3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-GF vs PETG-GF

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

Glass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guideGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-GF comparisonsMore PETG-GF comparisons
PA12-GF vs PETG-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PAGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings$27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[1]Glass-fibre reinforced polyester. Polymaker's Fiberon PET-GF15 uses a PET rather than a PETG matrix and carries 15 wt% glass fibre[2]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183)[1]1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[3][4][5]1 kg spools cluster near 25[6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg46–140 across brands; IEMAI 3D 46, 3DXTech 131 at 750 g and 130 at 2 kg, PrimaCreator NylonPower Glass Fiber 140 at 500 g[3][4][5]19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[6][7]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[3][4]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[3][5]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[7]
Typical applicationsStiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[1][8]Stiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[2]
Printing Parameters
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[9]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[10][9]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[11][12]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[10]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[11][12]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[9]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[12]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[9]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — no nozzle-life figure is published for a PA12-GF30 grade; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its comparable fibre-filled nylons[13]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[13]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[10]Slightly sensitive[16]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[10]No special hot-end required[16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — the PA12 matrix takes up far less than PA6, on the evidence of Polymaker's 1.5 % for PA12-CF10 against 3.33 % for PA6-GF25[17][18]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[11]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[14]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's PA12 grades change little between wet and dry, unlike PA6; the CoPA dry-to-wet blocks show the PA6-type response[8][19]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[14]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[14]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[14][12]
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[13][19]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa82 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Young's modulusMPa7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Elongation at break%4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[1][18]4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Flexural strengthMPa94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[20]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for extruded PA66-GF30 stock, and the PA12 matrix absorbs far less water than PA6, so a PA12-GF part holds load better in a humid environment[20][9]Below 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[21][22][23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[20]Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[2][24]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented59.5 (DSC)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[2]
Annealing responseNot documentedAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[2]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F) — no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[20]20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[25]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[13]UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[9]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[9]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[12]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[8]Not documented
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[9]Not certified for food contact as filament[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[9]Not biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[9]Not accepted in household plastic collection[12]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[1]Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[26]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[26]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[26]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[26]Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[10]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[10]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[10]No practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[16]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[27]No common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[28][29]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[27]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[27]Dichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[29]

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. FibreX PA12-GF30 Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. IEMAI 3D GF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower Glass Fiber product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  12. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying 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. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  18. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  19. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc