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How to prevent upward curling of PLA?

Posted by MrDoctorDIV 
How to prevent upward curling of PLA?
June 08, 2014 06:30PM
I can make fabulous prints that have smooth sides and perfect curves, and with Simplify3D, my inner diameters are spot on.
But I'm still haunted by one thing in any print that has any kind of overhang: upward curling. I've lowered/raised my temps, turned on cooling to slow layers, blown on the print with my own air, lightly pressed the raised portions and blew on them, I am coming to no avail or solution. Prints stick all too well to my bed, so I switched to Kapton tape so I can actually remove them without pulling up painter's tape a third of the time. It's been wonderful, still stick and remove easy, just a little more tweaking to keep it that way always.
So what can I do? I've got a fan [albeit it's on one side, but that only slightly hinders the problem anyways] on my extruder, I've got my bed as low of a temp as possible to keep the prints sticking, I've tried raising the temp, again to no success.


Realizer- One who realizes dreams by making them a reality either by possibility or by completion. Also creating or renewing hopes of dreams.
"keep in mind, even the best printer can not print with the best filament if the user is the problem." -Ohmarinus
Re: How to prevent upward curling of PLA?
June 08, 2014 08:17PM
The only thing I can think of is more air flow on the over hang. You would need to solidify the pla almost as fast as it comes out. Not sure how much is enough. I'd Be curious if you took canned air and focused on the overhang as it printed, if it would work, or be too muchforce and deform the print.
Re: How to prevent upward curling of PLA?
June 08, 2014 08:27PM
I actually did that a long time ago, on a flat level overhang [90 degrees], it worked okay. I actually went as far as to hold the can upside down to freeze it as soon as it left. I still had to cut away to fit, but for a perpendicular overhand it did all right.


Realizer- One who realizes dreams by making them a reality either by possibility or by completion. Also creating or renewing hopes of dreams.
"keep in mind, even the best printer can not print with the best filament if the user is the problem." -Ohmarinus
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