Sometimes, printing outstanding results may be more of an art than an art or science. There are many ways to increase the chances of success, and also obtaining top quality prints. This guide will help you select the correct filament.

You'll have to be able to manage the printer, software, filament, setup, and lastly, but certainly not least , your own personal style. At this point you probably already have a 3d print problems or perhaps one in your mind, so let's begin by selecting a suitable 3D printer filament.

Why you shouldn't choose the most expensive filament

With the many varieties of filament available and the variety of vendors out there , it can be difficult to find that perfect one that you like without wasting time and money trying to locate it. I'm not able tell you which brand to pick but don't be cheap. You will get what you pay for and often it's notcheap, if for no reason.

It is important to be aware of these aspects when choosing filament:

* Diameter concordance

* Moisture

* Consistent viscosity and debris

Inconsistency in the Diameter of Filament

Let's begin with 3d printing raft the diameter of the filament. 3mm against 2.85mm vs 1.75mm. Personally, I believe 1.75mm is the better choice and here's the reason. It's more readily available and has a higher quality. It's usually newer and moves out of retailers inventory quicker resulting in newer product to be manufactured and substituted on the shelves. It appears to have superior extruding and retraction , and in general more plastic flow. This is logical since the extruder motor requires more turns to extrude same plastic as 3mm or 2.85mm. This results in better precision and better control over the flow. No matter what size you select the diameter should be uniform and consistent throughout. Spring tensioners are now common in printers, so minor variations in diameter like -/+.03mm aren't an issue.

Filament Moisture

Moisture is another concern. This is often caused by poor packaging or storage that is not long enough. Plastic absorbs moisture from the atmosphere relative to the humidity and time of exposure. If you notice water vaporizing out of the hot-end, it is likely that the filament has moisture. This can lead to poor printing as well as poor adhesion of the layers. Visit our website to learn more about fusion 360 vs inventor.

Moisture free filament

Certain 3D printing materials such as PLA and Nylon easily absorb moisture from the atmosphere. This absorption can lead to problems, like affecting print quality, and causing damages to the hot-end by way of obstruction.

Hot-End Damage: Moisture absorption results in filament swelling. If the swelling is large enough the plastic will stop the nozzle from moving and may cause permanent hot-end damage.

Print Quality The plastic melts and the moisture that is trapped turns into steam. This results in bubbling. This bubbling causes a slow extrusion rate, which results in models which aren't durable and good quality. Not to mention that they don't look good.

Solution: To combat the absorption of water by filament and to prevent destruction to your equipment, the most cost-effective option is to purchase vacuum bags. Place your filament spool in the bag, then throw in two silica gel packets in it and squeeze all the air out.

Filament impurities

Impurities in the plastic is the most important factor when selecting filament. Chemical impurities could cause low melted plastic viscosity. In addition, debris could plug up the extruder's nozzle. A blocked nozzle could cause serious issues. It's not just that the print will stop working, wasting time and money , but it may also mean dismantling the extruder and cleaning it. There appears to be an obvious connection between the cost of filament and plugging nozzles. Though you understandably may be trying to cut costs on filament, cheap filament may cause you to spend more at the end. If you pick an affordable, well-rated filament, you'll be fine and will save you a lot of hassles.

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