The downside of PETG and even PCTG is they aren't much different or better than PLA, and, in fact, they are less thermally resistant than heat treated HTPLA. This lack of thermal resistance limits the use of PETG and PCTG to similar applications as PLA.
We often get asked, "Do you offer an ABS or ASA?" The answer is "no" because they smell bad when extruding! Whatever you smell when 3D printing, multiply it by 10 for whomever is producing the filament!!! You may not care about where your filament is made or who makes it, but I wouldn't wish processing ABS or ASA upon anyone.
We've long been on the hunt for higher performance materials that are less noxious because we liked the properties of our original PC/ABS, but we could not stand the smell. While our odor criteria is limiting, I'm excited to share that we've made progress with a High Temperature (HT) PETG which rivals PC/ABS and even polycarbonate performance.
At a similar price point to PCTG, HT PETG is good for use to ~100 C, surpassing PETG and PCTG by ~30 C, and rivalling ABS, ASA, and PC. Further, it's ~5x more impact resistant than PCTG and ~10x more than PETG. The pitch for PCTG over PETG is improved impact durability, but HT PETG has them both beat! Izod notched impact at 23 C for the base HTPETG resin is nearly 1 kJ/m, rivalling polycarbonate!!!
So what's the catch? Well, HTPETG requires fibers to make printable so there is no unfilled version. Your choice is glass fiber (which can be colored) or carbon fiber. We're launching with White and High Five Blue Glass Fiber HT-PETG as well as carbon fiber in two concentrations; separately optimizing impact and strength/stiffness. So you can see the difference, we added a little sparkle to our high impact CF HTPETG for a Galaxy Black.
Here's a look at the comparative mechanical properties:
Pretty cool, huh? I can't wait to see what you print! Tag Protopasta with your makes :-)
3D Printing with Protopasta HT PETG
I'm excited (and relieved) to finally have a high temperature, high impact, non-toxic alternative to ABS, PC/ABS, and ASA that doesn't require heat treating like HT PLA. HT PETG is relatively easy to print with typical hardware and limits. Like PETG, there can be some build-up on the nozzle. To minimize build-up and maximize quality + reliability, it's crucial to dry filament with dryers like from Eibo or Sunlu.
Hard steel nozzle required. I wrecked a brass nozzle within minutes, but hard (tool) steel, E3D Obxidian, Microswiss steel, and Diamondback nozzles are all good options. With different hardware and varying hotend geometries/materials, settings can vary. I recommend making some test prints to choose or validate volume rates, nozzle + plate temperatures, and flow %. Use glue stick or nano polymer adhesive for bed adhesion.
I started with a PC profile, but you can start with any profile. To make these long bars, I turned off all fans. For detailed parts you may want to use some layer fan, but always set auxiliary and chamber fans to 0 (off).
For the Prusa MK4s with E3D and Diamondback high flow nozzles, you'll want to start with dry filament, limit nozzle temperature (I chose 230 C), adjust flow (if required), and set the bed as high as 120 C to minimize nozzle build-up and warping which can cause defects or failure. Adjust maximum volume rate for desired balance of print rate and layer adhesion. Enclosed machines like the Core One allow lower plate temperatures.
For the Bambu X/P-series with Bambu tool steel and other standard flow nozzles with smaller heat affected zones than Prusa high flow nozzles, you can and will want to print hotter. I was able to print at 300 C for the highest volume rate (up to 18 mm3/s), but chose 6 mm3/s for full melt. Print bed was maxed out at 100 C.
I recommend standard flow nozzles and an enclosure if possible. It was easier to get a good result on Bambu X/P-series than the Prusa MK4s because of the the smaller heat affected zone and enclosure.
Missed out on May's Endless Exploration? Look for HTPETG in June for individual purchase at Protopasta.com, and don't forget to subscribe by June 30th for our next Endless Exploration (contents TBD).
Take care and enjoy the pasta,
Alex and the Protopasta Team
Don't know what to print? Find our models on you favorite model platform (links below).
More about Protopasta
Protopasta is 100% made in the USA by Protoplant Inc. Founded in 2013 by engineers, Dustin and Aaron Cram, we control every step of the process with in-house made machinery and materials. We’re a small team with a passion for making things, just like you! We’re here because of you. We’re here for you. Thank you for choosing Protopasta!
