2.2 The materials
Module 2 · Lesson 2 of 10 · about 4 min
The temperatures below are typical figures, for reference. Always print with the matching filament profile in Bambu Studio: the brand's own profile if there is one, otherwise the generic profile for that material.
Material | Nozzle | Bed | What it is like | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PLA | ~210–220 °C | ~60 °C | Easiest to print, stiff, good detail | Softens in a hot car or in sunlight. Not for outdoor or hot use. |
PETG (lower row and H2S) | ~240–250 °C | ~60–80 °C | Tough, slightly flexible, resists chemicals | Takes up moisture easily. Sticks very hard to Textured PEI, so always use glue with it (2.3 The Textured PEI plate, and glue). |
ABS (lower row) | 230–250 °C | 90–110 °C | Impact-resistant, handles heat better | Warps on large or flat parts (see Warping below). Gives off noticeable fumes. |
ASA (lower row) | 240–260 °C | 90–110 °C | Like ABS, but also handles sun and weather | Like ABS: can warp, and gives off noticeable fumes. |
Warping. Plastic shrinks as it cools. Each new layer goes down hot on top of layers that have already cooled and shrunk, and as it cools it pulls on them. Layer by layer, this builds up tension in the part, which can lift its corners off the plate or even bend the whole part upwards. The bigger the gap between the printing temperature and the air around the part, the more tension builds up, which is why ABS and ASA warp far more than PLA. Three things work against it:
The heated bed keeps the bottom layers warm.
The heated chamber keeps the whole part warm, so keep the door and lid closed.
Good adhesion holds the corners down: a clean plate, and glue where 2.3 The Textured PEI plate, and glue calls for it.
A printed box with one corner curled up off the plate
Fumes. Every printer can filter its own air (pre-filter, HEPA and activated carbon) and switches the filter on by itself when the material needs it, and the room's air quality is monitored. Keep the enclosure closed while printing ABS and ASA, and never bypass the filters. If the room smells bad or you feel unwell, say so in the Slack channel #3D-Skrivare.
Moisture. PETG, ABS and ASA all take up moisture from the air, and PLA does too, more slowly. Damp filament prints with bubbles, strings and weak layers, because the water boils in the hotend. 2.7 Drying filament, and the two dryers covers drying.
Filled filaments
Some filaments have fibres or fine particles mixed into the plastic, such as carbon fibre (CF), glass fibre (GF), wood, stone or metal powder. You can usually tell from the name, for example PLA-CF or PETG-GF, or from words like "wood" or "stone" on the label. The filler makes parts stiffer or gives them a special look, but it also makes the filament abrasive. The nozzle tip rubs against the freshly printed plastic, and with a filled filament that wears the tip down much faster than plain plastic does. All nozzles here are hardened steel, which is made to handle that.
Where filled filaments are allowed:
Only on the lower-row X2Ds and the H2S. Never on the upper row.
Only if the base material is on that printer's list. PETG-CF is fine on an H2S, because PETG is on the H2S list. ABS-CF is not, because ABS isn't.
In the AMS HT, check Bambu's compatibility guide first (2.4 Support material, and the X2D's second nozzle). Filled filaments are often rated lower for the right nozzle than plain ones.
⛔ Hard rule. Never print glow-in-the-dark filament of any kind, on any printer.
The glow comes from strontium aluminate. Its particles are relatively large, crystalline and sharp-edged, with a hardness of about 7 on the Mohs scale. Printing it is like printing sandpaper, and it wears nozzles out fast, even hardened-steel ones.
Glitter filaments, such as sparkle or galaxy PLA, don't count as filled. Not sure whether a filament is filled? Check its name and the maker's data sheet. If you are still unsure, ask in the Slack channel #3D-Skrivare before you load it.
Sanding filled prints
Printing filled filaments is generally safe. The risk comes afterwards, if you sand the part: sanding tears fibres out of the plastic, and loose carbon or glass fibres in the air are a hazard to your lungs.
✅ Hard rule. At the makerspace, always wet sand parts printed in carbon-fibre or glass-fibre filament, in a shallow tray of water. The water keeps the fibres out of the air.
We recommend wearing nitrile gloves while you sand, so the loose fibres don't get on your skin.
Image sources: warped corner, from Bambu Lab's P2S/X2D Model Warping Troubleshooting.