ABS to PLA - Procedure

General discussion of 3D printers

ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby flickerfly » Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:26 pm

Is there any special considerations I should take when changing from ABS to PLA (or back again)? I seem to recall hearing a whisper about something somewhere, but I'm not sure where.
flickerfly
 
Posts: 247
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:04 pm
Location: Allentown, PA

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby orcinus » Fri Oct 18, 2013 3:15 pm

Keep the temperature at about 230-240, or whatever gets your ABS going.
Feed PLA into the extruder (preferably of different color than the ABS).
Purge until all ABS is out, then purge some more in case there are flakes left.

Reduce the temperature to PLA temps (185-210, depending on PLA).
Purge a bit more just to be sure.

That's it.
orcinus
 
Posts: 720
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:03 am

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby flickerfly » Fri Oct 18, 2013 3:25 pm

Thanks, the idea of the procedure is to make sure no unmelted ABS clogs the nozzle after switching to PLA?
flickerfly
 
Posts: 247
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:04 pm
Location: Allentown, PA

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby TLHarrell » Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:06 pm

Correct. Since ABS melts at a higher temperature than PLA, if there were any bits of ABS left over in the system and they moved into the nozzle, they would not melt... therefore would cause a blockage.
40w Full Spectrum Engineering 5th Gen Hobby 20"x12" w/ Rotary Engraver
South San Francisco Bay Area - Sales and Support Representative for Full Spectrum Engineering
408-47-LASER - Skype: whitelightlaser-thomas - Facebook: White Light Laser
TLHarrell
 
Posts: 419
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 11:30 pm
Location: Morgan Hill, CA

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby flickerfly » Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:11 pm

So going PLA to ABS shouldn't require even that (though it is probably wise) and if I do develop a clog, should be able to resolve by simply heating up to ABS temps?
flickerfly
 
Posts: 247
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:04 pm
Location: Allentown, PA

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby orcinus » Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:47 am

Yup. Although it's still a good idea to do a thorough purge, because PLA heated to temps higher than, say, 230, can start outgassing, causing pops and whatnot (no fear of blockage, but it can cause irregularities in the extrusion).
orcinus
 
Posts: 720
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:03 am

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby funkybuddha » Fri Oct 25, 2013 1:50 am

I follow this process religiously and have never had any problems switching between ABS and PLA - and I switch quite often.
funkybuddha
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:08 am

Re: ABS to PLA - Procedure

Postby flickerfly » Fri Oct 25, 2013 3:23 am

Thank you funkybuddha.
flickerfly
 
Posts: 247
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:04 pm
Location: Allentown, PA


Return to 3D Printer General Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests