I struggled trying to get really nice 3D FDM prints. Just recently I discovered the errors in my way. I believed the \u201crecommended\u201d filament flow settings were accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are not. At best a very rough starting point for the newbie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I laugh every time I see someone ask. \u201cWhat settings do you use to print so nice?\u201d Truth is, there are no rules for a \u201cright\u201d settings. I should laugh at myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current trend in 3D FDM printing is more and faster is better. So, everything is being adjusted to maximum performance and the \u201cold\u201d standard limits are being extended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is some good in the \u201cfaster is better\u201d hardware development. Fast hardware must be built very rugged and ridged. This creates an overall better hardware platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Travel and print movement speeds are the most obvious ways to shorten print time. The other are to lay down wider and higher layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of extruder flow limitations, the first \u201cspeed demon\u201d<\/em> printers were rated for the published high speeds only with very low and narrow print lines. Limitations usually found in only the fine print. (Mark this as a clue.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n FDM Extruders are improving and the filament makers are producing some filament designed for high-speed printing with special flow characteristics. So, yes high speed FDM is getting better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, my fast printing experience has never produced the nice prints that I desire. I discovered my main failure is that I was using published print line widths and flow rates that are far too high for the nozzle in use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is my \u201cquality\u201d secret revealed: Stay within nozzle limits.<\/strong> The best line width is 100% <\/strong>of the nozzle hole size. (I.E. 0.40mm nozzle \/ 0.40 line width.) Adjust base flow rate to eliminate flow bulging at the nozzle tip. If you are pushing a blob when printing, then the flow is set too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This 100% line width increases overall printing times because more lines must be printed, but print quality greatly improves. I also stay at or under 0.20mm layer height as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, one can go wider and higher. Perhaps for strength or to save time. But this line width \u201cSecret\u201d is how I get the very best (looking) quality print with FDM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also do not exceed the filament print speeds recommended by the filament makers. They know their product best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are no \u201cspeed police.\u201d Push the speed limits as I have done. That is what 3D printing permits. Personal control. When the desire is the best-looking print possible, it\u2019s not going to be found at the \u201couter limits\u201d! Ha! Just enjoy the freedom to choose what effect you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t fret. I am not making my quality secret a \u201cspeed limit law\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I struggled trying to get really nice 3D FDM prints. Just recently I discovered the errors in my way. I believed the \u201crecommended\u201d filament flow settings were accurate. They are not. At best a very rough starting point for the newbie. I laugh every time I see someone ask. \u201cWhat settings do you use to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1221"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1225,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions\/1225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quantum3dprint.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}