Pros and cons

The good, the bad but not ugly !

There are good and bad sides to everything, and this isn’t an exhaustive list; but it might give you an idea of what to consider before using PETG.

Pros:

• Strength and resistance to impact

• Flexibility

• Thermal resistance

• Water resistance

• Food grade

• Good adhesion between layers when printing

• Minimal deformation when printing

• Resistance to wear and degradation

• Low odour

Image: PETG comes in a variety of colours (Source: Amazon)

Cons:

• Can cause greater wear and tear to printer parts (nozzle, Bowden tube etc.)

• Higher printing temperatures

• Possible “stringing” issues when printing

• Scratches more easily

• Not ideal for supporting structures

• Can stick “too well” to build plates

• Can become brittle

• Can be more expensive than other filaments

• Lack of choice and availability

Image: PETG stuck to a printer build plate ( Source: ljungqvistaxel via Reddit)

In Summary

The last word

Hopefully that will give you a basic understanding of the properties, history and uses of PETG filament in 3D Printing. This is just a brief overview of the product but there is a lot to be learned from research before you decide to use PETG. Trial and error can also play a big part as you will have undoubtedly discovered in the world of 3D Printing!

PETG Filament: A Rough Guide (Part 3)