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How To Succeed When 3D Printing With PLA Filament

How To Succeed When 3D Printing With PLA Filament

MatterHackers
Jun 27, 2022

Discover the best practices for 3D printing with PLA filament - from finding the right temperature, to which surfaces to 3D print on, this step-by-step guide will help you succeed with 3D printing PLA.

For years PLA 3D filament has been the top dog in the 3D printing industry; it prints easily, is available in a huge variety of colors and effects, and can be printed on virtually any 3D printer. Being successful with PLA is an essential skill to develop as you are likely to stick with PLA for most of you're projects until you find yourself working on more demanding use cases. PLA is great for dem... (More)

How To: Smooth and Finish Your PLA Prints - Part 1

How To: Smooth and Finish Your PLA Prints - Part 1

Alec Richter
Aug 25, 2016

Making your 3D prints look fresh off the assembly line isn't as hard as you think. Follow these simple techniques to finish your 3D prints and make them shine.

PLA (Polylactic Acid) filament is one of the two most commonly used desktop 3D printing materials (with the other being ABS filament). It is the ‘default’ recommended material for many desktop 3D printers, and with good reason - PLA is useful in a broad range of printing applications and can be produced in a variety of colors. It has the virtue of being both an odorless and low-warp ma... (More)

How To: Smooth and Finish Your PLA Prints - Part 2

How To: Smooth and Finish Your PLA Prints - Part 2

Alec Richter
Nov 28, 2016

3D printing is a wonderful process, but for convention and show ready prints, some post-processing may be necessary. Learn some helpful techniques from our resident cosplayer to turn even the most polygonal model into a smooth masterpiece.

If you’ve been following along in this series of articles (How to Bring Video Game Characters to Life and How To Smooth & Finish Your PLA Prints - Part 1), you have seen some techniques to smooth out and remove the striations you get from a 3D printing. But what if your original model is significantly more polygonal and faceted than the intended shape? If you have a print that ... (More)

3D Printer Filament Comparison Guide

3D Printer Filament Comparison Guide

May 30, 2017

There are many different kinds of 3D printer filament, and each one has it's own strengths for different projects. Knowing these differences is key to a successful 3D printing experience and so we have created a Filament Comparison Guide with everything you need to know about every type of filament available.

3D Printer Troubleshooting Guide

3D Printer Troubleshooting Guide

MatterHackers
Nov 14, 2022

Use this guide to help you identify and solve the most common issues that may occur while 3D printing.

When printing, unexpected challenges may arise that will need to be resolved in order to complete a successful print. Often times, the appropriate response to a printing issue is not immediately apparent. This guide outlines some of the most common issues faced by 3D printing practitioners and highlights steps that may be taken to resolve those issues. If you need some extra guidance,... (More)

Retraction: Just say "No" to oozing

Retraction: Just say "No" to oozing

Taylor Landry
Jan 17, 2024

By understanding a little more about the 3D printing process, and how settings in MatterControl affect extrusion, we can help you reduce and even eliminate oozing and stringing from your 3D prints. This should be a part of the regular maintenance and calibration program for your 3d printer.

Perhaps the most common question we get from new 3D printer owners is, “How do I get rid of oozing and stringing on my prints?” (More)

How To Clear and Prevent Jams on Your 3D Printer

How To Clear and Prevent Jams on Your 3D Printer

Dave Gaylord
Feb 13, 2014

At some point you may encounter a filament jam or a clogged nozzle where your 3D printer is not extruding. This guide is intended to help you prevent such jams, or fix with them as painlessly as possible.

If you arrived at this article, I have to assume you’re either a seeker of knowledge, or an unfortunate soul with a 3D printer that is not extruding. In either case, we are here to enlighten you with some techniques for making your 3D printer run like a dream. (More)