I spent three weekends fighting PETG stringing on a Bambu A1 before I finally accepted that the PLA retraction recipe doesn’t translate. PETG is a different polymer with different physics. The strings aren’t a slicer bug or a printer flaw, they’re a chemistry problem with a chemistry answer. Here’s the anti-stringing recipe that actually works in OrcaSlicer.
If you’ve landed here, you’ve probably tried bumping retraction to 6 mm on a direct drive, slammed the fan to 100 percent, dropped the nozzle 10 degrees, and watched your part come off the bed with even more hair than before. I’ve done all of that. So has every PETG user on the Bambu forum, the Prusa forum, and the OrcaSlicer issue tracker. The good news is that PETG stringing is solvable. It just needs a different mental model than PLA, and it needs you to do one thing most articles bury at the bottom: dry the spool.
This guide is a 2026 update for OrcaSlicer 2.x. It works on Bambu A1, P1S, X1C, Voron, Prusa MK4, Ender 3 family, Sovol, and any other printer that Orca runs. I’ll give you the recipe up front, then explain why each setting is the way it is, then walk through per-variant tweaks for PETG-CF, PETG HF, Translucent, and Tough. There’s also a troubleshooting matrix at the end that I wish I’d had three years ago.
Table of Contents
- The Anti-Stringing Recipe (TL;DR)
- Why PETG Strings (The Physics, Briefly)
- OrcaSlicer’s Bundled PETG Profiles
- Tuning PETG Step by Step
- Setting-by-Setting Breakdown
- Bed Adhesion (Don’t Kill Your Plate)
- PETG Variants: When to Deviate
- PETG Troubleshooting Matrix
- PETG vs PLA: Quick Decision Guide
- Advanced: PETG as Support Interface for PLA
- FAQ
- Conclusion
The Anti-Stringing Recipe (TL;DR)
If you only do three things, do these: dry the filament at 65 C for 6 to 8 hours, lower your retraction speed below your PLA value, and enable Z-hop at 0.2 mm. That alone fixes the majority of PETG stringing complaints I’ve seen on forums. Everything else in this guide is refinement on top of those three.
Here are the starting values I run on a stock 0.4 mm hot end. Treat these as calibration baselines, not gospel. Per-brand tuning still matters, and your spool’s temperature label is a hint, not a command.
| Setting | Direct Drive | Bowden | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature | 235 to 240 C | 235 to 245 C | 240 C first layer, 235 to 240 C after |
| Bed temperature | 75 to 80 C | 75 to 80 C | Conservative guides cite 50 to 70 C; community runs hotter |
| Part cooling fan | 30 to 50% | 30 to 50% | 0% on layers 1 and 2 |
| Outer wall speed | 40 to 60 mm/s | 40 to 60 mm/s | Slower hides recovery artifacts |
| Inner wall / infill | 80 to 150 mm/s | 80 to 120 mm/s | Bound by MVS, not speed |
| Max volumetric speed | 10 to 13 mm3/s | 10 to 13 mm3/s | HF variants and Bambu hot ends can push 18 to 22 |
| Retraction length | 0.8 to 1.5 mm | 4 to 6 mm | Longer rarely helps past these |
| Retraction speed | 25 to 40 mm/s | 25 to 35 mm/s | Slower than PLA on the same machine |
| Z-hop | 0.2 to 0.4 mm | 0.2 to 0.4 mm | Type Auto or Normal |
| Wipe before retract | On, 2 mm | On, 2 mm | Hides seam blobs |
| Pressure Advance | 0.040 to 0.060 | 0.20 to 0.60 (Klipper) | Calibrate per filament |
| Travel speed | 200 to 300 mm/s | 200 to 250 mm/s | Faster travels = less drool time |
| First layer speed | 20 to 30 mm/s | 20 to 30 mm/s | Slow first layer, hot first layer |
| Brim | 5 mm if small footprint | 5 mm if small footprint | PETG warps less than ABS but still warps |
The full anti-stringing setup is a 30-minute job if you’ve never done it. It’s worth pairing with the broader OrcaSlicer filament settings guide for context on where each option lives in the UI. Then walk the calibration path: temperature tower first, retraction test second, pressure advance third.
One thing to flag before you start: do not use a smooth PEI plate without a release agent. PETG bonds chemically to PEI when both are hot, and on cooldown it can rip the PEI coating right off your build plate. It’s a permanent plate-killer. I cover this in detail in the bed adhesion section, but if that’s the only thing you remember, I’ll have done my job.
