Baking : An electric convection oven is another option for drying your filament. You get a nice, dry heat and can bring your filament to slightly higher temperatures. Keep the filament in for a few hours to remove most of the moisture. As mentioned in the Post-Processing section, gas ovens produce a lot of moisture which could make your problems worse. eSun also claims that its PLA+ has better mechanical properties and surface quality. If you are looking for a lot of color choices with the ease of PLA with added strength and quality, then eSun’s PLA+ filament is the best choice for you. Do Not Allow Options to Overwhelm You Finally, make sure to note the temperature levels that the users used to get the product in the pictures. Filament reactions vary depending on the temperature used. Whether you decide to go with Hatchbox or eSun PLA filaments, all of the above factors will affect your final product. Storage High-Strength Filaments: Beginners won’t use materials like PC (polycarbonate), PEEK (poly ether ether ketone), PEI (polyetherimide), or PP (polypropylene). These advanced materials provide mechanical strength similar to metals at a fraction of the weight. This makes them common choices for commercial 3D printing. Most consumer-grade 3D printers, however, can’t handle the high temperatures needed to work with these materials. PEEK filaments, for example, require nozzle temperatures over 375ºC and bed temperatures over 130ºC. The two parameters Hatchbox mentions in their PLA filament specifications are print temperature (nozzle temperature) and bed temperature, which will be our primary focus when adjusting slicer settings to be compatible with Hatchbox PLA.

More reliable and hands-off than DIY oven drying, filament dryers take care of the entire drying process, leaving you with a bone dry spool within just a few hours. Many are also designed with an opening to feed filament through so that you can keep the PLA protected even while printing. Where to Buy PLA Filament? Another type of filament now available on the market is PLA+, which is polylactic acid plus additional ingredients to make it much stronger. Hatchbox does not offer any PLA+, but eSun does. eSun has many more colors of PLA+ filament than its regular polylactic acid filament. For those unfamiliar, a temperature tower is a 3D model specifically configured for the purposes of testing different printing temperature values in the same print, where the printing temperature increases (or decreases) for each section of the model to make it possible to observe the effects of different temperatures all at once and decide on the best one.

Finish

eSun actually has designed a storage container specifically for its filaments. This container will keep the PLA pliable and just like new, which means the finish will be more consistent than filaments stored in other manners. All FDM printers perform the same function: use a melted thermoplastic filament to create layers of plastic to form an object. When everything goes right, the printer lays the molten filament down in a clean line on the print bed. This first layer adheres to the print bed’s surface as it cools to keep the object firmly attached as the object is printed. When the printer lays molten filament on top of the previous layer, the two layers melt together to create a relatively solid piece. You will find that all printers share the same basic components to deliver this result. Filaments are specified by their diameters. Most entry-to-mid-range 3D printers are designed for filaments with a 1.75 mm diameter. As you get into more professional-grade machines, you will find more call for 3.00 mm diameter filaments. What’s the difference? Since most entry-level printers are designed for 1.75 mm filaments, it won’t be an issue for beginners. But you may want to keep the option as a future mod for your printer.

If you print one piece in one location and then change to another–even just a different room in the same building–do not be surprised if your final products are not as consistent as you would like them to be. When it comes to obtaining prints that are successful enough, ensuring that you configure the settings of your slicer with the recommended generic values for the type of filament you’re printing with is usually an adequate first step to get things going. For instance, you may find a filament that is within your budget and has the color you need, but if the final product comes out differently with each batch of filament you use, it is not a good option. Easy to print: PLA is flexible when it comes to settings, and it’s possible to obtain excellent quality prints with most consumer FDM 3D printers. The print quality is good and the filament produces very nice details (especially considering its price). There’s little stringing and print plate adhesion is top notch .Attached to the frame you will find a system of rods, rails, belts, and motors move the print bed and print head. Electronics in the base interpret the commands in the print file to control all of the mechanical and thermal parts. That print file may be on a USB key or memory card inserted into the printer. Or the printer may connect to a computer through USB, Ethernet, or WiFi. FDM Printer Variations

Now that we have added the custom material preset, it’s time to configure a custom profile that we will use in conjunction with the preset we have created, which holds the print settings: Some users suggest that eSun’s white PLA is slightly more consistent than Hatchbox’s, but the difference is not great enough to suggest one manufacturer over the other. So, if you are planning to paint your pieces, do not let color be a deciding factor when choosing between Hatchbox and eSun filaments. Consistency We didn’t have to worry about breakage or snapping even on prints that ran for a couple of days . There’s practically no stringing or layer detachment , so your large prints will come out great. We ran into only a couple of issues during our tests — and wouldn’t be surprised if those were due to user error.What also makes it a more preferable option over ABS filament is the fact that is doesn't give off the plastic smell. Due to this alongside its ecological origins, a PLA filament can be used not only for fun but also for medical applications, food products, and even the creation of functional parts. Sunlu PLA also guarantees a sharp 0.02 mm dimensional accuracy for all its 100% tangle-free spools. It’s an excellent option for makers on a tight budget who need a no-nonsense, highly predictable PLA. Fortunately, those new to 3D design have more affordable options. Occupying a middle ground is Autodesk’s Fusion 360 . It offers the kind of sophisticated computer-aided design tools businesses need. A free license for hobbyists has made it a popular choice among more experienced 3D printing enthusiasts. Since it is designed for professionals, Fusion 360’s learning curve can be an obstacle for novices. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Everything depends on your particular context.