Best Room Temperature for 3D Printing Environment

by Mike Brooks | Last Updated: May 5, 2022

Perfecting your 3D print isn’t a task easily achievable on the first try. There are many factors to consider, with room temperature being one of the essential options.

This article will help you estimate the best room temperature for 3D printing projects in various environments that guarantees high-quality prints.

What Is the Best Bed Temperature for 3D Printing?

The best bed temperature depends on the type of filament your 3D printer uses.

The following are various filaments used and their required optimal bed temperatures.

• PLA: 20°C – 60°C (68°F -140°F)
• ABS: 80°C – 110°C (176°F – 230°F)
• PETG: 50°C -75°C (122°F – 167°F)
• Nylon: 70°C – 100°C (158°F – 212°F)
• TPU: 30°C – 60°C (86°F – 140°F)

It’s essential to regulate your bed temperature to the required settings lest you get a failed print.

Room Temperature for 3D Printing. How Does It Affect 3D Printing?

Room temperature does significantly impact your 3D print quality. It’s advisable to maintain a room temperature range of between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).

Your prints might have defects when produced at an extreme operating temperature regardless of whether it’s too cold (results in warping) or too hot (results in deformities).

Printing at the best ambient room temperature increases the chances of producing high-quality 3D prints.

Can I Have My 3D Printer in My Room?

It’s not advisable to have a 3D printer in your room due to the various health and safety risks involved.

However, you can only consider using the printer in your bedroom if the room has an efficient ventilation system with a HEPA (High Efficient Particulate Air) filter.

What Is the Ideal Placement for My 3D Printer?

There are a few factors to consider when searching for the perfect placement, including:

• Sunlight
• Humidity
• Temperature
• Draft
• Storage space

Sunlight

A 3D printer directly exposed to sunlight increases the operating temperature leading to over-drying filaments. The heat also degrades the final print quality.

However, modern 3D printers come with UV protection technology to combat this issue. If your printer doesn’t have such a feature, try to find a place without direct exposure to the sun’s rays.

Humidity

High humidity can degrade your print quality because your filaments tend to absorb atmospheric moisture and wear out.

Bedrooms are especially rampant with high humidity because our body temperature drops as we sleep, releasing heat into the environment.

The heat and moisture are then trapped by the filaments making them extremely brittle.

However, different filaments react differently to moisture, and modern 3D printer accessories are available to reduce the amount of water in these filaments.

Therefore, ensure you find a room with the least humidity for the perfect 3D print.

Temperature

Temperature variations significantly affect your 3D prints.

The temperature difference during printing can cause warping issues in a cold environment. On the other hand, if the temperatures are too high, your print might end up deformed.

It’s best to find a placement with the best ambient room temperature directed by the brand manufacturer’s instructions.

Storage Room

You need enough storage space for not only your 3D printer but also the many accessories and spare parts that come with it. You don’t want these items invading an entire room, do you?

Can You 3D Print in a Cold or Hot Room?

It’s possible to 3D print objects in a cold or hot room. However, some challenges come with each environment, and users must regulate the printer temperature depending on the type of filter used.

3D Printing in a Cold Room

Printing in cold rooms can be tricky unless you carefully monitor the environmental temperature.

Some materials can handle cold weather better than others. PLA, for example, has a low glass transition temperature compared to ABS.

This feature allows a PLA filament to get better 3D prints in a cooler environment than ABS.

You would need a heated enclosure to print using ABS as it allows the material to cool slowly in cold weather.  However, temperature fluctuations need control to prevent warping cases in these cold rooms.

3D Printing in a Hot Room

Most 3D printing activities are suitable under hot conditions but limited.

Materials like ABS flourish in hot environments as compared to PLA. You’d need efficient cooling fans to get quality prints in a hot room using PLA material.

Always ensure the room temperature doesn’t exceed the required amount to prevent print failure.

Health & Safety Considerations During 3D Printing

Prolonged usage of your 3D printer can create some health and safety concerns, especially in a poorly ventilated room, including:

• Toxic fumes from materials
• Fire risks
• Scraper blade injuries
• Burns from heated parts
• Electrocution

Toxic Fumes From Materials

3D prints are produced by melting plastic filaments and layering the solution to create customized objects. Heating plastic filaments release harmful compounds in fumes into the atmosphere.

PLA particles emitted during printing are more toxic than ABS particles. However, since 3D printers emit more ABS particles, it carries more concern than PLS.

When inhaled or absorbed by the skin, these fumes have adverse effects, such as trouble breathing and inflammation.

Related: 3D Printing Fume Extraction Solutions!

Fire Risks

While the chances of a fire starting from 3D printers are low, they aren’t zero.

It’s advisable to buy a 3D printer equipped with a thermal runaway feature that shuts down the machine in case of a fault or overheating.

Scraper Blade Injuries

Scraper blades used for removing the finished prints are laced with contaminants. In case of any cuts, the chemicals on these blades can lead to infections.

Therefore, it’s advisable to scrape away from your skin and wear the recommended gloves while doing so.

Burns From Heated Parts

The heated bed on your 3D printer can reach about 100°C (212°F) for the first layer. The filaments can also be heated to temperatures above 100°C, especially in the FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) printing method.

Coming into contact with these hot parts without protective gear can lead to severe burns.

Ensure you’re wearing the proper gloves when handling hot printer parts. Also, it’s wise to keep the printer away from pets and kids at all times.

Electrocution

The environment inside the printer puts the user at risk of getting electrocuted because most of the printer parts are made of conductive material.

Faulty ground connections and loose internal wires are the leading causes of electric shocks in a 3D printer.

Therefore, you should check to ensure all parts and wires are in their proper place to avoid any faults in the system.

What Is the Optimal Ambient Temperature for 3D Printing?

Ambient temperature is a range of air temperatures for an environment.

The optimal temperature for 3D printing ultimately depends on the type of filament used because different filaments require different temperature stability.

While filaments, such as TPU, function properly under cold environments, others like the ABS require high temperatures for perfect printing.

Therefore, it isn’t easy to pinpoint the optimal ambient 3D printing temperature because of the filaments’ variations.

However, depending on the filament you’re using, always ensure your workplace temperature stays stable to produce good quality prints.

What Temperature Do 3D Printers Work?

3D printing works at temperatures as low as 20°C/68°F (minimum room temperature) and as high as 280°C/536°F.

Printing at temperatures below the minimum and above the maximum can lead to deformed prints and the breakdown of your machine.

Conclusion

Maintaining a constant printing temperature that works best for your prints is the best way to maximize your product quality.

Similarly, always ensure you follow the required printing guidelines to ensure a flawless printing affair for all your prints.

Michael Brooks is the founder of M3DZone.com. He sees a very bright future for 3D printing that's why his mission is to try and make this easy for everyone. Discover your hidden talent and creativity. You can follow here: Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.