3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA6-GF vs PETG

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

Glass-fibre PA6 (PA6-GF) guidePETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA6-GF comparisonsMore PETG comparisons
PA6-GF vs PETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PA6 (PA6-GF)PAPETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$59.98/kg median; $39.99–$130.00/kg across 6 dated product listings$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA6 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — Polymaker's grade is 25 wt%[1][2]Polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.14 (Bambu Lab) and 1.20 (Polymaker Fiberon), ISO 1183[2][1]1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[3][4][5][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 40–130; the middle of the market is about 60[2][7][8]1 kg spools cluster near 20[9][7][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg40–130 across brands; SUNLU 40, YXPOLYER 45, Polymaker Fiberon and Bambu Lab 60, 3DXTech FibreX 87, Obsidian Nylon 6+GF 130[7][2][11][8][12]12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[9][7][13][10][14][15]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[2][7][11][8][12]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[9][7][16][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[7][11][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[7][10]
Typical applicationsStiff, heat-resistant structural parts where a matte finish and lower cost beat carbon fibre[2][1]Functional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Bambu Lab)[2]230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[3][4][6]
Bed temperature°CNot documented60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[3][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber[2]Open frame is fine[6]
Recommended chamber temperature°C45–60 (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documentedAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[3][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[17][18]Textured 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[3][6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s10 at Bambu Lab's 130 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][19]8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[19][20]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — corner lift on large flat parts[3][6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[18]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[3][6]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[2][21]Easy — minor profile tuning[6]
Extruder requirement0.6 mm nozzle recommended by Bambu Lab; 0.4 and 0.8 also supported[2]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA6-GF25 and recommends hardened steel or ruby[1]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA6-GF25[1]Non-abrasive[6]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[21]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[22][23]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[17]Slightly sensitive[22]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[17]No special hot-end required[22]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — 2.56 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab) and 3.33 % equilibrium (Polymaker Fiberon), the highest in the dataset[2][1]Moderate (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[3][24]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%2.56 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 3.33 equilibrium (Polymaker Fiberon PA6-GF25)[2][1]0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3][24]
Drying temperature & time80 °C for 8–12 h (Bambu Lab)[2]60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][24]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[25]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[3]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker publishes dry and wet printed blocks for PA6-GF25 itself: at 4.57 % moisture tensile falls 80.1 → 40.2 MPa and modulus 5357 → 1794 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 10.0 → 28.0 kJ/m²[1][25]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[21]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[21]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[21][26]
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[27][28]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa75 ± 6 (Bambu Lab) and 80.1 ± 1.8 (Polymaker Fiberon, dry/annealed) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberon falls to 40.2 ± 2.1 conditioned to 4.57 % moisture. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 60.2-61.1 at break and 61.7-62.3 at yield printed XZ (ASTM D638)[2][1][29]38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][5][30]
Young's modulusMPa2850 ± 260 (Bambu Lab) and 5357 ± 211 (Polymaker Fiberon, dry) printed XY, ISO 527; Fiberon falls to 1794 ± 84 conditioned. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 5600-5830 printed XZ against 3050-3140 in ZX (ASTM D638)[2][1][29]1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4][5][6]
Elongation at break%2.4 ± 0.2 dry (Polymaker Fiberon) to 3.9 ± 0.8 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; the Fiberon grade rises to 4.2 ± 0.7 conditioned[2][1]5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[4][5][6][3]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[3][4][5][6]
Flexural modulusMPa3670 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[2]1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4][5][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.0 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 28.0 ± 1.0 conditioned, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker Fiberon); Bambu Lab 7.2 ± 2.3[1][2]2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[4][5][3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179). Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives Izod notched 74.6-77.1 J/m printed XZ against 17.2-22.1 in ZX (ASTM D256)[2][29]Charpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[3][30]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa27 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 60.7 ± 1.1 (Polymaker Fiberon, dry) printed Z, ISO 527 — the two makers differ by more than a factor of two; Fiberon falls to 26.3 ± 1.5 conditioned. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 23.7-24.4 at break printed ZX (ASTM D638)[2][1][29]18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[3][4][30]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2.4 % in XY[1]Moderate[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785)[31]74 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[3][30][32][33]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock; the rating is held below Excellent because equilibrium moisture uptake of 3.33 % softens the matrix in service[31][1]Below 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[30][20]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[31]Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[34]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%36 (Bambu Lab) to 76 (Polymaker Fiberon), printed; Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 39-41 (ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638)[2][1][29]84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C182 (Bambu Lab) and 191 (Polymaker Fiberon), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa. Stratasys FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR gives 161 printed XY and 185 XZ (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[2][1][29]68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C157 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 158 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[2][1]65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[3][4][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C67 (Bambu Lab) and 70.4 (Polymaker Fiberon), DSC; Stratasys measures 51.5 on FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR (ASTM D7426)[2][1][29]71–81 (DSC)[4][5][6]
Melting point / Vicat°C214.5 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 219 (Bambu Lab) melting, DSC; Vicat 210–212 (ISO 306)[2][1]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[4][5][6]
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[30][32][33][20][35]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F). Stratasys measures much higher on printed FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR — 95.4 over -20 to 5 °C and 214 over 25 to 80 °C in XY (ASTM E831)[31][29]65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[36]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[27]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[37][26]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[18]Moderate — a season or two[3]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[18]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[26]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift[25]Good — minor absorption[3]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[18]PET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[26]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Not biodegradable[26]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[18]PET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[26]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Polymaker Fiberon, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[38]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[38]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[38]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[38]≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[38]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[38]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[38]Open a window / occasional ventilation[38]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[17]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[22]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[3]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[17]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[22]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[17]No practical vapour smoothing[3]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[22]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[3][6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[39]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[40][41]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[39]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[40]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[39]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[41]

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. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PA6-GF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. SUNLU Nylon-6 Glass Fiber (PA6-GF) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg — product page SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. YXPOLYER PA6-GF Black 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  28. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. FDM PA6/66-GF30-FR — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-07 · tds
  30. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  35. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  36. 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
  37. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  38. 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
  39. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  40. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc