QA

Quick Answer: How To Put A Finish On Petg 3D Prints

We’ve found that liquid metal polishes such as Brasso tend to work well on most brands of PETG. To apply the polish, pour a small amount onto a soft cleaning cloth. Then, rub the cloth across the entirety of the part until all of the polish has been absorbed.

How do you seal PETG?

Coating PETG 3D Printer Filament Applying an epoxy resin to your PETG 3D print is the same as PLA or ABS and you can do it by using XTC-3D. It’s a self-leveling epoxy resin which means it will flow and cover the part and won’t show brush strokes.

How do you smooth out 3D prints on PETG?

However, this is not possible without surface processing after printing. There are various ways to smooth PETG. PETG can be smoothed with fine sandpaper, epoxy resin and paint. Similar to ABS with acetone, PETG can also be smoothed with dichloromethane.

How do you heat treat a PETG?

A good starting point is to anneal the PETG at an approximate temperature between 75°C (167°C) and 78°C (172°F), for a time of between 40 minutes and 80 minutes and then let it cool very slowly.

Can you flame polish PETG?

PETg sheet can be flame-polished using a standard propane torch or a hot-nitrogen welder. Both techniques require accurate control of the distance between the sheet and the heat source; otherwise, surface whitening or excessive material flow may occur.

Does PETG need to be sealed?

If you want to make your PETG print food safe, you must seal the printed model with some food grade resin or sealant. One of the advantages of PETG over PLA, although both are classified as safe for contact with food.

Will acetone melt PETG?

Side notes: Acetone is wellknown for being absolutely useless for dissolving PETG and I can confirm this from my own experience. All you can expect is to roughen the surface a little bit. You can read several reports that say dichloromethane is not working as a solvent for PETG.

Is PETG as strong as ABS?

For most people, there really isn’t a reason to choose ABS over PETG. PETG is stronger, more durable, and it prints better. ABS is only necessary if you absolutely need the 100 °C temperature resistance or its ability to be glued and painted.

Are PETG fumes bad?

The fumes are not toxic, but it’s always best to ventilate your printing room properly. There are some carbon emissions from the fumes when printing with PETG, but experts have concluded that they pose no significant health risks.

Is PETG better than PLA?

For example, PETG is stronger than PLA (though weaker than ABS) and more flexible than ABS (though less flexible than PLA). This, understandably, makes it a popular material as the short-comings of both materials are lessened within PETG.

Will PETG warp in the sun?

PETG 3D printer filaments have a melting point of about 260°C. If you live in an area where outdoor temperatures can get to 40°C (104°F) then it may not be possible for PETG models to stay in the car for a very long time without getting significantly softer or showing signs of warping.

How do I bond PETG parts?

Polyurethane Glue can create versatile bonds between PETG to PETG or PETG to metal, wood, glass, etc. So if you want a glue that sticks to any plastic, polyurethane can do the job. It can work with rigid and flexible materials and has an average drying time. Polyurethane is the overall best glue for PETG prints.

How do you make PETG less glossy?

Slightly reducing print temperature and/or increasing fan speeds will make PETG far less shiny when it dries, giving translucent varieties an almost satin appearance.

Does PLA dissolve in acetone?

Yes, acetone can dissolve PLA but only under certain conditions. You might get better results with other solvents, but there isn’t one that reliably works for all types of PLA filament. PLA is an excellent 3D printing material, but it does not offer a lot of post-processing options.

Does paint stick to PETG?

FAQ: Can You Paint All Plastics? PETG, however, may be harder to paint with a durable result, but the same preparations apply as with PLA and ABS. If you really need the color to stick, we would suggest printing your PETG model in the color you want it to end up, and leave it at that.

What melts PETG?

What does dissolve PETG? Dichloromethane, toluene, cyclohexanone, and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) are the most common solvents for PETG. Dichloromethane is a CLP volatile carcinogen and can quickly vaporize into the air.

Does PETG stick to PEI?

RE: PETG not sticking to PEI bed Their print residues are mutually incompatible and not removable with just alcohol.

Does PETG get brittle?

My experience with PET is that it is less strong than PLA, it will break sooner under high loads, but it can flex more. It will fracture without warning, all of a sudden. Fractures ignore layer lines (indicating good bonding). Also, it has less creep due to permanent loads than PLA.

How do you dehumidify PETG?

One of the easiest ways to dry out PETG is by using a regular home oven. This is a quick way to get rid of any moisture build-up that your filament might have if you’ve left it out in the open for some time. The recommended PETG filament drying temperature is done best at 65-70°C for anywhere between 4-6 hours.

Why does PETG stick nozzle?

Some filaments are best printed when the first layer is ‘squished’ into the bed, but printing PETG this way will cause plastic to stick to the nozzle. Increasing the gap between the nozzle and bed can help solve this issue. Increasing retraction and the travel speed can help reduce oozing which can stick to the nozzle.

Can you cold pull with PETG?

Cold pulls are particularly important if you are switching from a high-temperature filament (e.g. PETG) to a lower-temp filament (e.g. PLA). Filament residue that will melt out at higher temps remains solid, cooks and eventually carbonizes in the hotend and nozzle.

Is PETG bendy?

In fact, PETG is flexible enough that it is virtually unbreakable in the layer direction. Excellent layer adhesion translates into improved surface finishes. Low shrinkage means it is often a good choice for printing larger items.

Will PETG melt in a car?

PETG. PETG is similar to PLA but has a higher glass transition temperature of up to 80o C. So in most cases, PETG doesn’t melt in a car. However, UV light can affect PETG, too, so you may consider painting it.

Is PETG waterproof?

Because of the very good layer adhesion, the PETG prints are suitable for waterproof applications.