When filaments are exposed to moisture in the air, printing may result in problems such as stringing and easy breaking.To address the printing quality issues caused by moisture in the filaments, it is necessary to dry the filaments.
To make it more convenient for users to dry filaments, we utilize the following two functions in the printer to create a drying environment:
The heating function of the heatbed.
The enclosed space of the printer.
It is necessary to cover the filaments with a filament packaging box or a self-printed box.
For the Filament packaging box
For using a filament packing box, it is necessary to tear open one side of the box in advance.
For the self-printed PC box
Download link for the box model: Download
Please carefully follow these instructions and precautions when using them; otherwise, QIDI will not bear any responsibility for the above risks.
The filament drying function can cause some problems, as exemplified below:
Some third-party spools are not temperature-resistant enough, so spool deformation during drying is possible.
There is a risk of clogging the tool head if the heatbed is not in the lower half of the chamber during drying and there is filament like PLA, PETG and TPU in the hotend.
Remove anything that may be under or above the heatbed to avoid collisions with the heatbed, and remove the filament from the tool head to avoid the risk of clogging.
Place the filaments on the heatbed, then cover them with a filament packing box or a self-printed box. Close the front door and the top cover securely.
Note:
It is necessary to cover the filaments with a filament packaging box or a self-printed box if dry filament with heatbed. Throughout the process, make sure to tightly close the top cover and securely fasten the front door to ensure that the temperature inside the filaments' space reaches a higher value.
Step 4: Set the heatbed Temperature and Start Drying
Regarding the drying process, you can refer to the following table for the recommended heatbed temperatures:
| Filament | Heatbed Temperature ℃ | Dry Time (h) | Turn Over Time (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA、PLA-CF/GF | 65 - 75 | 12 | Every 6 |
| Support for PLA/PETG | 65 - 75 | 12 | Every 6 |
| PETG、PETG-CF | 75 - 85 | 12 | Every 6 |
| ABS、ASA | 90 - 100 | 12 | Every 6 |
| TPU | 80 - 90 | 12 | Every 6 |
| PC | 90 - 100 | 12 | Every 6 |
| PVA、BVOH | 90 - 100 | 12 | Every 6 |
| Support for PA/PET | 90 - 100 | 12 | Every 6 |
| PA6-CF/GF、PAHT-CF/GF、PET-CF 等 | 90 - 100 | 12 | Every 6 |
Using the printer's heatbed for drying PPA-CF/GF, PPS, and PPS-CF/GF may not be as effective as using a convection oven. If you need to dry these filaments using the printer's heatbed, it is recommended to set the heatbed temperature to 110°C and dry them for 12 hours.
However, it is highly recommended to use a blast (forced air) one for drying these filaments. Please refer this wiki：Filament Drying Recommendations
The closer the filaments are to the heatbed, the higher the temperature. Therefore, it is recommended to flip the filaments during the drying process to achieve better drying results. This will ensure more even drying of the filaments.
Please wear gloves when flipping the filaments to avoid burns.
Once the drying time is reached, click the "Complete" button or set the heatbed temperature to 0°C（Q2C）. Wait until the filaments are no longer hot to the touch, and then promptly remove them for further handling.
After drying, please immediately use effective desiccants and seal the moisture-sensitive filaments in a container or QIDIBOX. It is important to use the dried filaments as soon as possible to prevent them from reabsorbing moisture. Different materials with varying moisture absorption capacities can start to degrade in print quality within 2 to 12 hours when exposed to air at standard temperatures and humidity levels. If the air humidity is higher, this timeframe will be shorter.