Settings Cheat Sheet
Quick-reference starting points for the most common filament materials. These are tuned ranges — your ideal settings may vary by brand and printer. Use these as a baseline and dial in from there.
PLA
Best for beginners — easy to print, great detail
Nozzle Temp190–220°C — typical sweet spot 200–215°C. Go lower to reduce stringing; higher for better layer adhesion on fast prints.
Bed Temp50–65°C — or unheated on textured PEI. Higher bed temps improve first-layer adhesion on smooth surfaces.
Print Speed40–80 mm/s — PLA is forgiving at speed. First layer: 20–25 mm/s.
Retraction — Direct0.5–1.5mm at 35–45 mm/s. Start at 0.8mm and adjust.
Retraction — Bowden3–6mm at 40–60 mm/s. Longer tube = more retraction needed.
Cooling Fan100% — PLA needs maximum cooling for clean overhangs and bridges.
EnclosureNot recommended — heat buildup can cause heat creep and warping on PLA. Print open or with enclosure vented.
Bed SurfaceTextured PEI, smooth PEI, glass + hairspray, BuildTak. PLA sticks well to most surfaces.
NozzleBrass is ideal. PLA is non-abrasive and prints well below 270°C.
PLA is the most beginner-friendly material. It's brittle under impact and softens around 60°C — not suitable for high-heat or outdoor use. Store sealed with desiccant; wet PLA shows rough surfaces and reduced bridge quality.
PETG
Moisture-sensitive — dry before printing
Nozzle Temp225–250°C — typical sweet spot 235–245°C. PETG strings heavily if temp is too high.
Bed Temp70–85°C — PETG bonds very aggressively to some surfaces. Use a release agent on PEI.
Print Speed30–60 mm/s — slower than PLA to control stringing. First layer: 20 mm/s.
Retraction — Direct0.5–1.5mm at 25–35 mm/s. Lower speed than PLA to avoid grinding.
Retraction — Bowden3–6mm at 40–55 mm/s.
Cooling Fan30–60% — too much cooling hurts layer adhesion. Avoid 100% fan.
EnclosureOptional — helps with tall prints but not required. PETG doesn't warp like ABS.
Bed SurfaceGlass + hairspray/glue stick, PEI with release agent (glue stick or Magigoo). Can permanently bond to bare PEI — add release!
NozzleBrass is fine. PETG is non-abrasive.
PETG is strong, flexible, and chemical-resistant. Highly hygroscopic — dry your spool before printing if stored loosely, or expect heavy stringing and surface bubbles. Not as hard as PLA but far tougher under impact.
ABS
Needs enclosure — ventilate fumes
Nozzle Temp230–255°C — typical sweet spot 240–250°C.
Bed Temp100–115°C — consistent bed heat is critical. Use a PEI sheet with high temps.
Print Speed40–60 mm/s — slower speeds reduce thermal stress and cracking.
Retraction — Direct1–2mm at 35–45 mm/s.
Retraction — Bowden4–7mm at 45–60 mm/s.
Cooling Fan0–20% — minimal or no fan. Thermal gradients cause layer cracking and warping.
EnclosureRequired — ABS warps severely in open air. Chamber temp of 40–50°C is ideal.
Bed SurfaceGarolite (G10), ABS slurry on glass, PEI at high bed temp, Kapton tape.
NozzleBrass is fine for unfilled ABS. Hardened steel for filled ABS variants.
ABS emits styrene fumes — always use ventilation or an enclosure with filtration. Heat-resistant to ~100°C and sandable/acetone-smoothable. Challenging to print reliably; consider ASA as a more printable UV-resistant alternative.
ASA
UV-resistant outdoor material
Nozzle Temp240–265°C — typical sweet spot 250–260°C.
Bed Temp90–110°C — slightly lower than ABS but still needs consistent heat.
Print Speed40–60 mm/s.
Retraction — Direct1–2mm at 35–45 mm/s.
Retraction — Bowden4–7mm at 45–60 mm/s.
