Material class
PETG
A tough, chemically resistant everyday polymer with very low moisture uptake. Forgiving and durable, it takes handling and damp in stride — used here for a single keychain color.
The shape of the material
Five properties, each scaled to the strongest material in the lineup so the reach on every spoke reads as a share of best-in-class. PETG is filled in the accent colour; the dashed outline is ABS, a familiar commodity polymer, shown for reference only.
Lightness is density read inversely (lighter = further out); durability is notched impact strength. Each spoke is scaled to the best material for that property.
Spec sheet
Every tile carries the real figure, its ISO standard, and a four-bar comparison across the lineup and the ABS reference. The accent bar is PETG; ABS is the commodity reference we do not build with.
Full comparison
The same properties across every material we build with, with PETG highlighted. ▲ marks the strongest material in each row. The ABS column is a reference commodity polymer only.
| Property | PET-CF | ASA | PETG | ABS · ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength MPa | 65.9 | 43.8 | 31.9 | 33.3 |
| Tensile modulus MPa | 5,481 | 2,379 | 1,472 | 2,174 |
| Flexural strength MPa | n/a | 73.4 | 53.7 | 59 |
| Impact strength (notched) kJ/m² | 5.1 | 10.3 | 5.1 | 12.6 |
| Heat deflection (0.45 MPa) °C | 147.5 | 103 | n/a | 100 |
| Density g/cm³ | 1.34 | 1.13 | 1.25 | 1.12 |
Higher is better for every row except density, which just reflects mass (no ▲ marked). Values are representative engineering figures for the material class, not a warranty of any individual item.
What the numbers mean for real gear
PETG is the easygoing everyday option. At 31.9 MPa tensile strength it is the most modest of the three on paper, but its standout is water: an equilibrium uptake of just 0.54% means damp, humidity and handling barely touch it, so a keychain that rides in a pocket or on a bag stays stable.
It is chemically resistant and forgiving — exactly what a small, well-handled part wants.
The fine print
Standards: ISO 527 / 178 / 179 / 75 / 1183 (tensile / flexural / impact / heat deflection / density).
Values shown are representative engineering figures for the material class, not a warranty or a guarantee of the performance of any individual item. Actual part performance depends on geometry, use and handling.