Filament Drying Calculator

Find the correct drying temperature and time for your 3D printing filament to remove moisture and fix stringing/popping.

Select Material

Filament Type

Signs of Wet Filament:

Popping or cracking sounds while printing (steam explosions)
Excessive stringing / oozing
Rough, fuzzy surface texture on prints
Brittle filament snapping in the tube (common in PLA)

Drying Settings

Temperature

45°C

Time

4-6 hours

Notes

Avoid going over 50°C or spool might warp. PLA absorbs moisture slowly but becomes brittle.

Times are for active dryers (food dehydrators or dedicated filament dryers). Oven drying is risky due to temperature fluctuations and can fuse your spool.

Why Dry Filament?

Most 3D printing thermoplastics are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the air like a sponge. Even in a relatively dry room, filament can absorb enough water in a few days to ruin a print.

When wet filament hits the hot nozzle (usually >200°C), the trapped water instantly turns into steam. This steam expands, causing:

Micro-explosions: You'll hear popping sounds.
Voids: The steam bubbles leave holes in your plastic.
Weak Parts: Layer adhesion is drastically reduced.

Methods to Dry

Dedicated Dryer / Dehydrator

The Gold Standard.

Food dehydrators or purpose-built filament dryers circulate warm air to actively pull moisture out. They are safe, consistent, and can often hold multiple spools.

Kitchen Oven

Risky & Not Recommended.

Most ovens fluctuate wildly in temperature (±10°C) and can't go low enough for PLA. It is very easy to melt your spool into a puddle of plastic, ruining both the filament and your oven.

Printer Heated Bed

The "MacGyver" Method.

You can place the spool on your printer's heated bed and cover it with a cardboard box (poke holes for ventilation). It works in a pinch but is inefficient and ties up your printer.

Desiccant Box

For Storage, Not Drying.

Silica gel beads are great for keeping dry filament dry, but they cannot effectively remove moisture from a spool that is already saturated. You need heat for that.

Storage Tips

1Store in sealed bags: Vacuum bags or heavy-duty Ziploc bags are essential.
2Use Desiccant: Throw a few packs of silica gel into the bag to absorb any residual moisture.
3Dry before printing: If a spool has been out for a week, assume it needs drying, especially for PETG, Nylon, or TPU.

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