Author: Jonathan van Heijzen

The world of 3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing and design processes across industries. One key factor that significantly impacts the quality and reliability of 3D printed objects is thermal stability. I want to explore why thermal stability holds immense importance in the realm of 3D printing.

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process that involves creating three-dimensional objects by layering materials based on a digital design. The success of 3D printing lies in achieving precise control over various parameters, including temperature. Thermal stability, the ability of a system to maintain a consistent temperature, plays a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy, structural integrity, and overall quality of the final printed objects.

Different 3D printing technologies utilize various materials such as thermoplastics, metals, resins, and composites. Each material has specific thermal characteristics that must be carefully managed during the printing process. Achieving thermal stability allows for precise control over the material’s melting point, viscosity, shrinkage, and curing reactions, ensuring optimal results.

Thermal stability is paramount in preventing warping and deformation in 3D printed objects. When materials cool too rapidly or unevenly, they can contract unevenly, leading to warping, curling, or cracking. Maintaining a stable and controlled printing environment, including the temperature of the build plate and the surrounding atmosphere, helps mitigate these issues and ensures dimensional accuracy.

Thermal stability directly affects the print quality and resolution of 3D printed objects. Variations in temperature can cause inconsistent material flow, resulting in uneven layer deposition, surface imperfections, or even failed prints. A stable and controlled temperature environment allows for consistent material flow, precise layering, and better adhesion between layers, ultimately leading to higher print quality and resolution.

In 3D printing, optimizing print speed is essential to increase efficiency and reduce production time. However, pushing the limits of print speed without considering thermal stability can lead to compromised print quality. Maintaining the appropriate temperature range for the material being used ensures that it flows smoothly and solidifies properly, enabling faster and more efficient printing without sacrificing quality.

Support structures play a vital role in 3D printing, especially when printing complex geometries or objects with overhangs. Thermal stability aids in the controlled and gradual cooling of the printed layers, allowing for the proper formation and removal of support structures. This process helps maintain the structural integrity of the printed object while minimizing the need for excessive supports or post-processing.

What makes a good 3D printer extruder?

A 3D printer extruder is the part of the printer that pushes the filament through a nozzle and deposits it on the build plate. The extruder is responsible for the quality and accuracy of the printed object, as well as the speed and reliability of the printing process. Therefore, choosing a good 3D printer extruder is essential for getting the best results from your 3D printing projects.

There are many factors that affect the performance of a 3D printer extruder, such as:

  • The type of filament: Different filaments have different properties, such as melting temperature, viscosity, flexibility, and strength. The extruder should be compatible with the filament you want to use, and be able to handle its characteristics without clogging, jamming, or breaking.
  • The design of the extruder: There are two main types of extruders: direct drive and Bowden. A direct drive extruder has the motor mounted directly on the nozzle, which reduces the distance and friction between the filament and the nozzle. This allows for more precise and consistent extrusion, especially with flexible or brittle filaments. However, a direct drive extruder also adds more weight and inertia to the print head, which can affect the speed and accuracy of the printer. A Bowden extruder has the motor mounted away from the nozzle, and uses a tube to guide the filament to the nozzle. This reduces the weight and inertia of the print head, which enables faster and smoother printing. However, a Bowden extruder also introduces more friction and slack in the filament path, which can cause under-extrusion, over-extrusion, or stringing, especially with flexible or soft filaments.
  • The quality of the components: The components of the extruder, such as the motor, the gears, the bearings, the nozzle, and the heat sink, should be made of durable and high-quality materials that can withstand high temperatures, pressures, and wear. The components should also be well-aligned and calibrated to ensure smooth and accurate extrusion.
  • The ease of use and maintenance: The extruder should be easy to install, adjust, and clean. It should also have features that make it more convenient and user-friendly, such as a filament sensor, a cooling fan, a dual extruder option, or a quick-release mechanism.

Maybe you’re just curious, maybe you’re looking to upgrade your extruder, or maybe you’re having random issues with your current extruder. In any case, I hope that these things help you.

The main components of a hotend are:

  • The heater block: This is where the heating element and the thermistor are attached. The heater block transfers heat to the filament and controls the temperature of the hotend.
  • The heat break: This is a thin metal tube that connects the heater block to the heat sink. The heat break prevents heat from traveling up to the heat sink and causing clogs or jams.
  • The heat sink: This is a metal part with fins or ribs that dissipates heat from the heat break. The heat sink is usually cooled by a fan or water.
  • The nozzle: This is the tip of the hotend that extrudes the melted filament. The nozzle size and shape affect the resolution, speed and quality of the prints.

