{"id":164896,"date":"2022-06-08T09:52:39","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T01:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=164896"},"modified":"2022-08-12T10:56:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T02:56:27","slug":"3d-printer-retraction-speed-simply-explained","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/3d-printer-retraction-speed-simply-explained","title":{"rendered":"3D Printer Retraction Speed \u2013 Simply Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pulling filament back into the hot end is a useful function but tricky to master. Read on to learn all about 3D printer retraction!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When your printhead moves from one point to another during printing, the heat of the nozzle combined with any pressure in the hot end results in some excess filament being forced out. This event is a form of\u00a0over-extrusion<\/a>\u00a0and often leaves faint strings along the printhead\u2019s path between points. These strings can be removed with tools and heat (e.g. hairdryer) after printing, but they\u2019re still a bit annoying to deal with.<\/p>\n

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Stringing is the result of hot end pressure and can be prevented through retraction (Source: FiendFyre_62442 via Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Retraction is a feature meant to eliminate stringing by pulling back (retracting) filament when the printhead moves to a new location. Just as filament is pushed forwards during the normal motions of a print, it\u2019s sucked back during retraction. Doing so counteracts the hot end pressure and helps prevent excess material from flowing when it\u2019s not supposed to.<\/p>\n

Retraction can be enabled and tuned when preparing a model for printing in a\u00a0slicer<\/a>, like\u00a0Cura<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0PrusaSlicer<\/a>. When retraction settings are set correctly, they can eliminate\u00a0stringing<\/a>,\u00a0blobs, zits<\/a>, and other extrusion-related print quality problems.<\/p>\n

Although the available retraction settings differ by slicer, many are the same or similar across programs. In this article, we\u2019ll go over the most important retraction settings and how to adjust them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

3D Printing Tips: How to Improve 3D Print Quality<\/a><\/div>\n
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Distance<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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Usually, increasing the retraction distance will reduce stringing (Source: Robb0t via Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Of the available retraction settings, perhaps the two most important are retraction distance and retraction speed.<\/p>\n

Looking first at the former, retraction distance is the length of filament that\u2019s pulled back by the extruder every time retraction occurs. The longer this distance is, the more time a retraction might take depending on the speed, but also, the less likely you are to experience stringing.<\/p>\n

Yet, if retraction were this simple, everyone would use the highest retraction value, but this is not a good idea. If you raise the value too much, the filament may retract too much and cause a hot end or nozzle\u00a0clog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A typical retraction distance ranges from 2 to 7 mm, but this value depends on your extruder configuration (direct drive or Bowden<\/a>), hot end, and other factors; there\u2019s no one perfect value. If you want to adjust the retraction distance, try tweaking the default in 1-mm increments until stringing is eliminated without any clogs or other problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Speed<\/h3>\n
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Too much speed can cause problems (Source: _Deornoth_ via Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Retraction speed is the other important retraction setting, and as you might have guessed, it determines how quickly retraction is carried out. This setting is very important because it can influence\u00a0print time<\/a>\u00a0as well as how effective retraction is at eliminating stringing.<\/p>\n

For example, if your retraction settings effectively eliminate stringing with a distance of 5 mm and a speed of 40 mm\/s, you may experience worse results with the same distance and a speed of 20 mm\/s. That\u2019s because a slow speed won\u2019t relieve the pressure fast enough to prevent excess material from exiting the nozzle. On the other side of the spectrum, too high a speed could cause a number of problems, including\u00a0breaking the filament inside the hot end<\/a>, and you may still experience stringing.<\/p>\n

Ideally, you want to use the fastest functional speed to reduce stringing and print time. For reference, your slicer\u2019s default retraction speed will likely lie between 30 and 60 mm\/s. If this value isn\u2019t working for your printer, try adjusting the speed in 5-mm\/s increments.<\/p>\n

Minimum Travel<\/h3>\n
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Correct retraction settings can avoid messy cleanup (Source: Hobby 3D Printing!)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If two retraction movements occur close to each other, the filament is pulled back, extruded, pulled back, and extruded again, all in a short amount of time. This constant reversal of the filament motion increases the chance of a nozzle clog significantly, and that\u2019s where the minimal travel distance setting comes in.<\/p>\n

The minimum travel distance is the last important retraction setting we\u2019ll go over, and it controls how frequently retraction occurs in a specific area. This is achieved by requiring the nozzle to move a certain distance before it\u2019s allowed to perform retraction again.<\/p>\n

While a larger minimum distance increases the likelihood of stringing by preventing retractions from transpiring, it reduces the chances of a nozzle clog.\u00a0This setting is especially useful if you\u2019re printing a model with many close-by separate locations where retractions could occur, like a\u00a0hairbrush<\/a>. The minimum travel distance is usually 1-2 mm, but you should adjust this value by 1-mm increments if you have issues.<\/p>\n

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Source: https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printer-retraction-speed-what-does-it-mean\/<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pulling filament back into the hot end is a useful function but tricky to master. Read on to learn all about 3D printer retraction! When your printhead moves from one point to another during printing, the heat of the nozzle combined with any pressure in the hot end results in some excess filament being forced […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"kbtopic":[122],"kbtag":[126,748,203,747],"class_list":["post-164896","kb","type-kb","status-publish","hentry","kbtopic-mtl","kbtag-3d-printing","kbtag-retraction","kbtag-solution","kbtag-speed"],"yoast_head":"\n3D Printer Retraction Speed \u2013 Simply Explained - FacFox Docs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pulling filament back into the hot end is a useful function but tricky to master. Read on to learn all about 3D printer retraction! 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