Early 3D printers used ABS, but bad fumes and warps made most people go to PLA. However, PETG has many of the great properties of ABS, as well as some of the user-friendly properties of PLA. According to a current one [VisionMiner] However, video could be the next filament of choice, PCTG – polyethylene terephthalate glycol. The filament itself is from Essentium, but it appears that [VisionMiner] is a reseller of the filament (along with other engineering plastics). So there is a bit of marketing in the video below, but it also gives good information and examples of how to use PCTG.
The plastic is relatively cheap, but still not as cheap as PLA or even PETG. A 750g roll costs around $ 40. The advantages? According to the video, this plastic is stronger, tougher, and clearer than other popular options.
The material is printed on many standard FDM printers. It requires 250 ° C to 270 ° C at the nozzle and 70 ° C to 80 ° C at the bed. Just make sure your hotend can handle the higher temperature. If you have PTFE in yours, it’s likely your limiting factor, although you’ll also need a temperature reading which can go above 250 as well.
Speaking of temperature: Apparently the filament can have a glossy or matte surface depending on the printing temperature. We asked ourselves whether the layer adhesion – which should be very strong – changes depending on the printing temperature.
If you are printing with PLA or even PETG with good results, you may not need a PCTG. However, unless you need to print with other materials like nylon, which are difficult to set up, it might be worth experimenting with a roller to see how it works.
Carbon fiber filament is cool if your nozzle can take it. We must confess, we still haven’t made it through the thirty types of exotic filaments we listed some time ago.