Tips for Drying Filament
You may have been aware that 3D printing requires pinpoint accuracy in every respect, but notably with the filament. Popping, stringing, and problems with layer adhesion are just a few of the ways that moisture may ruin your prints. Fortunately, drying filament is an option. However, what is the best way to dry filament? By using dry filament and carefully drying it, the process brings back the filament's best properties, which in turn allow for better printing.
This post will explore many ways to dry filament, including PLA, ABS, and nylon. But before we go into it, let's have a handle on what moisture absorption is.
Why Properly Drying Filament Is Essential?
Filament degradation due to moisture can weaken mechanical qualities like tensile strength and flexibility. Furthermore, when the filament is heated while still wet, air bubbles will form inside the filament as the moisture evaporates. Stringing, blobbing, and poor layer adhesion are all issues that can arise from these air bubbles, which in turn lower the print quality.
But if you don't seal a filament, it will get wet and cause problems like these:
- Uneven layer spacing and a rough printing surface are the results of using wet filament, which, when extruded, creates bubbles.
- Printing with wet filament results in surface imperfections like pores and shrinkage holes.
- Model distortion during printing: When filaments are heated, they expand, leading to a deformed printed object.
How to Check a Wet Filament?
To prevent wasting wet filaments on 3D prints that turn out poorly, the ability to detect when filaments are wet is crucial. The next step is to determine if the 3D-printed filament is moist using the following techniques:
Take note of the colour: When a filament is wet, it loses its lustre and becomes dull.
When you pull on the filament, it will soften and burst easily.
Examine the filament's aroma: Wet filament will have a musty odour.
Use a drying metre: A drying metre can be used to determine the filament's relative humidity. Filament becomes wet if relative humidity rises over a specific threshold.
When you see that the filaments are damp, it's time to prepare them for drying using the practical techniques listed below.
How to Dry Filament?
To increase the likelihood of a good print output, filament drying is a crucial stage in 3D printing. Fortunately, there are a few methods available to you for keeping your filament dry, so it doesn't have to be a tough task. We can examine it.
1. Filament Dryer
If filament is wet, a filament dryer will draw out all of the moisture. The idea is straightforward: filament dryers employ controlled heating to equally evaporate the water molecules in thermoplastic by holding the spool of filament in an enclosure. There are a variety of filament dryers available today, from complex systems designed for professionals to easy plug-and-play models aimed for hobbyists. A filament dryer can be as simple as a heated container that can hold a single spool of filament. Spool rotation and ventilation for uniform heat distribution are extra features of more advanced machines.
A few filament dryers even have the capacity to dry up a whole spool of filament at once, making it easy to remove and feed into the 3D printer. Another option is to use an in-line filament dryer, which can dry the filament and feed it into the 3D printer all at the same time. This saves a lot of time. A do-it-yourself filament dryer is another option. Making a filament drier out of a 3D printer is as easy as adding a heated print bed. A 3D-printed framework and an inexpensive computer fan are all that's required.
Purchase Link: Amazon.
2. Oven
Using an oven is the most convenient technique to dry off filament before 3D printing. Indeed, it is really a standard domestic oven. To melt filament, just preheat your oven to a low temperature (the precise degree will vary depending on the filament type and its glass transition temperature), insert the spools of filament, and leave them inside for up to six hours.
Before you heat any filament in an oven, make sure the thermostat is accurate. Be careful not to accidentally set your oven to 95°C and melt your filament after setting it to 80°C. Just insert a thermometer into the oven and wait for it to read before proceeding to check the thermostat. Any differences will allow you to fine-tune your oven's settings. Additionally, make sure the oven is at the correct temperature before placing the spool of filament inside. This is due to the fact that a lot of ovens may get too hot before reaching the correct temperature, which could lead to melted plastic and the ruin of your filament spool.
Link to buy: Amazon.
3. Food Dehydrator
Using a food dehydrator is another way to dry filament that you can find in the kitchen. Drying out goods, such as meat and fruit, is the job of food dehydrators, which use the circulation of heated air inside an enclosed container. The temperatures reached by most food dehydrators are also suitable for drying filament, therefore they can serve dual purposes. Due to their lack of design for drying filament spools, food dehydrators sometimes have a lesser capacity, although they are usually less expensive. Their accessibility, nevertheless, makes them a favourite among makers.
Link to buy: Amazon.
Key Things to Note When Drying Filament
Before the process of drying 3D printer filaments can be dangerous due to the high temperatures and dry air that are necessary for the process, which can release toxic fumes and even cause fires. Hence, before you dry the 3D printing filament, make sure you follow these safety measures:
- Keep the filament from melting by regulating the temperature.
- Keep an eye on the ventilation to make sure no dangerous gases build up.
- To avoid fires, be cautious and keep away from open flames.
- Be careful to keep the oven or food dryer temperature within a safe range when drying the filament.
- Never leave the filament in the drying apparatus unattended; instead, keep an eye on it as it dries.
- Avoid immediately placing the heated filament in a confined area; instead, let it cool in a well-ventilated area after drying.
Having looked at the how to dry filament, it’s also important to have a look at the best 3D printing software. There are many that are available,but we recommend using SelfCAD. It is an easy to use 3D design software that comes with an in-built online slicer that you can use to slice your files and get the G-code to send to your 3D printer.
Conclusion
One crucial step in 3D printing is drying the filament. Parts with a higher-quality finish and longer lifespan are possible with the correct methods and equipment. There are a variety of options for drying filament in preparation for 3D printing. Many people have had success with using ovens, filament dryers, food dehydrators, and good storage practices. You can discover a solution that suits your needs and budget among the many accessible possibilities.
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