A Comparative Investigation of PETG Material Using Experimental and Simulation-Based Methods

Abstract Objectives: The primary objective of this research article is to compare the mechanical properties of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) with other commonly used 3D printing materials. The study focuses on conducting a comparative evaluation of PETG based on its tensile and flexural properties through practical laboratory testing, followed by validation of the experimental results using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Method: The 3D models were first designed using SolidWorks software and then sliced to produce the physical specimens. These specimens were subsequently subjected to tensile and flexural tests in accordance with ASTM standards to evaluate their strength. The process further included conducting experimental tests and comparing the obtained results for performance evaluation. After conducting tensile testing, the ultimate tensile strength of the material, tensile load, and elongation at break were checked. Findings: The ultimate tensile strength obtained after conducting tensile test in ANSYS was 56.46 MPa. The average ultimate tensile strength after experimental investigation was found to be 47.58 MPa. Similarly, when exposed to flexural stresses, a flexural test discovers a large number of significant properties of a material. The flexural strength obtained after conducting flexural test in ANSYS was 77.01 MPa and the average flexural strength after experimental investigation was found to be 66.96 MPa. The numerical results showed good correlation with the experimental findings. Novelty: The present study aims to establish a comparative experimental–numerical framework for evaluating PETG behaviour under tensile and flexural loading conditions while analysing the influence of printing parameters such as layer thickness on mechanical performance. Keywords: PETG, FEA, Material Properties, Additive Manufacturing