Materials and Printer Tuning
FDM materials
| Material | Pros | Cons | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | easy, low warping, many colours | softens around 55–60 °C, brittle-ish | decor, prototypes, figurines |
| PETG | tougher, more heat and chemical resistant | stringing, sticks very well to some beds | functional parts, outdoor-ish use |
| ABS / ASA | heat resistant, ASA UV resistant | warps, fumes; needs an enclosure | car parts, outdoor, enclosures |
| TPU | flexible, durable | slow, tricky with some extruders | phone cases, gaskets, bumpers |
| Composites (CF, wood) | looks, stiffness | abrasive (hardened nozzle needed) | special finishes |
Store filament dry; moist filament (especially PETG, nylon, TPU) causes stringing, bubbles and weak parts. A filament dryer or sealed box with desiccant helps.
Resin types
Standard, tough/ABS-like, flexible, water-washable and castable resins. Follow each resin's exposure settings and safety data sheet.
Calibration checklist (FDM)
- Bed levelling and first layer: the most important factor. Lines should be slightly squished and fused.
- Temperature tower: find the best nozzle temperature per filament.
- Flow / extrusion multiplier: correct over- or under-extrusion.
- Pressure advance / linear advance: sharp corners at speed.
- Retraction: reduce stringing.
- Dimensional accuracy: print a calibration cube and measure with calipers.
Modern printers automate several of these; still verify with test prints when changing materials.
Tolerances
For parts that fit together, design clearances (for example 0.2–0.4 mm for sliding fits on a well-tuned FDM printer). Print a tolerance test to know your printer's numbers.
Exercise
Calibrate a new spool: temperature tower, flow test and a tolerance gauge; record the settings in a filament profile and print a press-fit two-part box to confirm.
Check yourself
- Why must filament be kept dry?
- Which calibration step matters most?
- How do you find the right clearance for parts that fit together?
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