent.

PC

The ordinary, opaque form. Tough, stiff; after annealing about 100 C without load and about 85 C under load (the transparent grade 100 and 95). The choice for covers, holders and structural parts.

PC transparent

Light-transmitting, slightly more stable under load than the black grade, but far less impact resistant. Enough to see a lamp or a status LED glowing through it; looking through it sharply does not work.

When it does not fit

PC is not UV stable: outdoors it discolours and goes brittle, choose ASA there. It is not especially wear resistant either, so for something that slides every day a nylon is the better choice.

Typical work: guards and shields, light windows for a status lamp, holders that have to survive a drop, and structural parts that must be stiff and tough at once.

Torn between PC and a composite? The question is whether bending or breaking is the bigger risk. Breaking argues for PC, bending for a fibre reinforced material.

A part that has to take a hit?

With a 3D file, the quote tool shows your price straight away. Just a photo with dimensions? Email it to info@nworks3d.be and you will hear whether polycarbonate is the right choice.