Choosing a Nozzle and Material for Your 3D Printer: A Beginner's Guide
When you're starting out with 3D printing, choosing the right nozzle and material can seem overwhelming. Here's a simple guide to help you make the best choices based on your needs.
Material selection
Brass
Brass nozzles are good for printing PLA. Most 3D printers come with brass nozzles as they are easy to use, cheap to produce and easy to replace.
- Advantages:
- Perfect for PLA
- Cheap and easy to replace
- Disadvantages:
- Faster grinding when using abrasive filaments
Stainless Steel
This type of nozzle has many of the same strengths as brass, but can withstand higher temperatures. Since it is stainless, it also lasts longer and can be used in environments that do not take rust into account.
- Advantages:
- Withstands higher temperatures
- Rust-free and durable
- Disadvantages:
- More expensive than brass
Hardened Steel
A fantastic material for printing all types of filaments. Hardened steel does not wear out in the same way as brass and can therefore be used for filaments that wear out the nozzle a lot such as: Glow in dark, metal filled and wood to name a few. If you print with Carbon then you should use a Hardened steel nozzle for best results.
- Advantages:
- Ideal for abrasive filaments such as glow in the dark, ABS, metal, carbon, and wood
- Withstands extremely high temperatures
- Disadvantages:
- More expensive than Stainless steel and brass
Brass with Teflon (Brass with Teflon)
This new type of nozzle has a Teflon coating on the tip, which means that melted filament has a hard time sticking to the tip of the nozzle and thus does not ruin your first layer as easily.
- Advantages:
- Prevents filament from sticking
- Excellent for TPU and PLA
- Disadvantages:
- The Teflon coating can wear off if the nozzle runs too close to the plate.
Nozzle Sizes
0.2mm Nozzle
This nozzle provides better quality in xy axes and less visible layers, but has longer print times and is easier to clog.
- Advantages:
- Better quality in xy axes
- Less visible layers
- Easy to remove support
- Disadvantages:
- Longer print time
- Easier to clog
- Not suitable for glow in the dark, wood or metal filled filament
- Usage: Text, jewelry, small figures
0.6 mm Nozzle
This nozzle reduces print time by almost 50% and has almost the same quality as a 0.4 mm nozzle, but is worse for text and small details.
- Advantages:
- Reduces print time by almost 50%
- Less chance of clogging
- Stronger topics
- Disadvantages:
- Worse for text and small details
- More difficult to remove support
- Use: Larger items, lamps, vases, large figures
0.8 mm Nozzle
This nozzle is good for printing larger items and has almost no chance of clogging, but is worse for text and small details.
- Advantages:
- Good for bigger things
- Almost no chance of clogging
- Disadvantages:
- Worse for text and small details
- More difficult to remove support
- Use: Houses, bridges, large models that need to be painted and filled
1.0mm Nozzle
This nozzle is much faster to print with and almost impossible to clog, but it is difficult to get nice small details, and the layers are very clear.
- Advantages:
- Much faster printing
- Almost impossible to clog
- More visible layers (good for designer lamps)
- Disadvantages:
- Hard to get nice small details
- Very clear layers
- Difficult to remove support
- Requires a lot of filament
- Application: Very large items
Each nozzle has its own advantages and disadvantages. This guide only covers the tip of the iceberg, so feel free to experiment to find the perfect nozzle for your needs. Happy printing! 🎉