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PETG was adapted from\u00a0PET<\/a>, a material that was created in 1941 to use as synthetic fiber in the textile industry. In the early 1950s, PET began to be used for food packaging and, since the mid-70s, as a material for bottles. PET is still used for all of these, especially plastic bottles, and it\u2019s the most used plastic in the world.<\/p>\n However, PET has disadvantages. It tends to crystalize at high temperatures, which makes it opaque and weakens its structure. It becomes frail and bubbly, making it unsuitable for 3D printing.\u00a0PETG was developed to overcome these disadvantages.<\/p>\n PETG has a similar composition, but the difference is in how it\u2019s chemically achieved. According to\u00a0TWI Global<\/a>, PET is created through esterification from glycol and terephthalic acid, resulting in a long chain of polyethylene terephthalate. In contrast, PETG is achieved by replacing the ethylene glycol with cyclohexane dimethanol, which is a larger monomer. It helps to avoid the tight-knit molecules of PET, reducing crystallization.<\/p>\n This new composition makes PETG suitable for 3D printing. In the following sections, we\u2019ll provide an overview of its material and printing properties. We\u2019ll also introduce you to some popular PETG filament brands.<\/p>\n PETG is a thermoplastic polyester, meaning it can be deformed with heat, as opposed to a thermoset plastic, which can\u2019t be deformed and just burns.<\/p>\n Among its positive attributes, PETG has significant chemical and heat resistance, good durability, and formability (compared to other plastics). It also has a bit of flexibility, making it suitable for applications that require impact resistance. As we mentioned above, PETG is food-safe and non-toxic.<\/p>\n On the negative side, PETG has a softer surface than PET, so it\u2019s more prone to wear. That being said, it remains more durable and heat resistant than\u00a0PLA<\/a>.<\/p>\n If not treated correctly, PETG can be harmful to the environment. While\u00a0some suggest<\/a>\u00a0PETG is recyclable,\u00a0many recycling programs exclude it<\/a>. Fortunately, some manufacturers have produced\u00a0recycled PETG\u00a0from post-industrial waste.<\/p>\n PETG has similar printing settings to\u00a0ABS<\/a>, but it\u2019s easier to handle. For example, PETG is mostly odorless, and printing with an enclosure isn\u2019t necessary. Like ABS, it requires\u00a0high heat<\/a>. The recommended temperature of the nozzle is usually between 220 \u00b0C and 260 \u00b0C. PETG also needs a heated bed, with temperatures ranging from 60 \u00b0C to 80 \u00b0C.<\/p>\n In terms of adhesion, PETG adheres too well to some build surface materials (PEI<\/a>, for example). Prints or the build surface can be damaged when you try to remove the print. It\u2019s best to cover the surface with\u00a0glue or hairspray<\/a>\u00a0in preparation for printing.<\/p>\n Parts printed in PETG will have a glossy and smooth surface finish and will be semi-rigid, but a little\u00a0smoothing<\/a>\u00a0can also do wonders.<\/p>\n Just keep in mind that PETG is highly\u00a0hygroscopic<\/a>. If it\u2019s kept in humid places, it can become brittle, both in the spool and printed parts. For some tips on how to keep your PETG filament dry, check out\u00a03D Printer Filament Storage: 12 Ways to Store Filament<\/a><\/p>\n Even though PETG is the most popular PET variant, there are others. rPET and PETT, for example, have some advantages over PETG.<\/p>\n As PETG has gained popularity, many brands have jumped on the bandwagon. The following are a few of the most notable options.<\/p>\n MatterHackers offers two popular PETG options:\u00a0Pro PETG<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Build Series PETG<\/a>. Their Pro PETG is made for professionals, and it\u2019s extra tough. Their Build Series PETG has a bit less dimensional accuracy than the pro version, but it\u2019s still extremely trustworthy. Further, at about $20 per kg, it\u2019s the less expensive of the two of them.<\/p>\n Ultimaker recently released a\u00a0PETG filament<\/a>\u00a0that\u2019s available through a few popular retailers, including MatterHackers and Dynamism. Ultimaker also manufacturers\u00a0copolyester<\/a>\u00a0filaments,\u00a0CPE and CPE+, that are similar to PETG but not exactly the same. It\u2019s important to make this distinction, as many retailers place copolyesters under the PETG category, whereas the manufacturers are more likely to make a distinction between the materials.<\/p>\n ColorFabb sells a couple of different PETG as well as copolyester filaments. One of the options,\u00a0PETG Economy<\/a>, is marketed as a high-quality PETG at an affordable price. It\u2019s available in several colors and spool sizes. You may see ColorFabb\u2019s HT and\u00a0XT<\/a>\u00a0filaments sold as PETG on some retailers\u2019 websites, but as we mentioned above, the manufacturer differentiates those from their PETG options.<\/p>\nMaterial Properties<\/h3>\n
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Printing Properties<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Variations<\/h3>\n
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Products<\/h3>\n
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MatterHackers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Ultimaker<\/strong><\/h3>\n
ColorFabb<\/strong><\/h3>\n