How to Dry PETG, PC, TPU, Nylon, ABS, PLA Filament Like an Expert

Why to dry 3D Filaments?

Drying 3D filaments is important if you want to achieve consistent results while 3D printing. Most of the 3D filaments when exposed to air, absorb moisture and lose some of their properties. This indicates the Hygroscopic nature of the filaments.

Some filaments such as PETG, Nylon, PC, and ABS exhibit a more hygroscopic nature than other filaments like PLA. Therefore it is necessary to dry them before printing.

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How do you know whether your filament has to be dried?

a. Filament Popping & Vapors during Extrusion

It is recommended to preheat the nozzle to the prescribed temperature according to the filament you are using and start extrusion up to 100mm. If you hear small noises (pops) or sizzling sounds or vapors near the nozzle, it’s an indication that the filament has moisture and needs to be dried.

During extrusion, water in the filament results in vapor creating problems during printing.

b. Stringing is more common

Stringing is usually the first clue that your filament must be dried. There are many reports that users who had a good print quality once are facing stringing problems after a few months in spite of the filament brand being the same. It might be possible that an old PETG roll that printed perfectly may get you problems when you try to print after 6 months.

If the filament is dried properly, it can greatly reduce the stringing problems or eliminate them completely.

c. Extrusion Flow is Not Consistent

Another factor that indicates the moisture present in the filament is extrusion inconsistency and incorrectly aligned layers.

During the moisture absorption, the filaments usually do so unevenly, with some portions of the filament absorbing more moisture than others. When that part of the filament containing more moisture is extruded, it rises up the nozzle pressure and extrudes more plastic for a short time. As a result, your layer lines look uneven and the final printed parts will not be good and smooth.

Furthermore, the filament can also swell when moisture is absorbed. This means that instead of the 1.75 mm filament, there could be 1.8 mm diameter accumulations in certain regions, indicating the extrusion quality to be poor.

4. Filament snaps easily and is very brittle

Often, PLA filament gets snapped and brittle when it catches up with moisture. This makes PLA lose its flexibility to some extent. Filament will regain its flexibility after drying and get resistant to snap.

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Prerequisites for filament drying

In order to achieve an effective removal of moisture from the filament, a machine that can insulate the filament while gradually increasing the temperature is needed.

Filament drying can be made an easy and most efficient method by using an oven. This is possible only if the oven temperature can be controlled accurately.

Before you put your filament in the oven, ensure the accuracy of the oven thermostat. To check the temperature, take a standard thermometer and place it in the oven. Check that the oven’s temperature is the same as your set. If there are any inconsistencies, adjust accordingly.

Using an infrared thermometer to measure the oven temp would be good. This gives accurate measurements and helps to set the correct values.

Some ovens can be inaccurate and you could easily ruin your PLA filament if the oven temperature exceeds the set point even for a short duration.

a. Dehydrator

A food dehydrator is another popular way to dry filament. You can find many online guides on how to make a food dehydrator into filament drying equipment.

A food dehydrator’s main problem is its limited capacity. The size of the filament you are drying will determine how many spools you can dry at once.

A food dehydrator is easily available at your stores locally or on Amazon. It doesn’t have to be brand new, as you will only use it for drying filament.

b. Filament Dryer

I don’t like filament dryers much considering their price. They can dry only one spool at a time. But, they’re worth it if you are printing with PETG or Nylon because filament dryers can directly feed your printer. This ensures that the filament remains dry until it reaches its nozzle, where it is extruded.

SUNLU  has just released their Drier Box S1 with a temperature range of 35C-55C and a timer. You can use it for regular filaments such as PETG, ABS, and TPU, but you will need to dry the filament for longer periods of time for the best results.

Other filament dryers are also available like the eSUN Filament Dryer Box.

As mentioned above, you can dry filament using a special filament dryer by setting a required temperature for a prolonged duration of 5-6 hours. You can also dry filament, using Oven or Vaccum bag combined with desiccant packs. Leveraging DIY airtight containers, or food dehydrators could be another best alternative.

These are the usual ways of drying the 3D Filaments. Continue reading to find more helpful information on this.

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How To Dry PLA Filament?

PLA can be dried in an oven for 4-5 hours at home. PLA Drying temperature is between 40-45 degC. A specialized filament dryer for drying and storing PLA filament is another option. You can also dry PLA using the heat generated by the print bed, but we recommend that you stick with the other methods.

Let’s look at the different methods you can use for drying your PLA filament:

• Drying PLA in Oven
• Filament Dryer
• Drying PLA in Food Dehydrator
• Using Printer’s heatbed.

a. How to Dry PLA Filament in Oven

Drying PLA filament can be done in an oven. This is often a question that people ask. The simplest and most cost-effective way to dry PLA spools in your oven is right at home.

