3D Printing Filament Settings Cheat Sheet
Starting-point temperatures, fan speeds and enclosure requirements for the six most common FDM filament types. Calibrate from these defaults; do not treat them as final settings.
Temperature and fan reference
Conventional oven temperatures. Values are calibration starting points. Exact settings depend on your printer, hotend, brand of filament and ambient conditions.
| Material |
Nozzle temp |
Bed temp |
Cooling fan |
First layer speed |
Enclosure |
Difficulty |
| PLA |
200–215°C |
55°C |
50–100% |
25 mm/s |
Not needed |
Beginner |
| PETG |
235–245°C |
80°C |
15–25% |
20 mm/s |
Not needed |
Intermediate |
| ABS |
240–250°C |
105°C |
0% |
20 mm/s |
Required |
Advanced |
| ASA |
245–255°C |
105°C |
0% |
20 mm/s |
Required |
Advanced |
| TPU |
220–230°C |
65°C |
30–40% |
15 mm/s |
Not needed |
Expert |
| Nylon |
250–270°C |
85°C |
10–20% |
20 mm/s |
Recommended |
Expert |
Fan speed rule. More fan = stronger bridges and overhangs, weaker layer adhesion between perimeters. PLA needs high fan to prevent stringing and drooping. PETG and ABS need low or zero fan to bond perimeter layers together. When layers delaminate on PETG, reduce fan first before changing temperature.
Material quick-selector
| Primary need | Material | Key requirement | Most common first-print mistake |
|---|
| First prints / learning | PLA | Nothing special | Temperature above 225°C causes stringing |
| Strong functional parts | PETG | Low fan speed | Too much fan weakens layer bonds |
| Heat resistance above 80°C | ABS | Enclosed, ventilated | Printing without enclosure causes warping |
| Outdoor / UV-exposed parts | ASA | Enclosed, slower than ABS | Printing at ABS speed wastes the spool |
| Flexible / gaskets / grips | TPU | Zero or minimal retraction | Any retraction causes clogging on Bowden setups |
| Maximum structural strength | Nylon | Dry 12 h before printing | Printing undried Nylon causes warping and delamination |
Warping risk and moisture sensitivity
| Material | Warping risk | Moisture sensitivity | All-metal hotend? |
|---|
| PLA | Low | Low | Not required |
| PETG | Low | Medium | Not required |
| ABS | High | Low | Not required |
| ASA | High | Low | Not required |
| TPU | Medium | High | Not required |
| Nylon | Medium | Extreme | Required |
All-metal hotend required for Nylon because PTFE-lined hotends degrade above 240°C with sustained use. ABS and ASA can use standard hotends but produce fumes - ventilation is required.