Consumer Electronics
Electronic Housings & Handheld Devices
Paintable, impact-resistant housings for handheld products and peripherals.
Fused Deposition Modeling PC-ABS (Triton PC/ABS) For Black Housings, Prototypes and Tooling
Large Build Volume
Up to 914 × 610 × 914 mm
FDM material
PC-ABS overview
PC-ABS is a blend of polycarbonate and ABS, 3D printed by FDM, for tough parts that need a clean, paintable finish. It is far tougher than standard ABS, handles more heat and stays tough in the cold. Its surface is smoother than straight polycarbonate, so parts need less finishing before painting or plating. Teams use it for electronics housings, car interior trim, equipment enclosures and jigs and fixtures, and as an affordable choice for low-volume production parts. Triton PC/ABS is 3DXTECH's PC/ABS for Stratasys printers, for black housings, functional prototypes and tooling. It is tough rather than brittle and shrinks little and evenly, so parts keep their size and stay tough in warm service.
Also available in Stratasys PC-ABS.
How PC-ABS is manufactured
PC-ABS is manufactured using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), building parts layer by layer from engineering-grade filament on industrial Stratasys Fortus systems. Soluble support material dissolves away after printing, so complex geometries and internal features come out clean. This makes PC-ABS a scalable option for functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, and bridge-to-production and low-volume end-use parts, with no tooling.
- Build volume
- 914 × 610 × 914 mm
- Lead time
- 2-4 business days
- Layer height
- 0.127-0.330 mm
Forge Labs Steam
Know before you manufacture in PC-ABS.
Upload CAD files to Forge Labs Steam for instant PC-ABS pricing and live manufacturability feedback, and fix issues before production.
Upload CAD files to Forge Labs Steam for instant PC-ABS pricing and live manufacturability feedback, and fix issues before production.
Industry applications
Industry applications for PC-ABS
PC-ABS blends the impact resistance and heat deflection of polycarbonate with the surface quality and processability of ABS, creating an ideal material for functional prototypes and production parts. This engineered blend delivers the best of both materials without the processing challenges of pure PC. Teams use it for products that balance performance, aesthetics and cost, from consumer electronics to automotive interiors.
The material's excellent surface finish and dimensional stability make it perfect for parts requiring both aesthetics and functionality. Its heat deflection sits between ABS-M30 and polycarbonate and its notched impact strength is about 2.4 times that of ABS-M30, so PC-ABS bridges the gap between standard ABS and engineering-grade polycarbonate.
From rapid prototyping to production runs, teams rely on PC-ABS to maintain tight tolerances while reducing assembly complexity through consolidated part designs. Forge Labs' optimized print parameters ensure consistent material properties across builds, critical for multi-part assemblies.
Medical equipment makers use it for portable diagnostic device housings, cart components, control panels and protective covers, where a smooth surface that wipes down and stands up to short-term contact with alcohol keeps equipment clean.
Automotive
Vehicle Interior Components
Console trim, vents, controls and bezels that hold up to cabin heat.
Industrial Equipment
Control Housings & Equipment Enclosures
Impact-resistant control housings and enclosures, reordered from the same files.
Robotics
Assembly Jigs & Test Fixtures
Assembly jigs, test fixtures and bridge tooling made without a mould.
Consumer Electronics
Electronic Housings & Handheld Devices
Product teams use PC-ABS for smartphone and tablet prototypes, computer peripheral and audio enclosures, and wearable device components. Its smooth surface accepts painting and texturing while the blend protects the electronics inside from knocks. On one handheld power tool with built-in electronics, FDM enclosure prototypes in ABS and ASA were printed with the shell, ribs and mounting features together and turned around in two days, and the team reported development moving ten times faster.
- Handheld device housings
- Peripheral and audio enclosures
- Wearable device components
Automotive
Vehicle Interior Components
Automotive teams use PC-ABS for centre console trim, HVAC vents and controls, door panel inserts and handles, and instrument cluster bezels, where parts need heat resistance and a surface fit for interior finishes. Printed on edge or upright, it has a heat deflection temperature of 112 °C at 1.82 MPa, so trim and vent prototypes keep their shape in a warm cabin.
- Console trim and bezels
- HVAC vents and controls
- Door panel inserts and handles
Industrial Equipment
Control Housings & Equipment Enclosures
Equipment builders use PC-ABS for control panel housings and bezels, machine interface components, protective equipment covers and handheld tool housings that need impact protection and a professional finish, and clean tech teams use it for tough enclosures and covers on power and energy equipment. Released drawings can specify the material, layer height, fill and build direction, and repeat lots print from the same files, so covers arrive for each assembly batch without a mould. PC-ABS stands up to short-term contact with petroleum greases and engine coolant.
- Control panel housings and bezels
- Machine interface components
- Equipment enclosures and covers
Robotics
Assembly Jigs & Test Fixtures
Robotics and automation teams use printed tooling to build and test their machines: Forge Labs makes gear-clocking fixtures, FDM assembly jigs and torque-gauge fixtures for actuator testing. Colour options, surface finish and mechanical properties make PC-ABS a strong tooling material and an affordable alternative to higher-cost thermoplastics for bridge-to-production and low-volume parts. Printed upright, it reaches a compressive yield strength of 172 MPa.
- Assembly jigs
- Gear-clocking and torque-gauge fixtures
- Bridge tooling
Performance data
Technical performance for PC-ABS
Values from the Triton PC/ABS datasheet, printed flat (XY) and tested to the ISO standard listed with each property.
