1 Topic by Voyex

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Topic: PLA nozzle size?

My current setup is a vertical Filastruder going into an also vertical Filawinder and I am extruding PLA at 160°C and I am getting a diameter of 1.67mm +/- .03mm with a nozzle diameter of 1.8mm. I have a very powerful cooling fan as close to the nozzle as I can get it. And I'm wondering at to what I can do to get the diameter closer to 1.75mm? I run calculations using the % of PLA shrinkage and came out with about 16.33% and using that I found out that I need a nozzle diameter of about 2mm and Im wondering if I should do that? Or maybe move the winder and extruder closer together.

2 Reply by Revolve3D

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Re: PLA nozzle size?

I use a 1.8mm nozzle for ABS and 1.9mm for PLA.

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3 Reply by elmoret

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Re: PLA nozzle size?

1.67mm should be fine, just change your slicer to adjust.

If you're using a stock nozzle, it is drilled to 1.6mm. Moving up to 1.7mm in that case should get you to about 1.75mm.

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4 Reply by Voyex

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Re: PLA nozzle size?

elmoret wrote:

1.67mm should be fine, just change your slicer to adjust.

If you're using a stock nozzle, it is drilled to 1.6mm. Moving up to 1.7mm in that case should get you to about 1.75mm.

Thanks I'll try it in my printer and if it works I think I'll leave it

5 Reply by Voyex

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Re: PLA nozzle size?

So I tried the 1.67mm filament and it worked but the speed at which it made the filament was super slow so what I did was drilled out the nozzle with a 5/8 drill bit and now I'm getting 1.6mm filament at 170°C in thinking this is because I am not cooling the filament as close to the nozzle as I could. So if I adjust the fan I'm hoping I can get 1.7-1.75mm filament at 170°

6 Reply by Voyex

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Re: PLA nozzle size?

elmoret wrote:

1.67mm should be fine, just change your slicer to adjust.

If you're using a stock nozzle, it is drilled to 1.6mm. Moving up to 1.7mm in that case should get you to about 1.75mm.

One final question. How far apart should my filawinder and filastruder be for PLA? I currently have that at about 42" (from nozzle to the entry point of the filament in the winder, and I feel that that is very far as my ribbon cable for the optical sensor is stretched as far as it can go (with the sensor 20" below the setup)

7 Reply by elmoret

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Re: PLA nozzle size?

I'd probably aim for more like 36" apart, and 24-30" of loop height.

http://www.soliforum.com/topic/8529/pla-4043d/

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