Below is a full list of FAQ when working with Polymaker and 3D printing in general. Each of these topics is covered further in this Wiki, but this can make for a great starting point for your frequently asked questions.
Getting Started with 3D Printing
I Am Brand New to 3D Printing
We are excited that you've discovered this awesome hobby and are exploring how Polymaker can assist with your 3D printing needs!
Before diving into details, if you want to get started quickly, the easiest material to print with is PLA. It's ideal for creating artistic pieces, prototypes, or simply enjoying the hobby.
We recommend checking out our excellent Panchroma™ line of PLA if you're a beginner looking for vibrant colors. All of our Panchroma™ products print well on most printers, with a few exceptions noted on their product pages.
You can also find inspiration for choosing the right material for your project by consulting our Filament Guide.
I Am Looking for Easy Single Color Printing
If you want to print in a single color, whether for a toy, gadget, or prototyping, any of our standard options will work well. Essentially, any product labeled "PLA" should be suitable for this application.
We offer our classic PLA, which features a glossy finish, and a wide range of color effects under our , including matte, sparkly, and glow-in-the-dark options.
Additionally, we have Draft PLA and Matte PLA for Production purposes if you want to purchase in bulk to save money.
I Am Looking for Durable and Strong 3D Prints
If you need your part to be strong, we have many options for you to choose from. Generally, "strong" can be difficult to define, as strength can refer to stiffness, impact resistance, heat resistance, and many other properties.
We highly recommend checking out our and our to focus on the specific details you need. However, here are some general suggestions:
If heat resistance is not important to you, we suggest PLA Pro or PolyMax PLA. Both are quite strong, with PLA Pro being more rigid than PolyMax PLA. PolyMax PLA is currently the most impact-resistant material we sell.
If you need some heat resistance along with strength in your print, we definitely suggest checking out either ABS, ASA, or any product in our Fiberon™ Engineering product family.
Please note that ASA and ABS require an enclosure to print with, and anything in our Fiberon Engineering product family will need a hardened nozzle for printing.
What Materials Work on My Printer?
This is a great question, as printers come in all shapes and sizes. Some materials have no special requirements, such as or . If there are any special requirements for printing a material, we will list them right on the product page.
Essentially, there are three major factors in modern 3D printers that will help determine if a material can be printed on your machine:
How hot your nozzle can get.
Whether your printer is enclosed.
Whether your nozzle is abrasion-resistant.
Some printers' hotends cannot reach temperatures above 250°C or 260°C, which means you will be limited to materials that can print at or below that extrusion temperature. Some materials require an enclosure to trap ambient heat, and some materials are very abrasive and need abrasion-resistant nozzles.
For example, the Bambu Lab A1 has a high-temperature hotend but does not come with an enclosure or an abrasion-resistant nozzle, although you can easily upgrade the nozzle. This means that with an upgraded nozzle, the Bambu Lab A1 can print any of our materials that do not require an enclosure (excluding ).
Looking for Design Inspiration?
You don't have to be a 3D design wizard to access some phenomenal print files. There are several excellent online repositories for 3D printable files, including , , , , and many more.
You can also try printing our model, which is a great first print to ensure that everything is calibrated and working well.
Alternatively, you can find print ideas on our , which features some talented designers we collaborate with.
Help with 3D Printing
General Print Tips
If you're looking for basic ways to improve your 3D prints, we suggest starting by slowing down your print speeds. While many of our material options can print quickly, printing too fast can cause issues or exacerbate existing ones. Therefore, if you're experiencing printing problems, the first general tip is to reduce your print speeds.
One of the biggest issues with older printers is bed leveling. If you have a printer that's more than three or four years old and you're experiencing problems with your first layer or parts are getting knocked off easily, make sure to watch a tutorial on how to level your bed and set the correct nozzle distance from the build plate.
Perform regular maintenance on your printer to keep it running optimally. This includes doing a cold pull to remove debris from the hotend and nozzle, lubricating any rods, and ensuring that screws aren't coming loose or that your printer isn't getting too dirty. Don't forget to clean your build plate periodically, as it can help resolve build plate adhesion issues.
How to Load Filament into Your Printer
It's challenging to provide a one-size-fits-all solution for all printers, but generally, modern printers make loading filament quite easy.
If you have the popular A1 with an AMS Lite, you simply need to place the spool on it and feed the filament into the AMS Lite. You can then select the color and material type on the printer or in the Bambu Lab slicer. The same process applies to their AMS and other printer options.
Other printers may have a "Load Filament" option directly on the printer. This typically involves selecting your material type or extrusion temperature, then pushing the filament into the extruder, and the printer will handle the rest.
Finally, you can bypass any automated load filament options by manually pushing filament through your extruder and hotend. To do this, you need to set the extrusion temperature on your printer to the recommended printing temperature for the material in question. Most extruders have an idler that can be pinched or released to easily allow filament to pass through.
Once you see filament extruding from the nozzle, you can stop feeding filament and reset the nozzle to room temperature to reduce excessive heating before starting a print.
More Information on Printing with Bambu Lab Printers
Our materials are designed with every type of printer in mind, but we recognize that Bambu Lab printers have become very popular. All of our spools have hardened edges and will spin smoothly in the AMS, and they all fit on the AMS Lite without issues, with the only exceptions being spools larger than 1 kg.
The Bambu Lab X1 Carbon can print any of our materials, with the possible exception of some of our very advanced polycarbonate options. The same applies to the P1S if you upgrade the nozzle to be abrasion-resistant.
Join our Community
We would also love it if you followed us on all of our social media channels. We read every comment and mention we receive, and we appreciate getting feedback.
If you're using nylon materials or you hear "popping" or "cracking" sounds while extruding, you'll want to use a filament dryer or dry your filament in the oven. Many polymers are hygroscopic and won't print correctly if they absorb too much moisture. We recommend checking out our modular .
For more information, please refer to our .
If you have a Bambu Lab machine with an AMS, we highly recommend mixing and matching our options to achieve some really cool-looking prints.
We recommend joining our thousands of dedicated members on our . There, you can tap into the collective knowledge to get great answers from real experts.
Finally, on our , we host a Feedback Hour every Thursday at 5 PM EST. This is an opportunity for you to share any customer experience issues, solutions, or general feedback. Many of our improvements have originated from these sessions, and we would love to hear your thoughts.
