PETG filament

Has anyone been using PETG filament? I have only tried PLA so far and am looking for something that will withstand the heat of being left in the car better. I have read so many issues with ABS so I am looking for something else to try.

I bought some of the Microcenter PETG and printed a cube. This is on a Folgertech 2020 i3.

[goo.gl]

I used the Folgertech ABS profile and lowered the extruder temp from 240 to 230 and the bed temp from 100 to 80.

It stuck to clean bare glass good and released easily. The only issue I see with this print is the top sunk in. I printed it with 3 shells and 20% infill. I think I need to lower the temp more it was smelling when I had the temp at 240 but the smell went away after lowering it to 230. I don't have a part cooling fan maybe that would help?

Anyone else try PETG?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2015 07:30PM by msaeger.

I printed a long thing thing and I saw no warping and the part released easily this I printed with a bed temp at 70 and extruder temp at 220. Still seeing the top layer sink a little. I am going to try it again with the temp extruder at 210.

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

Probably it´s not a temp problem, but underextrusion?
Also the difference between 25% and 26% in Cura´s infill is huge.
-Olaf

Quote
o_lampe
Probably it´s not a temp problem, but underextrusion?
Also the difference between 25% and 26% in Cura´s infill is huge.
-Olaf

You are a genius! I set the extrusion multiplier to 1.1 and it's perfect.

Thanks!

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

Some things about PET, for new folks:

Non-warping, no smell, PET filament:

No shrinking or warping.
No smell.
No enclosure required.
Build plate can be heated or not.
Does not absorb water or moisture from air.
Clear color is the most transparent of all filament materials.
Is much "tougher" that PLA or ABS; will bend before breaking.
Uses about the same extruder temps as ABS.
Does not need a print cooling fan like PLA does.
Also known as Polyester, PETG, PETT, PET+
Is what most soda pop bottles are made of.
Does not degrade in water.
FDA approved in the USA for for food contact.
Not brittle.
Is the most recycled plastic.

Here are the settings I have been using for the microcenter PETG. This stuff has been working really good I have been getting the tops of things perfectly flat I still haven't done that with PLA. Had to switch to some green PLA now because the 3 year old wants something printed in green and they didn't have green PETG at microcenter.


[filament:FTECH - 2020 i3 - PETG]
bed_temperature = 80
bridge_fan_speed = 100
cooling = 1
disable_fan_first_layers = 0
extrusion_multiplier = 1.1
fan_always_on = 1
fan_below_layer_time = 60
filament_colour = #FFFFFF
filament_diameter = 1.75
first_layer_bed_temperature = 80
first_layer_temperature = 210
max_fan_speed = 100
min_fan_speed = 100
min_print_speed = 10
slowdown_below_layer_time = 30
temperature = 210

[print:FTECH-2020-i3-PETG]
avoid_crossing_perimeters = 0
bottom_solid_layers = 3
bridge_acceleration = 0
bridge_flow_ratio = 1
bridge_speed = 60
brim_width = 0
complete_objects = 0
default_acceleration = 0
dont_support_bridges = 1
external_fill_pattern = rectilinear
external_perimeter_extrusion_width = 0
external_perimeter_speed = 70%
external_perimeters_first = 0
extra_perimeters = 1
extruder_clearance_height = 20
extruder_clearance_radius = 20
extrusion_width = 0
fill_angle = 45
fill_density = 40%
fill_pattern = line
first_layer_acceleration = 0
first_layer_extrusion_width = 200%
first_layer_height = 0.35
first_layer_speed = 30%
gap_fill_speed = 20
gcode_comments = 0
infill_acceleration = 0
infill_every_layers = 1
infill_extruder = 1
infill_extrusion_width = 0
infill_first = 0
infill_only_where_needed = 0
infill_overlap = 15%
infill_speed = 60
interface_shells = 0
layer_height = 0.22
max_print_speed = 80
max_volumetric_speed = 0
min_skirt_length = 0
notes =
only_retract_when_crossing_perimeters = 1
ooze_prevention = 0
output_filename_format = [input_filename_base].gcode
overhangs = 1
perimeter_acceleration = 0
perimeter_extruder = 1
perimeter_extrusion_width = 0
perimeter_speed = 30
perimeters = 3
post_process =
raft_layers = 0
resolution = 0
seam_position = nearest
skirt_distance = 6
skirt_height = 1
skirts = 2
small_perimeter_speed = 30
solid_infill_below_area = 70
solid_infill_every_layers = 0
solid_infill_extruder = 1
solid_infill_extrusion_width = 0
solid_infill_speed = 60
spiral_vase = 0
standby_temperature_delta = -5
support_material = 0
support_material_angle = 0
support_material_contact_distance = 0.2
support_material_enforce_layers = 0
support_material_extruder = 1
support_material_extrusion_width = 0
support_material_interface_extruder = 1
support_material_interface_layers = 3
support_material_interface_spacing = 0
support_material_interface_speed = 100%
support_material_pattern = pillars
support_material_spacing = 2.5
support_material_speed = 60
support_material_threshold = 0
thin_walls = 1
threads = 2
top_infill_extrusion_width = 0
top_solid_infill_speed = 50
top_solid_layers = 3
travel_speed = 130
xy_size_compensation = 0

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

I bet, next year when prices for PETG dropped to ABS level, no one will print in ABS anymore, unless he has to.
The only problem I see is, Bowden style printers might have problems with PETG, since it is a bit stickier than PLA?

