Polymaker expands Fiberon series with glass fiber reinforced PET GF15 filament

Polymaker has added PET-GF15, a new glass fiber-reinforced filament, to its Fiberon material range. The technical PET-GF15 is designed to combine high printability with mechanical strength and isotropic material properties. It is aimed at users who need functional prototypes and end-use parts with uniform load-bearing capacity in all printing directions.

According to Polymaker, PET-GF15 achieves a strength of 59.9 MPa in the XY plane in tensile tests, which is almost on par with the carbon fiber-reinforced PET-CF17. The difference is particularly noticeable in the Z direction: with around 20 MPa more tensile strength, the material improves adhesion between layers by around 73%. At the same time, it achieves 76% of the XY strength. This combination is designed to reduce anisotropic weaknesses and offer more leeway in component orientation. The glass fibers contribute to more uniform stress distribution, higher fracture toughness, and more stable bonding layers.

The material is also said to have increased ductility, which allows it to be fed evenly even in long Bowden feeds and bent PTFE hoses. Thanks to the combination of PET matrix and glass fiber reinforcement, PET-GF15 exhibits low shrinkage and warping tendency. In addition, according to the manufacturer, it offers higher stiffness and improved heat deflection temperature.

The filament can be used for functional prototypes, mechanical devices, tools, components subjected to repeated stress, or components exposed to thermal cycles, among other things. Since the material is not electrically conductive, it is also suitable for RF-sensitive applications.

PET-GF15 will be available in black, white, light gray, dark gray, blue, and red at market launch. For support structures, Polymaker recommends using PolySupport PA12, which is easy to remove and leaves clean surfaces. The new filament is available through Fiberon’s global distribution network.