ABS vs Polycarbonate

Tough and affordable.
Or tough and transparent.
Different strengths.

ABS is the low-cost consumer plastic workhorse — easy to process, adequate properties. Polycarbonate is the premium impact-resistant plastic — transparent, higher temperature, more expensive. Hybrid PC/ABS blends split the difference. Here's the selection guide.

Get a Quote DFM guide

01 · At a glance

Side-by-side summary.

Option A

ABS

Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene. Cost-effective consumer plastic. Good impact resistance, opaque colors available, easy to mold and machine. The workhorse for LEGO, automotive interior, appliance housings.

Option B

Polycarbonate (PC)

Higher-performance transparent plastic. Excellent impact resistance (10× ABS), transparent, higher temperature rating (125 °C), more expensive. For safety-critical and optical applications.

02 · Detailed comparison

Feature-by-feature breakdown.

Attribute	ABS	Polycarbonate
Impact strength (notched)	215 J/m	850 J/m
Tensile strength	43 MPa	65 MPa
HDT (max service)	85 °C	125 °C
Transparency	Opaque	Transparent (93% clear)
UV resistance	Poor (yellows)	Moderate (UV-stabilized grades available)
Chemical resistance	Good (most chemicals)	Limited (attacked by solvents, alkali)
Machinability	Easy (low cutting forces)	Easy but prone to stress cracking
Weldability	Easy (solvent, ultrasonic)	Moderate (ultrasonic, chemical bond)
Cost (per kg)	$2–3 (injection grade)	$4–6 (injection grade)
Flame retardancy	UL 94 HB (not FR)	UL 94 V-0 grades available
Injection molding	Excellent	Excellent (needs dry material)
Typical use	Toys, automotive interior, appliance housings	Safety glasses, bulletproof glass, electrical housings
Food grade (FDA)	Available	Available (specific grades)
Color options	Any opaque color	Clear or translucent colors

03 · Decision guide

When to choose each.

Choose ABS when:

Cost-sensitive consumer products
Toys and low-stress consumer items
Automotive interior (non-safety)
Appliance housings and electronics bezels
Parts requiring solvent welding (chemical bonding)
Opaque colored parts where transparency not needed

Choose Polycarbonate (PC) when:

Safety glasses, face shields, PPE
Bulletproof glass (laminated polycarbonate)
Transparent enclosures (displays visible)
High-impact applications (power tool housings)
Electrical components needing UL 94 V-0 FR rating
Higher-temperature service (above 85 °C)

FAQ

Common questions.

PC/ABS (often called Pulse, Cycoloy) combines properties: better impact than ABS (though less than pure PC), better heat than ABS (around 110 °C HDT), better chemical resistance than PC, opaque colors available. Common uses: automotive interior, laptop bodies (Apple MacBook uses PC/ABS), appliance exterior. PC/ABS is typically 30–50% more expensive than ABS but half the cost of pure PC.

PC is prone to environmental stress cracking (ESC) when exposed to certain solvents, oils, or cleaning fluids while under tensile stress. Common offenders: aromatic solvents (benzene, toluene), specific cleaning solutions, brake fluid, some plasticizers. Design considerations: avoid tight bends (stress concentrators), avoid solvent-cemented joints (use ultrasonic welding), match cleaning chemistry to PC compatibility charts.

Yes — PC is commonly used for optical applications where strength matters more than ultimate optical clarity. Safety glasses, headlight lenses, helmet visors. PC has slightly lower optical clarity than acrylic (PMMA) but 10× better impact resistance. For maximum optical clarity with less impact requirement: use acrylic. For impact-critical optical: polycarbonate is the standard.

Yes — ABS accepts paints well, common for consumer products. Standard practice: solvent-wipe to remove oils, light sanding for adhesion, apply primer (often included in first paint coat), then paint. Spray paint or pad print standard for ABS. PC/ABS blends also paint well. Pure PC can be painted but often requires surface preparation for adhesion.

ABS machines easily — soft, cuts cleanly, any standard tooling works. Recommended for small-batch prototype work. PC machines well but prone to stress-induced cracking if clamping pressure is too high or cutting forces excessive. Use sharp tools, light clamping, air coolant (water can cause stress-cracking). For precision PC parts, stress-relief annealing (120 °C for 1–2 hours) before or after machining reduces crack risk.

ABS is 3D-printable via FDM on most consumer/professional 3D printers. Warping is a concern — enclosed chamber preferred. PC is 3D-printable on higher-temperature FDM machines (nozzle 270 °C+). Both benefit from heated bed. For injection-grade mechanical properties, injection molding or CNC machining remains superior to FDM prints. For prototypes, FDM ABS is widely accessible; FDM PC requires specialist printers.