Why PETG Strings (The Physics, Briefly)
I’m not going to lecture, but two minutes of polymer chemistry will save you hours of slider-dragging. PETG is polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified. The glycol modification disrupts the regular PET crystal structure, which is what gives PETG its transparency and printability. It’s also what gives it a long, sticky melt window.
PETG’s glass transition temperature (Tg) sits around 80 C, with sources placing it anywhere from 75 to 85 C depending on formulation. PLA’s Tg is roughly 60 C. That higher Tg matters because PETG stays soft and tacky for longer above the nozzle exit. The molten strand has more time to drag, more time to stick to itself, and more time to form a hair on a travel move.
The melting range matters too. PETG doesn’t have a sharp melting point the way crystalline polymers do. It becomes viscous around 230 C and is fully fluid by 250 to 260 C. Most printing happens inside that “still viscous, not quite liquid” window. Flow is sticky. Pressure inside the nozzle builds and releases slowly. Where PLA snaps cleanly on a retraction, PETG stretches like cheese and leaves a tail.
Then there’s moisture. PETG is aggressively hygroscopic. A spool left out overnight in a humid garage can already show stringing symptoms. Inside the hot end, absorbed water flashes to steam, which disrupts the melt, weakens layer bonds, and pushes extra material out the nozzle during travels. This is the single biggest cause of “I’ve tried every setting and it still strings.” If you’ve ever heard a faint popping or hissing during a PETG print, that’s water boiling out of your filament in real time.
There’s a knock-on effect on cooling. PETG cools more slowly than PLA across a print. That’s good for layer adhesion because the previous layer stays warm enough to fuse properly. It’s bad for stringing because the molten strand has more dwell time during travels. You can see why this material punishes lazy retraction settings.
The short version: the PLA retraction recipe (short distance, fast speed) doesn’t work because PETG’s melt physics are different. You need slightly more retraction distance, noticeably slower retraction speed, and Z-hop to physically separate the nozzle from the print during travels. If you came here from my OrcaSlicer PLA settings guide, this is where the recipes diverge.
OrcaSlicer’s Bundled PETG Profiles
OrcaSlicer ships with a Generic PETG, Generic PETG HF, and presets for popular brands including Bambu, Polymaker, Overture, eSUN, Hatchbox, Sunlu, Prusament, and ELEGOO. Coverage expanded a lot in 2024 to 2025, so the exact list depends on your installed version. If your spool’s brand isn’t bundled, the Generic PETG profile plus a calibration pass is fine.
| Profile | Typical MVS Default | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic PETG | 10 to 12 mm3/s (varies) | Any PETG when no brand profile exists | Conservative; see GitHub issue 12303 |
| Generic PETG HF | 14 to 22 mm3/s | High-flow formulations | Polymaker PolyLite PETG HF, etc. |
| Bambu PETG Basic | ~12 mm3/s | Bambu X1/P1/A1 stock | Tuned for textured PEI plate |
| Bambu PETG HF | ~18 mm3/s | Fast Bambu prints | Recalibrate if importing into Orca from Studio |
| Bambu PETG Translucent | ~10 mm3/s | Optical clarity | Lower fan, lower temp, thin layers |
| Bambu PETG-CF | ~14 mm3/s | Stiff functional parts | Hardened steel nozzle required, ~255 C |
| Polymaker / Overture / eSUN / Hatchbox | 10 to 14 mm3/s | Brand-specific tuning | Still verify against your spool |
One honest caveat. OrcaSlicer’s bundled Generic PETG MVS default has been wrong for some printer profiles. GitHub issue #12303 documents the Generic PETG MVS being set to 20 mm3/s on at least one printer profile (Sovol SV06), which is well above what a stock 0.4 mm hot end can actually deliver. The user’s own testing pointed to about 12 to 13 mm3/s as the real ceiling. This is exactly why I tell people to run their own max volumetric speed test rather than trusting any bundled number, no matter how official it looks.
There’s also a Bambu Studio to OrcaSlicer profile portability issue worth knowing about. People default to Bambu Studio profiles, drag them into Orca without recalibrating, and then complain about under-extrusion or stringing. The MVS, retraction, and pressure advance values don’t always survive the trip. Recalibrate after any cross-slicer move.
Tuning PETG Step by Step
This is the actual recipe. Each step takes 10 to 30 minutes. Run them in order. If you skip step 1, none of the rest will save you.