PLA filaments should be dried at 40-45degC for a time duration of 4-5 hours. This is below the point at which filament starts softening to some extent. This is also called glass transition temperature.

Although using an oven is simple and inexpensive, special care is needed in configuring certain parameters. Otherwise, the process can have a detrimental effect.

First, check that the set oven temperature is matching to the actual temperature inside or not.

Most of the Home-based ovens aren’t precise in their temperature accuracy and exhibit a huge variation. This can cause filament damage.

It may happen that your filament will become too soft and bond together, making it almost impossible to use.

Before you place the filament in the oven, heat it to the right temperature. Ovens can get too hot as they heat up the interior temperature. This could cause the filament to become soft and unusable.

You can use a special filament dryer if you are not confident in your Oven.

b. Filament Dryer 

After facing issues with PLA filament drying in Oven, many people turned to Filament Dryers. A filament dryer is a better and more professional method of drying filaments.

A filament dryer is equipment designed specifically to dry filament spools.

One best filament dryer I would recommend is the SUNLU Upgraded Dry Box (Amazon). At a price of $50, it certifies for its filament drying efficacy and is worthwhile investing in.

The SUNLU dryer has a good reputation on Amazon at the time this article was written. It boasts a 4.6/5.0 overall score and a lot of positive reviews. 

One person claimed that the humidity was more than 50% near their home due to the presence of a lake. PLA is not able to withstand this humidity so they tried the SUNLU dry box and got amazing results.

The EIBOS Filament Dryer Box, available on Amazon, can also be used. It can hold two spools and can reach 70°C.

c. Dry using a Food Dehydrator to Dehydrate PLA

A food dehydrator can be used to dry PLA filament, which is a great alternative to an oven or filament dryer. They can also be used to dry filament for 3D printers, despite their primary purpose of drying food and fruits.

Sunix Food Dehydrator is an excellent product I recommend. It is a 5-tray, electric-based dehydrator. It has temperature control and is priced at $50.

The PLA dehydrator temperature should be kept at 40 – 45 DegC.

Robert Cowen’s video below shows you how a food dryer works and how to dry out PLA filament moisture. They are extremely popular in 3D printing to dry all types of filament. I would definitely recommend leveraging this machine.

d. Drying Our PLA Filament Using Printer Heat Bed

You can dry your PLA filament using a heated print bed on your 3D printer.

Heat up your 3D printer bed to 45-55degC and place PLA filament on it. Let the PLA Dry approximately for 2-4 hours. This method is best done in an enclosed environment by using an encloser cover. You can also use a cardboard box to cover the filament in the absence of a printer cover.

You can also opt for a Filament dryer or Food dehydrator to dry PLA and this is more effective than the heated bed method. PLA drying using a heated bed is less effective and may cause wear to 3D Printer.

The heated bed method is significantly long for TPU and Nylon filaments ranging from 12-16 hours. So, it is not recommended.

e. Filament Storage using Vacuum Bags

Another way of keeping PLA spools dry is to put them in a non-moisture environment. This can be achieved by using Vacuum bags with silica gel or desiccants. This is similar to how you receive your spools during delivery. Vacuum bags that have a valve are good because they can be used to remove oxygen from the bag.

You must ensure that your PLA filament is completely sealed in a vacuum bag without oxygen. This can only be done if the vacuum bag has a separate valve that helps to bring out the oxygen inside.

I recommend the SUOCO Vacuum Storage Sealer bags (Amazon). They come in packs of six and are made from a durable, high-quality material.

f. Filament Storage – Dry Box

A dry box is another cost-effective and quick option for storing PLA filament. The notable difference between vacuum bags and the dry box is that the dry box allows to print while storing the filament.

You will need to find an airtight container that is large enough to hold your PLA filament spool. Then, add silica gel packets to absorb water from the air.

For PLA filament spool storage, I recommend HOMZ Clear Storage Container. It’s strong, spacious, and completely airtight.

The following video will give you a detailed explanation if you decide to make your own dry box.

You can purchase the items you need to create your own filament drying box, which allows you to print directly from Amazon.

Relative Humidity Sensor

Storage Container

Indicating Desiccant

Bowden Tube & Fitting

Bearings

3D Printed Filament Spool Holder

After research, I found that many people use dehumidifiers such as the Eva Dry Wireless Mini Humidifier from Amazon. This can replace the Silica get packets inside the dry box.

Usage of dehumidifiers inside the dry box is testimonied by many people who have been impressed with its effectiveness. Just place it inside a container along with PLA and forget about moisture.

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How to Dry ABS Filament?

You can dry ABS in a regular oven or toaster oven at Home. The abs drying temperature is between 65-70 degC for a duration of 2-6 hours. Usage of a dedicated filament dryer is another alternative so that you can also print while drying. A food dehydrator is another best method for drying ABS. Once ABS is dried, make use of an aluminum foil bag to store.

