Silk PLA is one of the widely known filaments that has taken over the internet for its interesting results. People are printing many items, including decoration pieces, art pieces, figurines, toys, and a lot more. However, printing with Silk PLA can be a hassle, so we are bringing you the most advanced settings for Silk PLA.
Once you master these settings, you will print some of the highest-quality products regardless of your 3D printing experience. But do keep in mind that these settings can vary from brand to brand, which is why you should always look at the official manufacturers’ guidelines for the correct numbers.
Understanding the Silk PLA’s Composition and Structure
Here are some of the main properties of Silk PLA that you must understand before we go to the more advanced settings:
- Great glossiness with a smooth surface.
- Prone to stringing and can have layer adhesion problems if not printed correctly.
- A tad bit more flexible than the standard PLA.
- Less thermal conductivity compared to regular PLA.
All of these properties are a byproduct of additives like polyester, polymers, TPU, and many others, giving it a beautiful shine that can change its overall viscosity. Now that we understand why Silk PLA acts the way it does, let’s talk about some advanced printing settings that will make your overall 3D printing a breeze with Silk PLA.
Advanced Settings for Printing with Silk PLA
- The Right Nozzle Temperature (And How To Print the Best)
The regular PLA prints the best between 190°C and 210°C, but with Silk PLA, you will see that it requires a slightly higher temperature for the overall material to flow smoothly and not cause clogging in the nozzle.
When you are buying your Silk PLA from a store, you can always check the recommended temperature that they have. But since this blog is about advanced settings, here are the tips that you can consider in order to print better with Silk PLA.
- Start your printing process with 215°C and then do it up and down depending on your specific brand that you are using.
- If you put too low of a temperature, the chances are that you will get bad layer bonding, which can cause the print to fail.
- On the other hand, if the temperature is high, you might have issues like stringing and blobbing.
If you are looking for one of the best Silk PLA, then Chittu System has a great collection of them. Brands like Chitu System mention the ideal temperature to print and get the best results.
- Bed Temperature and Advanced Techniques to Print Better
Silk PLA just like regular PLA doesn’t have too many wrapping issues. However, when we get the glossy additives, then it can reduce the overall layer adhesion to the printing bed. This is why it is especially important that you have the perfect bed temperature and use the advanced techniques we are mentioning to print with it.
Basically, the perfect range of bed temperature would be anywhere between 50°C and 60 60°C. However, it is recommended to use 60°C for larger prints, and for smaller ones, even 50°C will work too.
If you keep having layer adhesion problems, you can use a glue stick or even a PEI sheet to enhance it and print better with your Silk PLA. Moreover, you can even lower the bed temperature to around 50°C and 45°C if you want the little parts not to overheat or ultimately curl.
- Printing Speed and the Right Settings
Printing speed is another factor that makes or breaks your 3D printing results. The recommended 3D printing speed for Silk PLA is around 30 to 50 mm/s. Overall, Silk PLA prints at a slower speed than regular PLA, which gives it more time to cool down and gives you one of the smoothest-looking results.
The results? Well, you get a shiny surface 3D print without stringing or imperfections, making your experience worth it with the Silk PLA. But with print speed, you need to be quite careful because it is the heart and soul of your printing journey. Here are some of the tips that you can follow:
- Slow down the printing speed to as low as 20 mm/s if you want the best surface finish. This can be done to really boost the details.
- If you have high-speed infill settings, it will incorporate vibration into the play and you will get to see poor or rushed results.
By following this advice, you can go for the best possible 3D print without having to waste your filament and your time. Overall, between 30 and 50 is the perfect range for your printing speed.
- Tweaking the Cooling Settings
What’s the most important part to focus on when you are done with your 3D printing? Waiting for the cooling. However, cooling can be quite a difficult task with Silk PLA, especially if the outside temperature isn’t the best.
If you have a cooling fan, then turn it up 100% for the first few layers because it is critical to cool them. It will enhance the overall surface finish and also prevent any errors or deformed-looking prints.
Your cooling fan can ramp up gradually to ensure that the 3D print is cooled properly.
Final Verdict
Printing with Silk PLA can be tricky for beginners but if you follow the right settings, your 3D prints will shine bright. With our guide, we hope you will print with grace and print the best possible items for yourself. If you are looking for more 3D printing accessories, then make sure to check out Chitu Systems.
