PCTG - A better PETG
Like most, I started 3D printing with PLA, quickly ran into it's limitations with functional prints and moved to PETG. Not having an enclosed chamber at the time (first an Ender 3 then a Mk4) I wanted to advance into better filaments but had limited choices. The various CF filaments like PC-CF were available, expensive and came in a variety of colors as long as it was black.
I started using PETG for functional telescope parts: brackets, cases etc but it didn't really survive being banged up. So I was looking for an alternative that didn't require a heated chamber. One of the YouTubers recommended PCTG as a "better PETG" so I picked up a roll of Spectrum PCTG.
PCTG is PETG with: better impact resistance and toughness, chemical resistance, improved print surfaces and clarity, much lower moisture absorption, identical print difficulty and basically the same thermal characteristics. It's not as UV resistant as ASA but it's much easier to print and doesn't require an enclosed heated chamber.
Downsides are it's not as widely available as PETG, doesn't come in as many colors (although that is getting better) and is slightly more expensive. After doing some research, the four major vendors: Spectrum, Fiberlogy, 3DJake, 3D-Fuel all use Eastman Tritan copolyester (or a direct equivalent) as the base resin. Eastman sells it to filament converters who then extrude, spool, QC, brand, and sell it under their own names. PrusaSlicer has built-in profiles for 3D-Fuel and Spectrum which are basically interchangeable with each other and Fiberlogy/3DJake.
I now use 3D-Fuel PCTG exclusively over PETG except for one very specific color: Prusa Orange.
Here are my calibrated settings:
- Nozzle Temp: 245C
- Bed Temp: 80C
- Fan: 10-40%, 70% bridge (taken from PrusaSlicer Spectrum PTCG profile)
- Chamber: 0 minimal, 40 nominal (although this can be 0 as well)
- Extrusion Multiplier: 0.96 for PTCG-CF and 1.0 for PTCG
- Pressure Advance (0.4mm Diamondback): 0.053
- Shrinkage: 0.2%
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
Thanks for the time you spend to write this. I was thinking of starting using it to but the limitation of availability (brand wise) made me skeptical. I usually use Elegoo , Esun and Prusament (just as a color choice) PETGs and none of those offered PCTG. Ill give it a try based on your settings (i have an XL but the nextruder is similar). Ill go for Spectrum and 3djake.3d fuel is not available from 3DJake and even if fiberology is a nice brand i cannot find a justification for them for selling on a similar price 750g spools.
Like most, I started 3D printing with PLA, quickly ran into it's limitations with functional prints and moved to PETG. Not having an enclosed chamber at the time (first an Ender 3 then a Mk4) I wanted to advance into better filaments but had limited choices. The various CF filaments like PC-CF were available, expensive and came in a variety of colors as long as it was black.
I started using PETG for functional telescope parts: brackets, cases etc but it didn't really survive being banged up. So I was looking for an alternative that didn't require a heated chamber. One of the YouTubers recommended PCTG as a "better PETG" so I picked up a roll of Spectrum PCTG.
PCTG is PETG with: better impact resistance and toughness, chemical resistance, improved print surfaces and clarity, much lower moisture absorption, identical print difficulty and basically the same thermal characteristics. It's not as UV resistant as ASA but it's much easier to print and doesn't require an enclosed heated chamber.
Downsides are it's not as widely available as PETG, doesn't come in as many colors (although that is getting better) and is slightly more expensive. After doing some research, the four major vendors: Spectrum, Fiberlogy, 3DJake, 3D-Fuel all use Eastman Tritan copolyester (or a direct equivalent) as the base resin. Eastman sells it to filament converters who then extrude, spool, QC, brand, and sell it under their own names. PrusaSlicer has built-in profiles for 3D-Fuel and Spectrum which are basically interchangeable with each other and Fiberlogy/3DJake.
I now use 3D-Fuel PCTG exclusively over PETG except for one very specific color: Prusa Orange.
