A new test compares desktop PC-ABS prints against a Stratasys Fortus 450mc. The industrial printer wins on accuracy, but home prints come close for a fraction of the cost.
The Test
Igor of My Tech Fun wanted to answer a specific question: does industrial PC-ABS filament printed on a $50,000 machine actually produce better parts than the same material from a $1,000 desktop setup?
The answer is nuanced. He ordered test parts from a Stratasys Fortus 450mc using proprietary PC-ABS, then printed matching parts on a Prusa Core One L and a Bambu H2D using Polymaker PC-ABS. The temperature gap is striking. Polymaker runs at 280C with a 60-65C chamber. Stratasys runs at 325C with a 95C chamber. The industrial machine also takes more than twice as long to complete the same jobs.
Where Industrial Wins
The Fortus 450mc delivered better dimensional accuracy. Parts came out closer to the designed measurements. If you are shipping brackets that need to mate with other components, that precision matters.
Where Home Printers Win
The desktop prints looked better. Surface finish on the Prusa and Bambu parts was smoother. In some mechanical tests, the home prints actually outperformed the industrial ones. That last point surprised even Igor.
The Bottom Line
For most makers and small businesses, the gap is not worth the price tag. A prosumer setup with Polymaker PC-ABS produces functional parts that are nearly as good. You can buy a lot of filament for the difference between a Fortus 450mc and a Core One L.
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