Specialized adhesives formulated for 3D printing materials include PLA Gloop, ABS/ASA Gloop, and PET Gloop, addressing bonding challenges unique to printed components. These products enable molecular-level adhesion by partially dissolving the plastic surface to create seamless welds. While the bottle design may limit access to tight spaces, PLA Gloop demonstrates reliable performance, and PET Gloop proves particularly effective for PET/PETG - materials traditionally difficult to bond. Widely endorsed within the 3D printing community, these adhesives also enhance bed adhesion and surface smoothing when applied sparingly to print surfaces.
Loctite Super Glue Gel and Gorilla Glue Super Glue Gel remain popular choices for bonding rigid plastics like PLA and ABS. Loctite’s gel formula allows precise application, dries transparent in under a minute, and resists accidental spills. However, residual glue often remains trapped in the bottle’s hard plastic casing, requiring extraction for full utilization. While effective for small or unclampable parts, these adhesives are unsuitable for nylon and may fail under prolonged stress.
Devcon Plastic Welder, a two-part epoxy, creates bonds stronger than the layer adhesion of many printed materials. Suitable for high-stress applications, it requires mixing and curing for 10 minutes (initial hold) and 24 hours (full strength). Though occasional inconsistencies in component flow may occur - potentially due to age or storage conditions - it remains a robust alternative to 3D Gloop for clamped assemblies.
J-B Weld excels in hybrid bonding, such as adhering plastic components to metal. Its steel-reinforced epoxy forms near-permanent bonds, often necessitating destructive methods (e.g., grinding or melting) for separation. Popular in functional applications like 3D-printed firearms, it cures fully within 12–24 hours and withstands extreme mechanical stress.
Material-Specific Recommendations
PLA/ABS/PETG: Prioritize 3D Gloop for seamless welds; use super glue gels for quick repairs.
Nylon: Avoid adhesives - opt for mechanical fasteners (screws, clips) due to poor bonding performance.
Metal-Plastic Hybrids: J-B Weld ensures durable, load-bearing joints.
Note: Surface preparation (sanding, cleaning) is critical for all adhesives. Test compatibility with coated build plates before full application.
The process of annealing is done for different purposes depending on the material. That said - the process will be the same - annealing is the process of heating up the printed parts at a certain temperature for a certain period of time.
Our nylon filaments come with our Warp-Freeâ„¢ technology. This Warp-Freeâ„¢ technology solves one root of the cause of warping - crystallization.
Indeed, Nylon is known as challenging to print because of its warping behavior, because when printing, the quick formation of crystals within each layers will create a lot of internal stress - resulting in part deformation.
Polymaker’s technology is not only reducing this stress, but it is increasing the mechanical properties of the part. The technology slows down the crystallization rate of the polymer, which prevents it from quickly forming small crystals within each layer as they are printed. Instead, it allows the polymer to slowly build big crystal across layers, since multiple layers have time to be printed before the formation of crystals. These crystals across the layers will also significantly increase the inter layer adhesion. This is also the reason why Polymaker will recommend to anneal the part after the printing process. Annealing ensures the part has reached its highest degree of crystallinity, providing the best thermal and mechanical properties.
This means you are not on a time crunch with our nylon materials to get them in the oven the moment the print finishes, as we recommend with polycarbonate which you will read about shortly. You can get the print into the oven at your convenience - just know after you anneal in the oven, the nylon will be dried out and will slowly moisture condition after. Learn more about moisture conditioning .
Each nylon will have slightly different annealing recommendations, but we generally recommend between 80Ëš-100ËšC for 6-16 hours. This will allow the nylon to fully crystallize.
If you have a print that has very thin walls - to help prevent any warping or deformation of said thin section - we would recommend a gradual heating method. Divide the annealing process into two stages, first keep the temperature at a temperature 20-30 degrees lower than the final temperature for a period of time, and then slowly heat it to the final recommended annealing temperature to avoid rapid heating and internal stress concentration.​
Polycarbonate has a lot of internal stress creation when being stretched through a small die (nozzle). You can find out more about this stress creation on our page.
