3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA blend vs PETG-GF

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

PA6/66 copolymer blends guideGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA blend comparisonsMore PETG-GF comparisons
PA blend vs PETG-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA6/66 copolymer blendsPAGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$65.62/kg median; $62.00–$113.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA6/66 copolymer — a nylon alloy that lowers the melting point and improves printability against straight PA6[1][2]Glass-fibre reinforced polyester. Polymaker's Fiberon PET-GF15 uses a PET rather than a PETG matrix and carries 15 wt% glass fibre[3]
Densityg/cm³1.12 (ISO 1183, Polymaker CoPA)[1]1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 65[4][5][6]1 kg spools cluster near 25[7][4]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg62–113 across brands; add:north Adura 62, PrimaCreator NylonPower PA6/66 65 at 500 g, Polymaker CoPA 67, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 6-66 113[4][8][5][6]19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[7][4]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[4][8][5][6]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[4]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose nylon parts and, unusually, CoPA can support itself if the support is removed before it absorbs moisture[1]Stiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C25–50 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a chamber at ambient temperature[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[9][10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s16 at Polymaker's 200 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][11]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[9][10]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[10]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; must be kept below 20 % RH throughout[1][12]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[13]Hardened steel required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[13]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[14][12]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[16]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker's own wet-state specimens reached 6.16 % moisture content after 48 h immersion at 60 °C[1][12]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the PETG matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[9]
Drying temperature & time100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[14]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[12]
Effect of moisture on strengthMeasured dry against wet on printed specimens at 6.16 % moisture (Polymaker CoPA): tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa, Young's modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, flexural strength 109.8 → 22.6 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m² and elongation 12.7 → 13.2 %[1][14]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[12]
Storage requirementPolymaker states CoPA must always be stored and used below 20 % relative humidity[1]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[12][10]
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[1][17]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa78.0 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 34.3 ± 2.5 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2703 ± 259 printed XY dry and 724 ± 61 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Elongation at break%12.7 ± 2.1 printed XY dry and 13.2 ± 2.3 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa109.8 ± 1.3 printed XY dry and 22.6 ± 0.5 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2510 ± 25 printed XY dry and 636 ± 11 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.9 ± 1.4 printed XY dry and 27.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker CoPA) — impact quadruples when conditioned[1]8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa45.8 ± 1.5 printed Z dry, falling to 13.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 86 and Rockwell 85 (108) — the source does not name the scales on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D2240, D785)[18]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — no GF-grade creep test; the CF grades sagged to 14.8–16.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg against 17.1–20.4 mm unfilled[19][20][21]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[13]Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[3][22]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[14]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%59 dry (45.8 Z against 78.0 XY) and 40 wet, printed[1]80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C111 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C70 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C66 (DSC, Polymaker CoPA)[1]59.5 (DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C189 melting (DSC); Vicat 180, crystallisation 148, decomposition 370 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[3]
Annealing response80 °C for 6 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Annealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K81.0 on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D696; source states 4.5e-5 in/in/°F) — the same chemistry as a PA6/66 copolymer[18]20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[23]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[10]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift — 6.16 % uptake cost 56 % of tensile strength and 73 % of modulus[1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact as filament[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[24]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[24]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[24]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[24]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[24]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]Open a window / occasional ventilation[24]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingCoPA can support itself, but Polymaker warns the support bonds permanently if it absorbs moisture before removal[1]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[16]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[25]No common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[26][27]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[25]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[25]Dichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[27]

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. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. AmideX Nylon 6-66 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. add:north Adura product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower PA6/66 product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  10. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  18. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc