Easily print highly detailed models and objects with a smaller nozzle. Small nozzles create thin, lightweight support structures that are easier to remove from the final thing. Some models require support structures to prevent deformation during printing. With dual extruders, you can print these sacrificial supports with a soluble material that separates easily from your model after finishing the print.

Set the Temperature

Increasing the temperature of the ReDeTec extruder can help reduce filament jamming during printing. This is typically caused when heat creeps up the filament to the extruder gear causing it to soften and chew out instead of gripping and feeding through the nozzle. PC is a rigid material requiring high nozzle temperatures to print without clogging. Using a higher nozzle temperature can also improve the surface quality of overhangs. Extruder temperatures that are too high can cause nozzle oozing. This can be reduced by tightening retraction settings and using advanced slicer settings like coasting. Coasting helps minimize the distance the nozzle travels between points reducing wisps and stringing. In addition, slowing down printing speeds minimizes vibration and ensures consistent extrusion.

Set the Nozzle Diameter

A 3D printer’s nozzle diameter affects the size of each printed layer. Increasing the nozzle diameter can enable the printer to print finer detail and improve printing time. A good starting point is a standard 0.4mm nozzle. This nozzle is suitable for most printing, and most slicers are configured with it in mind. Another factor to consider when determining your nozzle diameter is the layer height. When a part is printed at a high layer height, it takes longer because each layer needs to be built over many smaller layers. A large, complex part may take hours to complete and consume a whole filament spool. A lower layer height can reduce this effect, but some applications must be faster.

Set the Speed

The speed settings of your printer control how fast the print head moves around the bed to create your printed part. The speed is typically based on the temperature of the nozzle, and lower temperatures tend to have higher rates. Sometimes the nozzle can become clogged or jammed while printing, despite having the correct temperature settings and the right size nozzle. This is usually because the nozzle is moving too quickly, and the plastic is being forced out before it can melt properly.

Set the Feed Rate

The flow rate is the setting that determines how much plastic a printer will send through the extruder. It’s essential to calibrate this setting properly, as over- or under-extruding can cause various problems with prints.

You must follow a few simple steps to set the flow rate. First, make sure your printer is connected to the slicer you’re using, and then preheat the extruder to the temperature for the filament you’ll be printing with.

Next, measure a 110mm filament segment from where it enters the tube. Record the measurement and note it down. Then, run 100mm of filament through the printer and measure again. The difference between the measurements will be your extruder steps per mm value.

Set the Extruder Temperature

It’s essential to set the extruder temperature correctly, as it directly impacts print quality. This is especially true for PLA, which requires higher temperatures to ensure good material flow. However, it can be challenging to get the right temperature because of variations in the design, filament type, and printing environment. Fortunately, slicers include human-readable comments that make it easier to set these values manually. You can find these comments by looking for lines that begin with “;” and searching for the command that specifies the height at which you want to change the temperature (e.g., G1 Z12.0)