In PE/PP Testing v1 the layer height was set between 5 – 8 mm, resulting in thick round layers. The material has less surface for cooling and remains longer heated within the center. In these tests the layer height is reduced to 3 – 4 mm, spreading out the material and building it up in thinner layers.
During printing various settings are modified. Especially the increase in print speed and reduced temperature after the 5th layer changed the quality of the output.
Printing settings:
Temperature: 165 – 190 °C
Printspeed: 7 - 20 mm/s
Printlayer: 4 mm
Current tests are executed without having a nozzle attached. With a nozzle pressure will built within the extruder and the control of the material flow should improve. By partly blocking the output, the quality of the outflowing material immediately improves. Similar quality in terms of smoothness is found when starting up extrusion.