Filament comparison
PEI 1010 vs PETG-GF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | PEI (ULTEM 1010)HIGHTEMP | Glass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETG |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $281.22/kg median; $195.00–$698.00/kg across 6 dated product listings | $27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyetherimide, ULTEM 1010 grade — the higher-temperature, food- and medical-contact PEI[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/cm³ | 1.27 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech and Prusament); 1.29 specific gravity on moulded plaques (ASTM D792, Stratasys)[1][2][4] | 1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 195–698; the middle of the market is about 270[5][6][7][8][9] | 1 kg spools cluster near 25[10][11] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 195-698 across brands and grades; 3DXTech ThermaX PEI 1010 195 at 2 kg, IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3D4Makers 270 at 2 kg, Prusament 292 at 500 g, Kimya 347 at 500 g, 3DXTech ESD-PEI 1010 698 at 500 g[5][6][7][8][9] | 19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[10][11] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6][7][8] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[10][11] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[5][8][4] | 1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[11] |
| Typical applications | Autoclavable tooling, food-contact fixtures and parts that must hold load near 200 °C[2] | Stiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[3] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 410 ± 10 (Prusament) — the hottest nozzle in the dataset[2] | Not documented |
| Bed temperature°C | 140–160 (Prusament); 130–140 (3DXTech)[2][1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Actively heated chamber required — Prusa specifies 90 °C[2] | Not documented |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | 90 (Prusament)[2] | Not documented |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | PA nylon sheet or powder-coated sheet with high-temperature glue (Prusament)[2] | Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[12][13] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Severe — heated chamber needed[2] | Not documented |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Not documented | Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[12][13] |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Not documented | Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[13] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[2][14] | Not documented |
| Extruder requirement | A hot end rated to 420 °C, a heated chamber and a high-temperature bed; Prusa dries the filament at 150 °C for 6–8 h before printing[2] | Not documented |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[2] | Hardened steel required[3] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive when unfilled[1] | Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[3] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 150 °C pre-dry before every print[15] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[16] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Not documented | Slightly sensitive[17] |
| Hotend requirement | Not documented | No special hot-end required[17] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Not documented | 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[12] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.4 in 24 h and 0.7 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH (Prusament)[2] | Not documented |
| Drying temperature & time | 150 °C for 6–8 h (Prusament) — the hottest drying schedule in the dataset[2] | Not documented |
| Symptoms when wet | Not documented | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 150 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[15] | 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[18] |
| Storage requirement | Not documented | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[18][13] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 79-95 printed in plane: Stratasys 79.2 (F900 T14) to 91.6 (F3300 N500) at break in XZ, ASTM D638; Prusament 95 +/- 3.5 at yield printed horizontal, ISO 527-1; 3DXTech quotes 56 (ISO 527)[4][2][1] | 59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2300-3040 printed in plane: Prusament 2300 +/- 100 horizontal (ISO 527-1), Stratasys 2920-3040 in XZ (ASTM D638); 3DXTech quotes 2500[4][2][1] | 4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Elongation at break% | 4.0-4.1 at break in XZ (ASTM D638, Stratasys); Prusament gives 6.6 +/- 0.7 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); 3DXTech quotes 3[4][2][1] | 4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 128 at 5 % strain (F900 T14) and 144 at break (F3300) printed XZ, ASTM D790; Prusament 98 +/- 6.5 horizontal and 138 +/- 5.3 vertical (ISO 178); 3DXTech quotes 110[4][2][1] | 104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 2910-3260 printed XZ (ASTM D790, Stratasys); Prusament 2300 horizontal and 2700 vertical (ISO 178); 3DXTech quotes 2510[4][2][1] | 3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 3.4 ± 0.9 printed horizontal and 3.6 ± 0.4 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[2] | 8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Other impact data | Izod notched 26.6-36.3 J/m XZ against 21.7-27.2 J/m ZX; unnotched 260-406 J/m XZ against 68-116 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Stratasys). Charpy unnotched 19.7 +/- 4.3 horizontal and 39 +/- 10 vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[4][2] | Charpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[3] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 28-37 at break (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Stratasys F900 and F3300) against 72 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1, Prusament on the Pro HT90 with a 0.6 mm nozzle and 90 °C chamber) — a fourfold spread driven by chamber temperature and bead size[4][2] | 48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning; notched Charpy only 3.4 kJ/m²[2] | Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[3] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Shore D 83.5 (Prusa Polymers method); Rockwell M110 / R126 on extruded PEI stock (ASTM D785)[2][19] | Not documented |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Excellent — holds load for years. Printed coupons hold 215 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded PEI stock is rated 170 °C long-term service[4][19] | 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[20][21][22] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Not documented | Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[3][23] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[2] | Rigid[3] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 36-40 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 76 (Prusament vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1)[4][2] | 80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[3] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 207 (Prusament, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa) to 217 (printed XY 216.9 and XZ 217.1, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Stratasys); 3DXTech quotes 208[2][4][1] | 81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 194 (Prusament, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa) to 215 (printed XY 215.1 and XZ 214.5, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Stratasys) — the highest heat deflection in the dataset[2][4] | 71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 209 (moulded plaque, ASTM D7426 inflection point, Stratasys); 217 (DSC, 3DXTech)[4][1] | 59.5 (DSC)[3] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Not documented | 231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[3] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 170 long-term service on extruded PEI stock, converted from 338 °F; 200 short term[19] | Not documented |
| Annealing response | Not documented | Annealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[3] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 36.1 (printed XY, -50 to 60 °C, ASTM E831), falling to 29.8 over 60-205 °C; ZX gives 32.5 over -50 to 110 °C and 16.2 over 110-165 °C[4] | 20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[24] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[1] | UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| Chemical resistance | Not documented | Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[13] |
| Food contact | Not documented | Not certified for food contact as filament[13] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not documented | Not biodegradable[13] |
| Recyclability | Not documented | Not accepted in household plastic collection[13] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Not documented | Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[3] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[25] | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[25] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Not documented | Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[3] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[17] |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Not documented | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[17] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Not documented | No practical vapour smoothing[17] |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[17] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane and chloroform — are solvents for polyetherimide. Laboratory reagents.[26][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 by | Acetone, MEK, benzene, toluene and butyl acetate craze or stress-crack it; alcohols, fuels and dilute acids do not.[27][26] | 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 agent | Dichloromethane is the only welding route, and it is a controlled carcinogen rather than a workshop material.[26][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
- ThermaX PEI 1010 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
- Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
- ULTEM 1010 Resin — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-06 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Kimya PEI-1010 Amber Yellow 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa Prusament PEI 1010 Natural (NFC), 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI 3D PEI 1010 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
- PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
- THERMAX PEI 1010 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- TECAPEI natural (PEI) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
- 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
- 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
- Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc