There are countless stories on the internet of manufacturers finding their new filaments damaged due to moisture in the air. It is important to note that some filaments are more sensitive to moisture than others. For example, PLA, PVA carrier material, nylon and ABS are particularly sensitive to moisture in the air.
Some filaments are more sensitive to moisture in the air because they are made of materials that easily absorb water. For example, PLA plastic is biodegradable and made from natural resources like corn or rice. While this is much better for the environment than other plastics, it also means that, under the right conditions, it will break down into carbon dioxide, water and methane. Wet conditions and UV light accelerate the degradation of the filament which weakens it and causes poor quality prints.
In their blog, RepRage talks about an experiment where scientists tested how long it takes for PLA to absorb water. They compared the weight of the filament before and after it was immersed in water for 30 days and absorbed up to 60 ml of water! If you live in a tropical location - you may want to consider keeping your filament in an airtight location to prevent it from absorbing water from the air. Nylon is also extremely absorbent and will be saturated with water within 18 hours of being in humid conditions.
A side effect of water absorbing filament is that it expands in diameter and weakens the surface of your filament. When you insert it into your printer, this can cause nozzle jamming. Just as rice expands when you cook it in water, this filament expands and will eventually be unusable because it can no longer through your printer properly. It's a good idea to take a measurement of the diameter of your filament if you think it has absorbed moisture.
When water is absorbed by the filament and heated by the 3D printer for extrusion, the water combined with the heat produces steam (you will hear a hissing sound as the steam is created). This generates very strange 3D prints that are not sharp on the surface and not very strong.
The more water the filament is exposed to, the higher the chances of the filament breaking. While water does weaken the filament, the real problem is when you reheat the filament that is wet via the extrusion nozzle. Research shows that printing with wet filament reduces its strength by 33%!
Of course, the degree to which your filament is affected by moisture varies depending on the type of filament you use. PET and ABS are not as sensitive to moisture absorption as nylon or PLA. However, keeping all your filaments in a water-free environment won't hurt.
There are conflicting opinions on the perfect humidity level for your filament, but it should be well protected if the humidity level is around 10-15%. You certainly don't need to spend money on a dehumidifier or filament protection systems. Here are some easy and inexpensive tips we recommend:
The most effective and best documented desiccant for keeping filament dry is silica gel. These are the small packets of moisture-absorbing gel that you find in your shoeboxes and vitamin bottles. You can purchase silica beads that will change color to indicate that the beads have ed a certain amount of water. Once the beads change color, you can put them in the oven for 3 hours at 120Β°C and they will return to their original color so you can use them again. To store the gel, place it in any container with holes or slots for air. You can 3D print some or some DIYers use empty plastic containers and drill tiny holes in them.
Rice is also a gentle dehydrator and can absorb small amounts of water. If anyone has ever dropped their phone in water, you may have heard the trick of putting it in a rice container. It really does the trick! That said, it's not as effective as silica gel at absorbing moisture from the air. If you live in a humid climate, we recommend going with silica.
These bags are very different from Ziploc bags because they have an opening where you can insert your vacuum cleaner tip to suck out all the air. No air = no moisture or other elements ruining the quality of your prints! To use your filament, you'll need to take it out of the bag and close it up afterwards. Make it even more effective by adding a few packets of silica gel to the bag!
This is an alternative to vacuum sealed bags and could be anything from pet food containers to large buckets that you can get at any hardware store. There are lids with built-in dehydrators, called gamma lids, that you can also get at a hardware store.
Naturally, the quality of filament will degrade over time, no matter what measures you take to keep the moisture out. It is best not to keep too much filament when you do not intend to use it in the next year.
There are dry cabinets and dehumidifiers on the market that work. If you have a ton of filaments that you use all the time and want to store in one place, these may be a good option for you.
With all these new types of filaments on the market, it's hard to know how to care for each one differently. When in doubt, we recommend storing it in a cool, dry place!
via Pinshape
You see 3D printing everywhere! Even more than any other hobby, 3D printing can really become an obsession. Indeed, the current 3D printers still require some adjustments to function well and especially not badly of monitoring in the event of fail print.
It's fun to 3D print things that you use in your everyday life. However, when it comes to printing kitchen utensils that will touch food, many people wonder if 3D printing is safe. With the chemicals and heat used to print and process 3D printed objects, there are real health concerns. To clear up some of the questions about food safety and 3D printing, we've put together a list of the 5 most common concerns and 5 tips for minimizing those risks.
