Achieve Faster 3D Printing With These Simple Tips

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Many users, particularly those with popular desktop FDM printers, want to know how to get faster 3d prints. Making 3d printing faster means quicker project completion and more efficient iteration.

This article provides answers on how to increase your printer speed, especially your PLA printing speed. It also explains when using a professional 3D printing service is a more effective approach for achieving fast 3d prints with high quality.

Here’s what this guide covers:

● Settings to adjust for increasing FDM printer speed.

● The impact of these changes on print quality.

● When professional services provide better speed and results.

How Can You Make Your FDM 3D Prints Faster?

For those using FDM printers, several adjustments to your slicer settings can help reduce print times, especially for materials like PLA:

● Increase layer height: A simple way to reduce print time is by increasing layer height e.g., from 0.12mm to 0.28mm. Thicker layers mean fewer total layers to print the object. This often results in a less detailed surface.

● Optimize infill settings: Parts rarely need to be 100% solid. Lowering the infill density for example to 10-15% uses less material and takes less time. Using simpler infill patterns like lines or grid also prints more quickly than complex patterns. Always consider if the part's strength will be sufficient with less infill.

● Consider a larger nozzle: Moving from a standard 0.4mm nozzle to 0.6mm or 0.8mm allows the printer to lay down more material at once. This significantly speeds up prints, especially larger ones, but will reduce the ability to produce very fine details.

● Adjust print speed settings: Your slicer software controls various speed parameters. You can carefully increase the general printer speed and travel speeds when the nozzle is moving without extruding. Finding the best print speed for pla for your specific 3D printer usually requires some testing, as too high a printing speed for pla can cause problems.

● Manage material flow or temperature: For improving PLA print speed, a slightly higher nozzle temperature can sometimes help the material flow more readily. This needs careful adjustment to avoid issues like stringing or degraded material properties.

● Simplify model design and orientation: Complex designs often require support structures, which add considerable time. If your design allows, simplifying it or changing its orientation on the build plate can reduce Z-height or support needs, leading to faster 3d prints.

● Maintain your printer: A well-maintained machine performs best. Ensure belts are correctly tensioned, the nozzle is clean, and the printer is generally well-calibrated. While not a setting, good upkeep is foundational to reliable printing at any speed.

Considerations and Limitations When Pushing Desktop 3D Printer Speed

While the tips above can help make 3d printing faster on desktop FDM machines, increasing speed usually involves compromises:

● Reduced print quality - Printing too fast often causes visible issues such as ringing (echoes on surfaces), poor layer adhesion (weaker parts), stringing, or inconsistent extrusion.

● Higher risk of print failure - Faster movements can increase the chances of the print detaching from the bed or layers shifting, leading to a failed print and wasted time/material.

● Time spent tuning - Achieving reliable fast 3d prints often requires considerable time invested in fine-tuning settings for your specific machine and filament. This tinkering time can negate some of the print time savings.

Determining When to Leverage Professional Services for Superior Speed and Print Quality

If your project requires fast 3D prints plus consistent high quality, a choice of advanced materials, or producing multiple copies, industrial 3D printing services provide a more effective and reliable solution. Here’s how businesses and professionals benefit:

● Industrial equipment for speed

Professional services use advanced industrial machines (like high-grade FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, and SLM systems). These are built for efficient production and can achieve a high-speed printing while maintaining precision far beyond typical desktop capabilities.

● Optimized for fast turnaround

These services have refined workflows. They handle all necessary machine calibration, so there’s no need for you to repeatedly calibrate 3d printer settings for speed versus quality and process optimization, ensuring jobs are completed quickly.

● Quick, dependable lead times

You can typically receive professionally printed parts within a few business days, allowing for rapid project progression.

● Wider material choice at speed

Get parts quickly in robust engineering plastics, high-detail resins, or strong metals. This moves beyond the common challenges of trying to optimize only PLA printing speed on a desktop setup.

● Assured quality with speed

Professional services ensure that increased speed does not lead to a drop in quality. Parts are made to high standards and typically undergo quality checks before shipping.

This means you get the components you need quickly, made correctly, and in the right material for your application, without the trial and error of pushing a desktop machine.

Users of FDM printers can certainly make adjustments to improve print times for materials like PLA. However, for projects where speed must be coupled with high quality, material versatility, and reliability, especially for business or critical applications, professional 3D printing services offer a distinct advantage. They provide truly faster 3d prints by leveraging industrial technology and optimized processes.