Mechanical performance
Mechanical properties
Triton PC/ABS delivers the balanced strength and stiffness of the PC-ABS blend for functional prototypes, housings and tooling.
Triton tested flat (XY) samples to ISO standards on a Fortus 400mc at 0.33 mm layers, so its figures are not directly comparable with the Stratasys ASTM values printed on the F900.
PropertyValue
- Tensile Strength at Break (XY)ISO 527
- 40 MPa
- Tensile Modulus (XY)ISO 527
- 1850 MPa
- Elongation at Break (XY)ISO 527
- 6 %
- Flexural Strength (XY)ISO 178
- 67 MPa
- Flexural Modulus (XY)ISO 178
- 1910 MPa
Material makeup
Physical properties
Triton publishes density for its PC/ABS, measured to ISO 1183; parts stay lightweight yet durable, with the low, near-isotropic shrinkage Triton reports for the blend.
PropertyValue
- DensityISO 1183
- 1.14 g/cm³
Heat performance
Thermal properties
Triton reports glass transition by DSC and heat deflection at 0.45 MPa on flat samples, a guide to how the blend holds its shape in warm environments.
PropertyValue
- Glass Transition TemperatureDSC
- 123 °C
- HDT @ 0.45 MPa / 66 psi (XY)ISO 75
- 110 °C
Functional performance
Electrical properties
Triton reports surface resistance for its PC/ABS, confirming it as an electrical insulator for housings and insulating features.
PropertyValue
- Surface ResistanceIEC 60093
- > 10¹³ Ω/sq
Compatibility data
Chemical properties
Triton does not publish chemical ratings for its PC/ABS; the table shows the Stratasys PC-ABS class ratings as a guide to the blend.
Chemical ratings are screening guidance; confirm them with application-specific testing before production release.
ChemicalRating
- Weak acids (pH 3–6)
- Excellent
- Deionized water
- Excellent
- Alcohol / ethanol
- Good
- Windshield washer fluid
- Good
- Antifreeze / engine coolant
- Good
- Petroleum greases
- Good
- Weak bases (pH 8–10)
- Good
- Strong bases (pH > 10)
- Good
- Aliphatic hydrocarbons (propane, butane)
- Limited
- Aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene)
- Limited
- Petroleum fuels
- Limited
- Motor oil
- Limited
- Transmission fluid
- Limited
- Brake fluid
- Limited
- Strong acids (pH < 3)
- Limited
- Ketones (MEK, acetone)
- Poor
- Esters
- Poor
- Phenols
- Poor
- Halogenated hydrocarbons (CFCs, methylene chloride)
- Poor
- Silicone greases / oils
- Poor
Resources
Datasheets and design resources
Datasheets, design guidance and supplier documentation for PC-ABS.
Download center
Access the most recent datasheet and supporting documentation maintained by our engineering team.
Triton PC/ABS datasheetDesign guidelines
Explore printable geometry recommendations, wall thickness tips, and finishing playbooks for FDM.
View FDM design guide
Advanced Manufacturing
Built with Precision FDM Technology
PC-ABS is manufactured using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, offering reliable performance for functional prototypes and end-use parts. It runs on industrial FDM platforms with heated chambers and qualified material profiles for consistent layer adhesion and mechanical integrity.
- Tolerance
- ±0.25 mm or ±0.3%, whichever is greater
- Production capacity
- Multiple parts or assemblies in each large-format build
- Quality control
- In-process monitoring and batch traceability for consistent part quality and material properties
- Colours & finishes
- Black or white; support removal, sanding, drilling, tapping, painting, vapor smoothing and chemical smoothing
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about PC-ABS
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our customer support team.
- PC-ABS combines high impact strength (241 J/m notched Izod, printed on edge) and heat resistance (heat deflection up to 126 °C at 0.45 MPa) with a smooth surface that takes paint and plating, which suits automotive interiors and electronic housings.
- PC-ABS is printed by FDM on industrial Stratasys Fortus systems with soluble support. It is used for functional prototypes where pure polycarbonate is not necessary, for jigs and fixtures, and for bridge-to-production and low-volume end-use parts.
- PC-ABS is used for automotive interior components and trim, electronic device housings, consumer product prototypes, sporting goods, manufacturing jigs and fixtures, and medical equipment housings without patient contact.
- PC-ABS is tougher than ABS and easier to print than pure polycarbonate, works with soluble support for complex geometries, and is easily sanded, drilled, tapped and painted. Stratasys rates it good for short-term contact with alcohols, engine coolant and petroleum greases.
- Ketones, esters, phenols and halogenated solvents attack PC-ABS, and fuels, oils and strong acids are rated moderate. Its heat deflection temperature is about 18-33 °C lower than pure polycarbonate in Stratasys testing, and it costs more than standard ABS. Like all FDM parts it is weaker across the layers, so load-bearing features should be oriented along them.
- No. Stratasys PC-ABS is rated UL 94 HB and is not flame retardant. For flame-rated FDM parts, ULTEM 9085 carries FAA flame, smoke and toxicity data.
- Forge Labs prints PC-ABS in black and white, and both colours can be sanded, primed and painted to match a product finish.
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STEP, STL, OBJ, 3MF and IGES supported
- Manufacturing technologies
- 6
- Engineering materials
- 50+
- Part quantities
- 1-500+