Essentially, polycarbonate likes to print in a very hot environment in order to cool below its glass transition temperature as slowly as possible. If polycarbonate cools too rapidly - then it is very likely that the layers will "crack" and delaminate.
This means the best environment to print polycarbonate would be in a heated chamber printer where the ambient air is above 90ËšC, and then you maintain that heated chamber temperature for 2 hours post printing before allowing to cool slowly to room temperature. This increased air temperature will slow down the release of internal stresses and reduce any chances of delamination.
Since most makers do not have a heated chamber that can get above 60ËšC, annealing is required right after your PC print finishes. You will want your oven set to 90ËšC and already at its set temperature before the print finishes. Then, the moment your print finishes, you will want to take it and put it directly into that oven.
You may need to transfer the print with the build plate, since removing the print from a very hot build plate can be difficult or not possible.
Leave the print in your oven for at least 2 hours, and then let the oven slowly cool to room temperature before removing the print. This additional time at 90ËšC will allow the part to very slowly cool and maintain it's layer adhesion strength.
We covered the difference between amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers in our page for further information.
Some materials - like nylon described earlier - do not reach full crystallization without annealing. This is not due to our technology but just rather a function of the material.
Materials such as Fiberonâ„¢ PPS-CF10 and Fiberonâ„¢ PET-CF17 are semi-crystalline and therefore do not reach their full heat resistance without being annealed. Each of these materials will have their own annealing recommended settings on their product page with further information in the FAQ.
Other semi-crystalline materials can be annealed though we do not have suggested settings, since annealing runs the risk of deforming the part or changing the dimensions.
Amorphous materials, such as ABS, ASA, and PETG, do not get nearly the same benefit from annealing as semi-crystalline polymers do. The annealing process is more effective for semi-crystalline materials where crystalline structures can be developed or reorganized.
The benefits to annealing amorphous materials are mainly dimensional stability and residual stress reduction.
We do not have any direct recommendations for annealing amorphous materials, but if you want to try it out, we would generally recommend a low annealing temperature of just below the material's glass transition points. For example ~70°C for PETG, ~95°C for ASA. This will help prevent distortion while reducing residual stress.
To prepare prints for painting, begin with a flat gray primer or primer filler. Ensure parts are fully assembled, sanded smooth, and free of debris. Use compressed air or a powerful blower to remove residual dust.
Application Process:
Environment: Work in a well-ventilated outdoor area or spray booth with a protective tarp.
Spray Technique: Apply a light, even coat from 6–12 inches away to avoid drips.
Drying Time: Allow 2+ hours for the primer to cure before painting.
Primer Filler Advantages:
Surface Refinement: Sand after drying (e.g., 800–1200 grit) to eliminate minor imperfections.
Multi-Step Smoothing: Apply primer filler, sand, clean, and repeat for a near-flawless finish. Note that excessive sanding may compromise fine details.
Airbrushing:
Strengths: Delivers even coverage and gradient shading; ideal for large surfaces.
Limitations: Less precise for intricate details compared to hand painting.
Hand Painting:
Use Cases: Small areas, fine lines, or detailed features (e.g., eyes, textures).
Brush Selection: High-quality, thin brushes improve precision.
Paint Options:
Acrylics: Affordable and widely available; practice required for smooth application.
Model Paints: Higher pigment density for professional results.
Clear Coats: Finish with satin or glossy spray to seal and protect the paint.
Material Considerations:
Flexible Filaments: Avoid acrylics, as they crack under flexion. Use specialized flexible paints instead.
Drying Time: Patience is critical - rushing causes clumping or uneven textures.
Skill Development:
Practice: Experiment with gradients, masking, and layering to refine techniques.
Tutorials: Study professional guides for complex tasks like eye detailing or texture replication.
Summary Recommendations
Primer: Essential for paint adhesion; primer filler enhances surface quality.
Tool Selection: Combine airbrushing (broad coverage) and hand painting (details) for optimal results.
Material Awareness: Match paints to filament properties to prevent cracking or peeling.