Some of the factors that make a hotend good quality are:

  • Temperature stability: A good hotend should be able to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the printing process. Temperature fluctuations can cause under-extrusion, over-extrusion, stringing, oozing or poor layer adhesion. A good hotend should have a reliable heating element, a precise thermistor and a PID controller that adjusts the power output to keep the temperature steady.
  • Thermal conductivity: A good hotend should have a high thermal conductivity, which means it can transfer heat quickly and evenly to the filament. This can improve the print quality and reduce the risk of clogs or jams. A good hotend should have a metal heater block, a metal heat break and a metal nozzle. Some materials, such as copper or titanium, have higher thermal conductivity than others, such as aluminum or brass.
  • Thermal isolation: A good hotend should have a low thermal isolation, which means it can prevent heat from escaping or spreading to unwanted areas. This can improve the print quality and reduce the risk of heat creep or warping. A good hotend should have a well-designed heat break, a well-cooled heat sink and an insulation material around the heater block.
  • Nozzle design: A good hotend should have a nozzle that matches your printing needs and preferences. The nozzle size affects the resolution, speed and flow rate of your prints. A smaller nozzle can produce finer details but requires slower printing speeds and higher temperatures. A larger nozzle can produce faster prints but with lower resolution and more visible layers. The nozzle shape affects the extrusion pattern and quality of your prints. A round nozzle can produce smoother prints but with less control over corners and edges. A flat nozzle can produce sharper prints but with more risk of blobs or zits.

This weekend I received a Creality Spider hotend as a birthday present. After running a few testing prints, it seems to check all of the boxes. So far it seems to be a hotend that is built from quality components and that maintains its heat very well. I’m looking forward to a whole lot of printing with this thing.

Sometimes your hotend gets damaged or worn out and you need to put a new one on. Other times, you just want to upgrade. The following is what you will need.

  • A new hotend compatible with your printer model
  • A screwdriver
  • A wrench
  • A pair of pliers
  • A heat-resistant glove
  • A piece of paper or cloth

Step 1: Turn off and unplug your printer. Wait for the hotend to cool down completely before touching it. You can use a heat-resistant glove to protect your hand from burns.

Step 2: Remove the filament from the extruder. You can either pull it out manually or use the unload filament function on your printer’s menu.

Step 3: Loosen the screws that secure the fan and the heat sink to the extruder assembly. Carefully remove them and set them aside.

Step 4: Unscrew the nozzle from the heater block using a wrench. Be careful not to damage the threads or the thermistor wires. You can discard the old nozzle or clean it for future use.

Step 5: Unscrew the heat break from the heater block using a pair of pliers. Be careful not to damage the heater cartridge or the thermistor wires. You can discard the old heat break or clean it for future use.

Step 6: Insert the new heat break into the new heater block and tighten it with a pair of pliers. Make sure there is no gap between them.

Step 7: Insert the new nozzle into the new heater block and tighten it with a wrench. Make sure there is no gap between them.

Step 8: Attach the new heater block to the extruder assembly using the screws that came with it. Make sure the thermistor wires and the heater cartridge wires are connected properly.

Before you reassemble your hotend, take a look at all of the components and make sure that they are in good working order, the connectors are tight, and that there are no components that show excessive wear.

Step 9: Attach the fan and the heat sink to the extruder assembly using the screws that you removed earlier. Make sure they are aligned correctly and do not obstruct the airflow.

Step 10: Load some filament into the extruder and turn on your printer. Set the temperature to about 200°C and wait for the hotend to heat up.

Step 11: Extrude some filament onto a piece of paper or cloth to check for any leaks or clogs. If everything looks fine, you have successfully exchanged your hotend!

Some symptoms of a failed extruder are:

  • Poor layer adhesion: The layers of your print are not sticking together well, resulting in gaps, cracks, or weak spots.
  • Inconsistent extrusion: The width of your extruded filament varies along the print, causing blobs, strings, or gaps.
  • Missing layers: Some layers of your print are completely missing or very thin, creating holes or gaps in your model.
  • Rough surface: The surface of your print is rough or uneven, with bumps, ridges, or zits.
  • No extrusion: The extruder stops pushing filament through the nozzle, resulting in an incomplete or empty print.

Some symptoms of a clogged PTFE tube are:

  • Poor layer adhesion: The layers of your print are not sticking together well, resulting in gaps, cracks, or weak spots.
  • Inconsistent extrusion: The width of your extruded filament varies along the print, causing blobs, strings, or gaps.
  • Missing layers: Some layers of your print are completely missing or very thin, creating holes or gaps in your model.
  • Rough surface: The surface of your print is rough or uneven, with bumps, ridges, or zits.
  • No extrusion: The extruder stops pushing filament through the nozzle, resulting in an incomplete or empty print.

