I did not realise moisture was a real problem when 3D printing until I spent countless hours trying to fine-tune printer settings, double-checking temperature settings, adjusting slicer profiles, cleaning my nozzles, and even going as far as buying various kinds of filaments just to get a smooth, neat, and even print. And to my surprise, none of the changes worked! After all, 3D printing isn’t just a hobby for me- it’s my passion and something I look forward to pursuing as a career plan.
So, after multiple failed attempts and several brittle, uneven, and overall poor quality prints, it came to me– moisture. The main reason behind my annoyance, anger, and poor quality prints was moisture!
This led me to purchase the FilaPartner E1, and I just cannot share how much it has changed my 3D prints for the better. The FilaPartner E1 is a filament dryer that helps improve the print quality, decrease the chances of failure and utilises every spool to the max.
The Impact of Moisture on 3D Printing
Whether you realise it right now or not, moisture has a significant impact on 3D printing. This is because filaments like PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, and Nylon are hygroscopic, which means that they have the ability to absorb moisture from the air. Knowing this fact about filaments, I stored mine in plastic containers with a few silica packs, but clearly that wasn’t enough, and I wasn’t getting the results I needed.
Telltale Signs of Moisture in Filament
The signs were subtle at first, but hard to ignore once I started paying closer attention. I heard strange popping and crackling sounds during extrusion, and also noticed tiny bubbles forming in the melted filament. Plus, the finished prints had a rough, uneven texture and didn't have the clean and smooth finish I was aiming for. Worse yet, some of the more delicate sections would just snap or crumble with just a little pressure—clear signs of weak layer adhesion!
Why Moisture Ruins Prints
What I came to understand at the end is that when filament absorbs moisture, the water turns into steam the moment it hits the hot end. As a result of this sudden burst of steam, we get:
-
Inconsistent extrusion
-
Microbubbles in the filament
-
Weak layer bonding
It’s easy to overlook moisture, especially if your focus is on calibrating temperatures or tweaking slicer settings (like I was for weeks). But once I addressed the moisture issue directly, everything changed for the better. So, if you're running into similar problems, it's worth checking if the real culprit behind your printing frustrations is actually moisture.
How the FilaPartner E1 helped make my filament and 3D prints moisture free?
Right off the bat, the FilaPartner E1 impressed me with its thoughtful design. It looks like a modern professional-grade tool with its capacity to store 4 filaments simultaneously and a sleek display.
Additionally, its interface is easy to understand and straightforward. It includes a clear display, temperature controls, and preset drying settings based on the type of filament.
Here are a few things that make the FilaPartner E1 a game-changer:
1. Precision Drying
The E1 gently blows warm air in a steady, controlled way to dry the filament from all sides. It’s not just about heating things up—it also keeps track of the temperature and humidity inside and constantly regulates it. The best part was that I could watch the built-in display track the internal humidity in real time.
2. "Dry While Printing" Function
The E1 has a unique feature that allows me to print directly from the dryer. It comes with a filament feed-through port. This means that once the spool is dry and ready to be used, you do not need to remove it. You simply run the filament through the feed-through port into the printer. The end result is a dry filament throughout the print.
3. Material Compatibility
The E1 can be used for a wide variety of filaments, including PLA and Nylon, owing to its ability to support drying temperatures as high as 70°C (158°F). This makes it suitable for virtually any filament I throw at it.
4. Better Prints And Lesser Waste
After drying the filament in the FilaPartner E1, the print quality drastically improves. Each print has cleaner surfaces, no air bubbles, fewer stringing issues, and most importantly, stronger parts. Another noticeable change was that prints that would usually fail halfway were getting printed quite beautifully. This leads to fewer wasted filaments.
5. Revive filament
Any filament that would normally be considered to be of no use because it had been affected by moisture can be revived in the E1. Simply put it in and watch it come back to life.
What Makes the FilaPartner E1 better than others?
I checked out multiple filament dryers while deciding which one to purchase and the FilaPartner E1 truly stood out.
✔ Compact build- Even with its large capacity to store 4 spools, it doesn’t take up too much space and looks good on my work table.
✔ Easy to use- It comes with a pre-setting for various kinds of filaments making sure you do not overheat your filament or dry it too little.
✔ Real-time humidity monitoring- It shows you exactly what’s going inside through its design and display.
✔ Energy-efficient and quiet- It doesn’t make a lot of noise when in use and hence, I can switch it on and go about the house doing other things.
By now, you have pretty much realised that sometimes, all the inconsistent results and poor prints you have been getting from your 3D printer are neither the printer’s mistake nor the filament. It can be the moisture, and this problem can be easily solved with the help of a filament dryer, particularly the FilaPartner E1, which is great value for money.
3D printing is like both art and science. We put in so much effort adjusting slicer settings, fine-tuning the printer, and picking the best filament—only to have it all ruined by something we can’t even see: moisture in the air. So if you’re ready to finally put an end to stringing, failed layers, brittle parts, and rough surfaces, I can’t recommend the FilaPartner E1 enough. It might just be the missing piece you didn’t know you needed.
