Curling in 3D Printing: What It Is and How to Fix It

As you probably know by now, the term additive manufacturing encompasses a number of innovative technologies that enable parts to be manufactured faster and with fewer materials than subtractive manufacturing methods. However, it is not infallible. Indeed, for each printed part, numerous parameters must be taken into account to avoid printing errors. One common problem in 3D printing is curling. Though similar to another well-known phenomenon, warping, they are not exactly the same. But what do these two closely related but distinct notions mean?

Curling, also known as rough corners or overextension on corners, is a deformation of the upper layers of the 3D-printed object, particularly visible at the edges, which can cause the part to become defective. Warping is a similar phenomenon, but affects the lower layers of the part, causing it to detach from the printing plate. Another term, delamination, on the other hand, is characterized by the separation of the various printed layers, the same phenomenon taken to extremes. Let’s take a closer look at the causes of these anomalies, and the solutions to be implemented to avoid them.

The curling phenomenon leads to deformation of the part

Essentially, curling in 3D printing (along with the other phenomena) is caused by too great a temperature difference between the material at the time of extrusion and the surrounding air (as soon as the filament leaves the nozzle, it is suddenly cooled to room temperature). This is why this problem often arises during FDM 3D printing.