When it comes to 3D printing, keeping FDM filament dry is more than crucial. Usually, the relative humidity in our daily work and living environment is around 55%, but the optimum printing humidity for FDM filament is between 25% and 30%. Moreover, FDM filament has a certain degree of moisture absorption.When it is removed from vacuum packaging and exposed to air, it is prone to moisture.Exposure to air and moisture for a long time has a bad effect on the prints, causing issues such as layer separation, bubbles, and whitening.
Therefore, to achieve better printing results and models, we can properly dry the FDM filament before printing. Here are several ways for drying FDM filament:
The first is to use desiccants. We can place the FDM filament in a hermetic space and add enough desiccants. However, using desiccants can be time-consuming and laborious, and may undermine printing efficiency. Even the drying effectiveness may not be guaranteed. Therefore, before using desiccants, consider whether there is enough time to wait for them to dry.
The second way is to use an FDM filament drying box. This is a device specially designed for drying filament, which can evaporate the moisture in the filament by heating, greatly improving printing results. There are now many different types of safe and efficient drying devices on the market, such as SUNLU's S2 Filament Dryer. It introduces a brand-new touch screen design, which can easily adjust the drying temperature. The drying temperature and filament type are clearly visible.In addition, it can provide one-click recommended temperature settings for different types of FDM filament, which is convenient and fast. The 360-degree surround heating makes the heating more even and makes evaporating the moisture easier. This is what “You get what you pay” says.
The third way is to use an oven to dry FDM filament, but we need to be more careful. Before using the oven, preheat it and adjust it to the target temperature. Then, put the filament in the oven. It should be noted that during the heating and drying process, the temperature may exceed the preset temperature,and thus it is necessary to avoid the risk of prolonged drying, which may cause deformation or melting.
Apart from the above, there are other ways in daily life to dry FDM filament. However, for a novice, it is best to use them with caution to avoid unexpected situations. In fact, for most people, the best way is to use well-designed and fully functional tools, such as SUNLU's S2 Dryer or oven. The advent of these tools is to make our lives more convenient, and it also exemplifies SUNLU's corporate mission of "Simplify Your Creation".