1 Topic by poe.lima

  • poe.lima
  • Newbie
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  • From: Australia
  • Registered: 2013-11-11
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Extruding Polycarbonate

I am interested in extruding some Polycarbonate filament on the Filastruder, which probably needs about 310°C. If anyone has already done something like this, can you give me some pointers?

Tim, I know you have deliberately limited power to the heater for ABS safety temps (I don't want to extrude ABS anyway for my application). Can you give me some more information on required replacement parts needed to modify for polycarbonate? eg thermocouple and any other parts?

2 Reply by elmoret

  • elmoret
  • Filastruder
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  • Registered: 2012-10-11
  • Posts: 6,048

Re: Extruding Polycarbonate

No one has done it to my knowledge. You probably don't need 310C, Tg is ~147C and Tm is 155-200C. Keep in mind the Filastruder measures nozzle temps, not heater temps. You do not run the Filastruder at the same temperatures that you might print at (most printer hotends measure heater temperature).

The only thing that needs to be upgraded is the power supply. Supplying the heater with 15v will increase output power by 67%, while keeping current draw to 4.5A.

The heating band is rated to 18v.
The PID controller's onboard relay is rated to 5A.

All other parts are not sensitive to the temperatures you mention. The k-type thermocouple is rated to 350C. All other hot parts are steel or brass.


Make sure you know what you're doing, and take appropriate ventilation and safety precautions. Thermal decomposition may yield toxic hydrocarbons which includes methane, phenolics, bisphenol A, diphenyl carbonate.

Filastruder - the robust, inexpensive filament extruder
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