Quick Reference

Print Settings Cheat Sheet

One table, every material. Bookmark this and stop guessing temperatures.

Master Reference Table

Recommended starting points for each material. Your specific filament brand may differ slightly — check the spool label first, then fall back to these ranges.

Material Nozzle Temp Bed Temp Bed Surface Speed Cooling Fan Retract (DD) Retract (Bowden) Enclosure Dry Temp Dry Time
PLA 200-220°C 50-65°C PEI / Glass 40-100 mm/s 100% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm No 50°C 4 h
PLA+ 210-230°C 55-65°C PEI 40-80 mm/s 100% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm No 50°C 4 h
PETG 230-250°C 75-85°C Textured PEI 30-60 mm/s 30-50% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm No 65°C 6 h
PCTG 240-260°C 70-85°C Textured PEI 30-60 mm/s 30-50% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm No 65°C 6 h
ABS 230-260°C 95-110°C PEI / Kapton 40-60 mm/s 0% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm Yes 80°C 4 h
ASA 240-265°C 95-110°C PEI 40-60 mm/s 0-20% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm Yes 80°C 4 h
TPU 95A 220-240°C 40-60°C PEI / Glass 15-30 mm/s 50% 0-0.5 mm N/A No 50°C 8 h
Nylon PA6 250-270°C 70-90°C Garolite 30-50 mm/s 0% 0.5-1 mm 3-5 mm Recommended 80°C 12 h
Nylon PA12 240-260°C 70-85°C Garolite 30-50 mm/s 0% 0.5-1 mm 3-5 mm Recommended 80°C 8 h
PC 270-310°C 100-120°C PEI 30-50 mm/s 0% 0.5-1 mm 3-5 mm Required 80°C 8 h
PP 220-250°C 80-100°C PP Tape 30-50 mm/s 20-50% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm Recommended 55°C 6 h
HIPS 230-250°C 90-110°C PEI 40-60 mm/s 0-20% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm Yes 70°C 6 h
PVA 190-210°C 45-60°C PEI 20-40 mm/s 100% 0.5-1 mm 4-6 mm No 45°C 4 h
DD = Direct Drive, Bowden = Bowden tube extruder. If your printer's extruder sits directly on the hotend, you have direct drive. If the extruder is mounted to the frame with a PTFE tube running to the hotend, that's Bowden.
Always check the spool label first. Manufacturer recommendations override these ranges. This table gives you a starting point when the label is missing, faded, or you've thrown away the packaging.

Quick Tips by Material

The most useful thing to know about each material before your first print.

