Material Drying Resources
Freedom and Flexibility
Today’s industrial 3D printer operators demand the freedom and flexibility to operate their additive manufacturing equipment the same way they operate their injection molding and CNC machining equipment. With that freedom however come the challenges of proper material handling that is paramount for consistent results from printed parts.
Here you will find best practices for material handling and recommendations on the proper equipment to implement a material handling workflow at your facility so you can create the optimum environment to keep your 3D printing materials dry, extend their shelf life, and yield more consistent prints with better part quality.
Equipment & Filament
Equipment
The Essentium DryBox is a humidity-controlled cabinet designed to store and protect 3D printing filaments in a humidity-controlled environment.
Resources & Information
Drying Times
| Materials | Drying temp* | Drying time** | Max moisture content |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | 65-90°C | 4-12 hrs | 250 ppm |
| ABS | 80-90°C | 2-4 hrs | 200 ppm |
| PCTG | 65-70°C | 4-8 hrs | 600 ppm |
| TPU A | 80-90°C | 2-3 hrs | 200 ppm |
| TPU D | 90-120°C | 2-3 hrs | 200 ppm |
| HTN | 110-110°C | 6-8 hrs | 400 ppm |
| PA 12 | 80°C | 4-8 hrs | 1000 ppm |
| PACF | 100-120°C | 4-8 hrs | 500 ppm |
| PC | 120°C | 3-5 hrs | 200 ppm |
| Essentium 9085 | 110-120°C | 4-6 hrs | 200 ppm |
| PEEK | 120°C | 3-6 hrs | 200 ppm |
| PEKK | 120°C | 3-8 hrs | 200 ppm |
| PPS | 120°C | 2-4 hrs | 100 ppm |
| PESU | 120°C | 3-4 hrs | 200 ppm |
| PETCF | 90°C | 6-8 hrs | NA |
| PPCF | 70°C | 2-4 hrs | 200 ppm |
*Temperature for a desiccated hot air dryer with <-40°C dew point air
**The times indicated in this table are approximations based on typical industry workflows for these materials. Spools that have picked up very little moisture can be dried on the shorter end of the time ranges indicated, whereas higher levels of moisture exposure will require longer times and higher temperatures for effective drying. Very hygroscopic resins including polyamides, polysulfones, TPU, PEI, and PVA may require even longer drying times if they are allowed to absorb moisture up to their equilibrium moisture content; we strongly recommend that these resins be kept dry and not allowed to absorb large amounts of moisture.
