Troubleshooting poor print quality on new filament

[floral hedge]

I just opened a new vacuum-sealed reel of eSun PLA+ Orange filament. I tried printing with the same settings that worked very well on my last roll of PLA+ (Black) which was a couple of years old.

I printed a temperature tower and 220 seems like the right temperature. Could the filament be bad? or moisture-ridden even though it's brand new from a sealed pack?

Printer: Ender 5 Pro circa 2020

Cura profile:
; Layer & Walls
layer_height = 0.16
wall_line_count = 3
wall_order = inside_to_outside

; Speeds
print_speed = 50
outer_wall_speed = 25
initial_layer_speed = 20
travel_speed = 150

; Retraction
retraction_enable = True
retraction_distance = 6.0
retraction_speed = 45
retraction_extra_prime_amount = -0.02
retract_at_layer_change = True
combing_mode = infill

; Coasting & Wipe
coasting_enable = True
coasting_volume = 0.1
coasting_min_volume = 0.8
coasting_speed = 90
outer_wall_wipe_distance = 0.3

; Temperature
material_print_temperature = 220
material_bed_temperature = 60

; Cooling
fan_speed = 100
fan_full_layer = 3
initial_fan_speed = 0

; Infill
infill_pattern = gyroid
infill_density = 25

; Z Seam
z_seam_alignment = sharpest_corner

; Acceleration (if using firmware override)
print_acceleration = 500
travel_acceleration = 1000

; Initial Layer
initial_layer_height = 0.2
first_layer_temperature = 220
first_layer_bed_temperature = 60

[acoustic aurora]

AI Help

It's possible that the new Orange filament may be slightly different in composition compared to the Black filament, even though they are both eSun PLA+. Since the temperature tower test indicates that 220°C is the best temperature for the Orange filament, it's unlikely that the temperature settings are the issue.

One common problem with brand new filament is moisture absorption, especially if it's been stored in a humid environment. However, since the Orange filament was vacuum-sealed, this is less likely the cause of the printing issues.

To troubleshoot further, you could try adjusting the retraction settings, as stringing or poor layer adhesion can sometimes be related to retraction issues. You could also check the filament diameter settings in your slicer to ensure they match the actual diameter of the Orange filament.

If the issue persists, try printing a different test model or calibration cube to see if the problem is consistent. If the print quality does not improve, it ma...

WARNING: This response is AI generated and may contain errors.

[floral hedge]

I've printed a temperature tower and it looks like 220 is good there. I removed and cleaned the print nozzle in case it was jammed.

I might try baking the filament tomorrow for several hours and see if drying out helps. But it's a brand new vacuum sealed roll so that seems weird

[hasty gull]

New filament is mostly wet, it's often cooled in water during production

[floral hedge]

Oh that might explain it. Should i invest in one of those bins that keeps it at a set humidity level? Do most people do that now?

[acoustic aurora]

Drying Wet Filament
• 3D Printing Specific Filament Dryer - These typically hold 1-2 spools and allow you directly print out of it. Refer to this, Some of have poor airflow, such as the Sunlu S2.
• Food Dehydrator - This is the cheapest option you can purchase. Some cheaper options do not get high enough temperatures to dry anything above ABS.
• Air fryer - This is a good option if you want to print exotics such as nylon. (ninja brand is common)

Do not use the same equipment that you use for food to dry filament.

In a pinch, you can dry your filament on the printers heated bed, refer to ?beddrying

After drying store the filament in order to keep your filament dry. Dry boxes can help with this by creating a dry environment for the filament to be stored in. Dryboxes such as the ikea samla can be affordable and store many spools at a time or cereal containers that hold exactly 1 spool.

?drying requested by: m.von.d#0

[wet spoke]

A drybox keeps dry after active drying

So ideally you have a solution for both

Theres also beddrying

?beddrying

[acoustic aurora]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3jvuq-uq8
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/667463307963138058/1285333276504096818/Screenshot_2024-09-16_at_4.08.38_PM.png

[acoustic aurora]

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[floral hedge]

Is there a dryer that is generally recommended?

There's a creality drybox pro for $45 on amazon

Theres a polymaker one for $87

[floral hedge]

based on the reference chart that benchybot linked i am gonna try the creality space pi one i think. a bit more expensive but seems to have better performance

[wet spoke]

Are you in europe?

https://ebay.us/m/Ky0hyg

[floral hedge]

no im in USA but that looks like a pretty nice deal

[wet spoke]

yeah it was ( I got it for 129€ )

[acoustic aurora]

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[floral hedge]

How long should i dry this pla+ for before trying to print with it again? I went with the creality space pi. Its been in there about 6 hours so far at 52C

[acoustic aurora]

Drying Wet Filament
• 3D Printing Specific Filament Dryer - These typically hold 1-2 spools and allow you directly print out of it. Refer to this, Some of have poor airflow, such as the Sunlu S2.
• Food Dehydrator - This is the cheapest option you can purchase. Some cheaper options do not get high enough temperatures to dry anything above ABS.
• Air fryer - This is a good option if you want to print exotics such as nylon. (ninja brand is common)

Do not use the same equipment that you use for food to dry filament.

In a pinch, you can dry your filament on the printers heated bed, refer to ?beddrying

After drying store the filament in order to keep your filament dry. Dry boxes can help with this by creating a dry environment for the filament to be stored in. Dryboxes such as the ikea samla can be affordable and store many spools at a time or cereal containers that hold exactly 1 spool.

?drying requested by: m.von.d#0

[floral hedge]

thx m.von.d

so theoretically it should be good to print now.

i cut a small piece and tried the snap test and it just bent instead of snapping, so i wasnt sure

[wet spoke]

Sounds good