MUCH STRONGER 3D prints due to LESS COOLING! Testing PLA & PETG

I tested how much the strength or better the layer adhesion of FDM 3D prints is affected by the amount of cooling air we use. By properly adjusting this value we can increase the strength of our parts by more than 50% and make them almost uniformly strong.
I also scanned a couple of 3DBenchys printed at different fan speeds with my AtosCore from GOM to find out how cooling affects the accuracy of 3D prints.

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DISCLAIMER: This video was sponsored by Audible.

[CNCKitchen]

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[mahmoudelsharawy]

Print a Benchy. Scan it. Print the scanned Benchy. Scan the printed Benchy. Print the scanned Benchy. Scan the printed Benchy. Keep going until the Benchy is unrecognizable.

[japonicaren]

Always print Benchy pointing into the wind.

[damagedtalent]

Your videos are always really really well done both for simple watchability and indepth testing Thank you very much!

[SimplyVrna]

My 9to5 is being test analyst and I can say your videos are a joy to watch. You know what to test, what to include in scope and what to leaves to chances and assumptions (coz it is impossible to cover all scenarios in a completely digestible video).

[JohnOCFII]

I can’t believe my first comment is about the fantastic book you mentioned in your ad! I’m a pilot, and, while not really an engineer, can really appreciate the skills. That is a _fantastic_ book! I’m also humbled to say that I know people who participated in the early days of the Skunkworks.

[vladimirseven]

Video starts at 4:49 Too long ads works against advertiser.

[cptcrazyfingers]

Stefan, I listened to that audio book a few months ago and I was depressed when it was over. As an engineering student I felt the same as you about the technical struggles they faced. I was also very intrigued by the fact that Skunk Works had to literally invent, and fabricate, new tools and methods in order to achieve their design goals. Also, great video!

[genioee]

Thank you very much for this illusive test!
As 3D printing is a field of mostly hobbyists (only those share information), many sources are very contradicting. Your (and others ofc) rigor really drives good quality information spreading and clears very important questions. Much needed answers should be found for strength, since quality vision based is really well explored, but repeatable strength tests are VERY rare.
Since I build mostly usable parts this is of high interest to me - Thank you very much! Keep it going!

[jeffwitz]

As you already have the installation for annealing, it could be very interesting to see if you can cancel the impact of cooling with annealing. It could be a good way to have both of gemometric quality and strengh performances.

[mitch]

I tried to get a job as a mechanical engineer at Skunk Works. By the time they got back to me (almost a year later), I had already accepted another job. This other job with General Physics eventually sent me back to the rocket site at Edwards very close by. That was about 20 years ago. I worked there for a couple of years. The desert there is miserably hot and windy. I love your informative videos.
I make parts for function and don't care how ugly they are. I will try to print with less cooling to see if I can get stronger parts.

[andrewstallard]

Absolutely a pioneer for us in the 3d community. I thank you for the time and effort you put into your work. Thanks again and again! - Andy

[Tomcat_kanal]

Printing three towers when alternating layers between all towers without cooling actually still provides some cooling because until the next layer is printed on the same tower, it takes some time so it cools a bit...you should print one tower at a time to say there was no cooling...

[markymark]

what a video. thank you for getting to the point about almost EVERY question I have about cooling. PLEASE keep it up and never leave my feed!:)

[christianholderith]

Very informative. I am new to 3D printing and will be receiving my first printer today, so am looking forward to printing. Information videos like yours is very helpful and an enjoyable learning experience. Thanks!!

[martincoufal]

Your videos are always great. Thank you for your scientific/technical approach to every topic you investigate.

[matneu]

Very interesting facts to look at my next prints. In my opinion the issue of parts strength is important on things which design is given or you couldn't make bigger/stronger. 99% of the parts I print I created self and try to make them stronger by the design, if needed or failed by the first test. If I copy a broken part (that is not available or too expensive) and print it, I had to use all settings, including your video, to make sure the part will be able to replace the original.

[martylawson]

I'd love to see how print temperature interacts with part cooling. My favorite PETG settings are 270C and 60% min fan speed on Mono-price I3 with the Dii duct.* This gives good overhangs and layer adhesion sufficient that the fracture surface of a hand broken test doesn't follow the layer lines. Normally this would also cause hellish stringing, but I print from a dry-box using molecular-sieve/Zeolite desiccant so my filament is SUPER dry. (* haven't calibrated the hot end, and PIDs needs tuning. often reads 255C during prints)

[sinitarium]

BAM! One amazing video after the other!! You are killing it. You answered so many of my questions already in 90m of videos using science this is superb I am out of superlative to describe how impressed I am.. I'll have to review these videos again and again because so much useful info it is mind blowing.

I was also under the impression that cooling was having a huge impact on layer adhesion. Thank you so much for doing this video and getting so deep and technical about it that you answered all my questions and many more I did not even think about yet...

Also, 3d scanning to conpare actual print to the model is so cool!

[ColinDyckes]

I think this shows that if printing 'vertically' you should only ever print ONE item at a time (or multiples sequentially). Even a group of 3 let's the previous layers cool and lessens adhesion.