3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Magnetic vs PETG

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

Magnetic filament guidePETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Magnetic comparisonsMore PETG comparisons
Magnetic vs PETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyMagnetic filamentSPECIALTYPETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[1]Polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[2][3]
Densityg/cm³About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[1]1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[2][3][4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 65[6]1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[6]12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[7][8][10][9][11][12]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[7][8][13][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[8][9]
Typical applicationsSensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[1]Functional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C192 (Proto-pasta)[1]230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[2][3][5]
Bed temperature°C60 (Proto-pasta)[1]60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[2][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[5]
Part cooling fanNot documentedAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[2][5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[2][5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1]8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[14][15]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — corner lift on large flat parts[2][5]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[2]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed[2][5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; slow, and brittle in filament form[1]Easy — minor profile tuning[5]
Extruder requirementProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[1]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely[14]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — metal fill[1]Non-abrasive[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists metal-filled composites as a higher clogging risk and recommends a 0.6 mm nozzle minimum[16]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[17][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[17]
Hotend requirementProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[1]No special hot-end required[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[2][19]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2][19]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60–65 °C for 6–8 h[5][19]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[20]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[20][21]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][4][22]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][3][4][5]
Elongation at break%Not documented5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[3][4][5][2]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[2][3][4][5]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][3][4][5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[3][4][2]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[2][22]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[2][3][22]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[1]Moderate[2][3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[2][22][23][24]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[22][15]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[25]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[2][3][5]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented71–81 (DSC)[3][4][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[3][4][5]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[22][23][24][15][26]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[27]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[28][21]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two[2]
Outdoor durabilityDeliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[21]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption[2]
Food contactNot documentedPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[21]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[21]
RecyclabilityNot documentedPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[21]
Electrical & ESD propertiesFerromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[29]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[29]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[29]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[29]Open a window / occasional ventilation[29]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningPolishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[1]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[17]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[2]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[2]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[17]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[2][5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[30][1]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[31][32]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[30][1]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[31]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[30]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[32]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  16. Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  26. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  28. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  30. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  31. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc