PETG

PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate modified with Glycol) is a commonly used technical material, popular among 3D printer users for its low price and good printability. It’s tenacious, with good temperature resistance; PETG is most commonly used for printing various mechanical parts, holders, clamps, and waterproof parts (thanks to great layer adhesion).

PETG has a glossy surface, adheres greatly to a print sheet, and does not shrink or warp (it has very little thermal expansion), therefore it’s suitable for printing large models. Plus, its high tenacity and flexibility often prevent it from breaking. Due to good temperature resistance, PETG parts are suitable both for interior and most exterior use (with temperatures below 80 °C). Parts of our printers are made of PETG!

The letter G in PETG means that it’s modified with glycol during the manufacturing process. Glycol makes PET less brittle, easier to print, and more transparent for translucent prints. Of course, you can print also with PET filaments without glycol. However, printing with only PET is challenging and does not offer any advantage whatsoever.

Although PETG is frequently used in food industry and is considered food-safe, we do not recommend it (or any other filament) for printing dishes or other stuff that comes into direct contact with food. The main reason is tiny print layer surface grooves that can support numerous bacterial colonies. But if you still want 3D printed dishes, we suggest applying a special layer that seals the surface (food-safe coating) and printing with a clean steel nozzle.

Some of the manufacturers enrich PETG with various additives and sell these materials under different names. For example, Spoolworks EDGE by E3D is modified PET/Copolyester Blend with additives. The goal is to acquire better visual qualities, surface and layer adhesion, etc.

To compare supported material properties, see our material table.