Material comparison
PC/ABS sits between ABS and polycarbonate for many remote controls, power tools, and small electronics shells when drops and warm internal air matter more than the lowest resin spend.
Material comparison
Remotes, wearables, and wall-powered accessories see assembly drops and warm air near power components. The blend question is usually ABS versus PC/ABS, not pure polycarbonate.
Pure ABS still wins on large indoor housings where impact stays moderate and the team wants the lowest resin spend with strong paint and texture options.
PC/ABS blends show up on remotes, game controllers, and compact chargers because they carry more impact reserve and stiffness at similar wall thickness without moving to clear polycarbonate.
Pure polycarbonate is a different decision: optical windows, higher heat, or extreme impact. PC/ABS stays opaque and is not a drop-in substitute for a PC lens.
Dimensional stability follows drying and wall balance on both resins. PC/ABS still needs moisture control and sane rib layout, especially near snap fits and screw bosses.
Resin choice
Use this routing before you lock the BOM. NetProto molds both once the resin is specified on the quote.
Decision table
Qualitative tradeoffs for molded parts. Confirm shrink, fill, and tooling details on the material guide.
| Factor | ABS | PC/ABS blend |
|---|---|---|
| Why teams pick it | Cost and cosmetics on large indoor shells | Toughness on handhelds and chargers |
| Drop behavior | Adequate for light indoor use | More reserve for tumble and corner impacts |
| Heat near power | Tighter margin | More comfortable near warm adapters |
| Texture and paint | Excellent paint and plate base | Good texture; confirm grade for your finish path |
| Clear windows | Not a lens resin | Not a lens resin; use polycarbonate for optics |
| Tooling | Same CAD often works if shrink is reviewed | Same CAD often works if shrink is reviewed |
| Resin spend | Lower per pound | Higher per pound; compare on the quote with same geometry |
Before you quote
The instant quote uses your material choice for fill, gate, and steel assumptions.
Drop or tumble test method and pass criteria
Maximum air temperature inside the shell during charge or operation
Finish path: molded-in color, paint, texture depth, or metallization
Snap fit and boss locations that see assembly stress
Whether any zone needs a clear window (routes to polycarbonate)
Target flame listing for the finished product, not the resin name alone
Material guides
These library pages carry datasheets, DFM notes, and quote checklists.
Open the ABS molding guide.
ABSOpen the PC/ABS blend molding guide.
PC/ABS blendOpen the Polycarbonate molding guide.
PolycarbonateContinue exploring
Open a sibling guide or jump to the full material library.
All comparison guides.
Compare hubDeep guides per resin family.
Materials libraryWhen a clear window or higher heat needs PC.
ABS vs polycarbonateCommodity stiffness tradeoff.
ABS vs polypropyleneFAQ
Handheld shells see repeated drops and tight wall sections. PC/ABS trades higher resin spend for impact and stiffness reserve while staying opaque and moldable.
Polycarbonate costs more and is chosen when optics or very high impact and heat are required. Most opaque shells do not need a full PC housing.
Often yes on the same tool when shrink and fill are reviewed. Gate size, venting, and fill pattern should be checked in DFM before production.
Both can carry Class A texture. ABS is a common paint and plate base. PC/ABS grades must match your finish supplier compatibility sheet for texture depth and adhesion.
Both resins need drying and balanced walls. PC/ABS does not remove warp risk; it changes toughness and heat margin, not the need for sane rib and boss design.
Flame rating belongs to the specific grade and the finished product listing, not the family name alone.
Next step
Upload once, switch resin in the quote flow, and compare piece price on the same tool. NetProto manufacturing is ISO 9001 certified.