Step 1: Dry the Filament
I cannot say this loudly enough. Dry your PETG at 65 C for 6 to 8 hours in a filament dryer or food dehydrator before you start any calibration. Don’t exceed 70 C because you risk softening the wraps on the spool and getting tangles. If your spool is brand new and still sealed, dry it anyway. PETG can come wet from the factory if storage was poor.
Symptoms of wet PETG that get blamed on settings: stringing on every travel, popping or hissing during printing, brown speckles or dull patches on the surface, weak layer adhesion that snaps along layer lines under mild stress. If you see any of those after dialing settings, the filament is wet. Drying solves more PETG problems than every other setting combined.
Step 2: Run a Temperature Tower
Open OrcaSlicer’s Calibration menu and run the Temperature Tower from 220 to 250 C in 5 C steps. The temperature tower guide walks through the workflow. Look at each band and check three things in this order:
- Layer adhesion: try to snap the band sideways with your fingers. It should tear and yield, not split cleanly along a layer line. A clean split means the band is too cold.
- Stringing: hold the tower up to a light. The band with the fewest visible hairs is your candidate.
- Overhang: the overhang test on the side of each band should be clean, no curling.
If those three goals conflict (and they usually do, because PETG is annoying), prioritize layer adhesion. A part that strings but holds together is fixable in post with a heat gun. A part that snaps at layer lines is garbage. The rule I repeat to myself: the best PETG temperature is the lowest temperature that still passes the snap test.
Step 3: Run the Retraction Test
At your chosen temperature, run the retraction test. OrcaSlicer ships this in the Calibration menu. Use the sweep ranges below, then read the printed tower like a normal retraction tower. The retraction test deep-dive covers the workflow in detail.
| Extruder type | Sweep range | Step size | Typical sweet spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct drive (Bambu, Voron, Prusa MK4) | 0.4 to 2.0 mm | 0.2 mm | 0.8 to 1.5 mm |
| Bowden (Ender 3, Sovol, older Crealities) | 2.0 to 7.0 mm | 0.5 mm | 4 to 6 mm |
Pick the shortest retraction distance where the towers are clean. Longer isn’t better. Over-retracting on PETG pulls air into the melt zone, causes pressure spikes, and creates the opposite of what you want: little blobs at travel restarts.
The under-rated half of this step is retraction speed. PETG wants slower retraction than PLA on the same machine. The standard PLA value of 40 to 60 mm/s snaps the molten string off too aggressively and leaves a hair. Drop to 25 to 40 mm/s on direct drive, 25 to 35 mm/s on Bowden, and re-run the test. Half the threads on the Bambu forum where someone “fixed PETG stringing” boil down to lowering retraction speed.
Step 4: Calibrate Pressure Advance
PETG’s higher melt viscosity needs more pressure advance than PLA. PA reduces pressure-related blobs at corners and seam starts, and it also reduces how much retraction you actually need. Walk through the pressure advance calibration guide using the Line method for a fast pass, the Pattern method for precision.
| Extruder type | PA sweep | Step size | Typical PETG result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct drive (Marlin / Klipper) | 0.020 to 0.080 | 0.002 | 0.040 to 0.060 |
| Bowden (Klipper) | 0.100 to 0.800 | 0.020 | 0.200 to 0.600 |
Apply the result to the filament profile, not the printer profile. Pressure advance is a property of the filament, not the machine. If you save it on the filament, it follows the spool when you switch printers or print profiles.
Step 5: Find Your Max Volumetric Speed
Run the MVS test in the Calibration menu. The model prints a strip at increasing flow rates until extrusion fails. Read the failure point and back off 10 percent for safety margin.
PETG MVS varies wildly with hot end. Stock E3D V6 lands at 8 to 10 mm3/s. Bambu A1/P1S/X1C hot ends hit 14 to 18 mm3/s on standard PETG, 18 to 22 on PETG HF. Volcano and CHT nozzles push higher. The bundled slicer number is a guess; your measurement is the truth.
Step 6: Calibrate Flow Rate
Finish with the flow rate calibration. PETG is forgiving on flow because the high-viscosity melt fills micro-gaps on its own, but a 2 to 3 percent over-extrusion shows up as fuzzy top surfaces and slightly bulgy walls. A 2 to 3 percent under-extrusion shows up as visible gaps between perimeters. Run the test, dial flow, save it on the filament profile.
