Nylon filament is a versatile and strong material for 3D printing, but it also has a downside: it absorbs moisture from the air, which can affect its print quality and durability. If you want to avoid problems like bubbling, stringing, warping, and brittleness, you need to dry and store your nylon filament properly. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Nylon is a hygroscopic material, which means it attracts and binds water molecules from the surrounding environment. This happens because nylon has polar groups in its molecular structure that form hydrogen bonds with water. The amount of moisture absorbed depends on the relative humidity, temperature, and exposure time of the nylon filament. Moisture can cause chemical and physical changes in the nylon, such as reducing its tensile strength, melting point, and crystallinity.
There are a number of different types of nylon (or polyamide), commonly distinguished by one or two numbers in their name (e.g. nylon 12 and nylon 6,6). While this relates to their chemical structure, how hygroscopic the nylon is also depends on this, with some (particularly the common nylon 6 and nylon 6,6) being significantly more hygroscopic than others (nylon 11 or nylon 12).
The best way to dry nylon filament is to use a filament dryer, which is a device that heats and circulates dry air around the filament spool. You can buy a commercial filament dryer or make your own with a food dehydrator or an oven. The recommended temperature and time for drying nylon filament vary depending on the brand and type, but generally range from 70°C to 90°C and from 4 to 12 hours. You can check the moisture level of your nylon filament by weighing it before and after drying. A dry nylon filament should weigh about 5% less than a wet one.
The best way to store nylon filament is to keep it in a sealed container with a desiccant, such as silica gel or calcium chloride. A desiccant is a substance that absorbs moisture from the air and prevents it from reaching the filament. You can use a ziplock bag, a vacuum bag, or a plastic box as a container, as long as it is airtight and durable. You should also label your container with the date and weight of the filament, so you can track its condition and usage. You should store your nylon filament in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Before you print with nylon filament, you should preheat your extruder and bed to the optimal temperature for your filament. The recommended temperature for nylon filament varies depending on the brand and type, but generally ranges from 240°C to 280°C for the extruder and from 80°C to 120°C for the bed. You should also use a glue stick, hairspray, or blue tape to improve the adhesion of the nylon filament to the bed, as nylon tends to warp and shrink when it cools down. You should also print with a low fan speed or no fan at all, as cooling can cause cracking and delamination of the nylon layers.
After you print with nylon filament, you should clean your extruder and nozzle thoroughly, as nylon can leave residues that can clog or damage them. You can use a nylon cleaning filament or a cold pull technique to remove any nylon remnants from your extruder and nozzle. You should also check your 3D printer regularly for signs of wear and tear, such as loose belts, screws, or wires, as nylon is a abrasive material that can cause friction and stress on your 3D printer components.
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Além da limpeza a frio, recomendo passar uma agulha especifica para o seu bico ou um peda?o de fio, pois pode haver vestígios de nylon carbonizado na parte interna do bico ocasionando problemas nas proximas impress?es.
If you have any leftover or failed nylon prints, you can recycle them by shredding them and using them as raw material for a filament extruder. A filament extruder is a device that melts and extrudes plastic pellets or scraps into new filament spools. You can buy a commercial filament extruder or make your own with a screw, a heater, and a nozzle. You can also mix different colors or types of nylon scraps to create new filament variations. However, you should be careful not to mix nylon with other plastics, as they may have incompatible melting points or properties.
If you intend to recycle nylon in this way, it is important to ensure the pellets or scraps are dried in the same way as you would treat the filament just before extrusion.