Is PCTG actually better than PETG? Here is what the science says

If you’ve been hanging around the 3D printing space lately, you’ve probably heard of PCTG. It’s being hailed as the ultimate upgrade to PETG—easier to print, tougher, and highly temperature-resistant.

But does it actually live up to the hype?

Dr. Igor Gaspar from the legendary YouTube channel My Tech Fun put it through his rigorous, scientific mechanical testing rig. Here is a quick summary of his data:

Impact Toughness: This is where PCTG absolutely shines. In Dr. Igor’s Izod impact tests, PETG snapped, while PCTG absorbed the impact and bent without breaking. It is vastly tougher and perfect for parts taking a beating.

Layer Adhesion: PCTG has phenomenal Z-axis bonding. This means your prints are much less likely to split along the layer lines under stress.

Heat Resistance: It offers a modest upgrade over PETG, holding up to around 75-80°C. If you use Carbon Fiber or Glass Fiber reinforced PCTG (like 3D-Fuel Pro PCTG-CF), that heat limit jumps up to a whopping ~96°C!

The Catch: PCTG is more ductile (bendy) than PETG. If you need a part to be incredibly stiff and rigid, standard PETG or a CF-nylon might still be your go-to. PCTG is also more expensive, so you have to decide if the extra toughness is worth the premium.

The Verdict: If you are tired of your PETG parts cracking on impact, PCTG is 100% worth the upgrade. It prints like butter and behaves like an engineering-grade material.

Huge shout out to Dr. Igor (My Tech Fun) for always doing the heavy lifting so we don't have to guess!

Dr. Igor’s approach to slicing and printing PCTG focuses heavily on maximizing mechanical strength over aesthetics, though he achieves great print quality too.

Here are the specific, tested recommendations Dr. Igor Gaspar has highlighted across his PCTG testing videos (using brands like 3D-Fuel and Fiberlogy):  

The Core Temperature Settings

Dr. Igor points out that while PCTG is very similar to PETG, it generally requires slightly higher printing temperatures to achieve its legendary layer bonding.

• Nozzle Temperature: 250°C to 270°C Dr. Igor's Tip: He typically prints standard PCTG around 260°C. In his testing of Carbon Fiber (CF) and Glass Fiber (GF) versions, he pushes the nozzle to 270°C to ensure the heavy fiber loads melt completely and bond securely.
• Bed Temperature: 80°C to 90°C He recommends a slightly warmer bed than standard PETG (which usually sits around 70–80°C) to prevent any corner peeling on larger functional parts.
• Bed Surface & Adhesion: He successfully prints on textured PEI plates. Because PCTG sticks very well to smooth surfaces (much like PETG), using a release agent (like glue stick or Magigoo) on smooth PEI/glass is highly recommended to avoid tearing chunks out of your build plate.

Slicer & Cooling Settings (Crucial for Strength)

One of the most important warnings Dr. Igor highlights in his testing is how cooling fans affect mechanical performance.

• Part Cooling Fan: 20% to 50% (Max)The Science: If you run your fan at 100% (like you would for PLA), PCTG cools down too quickly, severely crippling its Z-axis layer adhesion. To get those isotropic (equally strong in all directions) properties, print with minimal fan cooling—only ramping it up for bridges or steep overhangs.
• Print Speed: Moderate (50–100 mm/s)While high-speed printers can push PCTG faster, Dr. Igor's testing proves that slower speeds give the polymer chains more time to cross-link at the nozzle, yielding a much tougher final part.

The #1 Rule: Dry Your Filament First

If there is one thing Dr. Igor emphasizes when preparing to print PCTG, it is drying.

• While some manufacturers claim it absorbs moisture slower than PETG, Dr. Igor’s tests with "improperly stored" vs. "freshly dried" PCTG showed a massive difference in print quality.
• His Recommendation: Dry PCTG in a filament dryer at 60°C to 65°C for at least 4 to 6 hours before printing to completely eliminate popping, bubbling, and heavy stringing.