Step 7: Verify on a Real Part
Print something functional. A bracket, a small enclosure, a torture test from Printables. Check four things: stringing (hold to light, count hairs), seam blobs (look at vertical seams), layer adhesion (snap a thin part along its layers), overhang quality. If three of four are good, you’re done. Iterate on the worst one.
Setting-by-Setting Breakdown
The recipe above gives you values. This section explains why each one is the way it is, so when you hit a corner case the recipe doesn’t cover, you can reason your way out.
Nozzle Temperature
OrcaSlicer’s bundled PETG profiles and community consensus put the working band at 220 to 250 C. Most calibrated profiles land around 240 C for the first layer and 235 to 240 C for subsequent layers. The CNC Kitchen layer-adhesion study found PETG interlayer strength climbs from 200 C up to a peak around 245 C, then drops off above that. That’s where “go hotter than you think, but not too hot” comes from. The trade-off is real, though: more strings at higher temps. Find the lowest temperature that passes the snap test and stop there.
A 5 C change is significant in PETG. Don’t nudge by 1 C, that’s calibration theater. Move in 5 C blocks.
Bed Temperature
Conservative guides sometimes recommend 50 to 70 C for the bed. The community number is 75 to 80 C, and that’s what every brand profile I’ve checked uses. Cold bed is the single most common cause of “PETG won’t stick” on a properly cleaned plate. Run 75 to 80 C on the first layer. You can drop to 70 C after layer 1 if you want, but I don’t bother.
Retraction Length vs Retraction Speed
This is the setting most beginners get wrong. They reach for retraction length and ignore retraction speed. On PETG, speed matters more. A 1.0 mm retraction at 30 mm/s leaves less stringing than a 1.5 mm retraction at 60 mm/s. Slower retraction lets the melt detach instead of snapping. Faster retraction yanks the string off and leaves a hair.
Bowden setups need longer retraction (4 to 6 mm) because the PTFE column has to compress and release before the melt actually moves. There’s a physical lag. Bowden retraction speed sits between 25 and 35 mm/s. Going higher just pumps the PTFE without moving the melt.
Z-Hop (The Underused Anti-Stringing Weapon)
Z-hop lifts the nozzle by a small amount before every travel, so the nozzle physically separates from the print. On PLA it’s a comfort feature. On PETG it’s nearly mandatory. The exposed melt at the nozzle exit has somewhere to go (downward into air) instead of dragging across the top surface.
Find Z-hop in OrcaSlicer under Filament Settings then Settings Overrides. The values I run:
z_hop = 0.2 mm (or up to 0.4 mm on stringy filament)
z_hop_type = Auto (or Normal)
travel_slope = 3 (default)0.2 mm is enough for most PETG. Higher hops waste time on tall prints. Type Auto lets Orca skip Z-hop on very short travels where it’s not needed. Type Normal applies it everywhere. I use Auto.
Wipe Before Retraction and Wipe Distance
Wipe before retract makes the nozzle smear along the wall briefly before pulling back. It pushes the seam blob inside the model instead of leaving it on the outer surface. Wipe distance of 1 to 3 mm is plenty. Anything longer leaves a visible scar on the wall.
Cooling Fan (The 30 to 50 Percent Rule)
PETG wants some part cooling but not as much as PLA. Layer 1 and 2 should be at 0 percent fan because PETG needs to bond to the plate. From layer 3 onward, run 30 to 50 percent. Higher fan (60 to 100 percent) causes layer cracking on tall prints because the previous layer cools before the next one bonds. Lower fan (under 20 percent) causes mushy overhangs and dull surfaces. The 30 to 50 percent band is the compromise.
For PETG Translucent the fan rule changes. See the variants section below.
Outer Wall Speed
40 to 60 mm/s on the outer wall is a tax you pay for surface quality. Anything stringy reveals itself most on outer walls, and slower outer walls give the fan time to set the surface. The inner walls and infill can run at 80 to 150 mm/s because they’re invisible. The MVS ceiling caps you anyway.
Max Volumetric Speed and the Hot End Ceiling
MVS is the real speed limit. If you set a nominal print speed of 200 mm/s but your MVS is 10 mm3/s, Orca will slow the print to whatever extrusion rate keeps you under 10. The print speed setting becomes aspirational. If you want fast PETG, raise MVS by upgrading the hot end (Bambu hot end, Volcano, CHT). The print speed setting alone won’t get you there.
