Stringing occurs when molten filament oozes from the nozzle during travel moves. Reducing print temperature by 5-10°C, tuning retraction distance, and drying your filament eliminates most stringing.
Three Causes of Stringing
- Too hot: Molten filament flows too easily and drips during travel
- Insufficient retraction: The filament isn’t pulled back enough during travel moves
- Wet filament: Moisture creates steam that forces material out of the nozzle
Fix by Cause
Temperature
Reduce nozzle temperature by 5°C increments until stringing stops. PLA typically prints best at 190-210°C; PETG at 220-240°C. Going too low causes under-extrusion.
Retraction Settings
| Printer Type | Distance | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Direct drive | 0.5-2mm | 25-45mm/s |
| Bowden | 4-6mm | 25-45mm/s |
Moisture
Dry your filament at the appropriate temperature (PLA: 45-55°C, PETG: 60-65°C) for 4-6 hours. Store in sealed bags with desiccant.
Quick Test
Print a retraction test tower (available on most slicing software). If stringing appears only on one side, adjust retraction. If it appears everywhere, reduce temperature. If it gets worse over time, dry your filament.
Individual results depend on your printer, environment and application.