1.Material Composition
Renewable resources such as sugarcane, potato, or corn starch are used as raw materials in making PLA on the other hand ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid are used as raw materials for PETG.
2.Printing Temperature And Settings
The risk of warping is minimal when printing with PLA due to its lower printing temperature which usually ranges from 180-220°C. PETG is prone to oozing and stringing because of its high print temperature ranging from 220-250°C.
3.Strength And Durability
Although PLA provides decent strength, the filament can be brittle. PETG is preferred because of its strength, and durability sourced from ethylene glycol and terephthalic.
4.Flexibility And Impact Resistance
PETG is great for printing functional parts due to its excellent impact resistance and flexibility whilst PLA is rather less flexible and rigid.
5.Surface Finish And Post-Processing Requirements
PLA comes with vibrant colors creating shiny prints and requires little post-processing. PETG needs proper post-processing techniques like sanding to smooth the exterior of the print.
6.Environmental Considerations
PLA is eco-friendly because it uses sustainable resources as raw materials thus it is biodegradable under the right conditions. On the contrary, PETG is non-biodegradable though it is recyclable. So, if we consider the environmental impact, PLA no doubt is a better option.