I´ve only ran one sample of PETG, but this one was sticky.
-Olaf

Quote
o_lampe
I bet, next year when prices for PETG dropped to ABS level, no one will print in ABS anymore, unless he has to.
The only problem I see is, Bowden style printers might have problems with PETG, since it is a bit stickier than PLA?

I´ve only ran one sample of PETG, but this one was sticky.
-Olaf

I'm having some difficulties with this, ordered some blue PETG from reprap.me to try.
When I print it seems I have to go real low with the speeds, I'm down to 20mm/s and still not real satisfied with the results.
I have a rather long bowden tube wich I think might be a problem since the filament seems to be a bit "stretchy" as well.

The stuff I got doesn't feel sticky but it is much more flexible than the PLA I got from folgertech. The sainsmart PLA I got also feels much more flexible than the folgertech stuff too. The PETG at microcenter was 25 USD and the ABS I got was 15 USD they were showing the ABS being on sale with a normal price of 20 USD.

Now that I have all these open rolls going I should probably get an airtight container to store it in.

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

I see in the settings above, that the fan is set to come on for bridges. I never thought about that, and was going to just remove the fan entirely since I will be using only PETG. Do you think the fan will still be needed?

I actually don't have a print cooling fan and the cool block cooling fan is directly wired to the power supply so it's on all the time.

I haven't printed anything with a bridge with the petg yet.

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

msaeger
originally you wanted to try this to see if it held up to temps seen inside a car. how has it held up?

o_lampe
what leads you to believe the PETG filament prices will drop?

I'm eager to get my printer done and start experimenting with PETG. I live in a place where filament is not available locally, but empty soda pop bottles are easily found, so if things go well with this filament, I've already looked in to making my own filament, I still need to work on what may work best to shred the bottles though. The filament extruder info seems to be pretty well documented in many places on the web.

Has anyone tried printing with homemade PETG filament?
If so, what can we learn from your experience?

Quote
rollinns
msaeger
originally you wanted to try this to see if it held up to temps seen inside a car. how has it held up?

o_lampe
what leads you to believe the PETG filament prices will drop?

I'm eager to get my printer done and start experimenting with PETG. I live in a place where filament is not available locally, but empty soda pop bottles are easily found, so if things go well with this filament, I've already looked in to making my own filament, I still need to work on what may work best to shred the bottles though. The filament extruder info seems to be pretty well documented in many places on the web.

Has anyone tried printing with homemade PETG filament?
If so, what can we learn from your experience?

I took the PLA part and the PETG part and put them both on the black dash on a hot day. The PLA part was very soft and when bent it would stay in the shape it was bent to after cooling. The PETG part got a little more flexible but not as bad as the PLA one. This is a very thin piece here's a picture [goo.gl]

The PETG also is much more elastic than the PLA and ABS.

When I melted down some HDPE to stick in a mold I used a paper shredder to chop it up. For the thinner stuff like milk jugs it worked but for some thicker containers it feed the whole piece through and didn't just dented it up.

Do you have a link to the extruder?

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

There are several ( DIY) filament extruders.

Look here

-Olaf

Quote
rollinns
o_lampe
what leads you to believe the PETG filament prices will drop?

PET is one of the cheapest and widely used plastics. I don´t know how much difference is to PETG?
-Olaf

I bought one roll of PETG from reprap.me because I wanted a plastic that don't smell (as I have the printer in a small apartment where unfortunately my girlfriend also resides) but can stand some heat as I had at least one effector (for a delta) to print.

I had a real hard time finding good settings for it.
In the end I changed the throat of the nozzle to one with PTFE-lining, after that it started to finally get decent.

I also had problems with corners of the print, they "curled up" and changing bedtemp, nozzletemp, layerheight or extrusionrate of the first layer did not help but with a brim that was solved as well.

printing on a clean glassbed with 230C and 1:1 extrusion I can go 60mm/s with my printer, but at risk of my extruder skipping so I keep it down to 50mm/s.

The slightly more elastic property of PET compared to ABS is good when making rugged parts; it won't crack as fast.

Quote
Koenig
I had a real hard time finding good settings for it.

Glad it's not just me then. I tried PETG for the first time today, and it seems very fussy. Doesn't seem like there's much of a gap between the temperature needed to get good layer adhesion and the temperature at which the print turns into a molten mess. More experimentation required!