PLA / PLA+
PLA is the most forgiving material. If you're having trouble, slow down and make sure your first layer is close enough to the bed. PLA+ runs slightly hotter and is tougher — treat it like PLA with 10°C added to everything.
Full cooling fan from layer 2 onward. PLA loves being cooled aggressively. Overhangs and bridges improve dramatically with maximum fan speed.
PETG / PCTG
PETG sticks to smooth PEI too well and can rip chunks off the build plate. Use textured PEI or apply a thin layer of glue stick as a release agent. PCTG behaves similarly but tolerates slightly higher temperatures.
Reduce fan to 30-50%. Too much cooling makes PETG brittle and causes layer delamination. Too little causes stringing. Find the sweet spot for your specific printer.
PETG is stringy by nature. If you can't eliminate stringing, increase retraction by 0.5mm increments and try lowering temperature by 5°C.
ABS / ASA
An enclosure is not optional for consistent results. Even a cheap IKEA LACK enclosure makes a massive difference. Drafts cause warping and layer splitting on anything taller than a few centimetres.
Turn the part cooling fan off entirely. ABS and ASA need to stay hot to bond properly. Fan cooling causes layer cracking. ASA can tolerate a tiny bit of fan (up to 20%) on small overhangs.
ASA is the UV-stable cousin of ABS. If your part goes outdoors, pick ASA over ABS every time. Print settings are nearly identical.
TPU 95A
Slow is everything. TPU is flexible and will buckle, jam, and wrap around gears if pushed too fast. Start at 20mm/s and only increase once you have consistent extrusion.
Disable or minimize retraction on direct drive (0-0.5mm). On Bowden, TPU is extremely difficult — the tube lets it compress and jam. Stick to direct drive if possible.
Nylon (PA6 / PA12)
Nylon absorbs moisture faster than any other common filament. Dry it immediately before every print. If it's been sitting out for more than an hour, dry it again. Print from a dry box if your setup allows it.
Use garolite (G10) as your bed surface. Nylon bonds aggressively to PEI and can damage it permanently. Garolite gives strong adhesion when hot and clean release when cool.
PA6 is stronger and more heat-resistant than PA12 but harder to print. PA12 is the easier nylon — start there if you're new to the material.
PC (Polycarbonate)
PC requires the highest temperatures of any common FDM material. Your printer needs an all-metal hotend — PTFE-lined hotends will degrade above 260°C. Check your hardware before attempting PC.
Enclosure is mandatory, not recommended. PC warps violently without stable, elevated chamber temperatures. A heated enclosure (60°C+) is ideal but even a sealed passive enclosure helps significantly.
PP (Polypropylene)
Nothing sticks to PP except PP. Use polypropylene packing tape on the bed as your adhesion surface. Standard PEI and glass will not work.
PP has significant shrinkage and warping. Smaller parts are much easier. For larger prints, an enclosure and slow cooling help manage warping.
HIPS / PVA (Support Materials)
HIPS dissolves in d-Limonene and pairs with ABS. PVA dissolves in water and pairs with PLA. Both are support-only materials — don't use them for structural parts.
PVA is extremely moisture-sensitive. Store it sealed with desiccant at all times. Even a few hours in humid air can make it unusable. Print it slow and keep it dry.

Retraction Settings Explained

Retraction pulls filament back to stop oozing during travel moves. Getting it right eliminates stringing and blobs.

Retraction Distance
How far the filament is pulled back. Direct drive: 0.5-1 mm. Bowden: 4-6 mm. Too much causes jams; too little causes stringing.
Retraction Speed
25-45 mm/s works for most materials. Too fast grinds the filament; too slow doesn't pull back before the nozzle starts moving.
Why DD Needs Less
Direct drive has a short filament path — the extruder gear is right above the melt zone. A small pull is enough. Bowden tubes add metres of slack that needs to be taken up.
Flexible Filament (TPU)
Minimize or disable retraction. TPU compresses instead of retracting cleanly, causing jams. 0-0.5 mm on DD. On Bowden, TPU retraction is unreliable.
Tuning method: Print a retraction tower (available in most slicers as a calibration tool). Adjust distance in 0.5mm increments until stringing disappears. Then fine-tune speed if needed.
Wipe and coasting in your slicer can reduce stringing further without increasing retraction distance. These are found in the travel settings of most slicers.

When Do You Need an Enclosure?

An enclosure keeps ambient temperature stable and blocks drafts. Some materials require it; others are worse off inside one.

Material Enclosure Why
PLA No PLA benefits from cooling. An enclosure can cause heat creep and jams. Print open-air.
PLA+ No Same as PLA. Slightly more heat tolerant, but still doesn't need enclosure.
PETG No Low warp tendency. Enclosure can cause overheating and make stringing worse.
PCTG No Similar to PETG. Prints fine in open air.
ABS Yes High shrinkage causes warping and layer splitting without stable ambient temp. Fumes also require ventilation.
ASA Yes Same warping concerns as ABS. Slightly better but still needs enclosure for reliable results.
TPU No Low shrinkage. Doesn't warp. Print open-air at slow speeds.
Nylon Recommended Warps on larger parts. Small parts may work open-air but an enclosure improves consistency dramatically.
PC Required Extreme shrinkage. Will crack and warp without a heated or at minimum sealed enclosure. Non-negotiable.
PP Recommended Significant shrinkage. Enclosure helps manage warping on anything larger than small parts.
HIPS Yes Typically printed alongside ABS as support material — same enclosure requirement applies.
PVA No Low-temp material. Typically used as support for PLA. No enclosure needed.
Budget enclosure: An IKEA LACK table enclosure (two LACK tables stacked with acrylic panels) costs under $30 and works well enough for ABS and ASA. Search "LACK enclosure" for build guides.
Ventilation matters. ABS, ASA, and PC emit fumes that are unpleasant and potentially harmful in poorly ventilated spaces. If you enclose your printer, add an exhaust with a carbon filter or vent it outside. See our ventilation guide for details.

