Filament settings — temperatures, drying and cooling

PLAEveryday

Nozzle195–215 °C

Bed55–60 °C

Part cooling100%

EnclosureNot needed

Drying45–50 °C for 6 hours

The default for almost everything. If it is not sticking, it is nearly always nozzle height rather than temperature.

See PLA on 3dflo.com ›

High-speed PLAFor fast machines

Nozzle200–230 °C

Bed55–60 °C

Part cooling100%

EnclosureNot needed

Drying45–50 °C for 6 hours

Formulated to melt fast enough to keep up at 300mm/s and above. Standard PLA simply cannot, and goes thin and patchy instead.

See High-speed PLA on 3dflo.com ›

Silk PLADisplay pieces

Nozzle205–225 °C

Bed55–60 °C

Part cooling80–100%

EnclosureNot needed

Drying45–50 °C for 6 hours

Print it slower than plain PLA. The sheen comes from a smooth, even flow, and speed ruins it. Weaker than standard PLA, so not for functional parts.

See Silk PLA on 3dflo.com ›

PLA-CF (carbon fibre)Stiff and matte

Hardened nozzle required

Nozzle220–235 °C

Bed55–60 °C

Part cooling100%

EnclosureNot needed

Drying55 °C for 8 hours

Needs a hardened nozzle — carbon fibre wears brass out within a couple of spools. A 0.6mm nozzle jams less and prints faster with almost no visible loss of detail.

See PLA-CF (carbon fibre) on 3dflo.com ›

PETGTough and outdoor

Nozzle230–245 °C

Bed70–85 °C

Part cooling30–50%

EnclosureHelps, not required

Drying65 °C for 6 hours

Absorbs moisture within days on an open shelf, and wet PETG strings no matter what you do to retraction. Keep the fan low or the layers will not bond.

See PETG on 3dflo.com ›

ABS / ASAHeat resistant

Nozzle240–260 °C

Bed95–110 °C

Part coolingOff or very low

EnclosureRequired

Drying65 °C for 4 hours

Will warp on an open-frame machine in a cool room, every time. Needs an enclosure and no draughts. Ventilate the room while printing.

See ABS / ASA on 3dflo.com ›

TPU (flexible)Rubbery

Nozzle210–230 °C

Bed30–50 °C

Part cooling30–50%

EnclosureNot needed

Drying50 °C for 6 hours

Print slowly — 20 to 30mm/s. Softer grades struggle on machines where the filament travels a long way to the nozzle. Reduce retraction hard, or it buckles.

See TPU (flexible) on 3dflo.com ›

Three things worth knowing

These are starting points, not gospel. Every machine and every brand differs slightly. Print a temperature tower once for each new filament and you will never guess again.

Cooling is a trade-off. More cooling gives cleaner overhangs and weaker layer bonding. That is why PETG and ABS want less of it than PLA.

Drying matters more than people think. Damp filament pops, strings and prints rough, and no setting will fix it. If a spool has been open on a shelf for weeks, dry it before you change anything else.

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