Some symptoms of a failure at the hotend are:

  • Poor layer adhesion: The layers of your print are not sticking together well, resulting in gaps, cracks, or weak spots.
  • Inconsistent extrusion: The width of your extruded filament varies along the print, causing blobs, strings, or gaps.
  • Missing layers: Some layers of your print are completely missing or very thin, creating holes or gaps in your model.
  • Rough surface: The surface of your print is rough or uneven, with bumps, ridges, or zits.
  • No extrusion: The extruder stops pushing filament through the nozzle, resulting in an incomplete or empty print.

So, how do you tell where the problem is? When diagnosing, I take everything apart. Decouple the Bowden tube from the extruder and see if it works properly. Take the nozzle and heat break out of the printhead and see if you can push some filament through manually. Put a length of filament through the PTFE tube manually. The best and quickest way to find and resolve the issue is to slow down and be thorough with your investigation. Otherwise, I know from experience that you can waste a lot of time and money on replacing the wrong parts.

Have you ever gone through your entire calibration of your machine, only to shut it down for the day and have everything messed up when you start it up the next day? Have you ever leveled your bed, only to run a test part and find that everything comes out as a goopy mess? I spent a very long and frustrating weekend doing exactly this.

I would calibrate it and think “ok, now I’ve got it.” Nope, now I’ve got heat creep. Swap out the nozzle. Ok, now I’ve got it. Nope, now my extruder is underextruding. WHAT IS GOING ON?

When you have this, check your connections. In my case, the connector for my part cooling fan was loose and the fan wouldn’t always run. The results of not having a part fan can cause heat creep and poor adhesion. My filament wasn’t being cooled and so it would just get pushed around by the next layer that was supposed to adhere to it.

Heat creep is a phenomenon that affects 3D printers, especially those that use a direct drive extruder. It occurs when the heat from the hot end travels up the filament and melts it before it reaches the nozzle, causing clogs, jams, and poor print quality. In this blog post, we will explore the causes of heat creep and how to prevent it.

One of the main causes of heat creep is poor cooling of the hot end. The hot end consists of a heater block, a heat break, and a heat sink. The heater block heats up the filament to melt it, the heat break transfers the heat to the heat sink, and the heat sink dissipates the heat with a fan. If the fan is not working properly, or if the heat sink is dirty or poorly designed, the heat will not be removed efficiently and will travel up the filament.

Another cause of heat creep is using a filament that has a low melting point or a high thermal conductivity. Some filaments, such as PLA, ABS, or PETG, have lower melting points than others, such as nylon or polycarbonate. This means that they can soften or melt at lower temperatures, which makes them more prone to heat creep. Similarly, some filaments have higher thermal conductivity than others, which means that they can transfer heat more easily along their length. This can also cause them to soften or melt before reaching the nozzle.

A third cause of heat creep is printing at high temperatures or speeds. Printing at high temperatures can increase the amount of heat generated by the heater block and make it harder for the heat sink to cool it down. Printing at high speeds can also increase the friction between the filament and the extruder gears, which can generate more heat and cause the filament to deform. Both of these factors can contribute to heat creep and affect the print quality.

To prevent heat creep, there are several steps that you can take. First, you should check your cooling fan and make sure that it is working properly and blowing air towards the heat sink. You should also clean your heat sink regularly and remove any dust or debris that might block the airflow. Second, you should choose a filament that has a high melting point and a low thermal conductivity, or adjust your printing temperature and speed accordingly. You should also use a good quality filament that does not have any impurities or inconsistencies that might affect its properties. Third, you should calibrate your extruder and make sure that it is not over-extruding or under-extruding filament. You should also use a retraction setting that minimizes stringing and oozing without causing too much pressure in the nozzle.

By following these tips, you can avoid heat creep and improve your 3D printing experience. Heat creep is a common problem that can ruin your prints and damage your printer, but it can be prevented with proper maintenance and settings. If you have any questions or comments about heat creep, feel free to leave them below.

If you are a 3D printing enthusiast, you may have encountered a frustrating problem: your nozzle seems to be clogged and no filament comes out. You try to clean it, replace it, or even upgrade it, but nothing works. What is going on?

The answer may surprise you: your nozzle may not be clogged at all, but rather your temperature may be too low. How can this happen? Let me explain.

When you print with a 3D printer, you need to heat up the filament to a certain temperature so that it can melt and flow through the nozzle. This temperature varies depending on the type of filament you use, but it is usually around 200°C for PLA and 230°C for ABS.

