Stringing and oozing on FDM prints: causes and fixes
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Thin hairs between parts of a print are called stringing. Common causes, roughly in order of how often they are to blame:
- Wet filament. Filament absorbs moisture from the air. Crackling or popping sounds and rough surfaces are a clue. Dry it in a filament dryer or a low oven setting made for the purpose (check the temperature for your material), and store it sealed with desiccant.
- Nozzle too hot. Lower the temperature in steps of 5 °C.
- Retraction settings. Direct-drive printers usually need about 0.5 to 2 mm. Bowden setups usually need more. Change one thing at a time.
- Travel speed. Faster travel moves leave less time to ooze.
- Dirty or worn nozzle. Clean it, or replace it if it is damaged.
Printing a retraction test tower helps you see which change actually made the difference. Share your results below.
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