Bed Adhesion (Don’t Kill Your Plate)
This is the section every PETG article underplays. PETG and PEI have a famously adversarial relationship. Here’s the per-plate guidance:
| Build plate | Bed temp | Release agent | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Textured PEI | 75 to 80 C | None needed for most PETG | Low (some Bambu PETG bonds aggressively; mist water or glue stick if worried) |
| Smooth PEI | 70 to 75 C | Glue stick (mandatory) | HIGH. Plate-killer if skipped. |
| Powder-coated PEI (Bambu Engineering plate) | 60 to 70 C | None | Low. PETG releases on cooldown. |
| Garolite / G10 | 75 to 80 C | None | Low. Clean with IPA between prints. |
| Glass | 75 to 80 C | Glue stick or hairspray | Medium. PETG can crack glass on removal. |
| BuildTak / PEX | 70 to 75 C | Usually none | Low |
The smooth PEI warning is non-negotiable. PETG bonds chemically to PEI when both are above Tg. On cooldown, the PETG contracts faster than the PEI sheet, and the bond is stronger than the PEI’s adhesion to the spring steel underneath. When you flex the plate to release the part, the PETG takes a chunk of PEI with it. That patch on your plate is gone forever. I’ve seen people lose three or four plates before they accepted the rule. Glue stick is preferred (cheap, reliable, water-soluble cleanup), hairspray works in a pinch, Magigoo PETG is purpose-built. Some users wipe Windex across a hot plate and let the soap film act as a release barrier; it works but it’s messier than glue stick.
The other common bed mistake is running PETG at 60 C because that’s the PLA habit. PETG wants 75 to 80 C. Cold bed is the number-one cause of “first layer not sticking” complaints. Wipe the plate with isopropyl alcohol before every PETG print, even if it’s the second print of the day. Skin oils and dust kill PETG adhesion fast.
PETG Variants: When to Deviate
The recipe above targets plain PETG. Each variant changes one or two parameters significantly. Here’s the cheat sheet:
| Variant | Nozzle | Fan | MVS | Hardware | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PETG-CF (carbon fiber) | 240 to 260 C (Bambu ~255 C) | 20 to 40% | 10 to 14 mm3/s | Hardened steel nozzle MANDATORY | Brass wears in hours. CF self-cools, less fan needed. |
| PETG HF (high flow) | 235 to 250 C | 30 to 50% | 18 to 22 mm3/s | Stock brass fine | Same temps as plain PETG, but flow ceiling is higher. |
| PETG Translucent | 230 to 240 C (cooler) | 0 to 20% | 8 to 12 mm3/s | Thin layers 0.10 to 0.16 mm | Slight over-extrusion 102 to 105% closes micro-gaps. |
| PETG Tough / Plus | 240 to 250 C (hotter) | 30 to 40% | 10 to 13 mm3/s | Stock brass fine | Run 5 C hotter than standard for full impact strength. |
| Glow / Silk / Sparkle PETG | 230 to 245 C | 30 to 50% | 10 to 13 mm3/s | Hardened steel recommended | Abrasive additives chew nozzles. |
PETG-CF
Carbon fiber PETG is wonderful for stiff functional parts (drone frames, brackets, tool holders) and it strings less than plain PETG because the fiber bridges interrupt the melt drag. The trade-off is the hardened steel nozzle requirement. Brass nozzles wear in hours on CF, not days. Bambu’s PETG-CF profile defaults to about 255 C. Reduce fan further because the CF additive already cools the melt faster on its own. You can actually print PETG-CF a little faster than plain PETG once the MVS is set properly. If you’re already running carbon-fiber filaments, see the parallel notes in my OrcaSlicer TPU settings guide for cross-comparison.
PETG HF
High-flow PETG is a reformulation, not a setting tweak. The polymer rheology is tuned for higher extrusion rates. On a Bambu A1/P1S/X1C the MVS comfortably hits 18 to 22 mm3/s. Temperatures stay the same as plain PETG (235 to 250 C). The forum thread “Bambu PETG-HF OrcaSlicer calibration results” has community-tested values that match my own measurements within a few mm3/s. If you’re chasing fast prints, HF is the easiest upgrade after the hot end itself.
