PETG filament in Batumi

What PETG is

PETG is polyethylene terephthalate with glycol - the material bottles are made from, modified so it does not go cloudy or brittle when printed. It is stronger than PLA, far less temperamental than ABS, and needs no enclosure.

How to print it

• Nozzle: 220-250 °C
• Bed: 70-90 °C
• Cooling: moderate, 30-50 %. At full cooling the layers bond poorly and the part delaminates
• Speed: 40-60 mm/s; PETG does not like being rushed
• Enclosure: optional, but it helps large parts

Two things worth knowing in advance

It sticks to the bed too well. On bare glass PETG can tear a chunk out of the surface. Print on PEI, on a textured plate, or over a thin layer of glue stick - which acts as a release agent rather than an adhesive.

It strings. Fine hairs are left between separate parts of a model. A 4-6 mm retraction on a Bowden setup and dry filament fix most of it - damp PETG strings far worse.

What to print

Anything meant to work rather than sit on a shelf: brackets, enclosures, clamps, mechanism parts, containers, plant waterers, car mounts. PETG holds up to roughly 75-80 °C, ignores moisture and weak acids, and bends before it breaks.

Food contact

PETG pellets are usually certified for food contact; a printed part is not. Microscopic voids between layers harbour bacteria, and a brass nozzle leaves traces of metal. For reusable tableware, a printed part is the wrong answer.

Storage

PETG is noticeably hygroscopic. Damp filament hisses in the nozzle and prints a cloudy, rough surface. Drying: 6-8 hours at 60-65 °C.