PETG has been growing in popularity since people realized how great its properties are, but people wonder what the best printing speed and temperature is for PETG filament.
The best speed & temperature for PETG depends on what type of PETG you are using and what 3D printer you have, but generally, you want to use a speed of 50mm/s, a nozzle temperature of 240°C and a heated bed temperature of 80°C. Brands of PETG have their recommended temperature settings on the spool.
That’s the basic answer that will set you up for success, but there are more details that you’ll want to know to get the perfect printing speed and temperature for PETG.
What is the Best Printing Speed for PETG?
The best printing speed for PETG filament falls between 40-60mm/s for standard 3D printers. With a well-tuned 3D printer that has good stability, you may be able to 3D print at a faster rate without reducing quality so much. It’s a good idea to print a calibration tower for speed so you can see differences in quality.
Some users can get good PETG prints with a Print Speed of 80mm/s+.
PETG is known to be a material that’s very hard so it takes longer to melt than other thermoplastic filaments. Taking this into consideration, to get the best quality prints, you don’t want to print at speeds too high, unless you have a hotend that efficiently melts filament.
Here’s a video of PETG being printed at 100mm/s on a Prusa 3D printer.
Cura gives users a default printing speed of 50mm/s which usually works pretty well for PETG filament. The speed of your first layer should be lower by default so it has a better opportunity to get good bed adhesion and form a strong foundation.
There are different speeds within the general print speed such as:
Infill Speed
Wall Speed (Outer Wall & Inner Wall)
Top/Bottom Speed
They automatically adjust to be either the same as the print speed (infill), or half the print speed (wall speed & top/bottom speed), so it’s possible to adjust these speeds separately.
It’s typically recommended having these lower speeds because of the importance of these sections and how they are on the exterior of the model. To have the best surface quality on your 3D printed models, the lower speeds are usually what will bring that out.
You could try raising those values in 5-10mm/s increments to see if it still produces the quality you are fine with, but it usually won’t make too much of a difference in the overall print time unless you are printing a really large model.
One of the biggest issues that users come across with PETG is stringing, or when you get very thin strands of material hanging around the print. Print Speed can contribute to stringing, so slowing things down can help with overall quality.
A user who prints with OVERTURE PETG recommended using a Print Speed of 45mm/s for smaller prints, and 50mm/s for larger prints.
I’d recommend using a lower speed for models that have complex shapes and sides.
Initial Layer Speed is another important factor when it comes to PETG because of the issues users have with getting the first layer to stick. Cura gives a default value of 20mm/s regardless of what Print Speed you put in, giving you a better chance to get good adhesion to the build surface.
Another user recommended using 85% of your Print Speed for the first layer, which in the case of a Print Speed of 50mm/s, would be 42.5mm/s.
I would do some testing on your own 3D printer between these values to see what works for your setup personally, so between 30-85% for the Initial Layer Speed.
Travel Speed should be relatively average or above to reduce stringing since slower movements would allow PETG filament to droop out. I’d recommend using a value of at least 150mm/s (default), up to around 250mm/s if you have a sturdy 3D printer.
The best nozzle temperature for PETG ranges anywhere between 220-250°C depending on the brand of filament you have, plus your specific 3D printer and setup. For SUNLU PETG, they recommend a printing temperature of 235-245°C. HATCHBOX PETG recommends a printing temperature of 230-260°C. For OVERTURE PETG, 230-250°C.
Most people usually have the best results with a temperature of 235-245°C when looking at most people’s settings, but it does depend on the temperature of the environment around you, the accuracy of your thermistor recording the temperature and other factors.
Even the specific 3D printer you have may slightly alter the best printing temperature for PETG. Brands definitely differ in what temperature works best so it’s a good idea to find out what personally works for your situation.
You can print something called a Temperature Tower. This is basically a tower that prints towers at different temperatures as it moves up the tower.
Check out the video below on how you can do this for yourself directly in Cura.
You can also choose to download your own model outside of Cura if you use another slicer by downloading this Temperature Calibration Tower from Thingiverse.
Whether you have an Ender 3 Pro or V2, your printing temperature should be mentioned by the filament manufacturer on the side of the spool or packaging, then you can test the perfect temperature by using a temperature tower.
Do keep in mind though, stock PTFE tubes that come with a 3D printer usually have a peak heat resistance of around 250°C, so I’d recommend upgrading to a Capricorn PTFE Tube for better heat resistance of up to 260°C.
It’s also great for solving filament feeding and retraction issues.
What is the Best Print Bed Temperature for PETG?
The best print bed temperature for PETG is between 60-90°C, with the optimal build plate temperature being 75-85°C for most brands. PETG has a glass transition temperature of 80°C which is the temperature it softens at. Some have 3D printed PETG on beds at 30°C by using glue sticks for adhesion, while some use 90°C.
You can use an ‘Initial Build Plate Temperature’ that is slightly higher than the normal bed temperature to help the PETG stick to the build surface. People usually use an initial temperature 5°C, then use the lower temperature for the rest of the print.
What is the Best Ambient Temperature for 3D Printing PETG?
The best ambient temperature for PETG is somewhere between 15-32°C (60-90°F). The main thing to keep in mind is to not have too much of a temperature fluctuation during the 3D printing process. In cooler rooms, you might want to slightly increase your hotend temperature, then in hotter rooms slightly decrease it.
Using an enclosure is a good way to control temperature fluctuations. I’d recommend getting something like the Creality Fireproof & Dustproof Enclosure from Amazon.
What is the Best Fan Speed for PETG?
The best fan speed for PETG can really range anywhere from 0-100% depending on what results you want. If you want the best surface quality, use a higher cooling fan speed. If you want the best layer adhesion and strength/durability, use a lower cooling fan speed. Fans are good for overhangs and bridges for PETG prints.
For the first few layers, you want to ideally have low fan speeds so the PETG can have good adhesion to the build surface. One user mentioned that he uses an initial layer fan cooling speed of 10%, then raises it up to 30% for the rest of the print.
The reason why printing with a low fan speed is better for layer adhesion is because it leaves the filament at a hotter temperature which allows for better bonding of the layers.
A higher fan speed lets the PETG cool faster so it doesn’t ‘droop’ or move around as much as a hotter PETG filament layer would do, which results in better surface details.
What is the Best Layer Height for PETG?
The best layer height for PETG with a 0.4mm nozzle, is anywhere between 0.12-0.28mm depending on what kind of quality you are after. For high quality models with a lot of detail, a 0.12mm layer height is possible, while quicker & stronger prints can be done at 0.2-0.28mm. Use a first layer height of 0.24-0.28mm.
Many people say that PETG is hard to print with at lower layer heights like below 0.1mm.
Using layer heights in 0.04mm increments should help to reduce the negative effects of microstepping in your Z motors.
Check out the video below by Matter Hackers about 3D printing PETG.
Michael Dwamena is the founder of 3D Printerly, a platform dedicated to simplifying 3D printing for hobbyists and professionals alike. Owns over 20 3D printers (filament and resin) and has plenty experience 3D printing. Michael has authored over 900 articles, helping millions navigate the exciting world of 3D printing.
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