HATCHBOX PLA 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.03 mm, 1 kg Spool, 1.75 mm, Black

Product Information

For the purposes of this article, we have tested a spool of Hatchbox PLA filament with a Creality Ender 3 and obtained the best results for a 20 mm calibration cube with a nozzle temperature value of 210 degrees Celsius and no bed heating. High-Strength Filaments: Beginners won’t use materials like PC (polycarbonate), PEEK (poly ether ether ketone), PEI (polyetherimide), or PP (polypropylene). These advanced materials provide mechanical strength similar to metals at a fraction of the weight. This makes them common choices for commercial 3D printing. Most consumer-grade 3D printers, however, can’t handle the high temperatures needed to work with these materials. PEEK filaments, for example, require nozzle temperatures over 375ºC and bed temperatures over 130ºC.

Models made of Hatchbox PLA generally have a smooth finish, and the risk that they become brittle is minimal. PLA filaments are the best both for beginners (especially) and experts alike. If you own a 3D printer, PLA filaments are better suited for most home printers compared to ABS. They print much more easily. Once you complete a test print for the first time, you can then look for signs of bed temperature misconfiguration, such as elephant’s foot, which indicates the bed temperature was too high, or poor bed adhesion, which would tell you that the bed temperature was too low, and use this information to fine-tune the bed temperature value further if necessary. You’ll know your filament is efffected by moisture if you get a popping or bubbling when the filament extrudes from the nozzle. That is when a lot of moisture have been absorbed, but it doesn’t mean filament doesn’t have moisture if it doesn’t pop or bubble up.You may still be able to extrude the material at temperatures lower than 180°C, but the filament will cool down too fast – potentially before the layer is set. For your printing speed, you can start with a regular print speed of 50-60mm/s, then adjust this base on your initial testing and results. Setting the bed temperature is also difficult, especially since the manufacturer doesn’t recommend a range.

Hatchbox PLA comes in a plastic bag that isn’t resealable. Thus, you should invest in a good dry box to prevent moisture damage. Be warned, however — this filament requires hot temperatures starting from 205-220°C. Make sure your hot end can reach 205°C at least before purchasing this filament. As a note of caution, ensure that your windows are open when you are 3D printing at high temperatures as the fumes are toxic. An STL file provides a compact, computer-friendly description of a 3D object but it doesn’t contain any information that will tell a 3D printer what to do. Your next step is to use a slicer app to convert the STL file into commands the printer will understand. Lastly, this filament can be brittle . It didn’t break on us consistently but it can happen. Maybe there’s a snag somewhere in quality control? Alternatively, if you’re looking for perfection right off the bat and don’t mind doing some extra work for it, you can print a temperature tower instead of incrementally fine-tuning the printing temperature across a series of prints, as this method provides a quite reliable way of dialing your printing temperature value in with a single print.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF PLA

A few years later, Stratasys introduced a third approach: fused deposition modeling (FDM). The company’s founder, S. Scott Crump, invented FDM while making a DIY toy for his daughter. He fed a thermoplastic into a hot glue gun to extrude lines of plastic that formed the shape of a frog. Crump then repeated the process in layers until he had a plastic toy. The PLA filament also flows smoothly from the extruder- there is little chance that the nozzle can be clogged up.