3D Printer Line/Extrusion Width | Best Settings & Examples

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Many factors play a role in 3D printing, each component in itself and many functions in combination. One of the most important components for the best possible print result is the extrusion width (or line width).

The extrusion or line width is normally set between 100% and 120% of the nozzle diameter. However, values between 60% and 200% are possible. Small extrusion widths provide more accuracy with longer print times. Large extrusion widths offer more stability with shorter printing times. 

This article explains how to find the right settings for your project and how the extrusion width influences the results in a practical test.

Extrusion / Line Width

In simple terms, the extrusion width or line width is equal to the width of the line that gets extruded from the nozzle to the printing plate by heating the filament. 

With a 0.4 mm nozzle, you can print extrusion widths from 0.24 mm to 0.8 mm. A high extrusion width produces stable, fast printed objects. A small extrusion width creates slow printed objects with finer details.

If the extrusion width of the filament line flowing from the nozzle is considerably thinner than the nozzle diameter, irregularities may occur on the printed object. 

In this case, the lines are not printed close enough together. The print object becomes leaky, porous or even the first layer is not stable. If you notice this too late, the entire print object could sink in on the printing plate or even tip over. 

This is annoying, leads to faulty results, higher time and costs, and the 3D printing experience leads to frustration and dissatisfaction, at least for a short time. 

In doing so, this small error component can be excluded from the beginning.

Even some 3D printing experts still assume that the extrusion width necessarily corresponds to the width of the nozzle diameter. 

But this is only partially correct. The extrusion width depends additionally on the following factors in 3D printing:

• Type of printed object (shape, purpose, etc.)
• Filament type
• Filament flow
• Printing plate
• Printing temperature
• Nozzle temperature

There is no general rule of thumb for the best extrusion width. However, it has been found that the extrusion width should be between 100 and 140 % of the nozzle diameter. 

Some experts also advise a slightly higher extrusion width, which depends on the size and type of printed object.

In principle, the extrusion width can even range between 60 and 200%, but various problems occur at the extreme points.

Tables for Extrusion Widths

To make clear what exactly is meant by the percentages, here is a table with common nozzle diameters and the corresponding smallest and largest extrusion or line widths:

Nozzles Diameter	Smallest Extrusion Width (60%)	Largest Extrusion Width (200%)
0.1 mm	0.06 mm	0.20 mm
0.2 mm	0.12 mm	0.40 mm
0.3 mm	0.18 mm	0.60 mm
0.4 mm	0.24 mm	0.80 mm
0.5 mm	0.30 mm	1.00 mm
0.6 mm	0.36 mm	1.20 mm
0.7 mm	0.42 mm	1.40 mm
0.8 mm	0.48 mm	1.60 mm
0.9 mm	0.54 mm	1.80 mm
1.0 mm	0.60 mm	2.00 mm

Extrusion Width vs. Printing Time

With a larger extrusion width, you print faster. This is simply because more volume is extruded from the nozzle per second.

To illustrate this, I adjusted only the extrusion width in Cura on one model with a 0.4 mm nozzle to see how the print time changes:

Percent	Extrusion Width	Print Time
60%	0.24 mm	00:44
70%	0.28 mm	00:38
80%	0.32 mm	00:34
90%	0.36 mm	00:30
100%	0.40 mm	00:28
110%	0.44 mm	00:26
120%	0.48 mm	00:25
140%	0.56 mm	00:21
160%	0.64 mm	00:19
180%	0.72 mm	00:18
200%	0.80 mm	00:15

As you can see, the printing time decreases massively when the extrusion width is reduced. 

Especially below 100%, the printing time increases heavily the smaller the extrusion width becomes – quality has its price! 

Influence of Extrusion Width on Your 3D Printing Result

The extrusion width contributes decisively to the print quality and, provided the correct settings are made on the printer, influences 6 important components of 3D printing, which contribute enormously to improving the print quality:

• Print speed
• Print quality
• Strength and thickness of the printed object
• Adhesion of the printed object to the printing plate
• Printing with different types of filament
• Support structures

In addition to the components listed, a well-designed extrusion width has a positive effect on the entire printed object.

When printing, make sure that the same amount of filament always flows out of the nozzles. If the amount of filament flow constantly changes during the creation of your 3D printed object, this will have a negative impact on the 3D print quality, which requires extreme precision. 

If the extrusion width or line width is sometimes thicker and sometimes thinner, your print object will also show small to large irregularities, which can go as far as complete instability. Consistent extrusion width is therefore of utmost importance if your 3D printed object is to succeed.

The only exception is that, depending on the construction of your 3D printed objects, the extrusion width of the lines may be somewhat thicker and denser for the first and, possibly, the second layer than for the remaining layers. 

Thus, the entire print object adheres better to the printing plate and gains stability throughout the 3D printing process.