Let’s go through some of the best methods of Drying ABS filaments

•  Use a Toaster or Regular Oven  
•  Filament Dryer Designed for Filaments  
•  Mylar Foil Bag  
•  Food dehydrator  

a. Drying ABS Filament with Regular or Toaster Oven

Drying of ABS is possible using a regular oven or toaster oven. Many people have tested it and found it to be a reliable method. It is simple to use and doesn’t cost anything.

With a Toaster oven, the best results are achieved when your ABS filament is dried for 2-6 hours at 65 to 70DegC. Make sure to place ABS filament away from the heating element inside the toaster oven.  

You can also dry filaments in a regular oven at 80-90degC for approximately 4-6 hours.

b. Dedicated Filament Dryer

A specialized filament dryer can be used to dry ABS in a professional manner, much like you would with PLA.

Many people dry ABS using these devices and say it usually takes 6 hours to dry at 50°C. Check out the SUNLU Filament Dryer on Amazon. It might be a good choice.

c. Food Dehydrator

To dry ABS, you can also use a food dryer in the same way as for PLA. Sunix Food Dehydrators are ideal for ABS filament drying, as well as other filaments.

d. Mylar Foil Bag

After your ABS has dried, you can keep it dry by sealing it in a bag made of aluminum foil.

Cheap Mylar foil bags can be found online. Amazon’s Resealable Stand-Up Mylar Bags are a great option. They have a lot of positive reviews from people who use them to store filament and a rating of 4.7/5.0 overall.

They have been praised by many for being strong, thick, and high-quality aluminum bags. These bags allow easy fillings and make sure to squeeze out excess air before sealing.

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How To Dry PETG Filament?

PETG can be dried in an oven at 65-70°C for the duration of 4-6 hours. PrintDry Pro (Purchase Here) is the best option to efficiently dry and store the filament. You can also dry PETG FIlament using a food dehydrator. A filament dryer is also available for PETG that keeps it dry and free from moisture.

Let’s look at some ways to dry PETG.

• Dry PETG in the Oven
• Filament Dryer
• PrintDry Pro Filament Drying Systems
• Food dehydrator

a. Drying PETG in Oven

As PETG is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture, a regular oven is one of the best ways to dry PETG. If your filament has been out in the open for a while, this is an easy way to remove any PETG moisture.

PETG drying temperature should be between 65-70degC and 4-6 hours.

b. PrintDry Pro Filament Drying System

PrintDry Filament Drying System created by MatterHackers is a specialized highly for PETG. It can be purchased for $180.

PrintDry Pro from MatterHackers has a digital display using which temperature can be varied with automatic humidity control. It can also hold up to two standard-sized spools simultaneously.

It has a built-in timer that can be used to set a timer for a longer duration as good as 48 hours at low temperatures. This keeps away moisture from the filament.

c. Food Dehydrator

A food dehydrator is a tool that 3D enthusiasts use to dry PETG. After placing filaments for 4-6 hours at 70°C perfect prints can be obtained.

You can order one online if you don’t own a food dehydrator. You can purchase the Sunix Food Dehydrator or the Chefman Food Dehydrator on Amazon. Chefman is better and offers better features than Sunix.

One user shared how simple it was to dry filament by setting the temperature and time and then letting it heat. You could hear a slight fan sound, but it’s not unusual for an appliance.

Another user stated that they can accommodate 5 rolls of 1KG filament into this machine. 3D printer owners who purchased this dehydrator really appreciate the digital interface.

d. Filament Dryer

PETG can be dried quickly using a special filament dryer similar to ABS and PLA.

A filament dryer such as the SUNLU Filament Drier for PETG is a great option. It’s affordable and works amazing right out of the package.

It is consistent and makes the filament dry after about 4-6 hours.

e. Bonus Method for PETG

People have used PETG filaments to dry by placing them in a freezer. This works even with 1-year-old spools.

Although this is unusual, it does dehydration of the filament. It can take as long as a week for the changes in filament to take effect. This is why this process is time-consuming.

Sublimation is a process that makes a solid substance a gas, bypassing the liquid state. This makes the filament dry.

This method of filament drying is experimental. However, it works and can be used if time is not an issue.

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How to Dry Nylon Filament?

Drying Nylon filament can be done in the oven at Home for 4-6 hours. The Nylon Filament Drying temperature is between 75-90 degC. You can also dry Nylon in a food dehydrator for up to 4 hours. However, if you need to store it effectively, get a specialized filament dryer so that you can also print while it dries. 

Let’s look at the best ways to dry nylon.

• Nylon Drying in the Oven
• Use a Filament Dryer
• Food dehydrator

a. Oven Nylon Drying:

While drying in Oven, the recommended temperature range for Nylon is 75-90degC for the duration of 4-6 hours.

