5 Tips for Printing With Nylon Kevlar Filament

Can you imagine making a 3D print that has the trifecta of strength, durability, and abrasion resistance? We can! If your business needs to step outside the realm of ordinary prints, then Nylon Kevlar filament is ready to help you do it. Here are five tips for printing with Nylon Kevlar filament.

Prepare the Printer Bed

Your mother told you to make your bed every day. We’re going to tell you to clean it. An uneven surface or improperly prepared bed can ruin the outcome of your project before you print the first layer. Avoid that by prepping the printer bed before use. Turn off the printer or remove the bed and clean off filament scraps. If you use glue and it looks a bit tired, clean it off and apply a fresh layer. Consider making a test print of a few layers to ensure that they look even.

Use the Right Equipment

You know that $119 off-brand 3D printer you bought on Prime Day last year? Put it aside for Nylon Kevlar filament. You have two big considerations with Nylon Kevlar. First, the hot end must be about 240° to 270° C to print. That’s hot enough to boil brake fluid! The Kevlar is in tiny pieces in the filament, and it’s REALLY abrasive to your nozzle. Ditch the stock brass nozzle and get a hardened one in its place—at least 0.4 mm diameter to prevent clogging.

Dry, Dry, Dry…and Keep it Dry

Nylon Kevlar filament is a hygroscopic material, meaning it absorbs moisture quickly. Under certain conditions, perfectly dry Nylon filament has been known to start spitting by the end of the print. Casual users can use an oven, but more serious users may want to consider an in-line drier.

Print With the Right Settings

Again, Nylon Kevlar should be printed at a temperature between 240° and 270° C for the best print quality. Keep your printer at a speed between 25 mm/s to 60 mm/s to prevent nozzle clogs and get clean adhesion to the bed. Finally, have no fan or incident drafts in the room.

Consider Processing Techniques

Depending on your needs, you might want to sand and paint the finished product. Personally, we think the steel gray look is pretty cool.

We could go on with more tips for printing with Nylon Kevlar filaments, but these five are at the top of our list. Filamatrix offers top-quality, American-made filaments, including Nylon, Nylon Kevlar, and Hydrophobic Nylon. Find what you need in our online shop, and stick around to learn other tips, tricks, and hacks for printing with various filaments.