Material Behavior in FDM Printing

Assumed audience

• Reading level: technical.
• Background: basic materials concepts.
• Goal: connect material behavior to print settings.

Key effects

• Warping: cooling shrinkage pulls corners up.
• Layer adhesion: higher temperature improves bonding.
• Brittleness: some polymers crack under impact.

Practical controls

• Bed temperature: reduces warping by slowing cooling.
• Enclosure: stabilizes ambient temperature.
• Layer height: smaller layers improve surface finish.

Material examples

• PLA: easy to print, lower heat resistance.
• PETG: tougher, more stringing.
• ABS: strong, prone to warping without enclosure.