One user had great success with Nylon after keeping it at 80°C for five hours in their oven. They were able to print high-quality parts using their Nylon filament after drying it with these parameters.

b. Filament Dryer for Nylon 

The best method to dry Nylon is by using a special filament dryer. 

Many people love the JAYO Dryer Box from Amazon. The product currently has a rating of 4.4/5.0 on Amazon, with 75% of users leaving 5-star reviews.

It is reasonably priced and less noisy compared to SUNLU Upgraded dry box at 10 decibels.

c. Food Dehydrator/Dryer

A food dehydrator is safer and easier than using an oven to dry nylon.

To dry your Nylon filament, I recommend the Sunix Food Dryer.

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How to Dry TPU Filament?

Drying TPU Filament can be done at home using an oven at a TPU drying temperature of 45-60°C for about 4-5 hours. A Filament Dryer can also be tried to dry TPU and print simultaneously. Usage of a DIY dry box with silica gel packets is another option. However, a food dehydrator has shown the best results for TPU so far. 

Let’s look at the best methods to dry TPU.

• Drying TPU Filament in an oven
• Food dehydrator
• DIY Dry TPU FIlament Box
• Use a Filament Dryer

a. Drying TPU Filament With Oven:

TPU can be dried in an oven at 45-60 degrees Celsius for approximately 4-5 hours.

For best results, TPU needs to be dried after every print. One user mentioned that they got high-quality parts after drying for 4 hours in the oven at 65 degC

b. Filament Dryer for TPU

For TPU, a filament dryer comes in handy for drying and storing at a time. The nature of the TPU is not hygroscopic as other filaments, so printing it in a dryer is a great way to achieve high-quality prints.

Amazon has the SUNLU Upgraded dry box, which most people use to dry their TPU spool. You can also find other options online.

c. Food Dehydrator

Another quick and easy method to dry TPU is to use a food dryer. You can easily find one online if you don’t already have one.

The Chefman Food Dryer is a great option for drying TPU. This product has a remarkable Amazon reputation it has an average rating of 4.6/5.0.

d. DIY Dry Box for TPU

A combination of Airtight container and desiccant packets does wonders in storing and drying TPU Filament.

Along with desiccant to dry the TPU in your own dry box place a 60-watt utility lamp inside and close the lid. Leave it for the whole night or an entire day to get perfect print quality.

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How to Dry PC?

Polycarbonate can be dried using many methods. The First one is to use Oven with a set temperature of 80 to 90degC for the duration of 8-10 hours. For efficient drying, you can also use a food dryer. For printing Polycarbonate, while drying it, a specialized filament dryer is an excellent option. Also, a dry box with desiccants inside is another great option.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the best methods to dry your PC.

• Dry Box
• Dry in a Convection oven
• Filament Dryer
• Use a food dehydrator

a. Convection Oven Drying

With Convection Oven, the Polycarbonate filament needs to be dried at 80 to 90 degC for the duration of 8-10 hours. One user of a PC says that 9 hours of drying at 85 degrees gave him a great result.

b. Food Dehydrator PC Drying:

Food Dehydrator drying of polycarbonate is another effective method. To dry the filament, you just need to adjust the temperature and place it inside.

For drying Polycarbonate filament, I recommend the Chefman Food Dehydrator.

c. Filament Dryer

A filament dryer is a great way to dry and store Polycarbonate and get good results.

There are many options online that you can choose from, including the JAYO Dry Box and SUNLU Upgraded Dry Box.

The drying temperature for polycarbonate should be between 80 and 90 degrees Celsius, while SUNLU’s max temp is 55 degC, just double the drying duration.

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Can Filament Be Too Dry?

After reading about the drying methods of different filaments, it is only natural to wonder if some filaments may become too dry.

Too much filament drying can deform the chemical composition and can result in lower strength and less quality printed parts. It’s better to avoid excessive drying by properly keeping filaments away from absorbing moisture.

Many filaments for 3D printers contain heat-sensitive additives they get removed upon repeated drying.

Over drying can also make the material brittle and less.

Although the rate at which this would occur would be very slow, it is still possible. So, it’s better to protect filament spools from absorbing moisture in the first place rather than drying them.

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Is Drying Needed for PLA Filament?

PLA filament doesn’t demand to dry, but results will be best when moisture is dried. When PLA has moisture, it reduces the surface quality. PLA that has been dried will give you better prints and fewer failures.

It’s better to dry PLA filament if it’s kept open for some time in an open environment. When there is moisture, printing issues such as bubbles, oozing, and stringing can occur.

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Are Filament Dryers Worth It?

Filament dryers can make 3D printing more enjoyable, boost the print quality and save prints from possible failure due to moisture. A good quality filament dryer will cost you around $50 which is not expensive. Numerous users have had great success with filament dryers.

Below is a video showing a PETG part with moisture and one that was dried in an oven for approximately 6 hours. It is obvious and very noticeable.