PETG Translucent
Translucent PETG is its own animal. The goal is layer fusion that retains optical clarity, which means no part cooling fan (or under 20 percent) and thinner layers (0.10 to 0.16 mm). Print cooler (230 to 240 C) at lower speed (30 to 50 mm/s). Slight over-extrusion (flow 102 to 105 percent) closes the micro-gaps that scatter light. The Bambu Wiki entry on transparent PETG is the best single reference if you want to chase real optical clarity.
Brand Notes
Brand-to-brand variation is real. Polymaker PolyLite PETG runs slightly cooler than Polymaker PolyMax. Overture PETG tends to need higher bed temp (80 C reliably). eSUN PETG is wet from the factory roughly half the time in my experience, so dry it first. Prusament PETG is the most consistent I’ve tested and the Obico calibration guide reports it running cleanly at 240 C and 14.5 mm3/s. Hatchbox and Sunlu both run fine on the Generic PETG profile after drying. None of this replaces a calibration pass; treat brand presets as starting points, not finals.
PETG Troubleshooting Matrix
Run through this matrix when something specific goes wrong. For broader issues outside the PETG-specific failures here, the OrcaSlicer troubleshooting master guide has a wider net.
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Stringing everywhere, even short travels | Wet filament OR retraction too short | Dry at 65 C for 6 to 8 hours. Then retest retraction. |
| Stringing on long travels only | Z-hop disabled or travel speed too slow | Enable Z-hop 0.2 mm, raise travel speed to 200 to 300 mm/s |
| Blob at every seam start | Pressure advance too low, outer wall too fast | Raise PA by 0.005 to 0.010, slow outer wall to 40 to 60 mm/s, enable wipe before retract |
| Brittle layers, prints snap along layer lines | Nozzle too cold | Increase nozzle by 5 to 10 C |
| Brown spots, popping during print | Wet filament (steam) | Dry the spool. Yes, again. |
| Smooth PEI plate ripping | No release agent | Apply glue stick or switch to textured plate |
| First layer won’t adhere | Bed too cold or dirty plate | Raise bed to 75 to 80 C, wipe with IPA |
| First layer too smooshed (elephant foot) | Bed too hot or Z too low | Drop bed 5 C, raise Z by 0.02 to 0.05 mm |
| Stringing between objects, fine on single part | Travel doesn’t trigger retraction | Lower retraction min travel threshold so short hops retract too |
| Cracks on tall prints | Cooling fan too high | Drop fan to 30% or below |
| Rough or dull surface | Fan too low OR overextrusion | Raise fan to 50 to 60%, lower flow ratio 2 to 3% |
| Under-extrusion on fast moves | MVS set above hot end capability | Lower MVS to 10 mm3/s, then run MVS test |
| Hot end clogs mid-print | MVS too high OR retraction over 2 mm pulling cold material into melt zone | Lower MVS, lower retraction length, run a cold pull |
| Visible seams on a curved surface | Wipe disabled or wipe distance too short | Enable wipe before retract, set wipe distance 2 mm, consider scarf seam mode |
One pattern I see often on forums: a user runs through this entire matrix, swaps three settings at once, and can’t tell which fix worked. Change one variable at a time. Slower, but actually informative.
PETG vs PLA: Quick Decision Guide
If you’re new to PETG and trying to decide whether it’s worth the calibration tax, here’s the honest framing:
Pick PETG when: the part lives outdoors (PETG resists UV better than PLA, though not as well as ASA), the part sees heat above 50 C (PLA’s Tg around 60 C vs PETG’s around 80 C), the part needs chemical resistance to oils or dilute acids, the part needs impact strength (PETG is meaningfully tougher than PLA), or the part needs to flex under load without snapping. Brackets that bolt to a car, enclosures that sit in a sunny window, kitchen tools, anything functional and durable.
Pick PLA when: you’re printing fine miniatures or display models (PLA holds sharp detail, PETG ooze blurs it), you need the fastest possible prints (PETG MVS is lower), first-time-success matters and the part is decorative, or the part lives indoors in a cool room. For UV-resistant or heat-resistant outdoor parts where PETG isn’t enough, ABS or ASA are the next step up.
Both work fine for: mechanical parts at room temperature, brackets, jigs, prototypes. PETG wins on durability and chemistry. PLA wins on print ease. The right choice depends on the part, not on which material is “better.”
Advanced: PETG as Support Interface for PLA
One trick worth knowing: PETG and PLA bond poorly to each other, which makes PETG a perfect “release” support material under PLA overhangs, and vice versa. Configure a dual-extruder or AMS setup so PLA prints the part and PETG prints the support interface. The interface releases with a sharp tug, no scarring on the PLA surface. Works in reverse too: PLA support interface under PETG parts.