Cooling Fan0–20% — same as ABS. Minimal fan to prevent warping and cracking.
EnclosureRequired — same warping behavior as ABS.
Bed SurfaceSame as ABS — Garolite, PEI, ABS/ASA slurry on glass.
NozzleBrass is fine for unfilled ASA.
ASA is ABS with UV resistance — the go-to material for outdoor functional parts. Slightly less prone to warping than ABS in practice. Also emits fumes; ventilate appropriately. Excellent for enclosures, brackets, and outdoor fixtures.
TPU
Flexible / elastic — direct drive required
Nozzle Temp220–240°C — typical 225–235°C for Shore 95A. Softer TPU (85A) may need lower temps.
Bed Temp30–60°C — often printable without bed heat. 40–50°C improves first-layer adhesion.
Print Speed15–30 mm/s — TPU must print slowly. The material stretches instead of buckling under pressure; speed causes blobs and jams.
Retraction — Direct0–0.5mm at 25–35 mm/s. Use minimal retraction — TPU stretches and snaps back, causing blobs.
Retraction — BowdenNot recommended. TPU is extremely difficult to print via Bowden. Use direct drive if at all possible.
Cooling Fan50–100% — good cooling helps TPU hold its shape and prevents blobs.
EnclosureNot needed — TPU doesn't warp.
Bed SurfacePEI (textured or smooth), glass, most smooth surfaces. TPU sticks well but releases cleanly after cooling.
NozzleBrass is fine. TPU is non-abrasive.
TPU requires direct drive — Bowden setups cause the filament to buckle in the tube. Stiffer TPU (95A) is more manageable; softer grades (85A, 75A) require more patience. Dry your filament — wet TPU strings severely. Never use high retraction.
Nylon
Engineering-grade — extremely hygroscopic
Nozzle Temp240–265°C — PA6 typically 250–260°C; PA12 can be lower at 240–250°C.
Bed Temp70–90°C — some PA6 variants need 100°C+. Garolite holds much better than PEI.
Print Speed30–60 mm/s — moderate speeds for good layer bonding.
Retraction — Direct1–2mm at 30–45 mm/s.
Retraction — Bowden4–7mm at 45–60 mm/s.
Cooling Fan20–40% — some cooling helps bridging without causing delamination.
EnclosureRecommended — reduces warping, especially on large flat parts.
Bed SurfaceGarolite (G10) is the gold standard for Nylon. PVA glue on glass also works. Nylon won't stick to bare PEI reliably.
NozzleHardened steel recommended — Nylon becomes mildly abrasive at high temps and can wear brass over time.
Nylon is extremely hygroscopic — even a few hours of open-air exposure makes it unprintable. Always dry to <10% humidity before printing and print directly from a dry box. Rewarded with excellent toughness, flexibility, and chemical resistance.
PC
High-performance — all-metal hotend required
Nozzle Temp270–310°C — most PC prints well at 285–300°C. Requires all-metal hotend.
Bed Temp110–120°C — high and consistent. Use an enclosure to maintain ambient temp.
Print Speed30–50 mm/s — slow for reliable layer bonding. PC is unforgiving at high speeds.
Retraction — Direct1–2mm at 30–40 mm/s.
Retraction — BowdenNot recommended — the high temps required degrade PTFE liners; all-metal hotend + direct drive strongly preferred.
Cooling Fan0–20% — avoid cooling. PC bonds best when layers cool slowly together.
EnclosureRequired — PC warps severely in open air. Chamber temps of 50–70°C significantly improve success rate.
Bed SurfaceGarolite, polycarbonate sheet, Kapton tape. PC will bond very strongly — a release agent helps.
NozzleHardened steel — temperatures above 270°C accelerate brass wear significantly.
Polycarbonate is extremely strong, impact-resistant, and heat-tolerant to ~130°C. It's one of the hardest materials to print reliably — enclosure, all-metal hotend, and dry filament are non-negotiable. Very hygroscopic; store and dry aggressively.