3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG vs POM

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

PETG guidePOM (acetal) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG comparisonsMore POM comparisons
PETG vs POM — documented properties and sources
PropertyPETGPETGPOM (acetal)ENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listingsNot documented
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[1][2]Polyoxymethylene, normally the copolymer POM-C. Apium's filament grade is POM-C with antistatic additives; no unfilled POM filament was found on sale[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][2][5][6]1.41 (extruded POM-C stock)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]Not documented
Price range across brandsUSD/kg12–70 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]Not documented
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[7][8][13][9]Special order, 1-2 makers worldwide — Apium sells a POM-C ESD filament through its own shop and states its printers are the only ones able to process POM-C; no POM filament appears in the 3DJAKE or igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid[4][14][15][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[8][9]Not documented
Typical applicationsFunctional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[1][2]Gears, bushings, bearings, conveyor and food-machinery parts; Apium markets its POM-C ESD grade for semiconductor insulators, aerospace fasteners and sliding parts[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[1][2][6]Not documented
Bed temperature°C60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[1][6]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Not documented
Part cooling fanAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[1][6]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured 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[1][6]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[16][17]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[1][6]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[1]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1][6]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[6]Not documented
Extruder requirementNot documentedApium states that the adaptive heating system on its industrial machines is what makes POM-C printable, and that no other 3D printer can process it[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[16]Not documented
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Not documented
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[18][19]Not documented
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[18]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (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[1][20]Low (0.1-0.3 %) — extruded POM-C stock takes up 0.18 % in 24 h and 0.80 % at saturation (ASTM D570)[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1][20]Not documented
Drying temperature & time60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][20]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker 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]Not documented
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[21][22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][5][23]66.9 at break and 64.1 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 9700 and 9300 psi)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2][5][6]2275 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638; converted from 330,000 psi)[3]
Elongation at break%5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[2][5][6][1]40 at break and 9 at yield (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D638)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[1][2][5][6]89.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 13,000 psi)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2][5][6]2758 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D790; converted from 400,000 psi)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[2][5][1]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[1][23]Izod 53 J/m on extruded POM-C stock, converted from 1.0 ft-lb/in[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][23]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; extruded stock elongates 40 % before failing. No printed figure is published[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell74 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[1][23][24][25]Rockwell 86 (and R120) — the source names only the R scale on extruded POM-C stock (ASTM D785)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below 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[23][17]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[26]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedWear factor 65e-10 in3*min/(ft*lb*h) and a dynamic coefficient of friction of 0.21 at 40 psi and 50 fpm (ASTM D3702, extruded stock) — the properties that make acetal the default gear and bushing plastic; Apium lists good sliding properties as the reason for its grade[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2][6]158 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 316 °F)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[1][2][6]110 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 230 °F)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C71–81 (DSC)[2][5][6]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[2][5][6]165 melting (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 329 °F)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[23][24][25][17][27]91 long term and 141 intermittent (extruded POM-C stock; converted from 195 °F and 285 °F)[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[28]84.6 (extruded POM-C stock, ASTM D696; source states 4.7e-5 in/in/°F)[3]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[29][22]UL 94 HB on extruded POM-C stock[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[22]Good chemical resistance, particularly to bases; Apium lists resistance to bases as a headline property[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[1]Good — minor absorption; 0.80 % water at saturation (ASTM D570, extruded stock)[3]
Food contactPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[22]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Not documented
RecyclabilityPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[22]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedVolume resistance 1e14 ohm-cm, dielectric strength 500 V/mil and dielectric constant 3.7 at 60 Hz on extruded stock (ASTM D257, D149, D150); Apium's filament grade adds antistatic agents[3][4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[30]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[30]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[30]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[18]Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of POM-C stock[3]
Painting & finishingPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[18]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[1]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[18]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[1][6]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[31][32]Hexafluoroisopropanol dissolves it at room temperature; NMP and DMF only when hot. Laboratory reagents.[33]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[31]Acids, oxidants, halogens and hot concentrated zinc chloride attack it; alcohols, ketones and esters do not.[33][34]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[32]None — no solvent softens POM below its melting point, which is why it is bolted or heat-welded rather than glued.[33]

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. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  2. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  3. TECAFORM AH natural (POM-C) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  4. POM-C ESD 3D printing — material page Apium 3D Technologies · 2026-08 · doc
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  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. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  27. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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
  29. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  30. 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
  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
  33. Resistance of Ultramid, Ultraform and Ultradur to chemicals (TI-KTU/AS-28 e) BASF · 2000-10 · tds
  34. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds