PC (Polycarbonate) Print Settings and Common Problems
PC is one of the toughest and most heat-resistant materials commonly printed on desktop machines, but it demands the most from your hardware — high temperatures, a heated chamber, and an all-metal hot end are close to mandatory.
Nozzle temp
260-310°C
Bed temp
100-140°C
Confirm your hot end can actually reach and sustain PC's temperature range before attempting it — many stock hot ends top out below what PC needs. A full enclosure with a heated chamber is close to required for anything beyond small parts.
Common problems
Warping without a heated chamber
PC warps aggressively without consistent high ambient heat — more so than ABS or ASA. If your printer doesn't have an actively heated chamber, expect to be limited to smaller, simpler geometries.
Full guide on this →Weak layer adhesion at insufficient temperature
If nozzle temperature is too low for true PC (as opposed to a PC blend), layers won't fuse properly and the part will delaminate under any stress. Confirm you're actually hitting the material's real required range, not just what the hot end claims to reach.
Full guide on this →Stringing from moisture
PC is hygroscopic enough that undried filament will string and bubble similarly to nylon. Dry it before printing if you're seeing unexpected stringing at otherwise-correct settings.
Full guide on this →
Print going wrong with PC (Polycarbonate)?
ForgePrint diagnoses the exact cause for your printer and filament combination — describe it, or just upload a photo.