Here is a very good video about the influence of extrusion width on the stability of 3D printing:

Extrusion Width & Slicer

All the settings you need for successful 3D printing are made on the slicer of your 3D printer. 

The same applies to the extrusion width. If this is set incorrectly, you will recognize this immediately. 

Here is the Line Width setting in Cura and all the settings that are affected by it:

If the extrusion width is considerably less than the nozzle diameter, much too thin filament lines will flow out of the extruder. 

With, for example, 0.2 mm extrusion width at a 0.4 mm nozzle, it is difficult to generate a uniform filament flow. The filament lines ‘trickle’ unevenly onto the printing plate and can melt in the process. 

The adhesion properties of the print object suffer considerably. If the extrusion width of your printer’s nozzle is 0.4 mm, the extrusion width should also be set to at least 0.4 mm on the slicer, possibly somewhat higher for the first two layers.

Since the nozzle diameters can vary from 3D printer to 3D printer, adjust the extrusion width according to your printer type for regular precise printing results.

With the correct extrusion width, which you set on the slicer, you have laid an important foundation for a successful 3D printing result.

On the slicer, in addition to the best possible extrusion width for your 3D printed object, you can also set the following printing instructions to achieve the best possible print quality for your print model:

• Print speed
• Print temperature
• Layer height
• Thickness of the bottom layer and the top area of your 3D printed object.
• Type of bed adhesion
• Nozzle size
• Infill density
• Shell thickness

Only these components together with the optimum extrusion width result in an accurate and visually appealing printed object.

The Importance of Extrusion Width in 3D Printing, Illustrated by 5 Examples

The optimum extrusion width is of particular importance for the following printed objects:

1. Screws with matching nuts
2. Tools, such as special pliers
3. Airtight sealable medicine packages
4. Lamp holders, lamp rods and sockets
5. Children’s toys (without uneven rough spots)

As important as the extrusion width is, a correctly set extrusion width alone does not prevent misprints.

There are many annoyances in 3D printing. Sometimes the filament sticks, sometimes the extruder clogs. Then you only notice during printing if the filament is of poor quality. 

You may also have set the extrusion width correctly and the printer still does what it wants. These are all points that you can only influence to a limited extent.

You have set up your printer optimally for your 3D printed object, use the best materials and your 3D printer is also a good quality device. Why do complications still occur?

One component of your printer that you also – like many others – pay too little attention to is mechanical problems with the extruder. 

A possible fault: the extruder is operated via gear wheels with sharp teeth. These sometimes bite too hard into the filament, so that the filament flow is interrupted at times or is irregular. 

This also leads to a change in the extrusion width despite correct settings. Very few people are aware of this fact, since the gearwheel problem is reported on rather rarely.

In high-quality 3D printers, the extruders have a setting that allows you to determine how strongly the gears bite into the filament. 
Be careful not to set this function too low, otherwise, the filament will lack grip and flow out of the nozzle almost uncontrollably. With some experience, you will know better which setting is the best for your print objects.

Extrusion Width vs. Quality

To show the effect of extrusion width on surface quality, I made 11 test prints.

I left all settings the same except for the extrusion/line width. This ranged from 60% to 200% of the nozzle diameter of 0.4 mm.

The result is obvious: the Z accuracy or the layer resolution did not change at all. Only the accuracy in X and Y direction suffered the larger the extrusion width was:

Setting the Perfect Extrusion Width – Here’s How!

There is no single, perfect extrusion width setting. However, it is clear that different nozzles require different profiles, which can be set via the slicer. 

Many (including me) use an extrusion width of 110% of the nozzle diameter at the beginning. From there, you can approach the perfect value for the respective nozzle and the filament used.

So, as a rough direction you can stick to this as well:

• High accuracy: 60% to 100%
• Compromise/Standard: 110%
• High stability: 150% to 200%

On some 3D printers, the slicer settings for the nozzles (extruders) are more conveniently aligned than on others.

Setting up the extrusion width can be illustrated particularly well using the Anycubic 3D printers as an example. However, calibration of the extrusion width and associated modifications is similarly successful with most other modern 3D printing devices.

The Anycubic printers already have pre-installed profiles for their nozzles in the slicer.

The standard nozzle diameter for almost all common 3D printing devices is 0.4 mm. If you want to use a nozzle that has a different diameter than the built-in profiles, then you create a new profile yourself on the slicer. 

This is less complicated than many 3D printing users assume. Of course, this also depends a bit on the slicer software you’re using. If it is Cura, then this should not be a major problem.

The two most important points you need to adjust:

• Nozzle diameter in printer settings
• Extrusion/line width in printing settings

For you, this means that in addition to a new printer profile, you will also need to adjust new print profiles to achieve the desired result for the extrusion width. However, keep in mind that the Prusa printer already offers you different profiles before you bother to set them up or adjust them.

