Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I'm just starting to work with glow-in-the-dark PLA, specifically Inland Luminescent PLA (If you're not familiar, Inland is a store brand for MicroCenter, a chain of computer and hobby electronics stores in the United States of America. As far as I've learned, the filament is manufactured by eSun). I've had some initial issues which I appear to have worked through, so I thought I'd share here in case anyone else ends up in the same situation.
I am using a hardened steel nozzle (the E3D V6, ordered with my Mk3). I did at least some reading early on and saw that luminescent filament will rapidly wear through a brass nozzle, and I wanted to avoid that. When using the steel nozzle, with either the luminescent PLA or regular PLA, I've found that it works best if I keep the nozzle temperature at 215C for the entire print - if I reduce down to 210, I run into clogging issues, and 220 led to excessive stringing.
I had a devil of a time getting the filament to extrude consistently and to adhere. Inconsistent extrusion would show up as the filament not coming out in a constant volume, and the primary result was much more brittle prints that would separate at the layers. The adhesion problem was especially present when turning corners, where the filament that had just been laid down would pull up as the nozzle changed direction and would then drag along behind, ruining the print.
The solution to both issues has been to reduce print speed way, way down, to only 33%. It's quite slow, but the result has been successful glow-in-the-dark prints, so I shouldn't really complain.
Now that I appear to have ironed out my problems, I'm starting to produce glowing Lego spiders for my child's collection. Apparently, one can never have too many glowing Lego spiders:
If anyone else is working with glow-in-the-dark PLA, please post any tips you may have. It's an interesting challenge, especially compared to the ease of printing regular PLA.
Re: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
Only way to print nice prinst in suitable speed is Olson ruby. I bought it and it worth it!
University: MK2S upgraded to MK3 with MMU2.0
Home: MK3
Materials: ABS; ASA; PETG; PET; PLA; Nylon; Nylon Carbon; CPE;
SW: Freecad 0.18; Slicer PE And still generating more troubles than whole forum together.
Re: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I'm using Das Filament glow in the dark PLA, on a crappy CTC bizer printer, (I'm waiting for my MK3), and haven't noticed any differences in printing it to other PLA. It simply works. With a normal brass nozzle. Absolutely no problem at all.
Re: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I'm using Das Filament glow in the dark PLA, on a crappy CTC bizer printer, (I'm waiting for my MK3), and haven't noticed any differences in printing it to other PLA. It simply works. With a normal brass nozzle. Absolutely no problem at all.
Glow filament is abrasive, so it will have accelerated wear in your nozzle. But then, nozzles are cheap and need to be replaced occasionally.
Nozzles are also subject to internal blockages and although the "ruby" will not wear out anything like as quickly, they can still get blocked to the point they need replacing, just the same as brass. So I chose to stick with brass for everything.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
Peter, you are completely right.
My post was two fold:
First, Glow-PLA should print like any other PLA. If it doesn't, change the manufacturer.
Second: Glow has abrasive qualities, but don't expect to see significant wear on your brass nozzle from normal amounts. My brass nozzle shows no recognizable wear after 0,5-0,75kg of Glow-PLA. No need to spend a lot of money for a Ruby nozzle. Glow is not as abrasive as carbon or metal PLA.
[Edit] I did a bit of readup. On Reddit there are some horror stories about used-up nozzles from glow (after <500g), mine showes absolutely no wear. Perhaps it's the brand of filament, or ... I really don't know.
Re: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
On Reddit there are some horror stories about used-up nozzles from glow (after <500g), mine showes absolutely no wear. Perhaps it's the brand of filament, or ... I really don't know.
You can't always tell that there is nozzle wear; it's difficult to measure the difference between 0.4 and 0.5 mm nozzle hole, and then there's the wear inside the nozzle throat which you just can't see. In many instances, the nozzle will print just as it always has, but occasionally you will get bad prints.
