fab PLA Silk

1. Extruder Temperature
We recommend an extruder temperature of 200°C for PLA.

2. Bed Temperature
While PLA/PLA+ can be printed on an unheated bed, for best results we recommend and a bed temp of between 50°C - 60°C. If poor adhesion is an issue, print the first two layers ONLY with the bed at 65°C (and 60°C for every subsequent layer).

3. Fan Control & Minimum Layer Time
PLA prints best when rapidly cooled with the aid of your extruder's fan. This will ensure a clean, crisp layers with neat details. For the best surface resolution possible, set the extruder fan speed to 100%.

4. Retraction
We recommend starting with a retraction speed of between 30-80mm/s and a retraction distance of Between 2-5 mm for a Bowden setup or 1-2mm for a direct drive printer.

5. Build Plate Adhesion
While PLA is less prone to warping compared to other materials, even PLA can use a little extra help sticking to the bed sometimes.

6. Print Slower
With proper fan cooling, PLA can achieve blistering print speeds. We've found that printing at 50mm/s or slower yields great results.

7. Keep Filament Dry
PLA is prone to absorbing moisture from the air when left out in the open. When left out in a non-airtight environment, PLA will begin to become brittle and snap when uncoiled, causing loading and feeding issues. When printing wet filament, small bubbles can also appear on the skin of your print marring an otherwise smooth surface as. In severe cases, steam and small popping noises can be noticed exiting the nozzle when printing. Finally printing with wet PLA also results in weaker 3D printed parts overall with as wet PLA forms weaker interlayer bond between each print layer of your 3D printed part. Fortunately, wet filament can be rescued by dehydrating it in an oven at 60°c for 12 hours or by storing the filament in a container with ample amounts of desiccant for 1-5 days.

8. Unload Filament
Whenever possible, when not printing with PLA (and all other filaments for that matter), unload the filament from the printer and store it in an airtight container in a cool dry place to keep it dry. Ensure the desiccant that comes with the filament is also stored in the same container to keep the filament in optimal printing condition. Additional desiccant may be required depending on the size of the container and amount of filament being stored. Aim to keep the humidity level within the container at 10-15% and out of direct sunlight. Wet filament stored in this way can be regenerated by if stored in the conditions above for 1-5 days.

9. Gluing
Cyanoacrylate glue (superglue) or two-stage epoxies are a great choice for when you’re looking to join your PLA parts.