Pro PLA+ Print Recommendations

Recommended Print Settings:

• Hot End Temp: 220-250C (varies by printer)
• Heated Bed Temp: 0-60C (heated bed not required)
• Bed Surface: Bare acrylic, blue painters tape + hairspray, glass + hairspray, BuildTak (or similar bed surface), PEI (with heated bed @ 45-60C)

• Speed: 40 - 260mm/s. Note: If you go faster, you may need to increase the temperature as well.

Regarding speed, when higher speeds are used, the material spends less time inside the heated nozzle, which means it may not have time to heat up to the optimum temperature. If running above 200mm/s, you may have to bump the temperature by 5° for every 10mm/s. But you will need to do some testing here to find the sweet spot for your particular printer and print settings. 

Printing Notes

In general, 3D-Fuel PLA products require a slightly higher temperature than less expensive PLA products. This is generally due to the fact that our products have no fillers and are made from 100% virgin PLA from NatureWorks. So, you may have to print just a little higher in many cases. But this is not a rule, just a guideline.

Watch for Heat Creep

Heat creep occurs when the temperature of the nozzle “creeps” up the tube and causes the material to melt before entering the nozzle area. This can cause the material to bulge and create a blockage or jam. If this occurs, you’ll need to reduce the temperature to avoid the issue. Our PLA products are not as susceptible to this as some, but it can happen when a temperature higher than recommended is being used. For more information see: https://www.3dfuel.com/heatcreep

What if I get stringing or threading? 

This typically happens if you are printing at too high a temperature, or the retraction length/distance is not set high enough. If you experience stringing between locations where the print head is moving, then decrease the temperature by 5-10° and/or increase your retraction distance or length by 1mm at a time. You can find a good 3D model for testing this by searching online for “retraction test model”.

If you have any other issues not addressed in this document, feel free to email us at sales@3dfuel.com and you will get a speedy response! We’re here to help you get the most from your 3D-Fuel filament products.