With time, Silk PLA has gained a reputation as a reliable filament that helps printing enthusiasts achieve a smooth and glossy finish. Due to its nature, it produces some of the most luxurious-looking 3D prints, gaining a lot of attention in the 3D printing world.
However, even when you’re printing with a popular and specific filament like the Silk PLA, there are five things you need to keep in consideration when you’re printing with it.
Printing Temperature
The first thing anyone would think of when printing with a new type of filament is its printing temperature. So, let’s start from there. When we talk about Silk PLA, it needs to be printed at a slightly higher temperature. This is because all the elements that it is made from make it shiny, smooth, and silky. Thanks to those additives, you need to print with Silk PLA at a relatively higher temperature.
While the printing temperature of a filament depends entirely on the filament maker, you can expect the best printing performance between 210 - 230°C. This is a bit higher than regular PLA filament, which prints best between 190–210°C. But if you just started printing with Silk PLA, you must be wondering, why exactly does the temperature matter? You see, in Silk PLA, materials like polyester and other polymers are used, which significantly affect the melting point.
As it turns out, with Silk PLA, a slightly higher temperature is needed to print, or the filament may not melt properly. Other issues, such as weak layer adhesion, a dull finish, or a 3D print with lower quality, might occur. In other words, temperature control is one of the best tips for Silk PLA.
Lastly, you can even choose the Conjure Silk PLA by Chitu System, which comes in a variety of colors, and there are even multi-color options if you prefer to do multi-color 3D printing.
Printing Speed
Print speed is the second thing you need to be careful with. When you’re using the Silk PLA, printing speed plays one of the most critical roles in determining whether your prints are going to be good or not.
In general, the best printing speed for Silk PLA is between 30 - 80 mm/s, but it also entirely depends on the brand that you’re choosing. Always go with the brand’s recommendation when making a selection. Generally, Silk PLA prints between 30 - 50 mm/s, but with a brand like Chitu Systems, you have 30 - 80 mm/s.
This is because when we have extra or added polymers, Silk PLA is quite viscous while melted. When you print slowly, it ensures that the layer adhesion is proper and you won’t have any issues while 3D printing.
The faster you print, the poorer the things like layer adhesion, blobs, and even inconsistent shine can become. This is one reason why Silk PLA should be printed slowly. For instance, when you’re printing items like gifts or shiny action figures, extra time to print will always yield better results for some premium products.
Cooling like a Pro
One of the most critical aspects of 3D printing is cooling. PLA is usually excellent at cooling. That means you don’t have to worry about cooling it excessively. But when it comes to Silk PLA, it is a bit more sensitive because using too much fan can cause stringing or a soft output.
Our tip here for you is to use moderate fan speed, which will slowly cool down your Silk PLA. This ensures that you have enough cooling to get all the essential details while preventing issues like stringing or warping.
To make things even stronger, you can even turn off the fan for a few initial layers. This will enhance the overall base of your 3D print, giving you a better base that won’t budge easily. You can even get a 3D printer enclosure to adjust the fan speed and reduce cooling in a way that doesn’t ruin the print.
Moreover, many printers come with adjustable fan speed, so you might not even need one.
Bed Adhesion
While Silk PLA is based on the original PLA, a lot of people have issues with adhesion. Moreover, if you’re using a smooth glass surface as a bed, you might have issues with poor adhesion. The tip here for you is to use a heated bed at around 50–60°C.
For some people, using a glue stick or PEI sheet can also improve grip. You also need to take into consideration that overall, Silk PLA shrinks a bit more than the regular PLA once it is cooled down.
This is one of the reasons why we are making it quite an important point here. If you’re experiencing things like curling or warping in your 3D print, the chances are that it’s due to poor bed adhesion.
Understanding What You Want to Create
The most important thing in order to successfully print with Silk PLA is that you understand what you want to print and then adjust the settings accordingly. When it comes to Silk PLA, there are three main items that it specializes in:
- Functional Prototypes
- Shiny Toys
- Home Decor
Since Silk PLA incorporates layer lines and surface reflections, models that are round with smooth edges work perfectly and look the best as well. To make it interesting, the printing orientation is one of the most important parts when using Silk PLA.
For example, when you’re printing upright, it highlights the silky finish with vertical lines. On the other hand, if you print flat, then you are going to produce a smoother top surface while also taking away some of that shine.
Final Verdict
Silk PLA is an amazing type of filament that you can use to create some of the most interesting items in general. The popularity is going high as more people are finding this specific filament. However, with Silk PLA, a lot of people also mistake it for regular PLA, which is not true.
There are some stark differences which we’ve covered, and you should ensure keeping these five things in consideration. Moreover, if you’re looking for the best 3D printer accessories, then you should check Chitu Systems out.