Nozzle diameter different than actual extruded filament

[Viceman]

Ok, I have Leapfrog CreatrXL printer, and it has a 0,35mm nozzle, when I just extrude filament into air. It is 0,5mm thick. Is this normal? How the extruder width setting actually works in S3D? Does it actually just change the spacing in G-code?

[JoeJ]

Yes it does. So set the extrusion width to what you actually want to extrude. So in your case keep the nozzle diameter at 0.35mm and then maybe set the extrusion width to a slightly larger value, somewhere between 0.4-0.5mm.

[jimc]

plastic extruded in the air being larger than nozzle is normal. That is called die swell. Every ppastic formula is different. I have done some that gets really big and fat. Its basically shrinking back as it cools.

[Viceman]

plastic extruded in the air being larger than nozzle is normal. That is called die swell. Every ppastic formula is different. I have done some that gets really big and fat. Its basically shrinking back as it cools.

I let the filament cool down for a while, and it didn't get any thinner. I think I need to test different settings to find out which one is best.

[jimc]

No i cools immediately after leaving the nozzle and shrinks back on itself. This is why industrial extruders keep a slight tension on the plastic as its cooled and wrapped around a spool.

[curious aardvark]

IT depends a lot on your filament and also on how accurate the nozzle makers are.

I have a machine fitted with 0.4mm and a 0.5 mm nozzles. With pla the 0.4 extrudes at exactly 0.4 while the 0.5 extrudes at 0.55.
So This is what you need to set your extrusion width to in s3d.

Getting 0.5 from a 0.35 nozzle is pretty dire. I'd suggest you change nozzles - that one is either worn or not 0.35mm to start with. Or you ned to change your filament manufacturer.

[bapro]

There´s probably nothing wrong with your equipment. You can´t make any conclusions on what happaens when you print into air. You have to build a single wall cube and measure it.

[jimc]

There´s probably nothing wrong with your equipment. You can´t make any conclusions on what happaens when you print into air. You have to build a single wall cube and measure it.

x2

[Viceman]

There´s probably nothing wrong with your equipment. You can´t make any conclusions on what happaens when you print into air. You have to build a single wall cube and measure it.

Well, I measured the support element, which just one line and it was 0,5mm thick also.

[bapro]

That´s not how you do it. You should build a single wall. The recommendation is to set your extrusion width no lower than 1,2 times your nozzle diameter.
If you wan´t good adhesion between the layers you have to squeeze down the filament a bit.