When it comes to 3D printing, the right print speed is crucial to ensure the success of your print job. The speed at which the 3D printer extrudes filament can have a significant impact on the print quality, layer adhesion, and overall print results. Different filament types behave differently, and understanding how to adjust the print speed for each material is essential for achieving optimal prints.
In this guide, we will explore how to select the right print speed for various filament types, including PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, and others. By adjusting your print speed according to the filament material, you can avoid common printing issues like stringing, poor layer bonding, and surface defects, all while maintaining a balance between print quality and speed.
What is Print Speed in 3D Printing?
Print speed refers to how quickly the 3D printer’s print head moves while extruding filament during the printing process. It is typically measured in millimeters per second (mm/s). The print speed can be adjusted to suit the needs of different materials and the complexity of the object being printed. Print speed directly influences the extrusion rate, layer bonding, and the overall appearance of the final print.
Why Does Print Speed Matter?
Selecting the appropriate print speed is crucial for several reasons:
- Print Quality: Faster print speeds can result in poor layer adhesion, warping, and inconsistent extrusion, leading to print defects. On the other hand, too slow of a print speed can cause over-extrusion, blobs, or stringing.
- Material Characteristics: Different filaments have unique thermal properties, viscosities, and cooling requirements, which impact how quickly they can be extruded without causing issues.
- Time Efficiency: Print speed affects how long it takes to complete a job. Faster speeds can reduce print time but may reduce the overall quality, while slower speeds can improve quality but take longer.
- Printer Capabilities: Every 3D printer has a limit to how fast it can print without compromising quality. It’s essential to balance the material’s characteristics with your printer’s capabilities.
How to Adjust Print Speed for Different Filament Types
1. PLA (Polylactic Acid)
PLA is one of the most commonly used 3D printing filaments, and it’s ideal for beginners due to its ease of use. It has a low melting point, making it less sensitive to printing speed compared to other filaments. However, selecting the right speed can still improve the print quality.
- Recommended Print Speed: 50–60 mm/s
- Reason: PLA is easy to print and doesn’t require very high temperatures. It also cools quickly after extrusion, so you can print at moderate speeds without compromising quality.
- Tips:
- Printing too fast can cause under-extrusion, leading to weak prints with gaps between layers.
- Slower print speeds (around 40 mm/s) can improve layer adhesion and detail for highly intricate designs.
2. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
ABS is a versatile filament known for its strength and durability. However, it can be more challenging to print due to its tendency to warp and crack, especially with faster print speeds.
- Recommended Print Speed: 40–50 mm/s
- Reason: ABS requires a higher extrusion temperature than PLA, and its cooling rate is slower. Printing at slower speeds helps ensure good layer bonding and minimizes warping issues.
- Tips:
- ABS needs a heated bed to avoid warping, and slowing the print speed can reduce the chances of cracks and layer separation.
- Slower speeds allow the filament to cool and solidify more slowly, reducing stress on the material.
3. PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
PETG is a popular filament due to its strength, flexibility, and resistance to impact. It’s more forgiving than ABS but still requires specific print settings for optimal results.
- Recommended Print Speed: 40–50 mm/s
- Reason: PETG has a higher viscosity and is more prone to stringing and oozing when printed too fast. Slower print speeds help control the extrusion rate, reducing excess filament and improving finish quality.
- Tips:
- Slower speeds help ensure a consistent extrusion flow and improve layer bonding.
- PETG often benefits from slower speeds at the start of the print (e.g., 40 mm/s) to avoid oozing, but can be increased slightly for large, simple prints.
4. TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
TPU is a flexible filament that is highly elastic and is used for printing flexible parts like phone cases and gaskets. However, TPU’s elasticity makes it more difficult to print than rigid filaments like PLA.
- Recommended Print Speed: 20–30 mm/s
- Reason: TPU’s flexibility means it’s more prone to jamming at high speeds, as it has a tendency to bend and stretch during extrusion. Slower speeds ensure better control over the filament and minimize the risk of clogging.
- Tips:
- Ensure that the extruder is capable of handling flexible filaments. A direct drive extruder is ideal for printing TPU.
- For better results, you can also reduce the retraction distance to avoid issues like stringing.
5. Nylon
Nylon is a strong, durable filament known for its flexibility and wear resistance. However, it is sensitive to temperature changes and moisture, so selecting the right print speed is critical for ensuring good results.
- Recommended Print Speed: 30–40 mm/s
- Reason: Nylon requires high extrusion temperatures, and printing at slower speeds helps to achieve optimal layer bonding and prevent warping. Nylon is also sensitive to moisture, so drying the filament before printing is crucial.
- Tips:
- Use a heated bed and an enclosure to reduce the chances of warping.
- Print at slower speeds, especially for fine details or high-precision prints.
6. Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate is a tough, heat-resistant filament, often used in industrial and engineering applications. Due to its high extrusion temperature and the challenges of printing, it requires more careful speed adjustment.
- Recommended Print Speed: 20–30 mm/s
- Reason: Polycarbonate has a higher melting temperature and can warp easily when printed too fast. Slower speeds allow the material to cool slowly and form a stronger bond between layers.
- Tips:
- Print polycarbonate inside a heated chamber to avoid warping.
- Ensure good adhesion to the bed, as polycarbonate is prone to detaching during printing.
7. Carbon Fiber-infused Filaments
Carbon fiber-infused filaments (such as carbon fiber PLA or carbon fiber PETG) are reinforced with carbon fibers, giving them additional strength and rigidity. However, the abrasiveness of the carbon fibers can wear out nozzles quickly.
- Recommended Print Speed: 30–50 mm/s
- Reason: Carbon fiber filaments require a high extrusion rate, but printing too quickly can result in poor layer adhesion and incomplete prints. Moderate speeds help ensure the carbon fibers are well distributed and extruded consistently.
- Tips:
- Use hardened steel nozzles to avoid wear from the abrasive fibers.
- You may need to increase the extrusion temperature slightly for better adhesion of the carbon fibers.
General Tips for Optimizing Print Speed Across All Filament Types
- Experiment and Test: Start with the manufacturer’s recommended settings for each filament and adjust based on your specific 3D printer. Test with smaller prints to see how the filament behaves before committing to larger projects.
- Adjust Layer Height: If you want to increase speed without sacrificing quality, consider adjusting the layer height. Larger layers (e.g., 0.2 mm vs. 0.1 mm) will print faster but may lose some detail.
- Consider Cooling and Retraction: Filament type affects cooling time and retraction settings. Slower print speeds may require different cooling fan settings to prevent warping or stringing.
- Use a Stable Printing Environment: Ensure your 3D printer operates in a stable environment, free from drafts or temperature fluctuations that may negatively impact print quality, especially with filaments like ABS and nylon.
Conclusion
Selecting the right print speed for different filament types is essential for achieving high-quality prints. While it’s tempting to increase the speed for faster results, each filament material has unique characteristics that require specific adjustments. By understanding how to fine-tune your print speed for each material, you’ll improve print quality, avoid common issues like warping or stringing, and make the most of your 3D printer’s capabilities.