This is how you set a new nozzle diameter in the extruder settings:

Step 1: 

Go to Printer Settings + Extruder 1 + Nozzle Diameter and enter the exact diameter of your nozzle.

This value you enter is the machine limit for the printer. For your 3D print, this means that the layer height to be printed cannot be greater than the nozzle diameter. The layer height should not be greater than 75% of the nozzle diameter and not less than 25%. That is, if you use the standard 0.4 mm nozzle, then you should have a maximum layer height of 0.3 mm and a minimum layer height of 0.1 mm. 

Attention:

Changing this value alone does not yet result in wider extrusion lines being printed. Other essential points come into play here.

Step 2:

The extrusion width in the print settings:

1. To set the extrusion width, go to Print Settings + Advanced.
2. Now a list with different settings of the extrusion width appears.
3. If you want to enter the extrusion width manually, use preferably 110% of the nozzle diameter at the beginning. Experience shows that this value leads to good printing results.

Setting the extrusion width is one of the essential points in profile creation when you use a new nozzle with different values than the existing ones.

Advantages With Other Nozzle Diameters

If you are just getting into 3D printing, the recommendation is clearly to use the standard first, that is, nozzles with a standard nozzle diameter of 0.4 mm.

However, if you have some experience, it is fun to work with other nozzles and new extrusion widths and layer heights that deviate from the standard. 

You’ll also gain experience of how the different nozzle types and extrusion width settings affect your printed objects. Changing the nozzle is a matter of minutes. 

The printer and print settings also do not take much time, but they bring many advantages. You’ll notice the better print results as soon as you apply the first few layers.

Many simply take the matter of extrusion widths and nozzles as a given according to the following motto: 

• a smaller nozzle is great for details, but prints slower; 
• larger nozzles print faster, but quality suffers. 

But the reality is different. Only 20% of 3D printing users dare to change the nozzle, let alone adjust the extrusion width differently. 

It is a pity that far too few users still make use of these possibilities. 

Some see this critically, others find it too complicated. But if you just learn a little about the technology and matter of your printer, you will appreciate the advantages of different extrusion widths.

The most significant advantages after replacing a nozzle and appropriate printing and extrusion width settings listed for you:

Advantage 1: print up to 4 times faster

3D printing is a process that requires a lot of patience. Even a small printed piece, such as a small cube, can sometimes take hours. 

Printing with a large nozzle diameter and increased extrusion width can significantly improve the printing speed.

Advantage 2: more layer height

A nozzle with a larger diameter understandably also enables printing with extended layer height. This also leads to a reduction in printing time. In addition, your print object gains stability.

Advantage 3: Improved support of the print object

For some 3D printed objects you need supports. In most 3D printers, these are already extruded from the manufacturer’s side. The main reason for this is that the support can be removed more easily. The printer nozzle has an enormous effect on the support walls. Just make that work to your advantage.

With a smaller nozzle opening and smaller extrusion width, the support beam also becomes thinner and can be removed correspondingly easily. Conversely, larger nozzle diameters and an adapted higher extrusion width ensure more stable support walls. However, these are then somewhat more difficult to remove.

Advantage 4: Influence on the mechanical properties of your printed object

There is no doubt that the nozzle diameter and the width of the printed lines have a considerable influence on the mechanical characteristics of your printing unit. 

Objects printed with a 0.6 mm nozzle absorb far more energy and thus have higher impact resistance than printed pieces created with a standard nozzle of only 0.4 mm. 

Virtually all printed objects that, due to their application, should be impact and break resistant, can therefore be printed with a higher extrusion width.

This means for you: the larger the print diameter of a nozzle and the wider the lines, the more density your print object gets and makes it more resistant to external influences.

Related Questions

What connects the extrusion width and the flow rate?

The flow rate determines how much of the filament is pressed through the nozzle, which has a significant influence on the print result. The entire printing process is also calculated according to the flow rate. 

The flow rate is determined by various factors. One of them is the extrusion width.

Extrusion Width x Layer Height x Print Speed = Flow Rate

It is also worth experimenting with this, but only plausible values should be used.

Why do brittle lines come out of the nozzle?

This phenomenon is called ‘under extrusion’. In this case, your 3D printer may not recognize what the actual diameter of your filament is. 

Therefore, be sure to check if your printer configuration is compliant with the slicer settings. Also, check the filament you are working with. Does the configuration you are using match? 

Print configuration and printer configuration form an inseparable ‘team’ for successful 3D printing. The print command in your 3D printer is the G-code. The correct material flow is calculated by your printer’s slicer software according to the nozzle and filament diameter information you enter and stored in the G-code.

Do I have to set different extrusion widths for each type of filament?