However, if your temperature is too low, the filament may not melt enough to flow smoothly. Instead, it may form a thick and sticky paste that accumulates inside the nozzle and prevents more filament from coming out. This can look like a clog, but it is actually a temperature issue.

How can you tell the difference? There are some signs that can help you diagnose the problem:

  • If your nozzle is clogged, you may hear a clicking sound from the extruder as it tries to push the filament through.
  • If your temperature is too low, you may see the filament curling up or forming blobs around the nozzle as it comes out.
  • If your nozzle is clogged, you may need to use a needle or a wire to clear it out.
  • If your temperature is too low, you may need to increase it by 5-10°C and try again.

To prevent this problem from happening in the future, you should always check the recommended temperature for your filament and make sure your printer is calibrated correctly. You should also avoid printing in cold or drafty environments that can affect the temperature of your nozzle.

I hope this blog post was helpful and informative. Happy printing!

If you are a 3D printing enthusiast, you may have encountered the frustrating problem of a clogged nozzle. This can happen when the filament gets stuck or melted inside the nozzle, preventing the extruder from pushing out more material. A clogged nozzle can ruin your print and waste your time and filament.

But what if the problem is not really a clogged nozzle, but something else? I will explain how improper tension on the extruder can masquerade as a clogged nozzle, and how to fix it.

The extruder is the part of the 3D printer that feeds the filament into the hot end, where it is melted and extruded through the nozzle. The extruder has a spring-loaded mechanism that applies pressure on the filament, pushing it against a drive gear or a hobbed bolt. This pressure is called tension, and it is essential for the extruder to work properly.

If the tension is too low, the drive gear or the hobbed bolt may slip on the filament, causing under-extrusion or skipping steps. This can result in gaps, holes, or weak layers in your print. If the tension is too high, the drive gear or the hobbed bolt may dig into the filament, causing over-extrusion or grinding. This can result in blobs, strings, or jams in your print.

Both under-extrusion and over-extrusion can look like a clogged nozzle, because they affect the amount and quality of material that comes out of the nozzle. However, a clogged nozzle is usually caused by a different issue, such as a dirty nozzle, a partial blockage, or a heat creep.

So how can you tell if your problem is really a clogged nozzle, or an improper tension on the extruder? Here are some tips:

  • Check your filament. If you see signs of grinding or slipping on the filament, such as flat spots, gouges, or dust, then your tension is likely too high or too low.
  • Check your extruder. If you hear clicking or popping noises from the extruder, then your tension is likely too high or too low.
  • Check your nozzle. If you see material oozing out of the nozzle when it is not printing, then your tension is likely too high. If you see no material coming out of the nozzle when it is printing, then your tension is likely too low.
  • Do a cold pull. A cold pull is a technique to clean your nozzle by heating it up, inserting a piece of filament, letting it cool down, and then pulling it out with force. If you see a clean tip on the filament after doing a cold pull, then your nozzle is not clogged.
  • Adjust your tension. Depending on your extruder model, you may have a screw, a knob, or a lever to adjust the tension on the filament. You want to find a balance between too much and too little pressure. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that the drive gear or the hobbed bolt leaves slight marks on the filament, but not deep enough to damage it.

Volumetric flow is a concept that relates to how much material a 3D printer can extrude in a given time. It is usually measured in cubic millimeters per second (mm³/s) and depends on factors such as the nozzle diameter, the extrusion temperature, and the type of filament being used.

Volumetric flow is important for 3D printing because it affects both the quality and the speed of the printing process. If the volumetric flow is too low, the printer may not be able to fill the gaps between the layers, resulting in weak or incomplete prints. If the volumetric flow is too high, the printer may over-extrude, causing blobs, stringing, or clogging.

To achieve optimal volumetric flow, one needs to calibrate the flow rate (also known as extrusion multiplier) in the slicer settings. This is a factor that adjusts how much filament the printer pushes through the nozzle. The flow rate can be calibrated by printing a test object with known dimensions and measuring its actual dimensions with calipers. The flow rate can then be adjusted until the measured dimensions match the expected ones.

Alternatively, one can use a volumetric flow calculator to estimate the optimal flow rate based on the nozzle diameter, the filament diameter, and the maximum extrusion temperature. This can save time and material by avoiding trial-and-error prints. However, this method may not account for variations in filament quality or environmental conditions, so it is recommended to verify the results with a test print.

Volumetric flow is also relevant for volumetric 3D printing, a technique that creates objects by solidifying a whole resin volume with light beams. This method can produce complex shapes with high resolution and smooth surfaces without requiring support structures or layer-by-layer fabrication. However, this method also requires precise control of the volumetric flow rate to avoid over- or under-exposure of the resin.