The Impact of Humidity on Silk PLA Printing and How To Avoid It

silk PLA is one of the most popular filaments used in 3D printing due to its nature, applications, and ease of use for beginners. From making some of the highest quality figures and artistic prints to great-looking parts, this PLA type is quite popular. 

Silk PLA’s nature is fascinating because the filament contains added polymers or pigments, giving it a unique, glossy, and silky look. However, there’s a big con associated with such an innovative product.

To make it enjoyable, Silk PLA is quite vulnerable to many environmental factors, including humidity. When Silk PLA is exposed to excessive moisture, it changes not only the quality but also the strength of the final print. 

That’s why you, as a 3D printing enthusiast, must understand the importance of the impact of humidity on Silk PLA and how to avoid it. Thankfully, that is precisely what we’re covering in today’s article. 

So, let’s discover how humidity affects Silk PLA and what actionable pieces of advice you can follow to avoid the damage. 

Negative Effects of Moisture on Silk PLA Filament

Before we understand the list of things we must do to avoid humidity, what is so bad about it? In short, humidity is basically the amount of moisture in the air. When things like PLA are exposed to much humidity, they simply absorb the water molecules from the air.

But why does that happen? Silk PLA quickly absorbs and retains moisture, making it one of the most humidity-prone materials. The different components of the Silk PLA filament absorb even more moisture, which could lead to a lot of mess.

Hence, during the print stage, if your Silk PLA filament has absorbed moisture, here are some of the things that could potentially occur:

1. Poor Print Quality: One of the quickest humidity effects you will see is reduced quality. This happens due to the vaporization of water that creates steam within the Silk PLA filament. Hence, the water expands, causing bubbles and ruining the overall print. But how much can it ruin? The key highlight of a SIlk PLA filament is how smooth the texture is. But if there is a humidity problem, the texture can be rougher. 

2. The Nozzle Clogging Dilemma: One of the significant issues that becomes the core of not letting you print is the nozzle getting clogged due to humidity. As the water in the filament vaporizes, a lot of pressure can build up, ultimately clogging the nozzle in worst-case scenarios. This also means you can encounter a lot of failed prints and even face some hardware challenges. 

3. Weak Print Structure: Absorbed moisture can also affect the overall structure of PLA prints. Moreover, when the filament is heated during the 3D printing process, it causes the overall structure to be brittle, which can not only fall off but lead to structural failure. Hence, you should always avoid humidity in your Silk PLA filament.

But how exactly do you avoid it? 

How to Avoid Humidity in Silk PLA Printing?

While humidity has many negative effects with Silk PLA, the positive side is that you can avoid Silk PLA filament from moisture. With many effective strategies, you can ensure your printing experience is easy, effective, and moisture-free.

Here are some of the most effective strategies you can follow:

1. Storing Silk PLA Printing Effectively

Storing the Silk PLA filament properly is the first thing you must do to prevent it from becoming a victim of moisture. Here, we have many options. For example, you can put your filaments in a sealed, airtight bag, so moisture cannot happen at all. To make it enjoyable, most of these bags are reusable, saving you a lot of money while protecting the essence of your 3D printing. 

You can also put your Silk PLA filament into desiccant packs, which absorb moisture and create a low-humid place for them to be stored. One of the best examples of desiccant packs is Silica gel, which is basically found in almost every other package nowadays.

Lastly, filament storage boxes are some of the best ways to store your PLA filaments since they are airtight. Some of these boxes also have humidity gauges that allow you to manipulate the temperature and control it in real time. 

2. Using a Filament Dryer

Another fantastic way to protect your Silk PLA filament is using a dryer. But this often comes off as the last resort of what you’re trying to do. You see, a filament dryer does what it’s supposed to do: removing moisture from the already affected filaments.

Moreover, the dryers heat the filaments so that the moisture is out but the filament itself isn’t affected. Usually, this involves heating the PLA filament at around 40–45°C, but it can vary depending on the amount of damage already done to the PLA filament.

Some people also like to use the filament temperature bed as a temporary drying solution. Even that is one of the best ways to dry out your filament and remove humidity from the system. However, this method is only for experts who know what they are doing.

3. Dehumidifying the Room 

Most of us have labs or rooms where we 3D print. Changes in weather can cause problems like too much moisture in the air, which could suddenly affect your Silk PLA filament. To address this issue, you can get a dehumidifier and eliminate humid climates for your filaments.

Alternatively, you can also use a 3D printer Enclosure that provides a completely humid-free environment for the users, making your 3D prints strong and effective. A product like Chitu System’s Bambu Lab A1/A1 Mini Combo Enclosure is perfect in that case. 

Final Verdict

When it comes to choosing the right method of getting rid of humidity, you got your answer. But what about getting the right Silk PLA for your goals? Chitu System is one of the best 3D printing accessories brands that offers a host of Silk PLA filaments like the Conjure Silk PLA 3D Printer Filament that you can use to level up your 3D printing game.

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