Lastly, many have benefitted from a YouTube tutorial video titled "GalactiCustoms: 1/6 Paint Tutorial: Obi-Wan Kenobi- Pt 3 Eyes," which provided valuable insights into painting eyes and significantly enhanced the appearance of my painted parts.
Our nylon material specifications include mechanical properties and data for both "wet" and "dry" conditions. This dual presentation is necessary due to nylon's highly hygroscopic nature, meaning it readily absorbs moisture from its surroundings.
You may be aware that you need to keep your nylon filament dry while on the spool to get proper printing. When your nylon filament absorbs too much moisture, you will hear "popping" and "cracking" when extruding and your print will have a lot of very hard to diagnose defects.
Just as your nylon is expected to absorb moisture while on the spool, it will also absorb moisture as a final print.
The process is inevitable as moisture is absorbed by the print by the surrounding humidity in the air. This means that your nylon print will grow slightly post annealing as it absorbs moisture. This also means your nylon print will get less rigid but will also become more impact resistant.
How much your print will be affected by being moisture conditioned will depend on the type of nylon you printed with. We developed with the intention for it to have a lower moisture sensitivity when compared to PA6/66 and PA6-based materials.
You will see on our page for that the data does not change much when you click on "Wet", due to it being less susceptible to moisture than the other nylon options. This is particularly noticeable when you compare it to
Affect on Material Properties:
As mentioned earlier, and as you can see on our Materials App, absorbing moisture will cause your part to be more ductile and more impact resistant. This means that a moisture conditioned nylon print will be less likely to break when hit but will also be more likely to bend under pressure.
You will notice that all properties related to stiffness and impact resistance will change. When wet - the printed part will have lower tensile strength and a lower bending modulus, but it will also have a higher Charpy impact strength and higher elongation at break.
Affects on dimensional accuracy:
Since your part will be absorbing moisture - it means it will "grow". How much it grows will depend heavily on which nylon you print with, how large your part is, and how dense your part is. Below are some test results by the Polymaker team:
40mm Cube, 100% Infill, after annealing, before moisture conditioning:
And then the same print after moisture conditioning:
In the above example - you will see that after annealing the parts shrunk slightly, which is why you see a negative number. When you anneal your print, you will dry out any moisture that may remain in the print, causing the print to very minorly shrink.
You will then notice that after moisture conditioning, most prints grew past their original size, with the exception of Fiberonâ„¢ PA12-CF10. This is expected due to the moisture that is being absorbed, and also another reason to try Fiberonâ„¢ PA12-CF10 if your goal is to use a strong nylon blend but maintain your dimensions.
Unfortunately we are unable to give a "standard" for dimensional change for each material since it will heavily depend on your models geometry, size, and infill density, but you will need to factor in these dimensional changes if your goal is to have a print with the most precise dimensions possible.
How to Moisture Condition
All of our nylon options should be annealed before moisture conditioning. Annealing is very important to do with our nylons due to our Warp Free Technology.
You can read more about the annealing process HERE.
Annealing will dry your print out, so if you anneal after moisture conditioning, you will just need to moisture condition again.
There are a few options to moisture condition:
1. Place print in humid climate for 48 hours. This means using a humidifier in a small room where the print is located. Another method you can use is keeping the print in a Tupperware container locked with a wet sponge. The wet sponge will slowly release moisture and the print will slowly absorb it.
2. Submerge your print in water, and then let sit out for 48 hours. After you dunk your print in water it will absorb more moisture than equilibrium with the environment, so it will slowly dry out. It would be smart to leave a wet print out for 48 hours for it to equalize.
3. Leave your print out for 2 weeks in the environment. This process means you basically do not need to do anything other than to leave the print out. The print will slowly absorb moisture from the humidity in the air until it becomes properly moisture conditioned.
Some individuals have attempted to prevent moisture conditioning by spraying with automotive spray paint, though we have very limited information on this. Generally, moisture conditioning a nylon part will be inevitable over time.