Bed Adhesion Troubleshooting

Print won't stick? Run through this list before blaming the filament.

Problem Likely Cause Fix
Won't stick at all Nozzle too far from bed Re-level the bed. First layer should be slightly squished, not round.
Sticks then lifts Bed temp too low or drafts Increase bed temp by 5-10°C. Close doors/windows. Add brim.
Corner warping Uneven cooling / no enclosure Use brim (5-10mm). For ABS/ASA, add enclosure. Reduce first layer speed.
Sticks too well Smooth PEI + PETG Switch to textured PEI or apply glue stick as release agent.
Won't stick to glass Glass needs adhesive Apply glue stick, hairspray, or switch to PEI sheet.
Nylon won't grip Wrong bed surface Use garolite (G10). Nylon doesn't adhere well to PEI or glass.
PP slides around Nothing bonds to PP Apply PP packing tape to bed. Only PP sticks to PP.
First layer rough Nozzle too close Raise Z offset slightly. First layer should be flat, not plowed.
Clean your bed. Fingerprints are the number one adhesion killer. Wipe with isopropyl alcohol (90%+) before every print. Do not touch the print surface with bare hands after cleaning.
First layer speed: 20-25mm/s regardless of material. A slow first layer gives the plastic time to wet the surface and bond properly. Speed up from layer 2 onward.
For a detailed first layer setup process, see our first layer guide.
Browse Filament Deals Material Guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should I print PLA at?
200-220°C nozzle, 50-65°C bed. Start at 210°C and adjust in 5°C increments. Stringing means too hot. Poor layer adhesion or rough surface means too cold. PLA+ runs about 10°C hotter than standard PLA.
Do I need an enclosure for PETG?
No. PETG has low warping tendency and prints well in open air. An enclosure can actually make PETG worse — it causes overheating, increases stringing, and can lead to heat creep in the hotend. Save the enclosure for ABS, ASA, Nylon, and PC.
What retraction settings should I use for a Bowden vs direct drive extruder?
Direct drive: 0.5-1mm distance at 25-45mm/s. Bowden: 4-6mm distance at 25-45mm/s. The difference is entirely about filament path length — Bowden tubes add slack that needs longer retraction to compensate. Start in the middle of each range and tune with a retraction tower test print.
Why does my ABS keep warping?
ABS shrinks as it cools, pulling corners off the bed. Three things fix this: an enclosure (keeps ambient temperature stable above 40°C), proper bed temperature (95-110°C), and good first layer adhesion (slow speed, correct Z offset, clean PEI). Add a brim for large footprints. If you can't enclose your printer, try ASA instead — it warps slightly less.
How long should I dry filament before printing?
PLA/PVA: 4h at 45-50°C. PETG/PCTG: 6h at 65°C. ABS/ASA: 4h at 80°C. Nylon PA6: 12h at 80°C. Nylon PA12: 8h at 80°C. PC: 8h at 80°C. TPU: 8h at 50°C. PP: 6h at 55°C. HIPS: 6h at 70°C. When in doubt, dry longer — you cannot over-dry filament at these temperatures. See our storage & drying guide for the full details.
Can I print TPU on a Bowden extruder?
Technically yes, but results are unreliable. TPU compresses in the Bowden tube instead of feeding cleanly, causing jams and inconsistent extrusion. If you must try it: use the hardest TPU you can find (95A shore), go extremely slow (10-15mm/s), disable retraction, and use a Capricorn tube for tighter tolerances. Direct drive is strongly recommended.
What bed surface works best for Nylon?
Garolite (G10/FR4) is the best option. It grips Nylon when hot and releases cleanly when cooled. Avoid smooth PEI — Nylon bonds permanently and will damage the sheet. Glue stick on glass is a budget alternative but less reliable. Textured PEI can work with a fresh coat of glue stick as a barrier.