Then there's the quality of the nozzle; if you buy originals from E3D, they should last better than Chinese clones.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
Sorry to bring back an old thread but I am actually printer shopping and was wondering what all I would need to print with glow filament in a mini+?
I'm OK with replacing a nozzle here and there but if there is a good nozzle that minimizes it I'd like to hear about it.
I'm also wanting to know if there are better brands of glow I need to look for (and any I need to straight up avoid).
thanks!
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I've printed GITD (not on the Mini, however) a sample of Amazon Basics PLA glow-in-the-dark and I agree, it was just like any other generic PLA filament.
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
@jsw
I have printed Amolen Glow PLA on both. No issues.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I've got tungsten carbide nozzle on my mk3s for over a year and printed all types of material from PC,Asa,PLA with iron infill and showes absolutely no wear.
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
@locktec
+1. I have the Tungsten Carbide nozzle from 3d Maker Engineering and it's fantastic. I print CF and Glow in the Dark with absolutely no problems. No changes in temp or otherwise to run the nozzle.
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I'm using the same eSun filament and was suffering the same problems. I have slow speeds set for the first few layers, and then a ramp up to full speed over 5 subsequentlayers. 2 attempts started fine but failed as the speed increased.
Raising nozzle temp and keeping the speed down seems to have addressed the issues.
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I will add to my above post that I have a brass nozzle that has been printing abrasives for 3 months with any noticeable wear or change in print quality. I am doing this as an experiment to see when the print start degrading. I also have 2 Tungsten carbide nozzles that are a year old and still going. Time will tell if they are worth the price.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
Hi everybody !
I just add my experience with another product of this glow in the dark filament. My one is the Geetech glow in the dark (blue) and I get some trouble at the beggining with that filament on my MK3S+, I've try the standard setting of PLA I used everytime (1st layer 215°C, other layer 210°C and bed 60°C) and the filament was like a liquid glue after handle between finger, it's try to rub my nozzle hotend and most of the time, my 1st layer is completely destroyed, I must stop my print nearly at the beggining.
After some tests like reducing heat of the nozzle and bed, I conclude that's not changing so much, even this is worst than before... So I've try to increade the heat of the hotend only and I've passed directly from my normal setting for PLA (see on top) to this new settings : 1st layer 235°C, other layer 230°C and bed 60°C. Since that test, my print was completely finished without any stringin like or rubbing plastic stuff on my nozzle ! =)
So I hope my experience will help other perople in a similar situation !
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I'm utilizing Das Filament shine in obscurity PLA, on an awful CTC bizer printer, (I'm sitting tight for my MK3), and haven't seen any distinctions in printing it to different PLA. It just works. With a typical metal spout. Positively a walk in the park by any means.
RE:
Interesting, came across this after buying the Inland luminous filament from MicroCenter. and it was doing same for me. Prints mostly OK but where other filaments are perfectly level, this one is inconsistent, doesnt always stick, leaves waves and gaps. I tried changing up the Z height but that didn't really help.
Then I came across all these threads about it wearing down nozzles :(. Unloaded it.
Shame cause I really like the results of some of my successful prints, they glow blue 😀
I tried slowing down but not quite as slow as 33% so will try that, also my heat was already at 215 so thats not it. I will try raising heat a bit and printing slow at least for first layers. I just got into printing and its interesting how some filament prints perfect and then you load another one and its garbage
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
@jothejecker thanks for posting this, you described my problem exactly and I’m using the exact same material. I just installed a hardened nozzle but still was having the issues with the print (although it was clearly time to replace old nozzle as flow greatly improved).
I’m going to try these settings and I’ll report back on success/failure.
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
Excellent material for learning to print is glow-in-the-dark PLA. Your ideas gain an extra degree of excitement and inventiveness because of its bright qualities. Prepare to ignite your creations as you investigate the potential of this unusual filament.
RE: Learning to print with Glow-in-the-Dark PLA
I use this PETG Glow-in-the-Dark:
https://spectrumfilaments.com/en/filament/pet-g-glow/
Setup like any other PETG.
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