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      Thermal management in a 3D print

      Learn why good thermal management is key for successful 3D printing, why temperature control of pellet extruder, bed and printing speed are crucial factors

      Thermal management is essential in large-scale 3D printing. Material behavior under different thermal circumstances is important to keep in mind. You don’t want your material to be too cold or too hot during the execution of your 3D-printed project.

      There are 3 main factors that can be kept in mind for controlling thermal management:

      1. Pellet extruder temperature
      2. Bed temperature
      3. Printing speed.

      Understanding these variables can lead to better adjustment with respect to the material that is used. These settings are always material-dependent since every material behaves differently.

      1. Pellet extruder temperature:
      • Too Hot: 3D Printing materials at too high a temperature can lead to issues like oozing, stringing, and even degradation of the material.
      • Too Cold: 3D Printing at temperatures below the recommended range can result in poor layer adhesion, weak prints, and nozzle clogs.
      2. Print bed temperature:
      • Too Hot: If the 3D print bed temperature is too high, it can lead to too much heat building up directly from the start layer. However, higher print bed temperatures are often necessary for better adhesion. Typical print bed temperatures range from 50°C to 110°C, depending on the material.
      • Too Cold: Insufficient print bed temperature can result in poor adhesion, causing the print to detach from the build plate.
      3. Printing speed/layer time
      • Too fast: 3D Printing too quickly can generate excessive heat within the printing structure, which could lead to collapsing under the structure’s own weight. When the material is too hot the stiffness is too low to support the next printing layers.
      • Too Slow: Slower printing introduces longer cooling down times of printed layers. When printing on too cold layers this can result in poor layer adhesion.
      The result of thermal mismanagement 

      The following potentials problems caused by thermal mismanagement are distinguished:

      • Delamination: this is caused by thermal stresses. If a material cools down quickly, thermal stresses are introduced. These internal stresses can weaken the layer adhesion or when printing too slow there isn’t any layer adhesion present. This delamination can occur when 3D printing on a cold print bed. The first layers cool down very quickly by losing heat into the print surface. If this occurs the print setting can be reconsidered.
      • Porosity: besides not well drying, Overheating can cause over-extrusion and the formation of air bubbles in the 3D printed material, resulting in porosity. This porosity affects the mechanical properties of the 3D print. On the other hand, poor layer bonding can result in gaps and voids between adjacent layers and will lead to porosity as well and often occurs when printing too cold.
      • 3D Print deformation: poor thermal management can result in overheating of certain sections of the 3D print. This can cause localized deformation. This can be seen
      • 3D Print quality issues: variations in temperature can affect the extrusion and flow properties of the material. This can result in 3d print quality issues such as under-extrusion, over-extrusion, or inconsistent layer height.
      • Nozzle clogs: inadequate temperature control can contribute to nozzle clogs, especially if the material doesn't melt evenly. Clogs can disrupt the printing process and lead to failed prints.
      • Infill and oerhang problems: thermal management also plays a role in 3D printing support structures and infill patterns. Poor control of 3D print temperatures can result in problems with overhangs, bridges, or infill integrity.
      • 3D Print speed limitations: in some cases, poor thermal management may limit the maximum 3D print speed, as faster 3D printing can lead to cooling-related issues. This can extend print times and reduce overall productivity.
      • Material compatibility: different 3D printing materials require specific temperature profiles for optimal 3D printing. Bad thermal management may limit the range of materials that can be successfully used with a large-scale 3D printer.
      • Layer bonding: inconsistent extrusion temperature can affect the bonding strength between 3D printed layers, potentially leading to delamination or weak layer adhesion.
      • Material degradation: excessive heating in the pellet extruder can cause the filament to degrade, resulting in poor 3D print quality and potential damage to the 3D printer components.
      Thermal management for large format additive manufacturing

      To prevent these issues, thermal management is necessary. This can involve controlling the temperature of the printing environment, as well as using techniques such as active cooling or heating to regulate the temperature of the printed part itself.

      Proper thermal management can also improve the overall quality and consistency of the printed parts, as well as reduce the likelihood of defects or failures. It can also increase the print speed, as a well-managed printing environment can reduce the need for slower print speeds to ensure the quality of the final product.