Custom parts
Use PLA for clear visual and fit prototypes. Consider PETG-family materials for suitable functional requirements, using grade-specific data.
PLA: detail and rigidity
PLA is useful for appearance models and indoor fit checks. It tends to print with crisp detail and low warping, but heat and brittle thin features can limit service use. A model that looks successful on a desk may not remain suitable inside a warm vehicle or under sustained loading.
PETG: a different balance
Unfilled PETG is commonly valued for toughness and more useful heat resistance than ordinary PLA. It can be more compliant and produce different surface detail. Exact performance depends on the formulation and printed structure. Neither family should be assigned a universal service temperature from its name alone.
PETG-CF is not plain PETG
KRC’s current option is PETG-CF in black, not unfilled PETG. Short carbon fibers can change stiffness, appearance, impact behavior, and layer performance. Plain PETG data should not be copied directly onto a PETG-CF part specification.
Select around the failure mode
For a visual model, surface detail and color may control. For a fixture, stiffness, creep, and load direction may control. For a flexible pad, neither rigid PLA nor a stiff composite is the natural starting point; TPU may be more appropriate. Validate the actual printed part in its intended conditions.
Prusa Knowledge Base: PLA · Prusa Knowledge Base: PETG · Prusament: one PETG-CF formulation
Manufacturer data describes that formulation; it is not a specification for KRC’s supplied filament.