To do this in OrcaSlicer, set the support filament to PETG (or PLA, depending on which is the main part), enable support interfaces only, and run a wipe and prime tower to handle the filament transitions cleanly. Pair with tree supports for clean overhang geometry. The prime tower is non-negotiable here because PLA-to-PETG transitions inside the nozzle leave a small slug of mixed material; the prime tower catches it.
FAQ
Why does my PETG string even after I dried it?
Three common reasons. First, the dryer didn’t get the spool dry enough; some consumer dryers under-perform their stated temperature, so try 65 C for a full 8 hours instead of 6. Second, retraction speed is too fast (drop it to 25 to 30 mm/s). Third, Z-hop is disabled. If you’ve already fixed all three and still string, run a temperature tower; you may be 5 to 10 C too hot for your particular spool.
What pressure advance value should I start with for PETG on a Bambu A1?
Start at 0.040 and run the Pattern method calibration. Bambu’s direct drive system typically lands PETG between 0.040 and 0.060 depending on the spool. Save the calibrated value to the filament profile, not the printer profile.
Can I use the same retraction for PETG and PLA?
No. PETG needs slightly longer retraction and noticeably slower retraction speed. Run separate calibrations and save the values on each filament profile. If you cross-contaminate, you’ll either string on PETG (too short retract) or grind PLA filament (too long retract).
Does PETG need an enclosure?
No, but a draft shield helps. PETG is far less warpy than ABS or ASA and prints fine in open air. If your room is below about 18 C, throw a cardboard box over the printer to stabilize the air temperature and you’ll get more consistent first layers.
Why did PETG rip my PEI plate?
Because smooth PEI bonds chemically to PETG when both are hot. On cooldown, the PETG contracts and pulls the PEI coating off the spring steel. Always use a release agent (glue stick is easiest) on smooth PEI, or switch to a textured PEI plate where the bond is mechanical and breakable. There’s no recovery for the damaged spot on the plate; you’ll need a new sheet.
Is PETG-CF worth it over plain PETG?
For functional parts that need stiffness, yes. PETG-CF is roughly twice as stiff as plain PETG and strings noticeably less. The catch: you need a hardened steel nozzle (brass wears in hours) and a hardened drive gear if you print PETG-CF often. If you’re printing decorative parts or one-off prototypes, plain PETG is fine.
What temperature should I print Polymaker / Overture / eSUN PETG at?
Honest answer: check the spool label, then calibrate. Most spools recommend a 230 to 250 C band. Run a temperature tower across that band and pick the lowest temperature that passes the snap test. Brand recommendations are starting points, not finals. eSUN in particular often needs drying before any temperature tuning works.
Why is my MVS lower than the slicer default?
Because the slicer default is set for a “typical” hot end and your hot end may not match. Stock 0.4 mm E3D V6 hot ends rarely sustain more than 10 to 12 mm3/s on PETG. The slicer might default to 14 or even 20. GitHub issue #12303 documents one such case. Run the MVS test, don’t trust the default.
Conclusion
If you take three things from this guide, take these: dry the spool first, slow the retraction (not just lengthen it), and enable Z-hop at 0.2 mm. Everything else is refinement. PETG is harder than PLA, and that’s the honest framing. The anti-stringing recipe doesn’t promise zero strings, it promises minimal strings on a material that wants to ooze. Per-brand tuning still matters. The smooth PEI warning is real. Some level of post-processing (a quick heat gun pass on visible hairs) is normal.
The good news is that once PETG is calibrated for a given spool, it stays calibrated. Save the values to the filament profile, dry the spool between long storage gaps, and the recipe holds. If you want to go deeper, the rest of the Filaments pillar covers PLA settings, ABS and ASA settings, and TPU settings with the same calibration-first approach. Or jump back to the filament settings pillar to see how all the materials compare side by side.
Related OrcaSlicer guides
- Best OrcaSlicer Filament Settings: All Materials Cheatsheet
- How to Use Bambu Lab AMS Filaments with OrcaSlicer (2026 Guide)
- OrcaSlicer Filament Drying Guide: When and How to Dry It
- OrcaSlicer Silk PLA Settings for That Glossy, Satin Finish
- OrcaSlicer Input Shaper Calibration for Klipper (2026 Guide)