The extrusion width alone does not play a direct role in the various filaments. Rather, the filament flow is also decisive here, which also reacts to the settings of the extrusion width. 

Even if the entire calibration is set 100% correctly, you will find that with each filament grade, the filament will not flow 100% out of the extruders. 

It is therefore true that the filament type is a decisive factor for the final extrusion width.

The best way to do this is to fiddle around a bit with your 3D printer to see how it behaves with different configurations. It turns out that even 3D printers of the same brand and type react completely differently to the print and printer configurations. 

Therefore, it is very important that the 3D printer and the user get used to each other in order to find optimal configuration solutions, also with regard to the extrusion width.

Tips for Extrusion Width

Tip 1

To print 3D objects that don’t require special requirements, choose an extrusion width equal to 110% of your nozzle diameter.

Tip 2

If you select the extrusion width for the first layer, and possibly the second, of your printed object much higher than the nozzle diameter, about 120 to 140% of the nozzle diameter, your printed object will adhere much better to the printing plate. The first printed layer in 3D printing is decisive for whether the printed object finds and retains the necessary adhesion to the printing plate during the entire printing process.

Tip 3

If you fear that your print object will not adhere properly to the printing plate, for example due to the material or the printing plate properties, or that warping will occur, you will need an auxiliary print that bonds with your print object and holds it firmly on the plate.

The Brim, an excellent auxiliary print, can consist of one or more lines arranged in a row. For the brim, a higher line width/extrusion width is definitely worthwhile, as this increases the adhesion of the object to the plate and warping, the unsightly fraying or rolling up of corners and edges, is absent.

If that doesn’t help either, a Raft should ensure adhesion!

Tip 4

If you need to print supports for your print object, they can be weaker and easier to remove if you choose an extrusion width that is smaller in percentage than the nozzle diameter.

Calibration 

Now you have a wealth of information from our guide at your fingertips, you know your way around better, and you have in-depth knowledge about the importance of the optimum extrusion width in 3D printing.

Like many other 3D printing users, you may still be struggling a bit with the right slicer settings that will allow the best line or extrusion width to work to its full potential.

Therefore, we would like to provide you with a small calibration roadmap including optimal preparation in the form of a step-by-step guide. Make it easy for you to bring together the right components for a pleasing print result:

Step 1: Requirements

You should already have some knowledge of 3D printing. You should also have a good command of the technical terms used in 3D printing. 

It would also be advantageous if you have already executed a print via a terminal using G-code. However, many functions can now also be performed on the display. The best way to achieve optimal 3D printing is to follow these step-by-step instructions exactly.

Step 2: Optimal preparation

1. It is essential that you enter the printer and slicer in the fields provided in your profile.
2. Get the best filament material for setting, preferably in the color dusty gray.
   Reason: Experienced 3D printing experts have found that when setting the correct line width or extrusion width, the dust gray color provides the best visual view to more accurately perceive errors, especially in line width or extrusion width.
   In addition, the dusty gray color is optimal for easier detection of machine defects on the printed parts and for facilitating the learning process in the settings through better defect detection. This result came out of tests conducted by 3D printing experts together with various filament manufacturers.
   However, we use orange for our test prints, because it is the color of the 3DPrinterBee 😉
3. The material should provide for consistent quality.

Step 3: Check printer setup exactly

The control of the printer setup includes the following points:

• Right angle correct
• Stability
• Axes work easily, especially the Z-axis
• Screw connection sits tightly
• Good belt tension
• on a professionally, possibly pre-assembled hotend? If not, you should take the time to disassemble it once and then reassemble it again.
• Hotend cooling (could and should replace the fan)
• Leveling of the print bed (taking into account bed spacing and brim)
• check if feeder/extruder are in usable condition (e.g. because of correct adjustment of extrusion width)
• Recommendation: always leave the steps of the X, Y and Z axis at factory settings (even if you hear about other setting suggestions)

Once you’ve made all the settings and checked everything again, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty:

Calibration of the Extrusion

This is where you make most of the settings that generate the appropriate extrusion width for your desired print result. 

It is best to follow the suggested values and settings in this guide, which should be reflected positively in your final 3D printed work.

In addition to the aforementioned setting tips, the expert level has a lot of other advice ready, which the end user can hardly implement and is not always necessary.

With the correct printer and print settings, which also include the values of the appropriate extrusion width for your 3D print object, you have already done the best preparatory work.

Conclusion

If the interaction of the extrusion width with other printing configurations sounds like a scientific Sisyphean task at first glance, it is not. 

If you follow the tips and advice in this little guide and work intensively with your 3D printer, the nozzles and the filaments, you can look forward to beautiful and reliable printing results. In the attached descriptions for your printer, you will only find smaller sections on the topic of extrusion width. 

This guide will make your life with 3D printing a little easier. 

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