Silk PLA has recently been gaining a lot of traction online and in the real world due to its amazing glossy finish and amazing applications. People are using this type of filament to create some of the most interesting objects, such as action figures, movie props, and decoration pieces, and they are also using it in professional projects.
But as they say, “All that glitter is not gold,” the same is the case with this glossy masterpiece of a filament because Silk PLA filament comes with its own sets of issues. So, in this blog, we’re covering some of the most common issues that occur when you’re printing with Silk PLA.
But don’t worry; we are also going to talk about how you can fix each of these problems step by step.
Layer Adhesion: The Most Common Silk PLA Issue
Layer adhesion is a common problem in many filaments, but when it comes to silk PLA, it could ruin your print. Many online 3D printing forums are filled with people who are having problems with layer adhesion, and almost everyone blames it on the additives that make the filament shiny but weaken the adhesion in general.
But what could be the issue here? You see, when the layer adhesion is poor, you can have weak, brittle prints where layers can easily separate from one another, ruining the whole print. This means that whatever you’re printing, during and after the 3D printing problem with the SIlk PLA, could break.
So, why exactly does it happen? There are different reasons aside from the additives. The first main reason is usually the insufficient temperature for printing, which cannot allow you to print nicely overall. Your 3D printer could also have a low printing speed, which would ultimately cause the adhesion to not be strong.
Lastly, cooling settings have a huge role in ensuring that the 3D printer is printing Silk PLA the right way. But now that we have the problem, what about the solutions? Firstly, you might need to increase the temperature of the printing bed to improve the layer adhesion. However, if you overheat it too much, it will cause issues like Oozing, which we will cover in the next point.
Solutions
The ideal temperature for a Silk PLA filament is usually 210–225°C, but you can check the manufacturer’s official guidelines that you could check on their product page. Sometimes, when you reduce the cooling fan speed, that also helps with layer adhesion. The regular PLA filament needs active cooling, but when it comes to SIlk PLA, slower cooling is better.
Lastly, slowing down your printing speed could also be a game changer in improving your layer adhesion since it gives the filament enough time to bond effectively to the layer without actually ruining the overall print of your filament.
Stringing and Oozing: Potentially Inevitable
String and Oozing are other common issues that often occur in silk PLA. Many people think that Silk PLA will work in almost the same settings as the regular PLA filament, but there are some differences. For example, if you heat the filament too much, then it will ultimately start oozing, ruining the print.
Moreover, stringing occurs when the printer leaves filament threads between different parts of the models. The way Silk PLA is made and the things that it is composed of, stringing can occur, and it is also considered potentially inevitable at least once in every 3D printer enthusiast’s life.
When we talk about its signature shine, a lot of the time, many additives are used and turned into the equation. For that reason, stringing occurs, and it could potentially harm the final result quite badly. It usually happens due to incorrect retraction settings, high printing temperature, and moist filament when it is not stored properly.
So, how can you potentially fix this issue? If you want to get rid of stringing, you should surely start by adjusting your retraction settings. Usually. 4-6mm works for Silk PLA, but it all depends on your manufacturer’s settings, so make sure to either ask them or look at the product page and manual.
Lowering the temperature to a certain degree will also help because Silk PLA can flow more at an increased temperature. Lastly, for both stringing and especially oozing, if you want to fix both of the issues, make sure that your SIlk PLA filament is not moist. Put it in a sealed container and put some silica gel packets in, and you’re good to go.
Clogged Nozzle
If you’ve been 3D printing for a long time, you must’ve come across this strange issue of nozzle clogging. You see, all the additives in Silk PLA often clog or jam the printer nozzle, which ultimately ruins the print.
Not only does it ruin the printing process, but it also prints incomplete objects. But a question occurs here. Why does the nozzle even get clogged? First of all, if the nozzle is small for your Silk PLA filament, clogging will happen. There is often residue buildup that causes the same issue.
Lastly, if the temperature is too low, then that could also cause Nozzle clogging. Most of the time, a diameter of 0.4 mm for a nozzle will be perfect for Silk PLA. Moreover, you also need to regularly maintain and clean your nozzles so there is no buildup of residue.
Once you focus on both of these solutions, you won’t have clogged nozzles anymore.
Final Verdict
With so many common issues with Silk PLA, you should choose the right one. Thankfully, Chitu Systems is one of the best 3D printing accessories brands, covering some of the best 3D printing accessories on the market.
Moreover, you can also check their vast catalog of Silk PLA filaments as well.
