Eric, I used a flame to burn the filament, and it was just like the video of pla burning. No black charring. It doesn’t snap as easily as my other pla, but it has a clean break when it breaks.
I’m printing a new (abs) fan shroud that should get air where it needs to go.
On the PLA, is there always some expansion of material diameter at the “head” where it contacts the nozzle? Or should it stay roughly the same as the filament diameter?
The “head” is pretty consistently 6.5mm long, 2mm diameter (1.72 original diameter).
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Are you talking about the inner diameter of the hotend or the outer diameter of the filament? The outer diameter of the filament does swell a bit in the hotend because of thermal expansion AND the fact that you’re applying pressure to it in its molten state.
I’m talking about OD of filament. I had assumed it would swell to fill the area, at least the hot part. My next step is to try a different brand of filament, though I imagine that any PLA should have a temperature that it works. I just can’t find it.
I also intend to print a new fan shroud that should direct air to cool the hotend (cool part) better. But I have to set up my new ABS as well.
I picked up some Voltivo PLA, downloaded their slic3r settings, and printed without issue! So it is very likely heat creep with the other material. Now I can print my new fan shroud and try to dial in the right value for the “unknown” PLA.
Side note, the Voltivo calls for a 60*C bed temp. I still had to add glue, so I’m not sure the heated bed is so useful, but it printed just fine.