At a glance
| Best for | Functional parts that have to survive being used rather than sit on a shelf |
|---|---|
| Material | PETG — black as standard, white and other colours on request |
| Typical price | No material surcharge — PETG is the standard price |
| Lead time | Dispatched 2–3 working days from payment |
| Minimum order | One part |
| Maximum part size | 256 × 256 × 256 mm in one piece; larger parts split and joined |
What we take on
- Parts that live outdoors or in a vehicle
- Anything that flexes repeatedly — clips, catches, living hinges
- Components near warm equipment or in direct sun
- Replacements for original parts that were moulded in ABS or nylon
What to send
Nothing special is needed for material choice, because there is only one. What helps is knowing how the part will be used.
- The STL, as usual
- A line about the environment: outdoors, in a car, near heat, submerged
- Whether the part needs to flex, and roughly how often
How the price is worked out
PETG is slightly denser than PLA and prints a little slower, and both are already built into the calculator. There is no premium for choosing it because there is nothing else to choose. Black is stocked and included; white adds a small fixed amount per file, and other colours are priced by weight because they are bought in specially.
Where this works well
- Sustained temperatures up to roughly 80°C
- Impact and repeated bending without cracking
- Damp, humid or outdoor conditions
- UV exposure far better than PLA, though not indefinitely
Where it doesn’t
- Sustained heat above about 80°C — near an exhaust or engine block
- Parts needing a glass-smooth cosmetic finish straight off the printer
- Chemical exposure to strong solvents
How PETG compares in practice
| PETG | PLA | ABS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat before it softens | ~80°C | ~55°C | ~95°C |
| Impact resistance | Good | Poor — snaps | Good |
| Outdoors | Holds up | Degrades | Fades, warps less |
| Dimensional accuracy | Good | Best | Warps on big parts |
PLA is easier to print and looks slightly crisper, which is why most hobby prints use it. It also becomes brittle with age and turns soft in a parked car in July. ABS handles more heat but warps badly on larger parts without an enclosure. PETG sits where most real parts need to be.
Questions people ask about this
Can you print in PLA if I ask?
No. Running one material means the machines stay dialled in and results stay consistent. If your part genuinely needs PLA or a specialist filament, we would rather point you elsewhere than do it badly.
Is PETG food safe?
The raw polymer is used in drinks bottles, but a printed part has microscopic layer gaps that trap bacteria, and our machines are not food-certified. We do not sell parts for food contact.
Not sure PETG suits your part?
Send the file with a note about how it will be used and we will tell you honestly.