Suitability of PETG for printing fine details and objects with many islands

markfarnell

I am trying to print the test object ctrlV:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:704409

using MatterControl 1.5.3 with PETG.

However even when I set the print speed to a low value (50mm/s) and enable retraction (enabled by default anyway), the print is still very stringy with residues around the edges, and small letters either missing or in a mess.

So is PETG a suitable material for printing fine details? If so, do you have a PETG setting file that I can import?

unlimitedbacon

PET is highly prone to stringing and oozing. It also has a tendency to collect on the nozzle and then deposit itself in a large glob halfway through the print. I think the best you can do is follow our guide on tuning retractions. This will minimize the oozing, but you can never really eliminate it.

markfarnell

Thanks for pointing me out the tutorial, and yes I am calibrating the retraction setting right now as per the tutorial.

However, how can I address the missing letter issue in the print test? The nozzle diameter is 0.4mm, is it too big for the ctrlV test? If so, how small can I go for the nozzle?

Also, are there any other causes for missing letters in 3D prints? Currently the print speed is 50mm/s Is this too fast for PETG?

unlimitedbacon

Check you layer view and see if the letters are actually being generated. If they are not, then it is just because of your nozzle size. See this post.