Drying filament: temperatures, times and when it is worth it
TL;DR
- PLA rarely needs drying; PETG, TPU, PC, PCTG and composites do.
- 55 °C for 4 hours covers every FilamentBay material without deforming the spool.
- Store opened spools in a sealed box with desiccant; a hygrometer under 20 % RH means no drying needed.
Symptoms of wet filament
Popping or hissing at the nozzle, fine stringing that retraction does not fix, a rough matte surface on a material that should be glossy, and weak layer bonds. TPU and PETG show it first.
Per-material table
Every FilamentBay spool is dried in-line before winding and vacuum-sealed with desiccant. After opening, use these numbers.
| Material | Dry before first print? | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA, PLA+, Silk, Matte | Only if open > 2 weeks | 50–55 °C | 4 h |
| Wood PLA | Recommended | 55 °C | 4 h |
| PETG, Transparent, Glitter | Recommended | 55 °C | 4 h |
| TPU 85A–72D | Yes | 55 °C | 4 h |
| PCTG, PC | Yes | 55 °C | 4 h |
| ABS, ABA | Recommended | 55 °C | 4 h |
| CF, ESD | Yes | 55 °C | 4 h |
