PCTG | Spectrum
Experience superior 3D printing with Spectrum Premium PCTG filament, an exceptional alternative to PETG. This innovative filament comes from the copolyester family and brings you the printing ease associated with PETG, coupled with numerous enhanced properties.
Technical informations
Thermal properties | |
| HDT-A | 64 °C |
| HDT-B | 76 °C |
| Vicat softening temperature | 88 °C |
Filament properties | |
| Country of origin | Poland |
| Filament density | 1.27 g/mm3 |
| Diameter tolerance | 0.05 mm |
| Recommended adhesive | 3DLac - Bestselling adhesive sprayMagigoo Adhesive – The Original 50ml |
Spool weight and dimensions |
How to store filaments
Humidity and UV light can decrease the filament quality and weaken its mechanical properties. We strongly recommend storing open filaments in a dry and dark place. You can find a complete guide on how to properly store your filament here
Where to throw print fails and supports?
We kindly ask our customers to cope with plastic waste responsibly. Failed prints, support material, rafts, or brims should be liquidated according to the local guidelines. Paradoxically, in most cases, it is better to throw this waste in the regular trash can, as most of the material waste created in 3D printing is not identified, which causes more problems than benefits in the waste sorting facilities.
PCTG | Spectrum
Experience superior 3D printing with Spectrum Premium PCTG filament, an exceptional alternative to PETG. This innovative filament comes from the copolyester family and brings you the printing ease associated with PETG, coupled with numerous enhanced properties.
Spectrum Premium PCTG filament is characterized by its incredible impact strength, making your 3D-printed models more resilient to everyday use. With high dimensional stability, this filament guarantees accurate and reliable prints, ensuring your designs come to life with precision. It also stands out for its minimal shrinkage, providing superior finished product quality compared to other filaments.
This filament is the perfect blend of Tough PLA and PETG's most appealing features, offering an excellent print surface and increased elasticity. Its heat deflection temperature stands at 76°C, allowing it to maintain shape and stability under warmer conditions. This filament also boasts higher chemical resistance, making your printed models more durable against a variety of chemical interactions.
Spectrum Premium PCTG filament's transparency sets it apart. Elements made using its transparent colors yield greater clarity than those printed with PETG, enabling you to achieve a near-transparent effect with fewer visible exterior contours.
With Spectrum Premium PCTG filament, a heated build chamber is not required, making your 3D printing process simpler and more convenient. This filament truly takes your 3D printing experience to new heights of ease and quality.
Additional Information About PCTG Filament:
PCTG (PolyCyclohexylenedimethylene Terephthalate Glycol) is a type of filament that stands out in the world of 3D printing for its balanced properties. Its ease of printability and strength make it a suitable choice for functional parts that need to withstand wear and tear.
One of the main advantages of PCTG filament is its flexibility. It's more bendable than PET-G, making it great for prints requiring a certain level of flexibility without compromising on durability. This, combined with its high impact resistance, makes it a popular choice for protective equipment, outdoor gear, and mechanical parts.
PCTG is also known for its ability to maintain clarity, especially when printed at slower speeds. This is a significant benefit for users looking to create transparent prints with fewer layers visible. With careful printing and the right settings, PCTG can produce results akin to commercial-grade transparent plastic.
Furthermore, PCTG filament has excellent layer adhesion and is resistant to many chemicals, which reduces the risk of damage to your printed parts. Given its characteristics, PCTG filament is a solid choice for users looking to upgrade from PLA or PETG, offering enhanced performance in terms of durability, flexibility, and clarity.
General information about PCTG :
Printability of PCTG filament
Like its relative PET-G, PCTG filament is notable for its ease of printing. One of the reasons why it stands out is its improved impact strength, high dimensional stability, and low shrinkage. It doesn't require a heated chamber and is known to have a flawless and continuous nozzle flow. This, combined with zero warp, makes it an ideal partner for long print jobs and for printing large objects. While it provides a similar ease of printing as PET-G, it surpasses it with higher clarity in transparent colours, achieving an effect close to transparency with few external contours. It should be noted that compared to other materials, detailed settings for PCTG are not as widely available, so some experimentation may be required.
PCTG Mechanical and Thermal Properties
Combining the features of Tough PLA and PET-G, PCTG is tougher and has a higher impact strength. It's resistant to heat with a deflection temperature of 76°C, surpassing many other filaments. Imagine the mechanical properties of a tough, durable plastic bottle, and that should give you a reasonable illustration of the strength of PCTG.
Tips and Other Notable Benefits
PCTG produces prints of high quality with a matte or glossy finish, depending on print settings. It's UV and temperature resistant, making it great for outdoor use. PCTG is FDA-approved for food contact, but manufacturer certification should be confirmed. Unlike ABS, it doesn't emit toxic fumes during printing.
Conclusion
PCTG filament is a high-performing material in the 3D printing world. It combines the mechanical strengths of other popular filaments, while also offering its own unique advantages. Its improved impact strength, high dimensional stability, and low shrinkage make it a solid choice for a wide range of 3D printing applications
Browse all PCTG filaments in stock in our warehouse in Senec, Slovakia. For comparison, see also PETG and CPE.
Spectrum is one of the largest filament manufacturers in Poland, with one of the broadest portfolios of 3D printing materials. It covers everything from easy desktop PLA to engineering polymers and fibre-reinforced composites. JustCreate3D stocks over 30 Spectrum products in its warehouse in Senec, Slovakia, ready for fast dispatch.
Spectrum selects its raw materials carefully and uses modern production lines that let it colour filaments while keeping their key mechanical properties. Every spool comes with an individual quality report from Spectrum's own Verify Your Spool system. The range is split into three segments: easy-to-use desktop materials, industrial-grade engineering thermoplastics, and high-performance compositions for professional users.
Spectrum filaments at JustCreate3D
- PLA – PLA MATT, PLA SILK, PLA Glow in the Dark, PLA Carbon and GreenyHT™, a PLA with higher heat resistance.
- PETG and PCTG – PETG Premium, PETG MATT, PET-G Glitter, PETG Glow in the Dark, PETG HT100™, PETG FX120™, PETG 10% PTFE, PETG Carbon and PCTG.
- ASA and ABS – ASA 275, ASA Kevlar, ASA-X CF10™, ABS Kevlar and ABS Medical.
- Engineering materials – PA6 Low Warp™, PA6 Low Warp CF15S, PA6 Low Warp GF30™, PA6 CS20 FR V0, PC-PTFE and PPS AM230™.
- 5PACK sets (5 × 0.25 kg) – ASA 275, Carbon Set, Material Mix 1 and 2, PCTG Premium and PLA SILK, handy for testing several materials or colours.
Who is Spectrum for?
Spectrum is a good choice for beginners who want reliable PLA and PETG in many colours, and for advanced users who need technical materials such as low-warp nylon, ASA for outdoor parts or PPS. The 5PACK sets are a practical way to try a new material before buying a full spool.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Verify Your Spool report?
It is Spectrum's own quality system: each spool has an individual report with its quality data, so you can check the batch you received.
Which Spectrum filament should I start with?
Start with PLA (MATT or SILK for a nicer surface) or PETG Premium for tougher parts. For outdoor use, ASA 275 is the usual next step.
Do Spectrum composites need a hardened nozzle?
Yes. Carbon, glass fibre and Kevlar filled materials are abrasive, so use a hardened steel nozzle with them.
Browse all Spectrum filaments in stock.