Here are my calibrated settings:
- Nozzle Temp: 245C
- Bed Temp: 80C
- Fan: 10-40%, 70% bridge (taken from PrusaSlicer Spectrum PTCG profile)
- Chamber: 0 minimal, 40 nominal (although this can be 0 as well)
- Extrusion Multiplier: 0.96 for PTCG-CF and 1.0 for PTCG
- Pressure Advance (0.4mm Diamondback): 0.053
- Shrinkage: 0.2%
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
They must have seen my post... 🤣
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
Throwing in my source for PCTG in EU: nobufil in Austria ( https://www.nobufil.com/ ) produces filament based on recyclement material.
I have very good results with this filament. Starting point was the PCTG Spectrum preset in Prusa Slicer and settled with:
- nozzle: 256 C
- bed: 90 C
- fan: 20-50 %
Core One L
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
Hyiger, you're a damn good salesman 😊. After your non ending praises, I purchased a Cryogrip plate ( still in transit God-knows-where BTW ).
Now you're awaking my interest on PCTG. Being in Europe myself, 3Djake is my vendor of choice. I've been buying from them not only filament, but printers and spares as well. Spectrum PCTG is cheaper than Prusament PETG, but quite more expensive that my everyday PETG ( Geeetech from Amazon ). The other brands are more expensive but prices are still reasonable. 3Djake's own PCTG has the better user reviews, but then it's their brand, so that's not surprising, or I'm being too cynical ?. 🤩
RE:
Hyiger, you're a damn good salesman 😊. After your non ending praises, I purchased a Cryogrip plate ( still in transit God-knows-where BTW ).
Now you're awaking my interest on PCTG. Being in Europe myself, 3Djake is my vendor of choice. I've been buying from them not only filament, but printers and spares as well. Spectrum PCTG is cheaper than Prusament PETG, but quite more expensive that my everyday PETG ( Geeetech from Amazon ). The other brands are more expensive but prices are still reasonable. 3Djake's own PCTG has the better user reviews, but then it's their brand, so that's not surprising, or I'm being too cynical ?. 🤩
I should ask BIQU for commission...
I'm starting to like PCTG a lot. It prints much easier than a lot of PETG (exception would be Prusament). Seems in 2026 more filament manufacturers are getting onboard with it so the prices should come down. The one down-side (excluding cost) is it doesn't yet come in as many colors as PETG.
As for Spectrum vs 3DJake, comparing the TDS they seem to be the exact same base resin.
I've been printing the 3D-Fuel matte black (5% CF) recently which is really nice.
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
Hyiger, you're a damn good salesman 😊. After your non ending praises, I purchased a Cryogrip plate ( still in transit God-knows-where BTW ).
Now you're awaking my interest on PCTG. Being in Europe myself, 3Djake is my vendor of choice. I've been buying from them not only filament, but printers and spares as well. Spectrum PCTG is cheaper than Prusament PETG, but quite more expensive that my everyday PETG ( Geeetech from Amazon ). The other brands are more expensive but prices are still reasonable. 3Djake's own PCTG has the better user reviews, but then it's their brand, so that's not surprising, or I'm being too cynical ?. 🤩
@Artur5:
Just FYI, as you mentioned the price for PCTG: The manufacturer I posted gives 5% discount on an order with more than 3 spools. Then, nobufil supports/sponsors one in the german-language area known YT creator (Matthias Schwaighofer) with filament and the community with a 15% voucher code - in total you can get 20 % discount. As I don't know how the community here reacts when posting coupon codes - you can find the 15% voucher code in the video description of Matthias's LIVE streams.
Core One L
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
Thanks for the info... I will try PCTG soon. As Hyiger said, probably the filament base is pretty much the same for all these brands. Limited color choice is no issue for me, because for PETG I use black 90% of the time.
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
PCTG is super flexible, that is good or bad depending on your application. If you want a thin walled rigid print, PETG is going to be better. But these days why settle for PETG when we have many more options.
RE: PCTG - A better PETG
PCTG is super flexible, that is good or bad depending on your application. If you want a thin walled rigid print, PETG is going to be better. But these days why settle for PETG when we have many more options.
I've found PCTG to indeed be flexible but not like a PP or TPU 64D. Also if you need rigidity the CF formulations are nice. I usually print with extra walls if I need rigidity and cut back on the infill.