Matte, Rough, or Weak Prints

Standard PLA+ should print glossy. If your prints look matte or rough, or the layers split easily, work through these causes.

Printing too fast for the temperature

The most common cause. The filament doesn't have time to fully melt, so it comes out matte and bonds poorly. Raise the temperature (up to 250°C) or slow down. Above about 150 mm/s, you'll usually need more heat.

Wet filament

Wet filament gives a rough or fuzzy surface, popping or hissing at the nozzle, extra stringing, and weaker parts. Dry it at 50°C for 6–8 hours. See Drying and storage.

Brittle filament that snaps on the spool

PLA that has absorbed moisture over time can become brittle, because moisture breaks down the polymer chains. Dry the spool before printing. Dry filament keeps well; we have 10-year-old spools that still print fine.

Weak parts

• Print hotter for better layer bonding.
• Orient the part so the load runs along the layers, not across them.
• If the part needs to survive drops or snap fits, use Tough Pro PLA+, which is 8.8× tougher.