ABS and ASA prints benefit from acetone vapor smoothing, a post-processing technique that enhances surface finish and water resistance. These materials dissolve in acetone, enabling surface molecules to redistribute into a glossy, injection-molded appearance.
Key Advantages:
Aesthetic Improvement: Eliminates layer lines and creates a smooth, reflective surface.
Functional Benefits: Increases water resistance and reduces part porosity.
Safety Precautions:
Flammability: Acetone is highly flammable. Perform smoothing in well-ventilated areas away from open flames.
Alternative Methods: Non-heated acetone techniques (e.g., cold vapor baths) reduce fire risks.
Process Overview:
Setup:
Suspend prints on a metal grate or fishing line inside a heat-resistant container (e.g., cooking pot).
Heat the container on a build plate or hot plate to 65–75°C until acetone vapor forms.
Exposure:
Post-Processing Notes:
Overexposure Risks: Excessive acetone contact may cause long-term cracking.
Uneven Results: Acetone vapor sinks, potentially over-smoothing lower sections. A small fan improves vapor circulation.
Polymaker’s Polysher system uses isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to smooth PVB-based filaments like PolySmooth. This method avoids acetone’s flammability risks but sacrifices mechanical strength and heat resistance.
Key Considerations:
Material Limitations: Restricted to alcohol-soluble filaments (e.g., PVB).
Safety: IPA is less flammable than acetone but still volatile. Avoid heating above 40°C.
Alternatives:
Best Applications:
Cosmetic Models: Ideal for miniatures, figurines, or display pieces requiring a polished finish.
Avoid for Functional Parts: PVB’s lower heat resistance and mechanical strength limit structural use.
Polysher Limitations:
Size Constraints: Limited to parts fitting inside the device’s chamber.
Material Dependency: Requires PVB or similar alcohol-soluble filaments.
Summary Recommendations
ABS/ASA: Prioritize acetone vapor for durable, heat-resistant parts with glossy finishes.
PVB/PolySmooth: Opt for alcohol-based methods for safer, cosmetic-focused applications.
Safety First: Always prioritize ventilation, fire safety, and material compatibility.
Limit sessions to 1–3 minutes to prevent deformation. Multiple short passes are safer than prolonged exposure.
For large prints, use a broiler setup with ventilation holes to ensure even vapor distribution.
Drying:
Air-dry parts for 30 minutes before handling.
Optional vacuum purging accelerates curing and strengthens bonds.
Cold Baths: Submerge prints in IPA without heat for gradual smoothing.
Sanding is essential for achieving smooth, professional finishes on 3D-printed components. The process varies by material and application:
Grit Progression: Begin with 220-grit sandpaper for most materials (e.g., PLA) to remove visible layer lines without distorting details. Progress to 800–2000 grit for polished surfaces. Lower grits (e.g., 180) may be used for hard plastics but risk heat-related deformation.
Material-Specific Tips:
ABS: Sands more easily than PLA; start with 240–320 grit.
CosPLA (Polymaker): Formulated for easier sanding, ideal for cosplay/prop applications.
Tools and Techniques:
Power Sanders: Effective for flat surfaces; avoid prolonged contact to prevent heat buildup (critical for PLA).
Dremel Tools: Useful for intricate areas but require careful handling to avoid melting or gouging.
Wet Sanding: Reduces dust and heat; use with 400+ grit
Bondo is a high-strength filler for sealing large seams or gaps in functional parts.
Application: Ideal for load-bearing joints or structural repairs.
Challenges:
Sanding Difficulty: Requires electric sanders or rotary tools; manual sanding is ineffective.
Heat Sensitivity: Risk of melting PLA during aggressive sanding.
Spackle is suited for non-functional, display-oriented models.
Pros:
Ease of Use: Spreadable by hand into fine gaps; sands easily with 800+ grit paper.
Quick Drying: Ready for sanding within 30 minutes.
Cons
Model putty bridges the gap between Bondo and Spackle, offering moderate strength with manageable sanding requirements.
Use Cases: Small-to-medium seams needing durability without extensive finishing.
Sanding: Expect more effort than Spackle but less than Bondo; ideal for detailed cosmetic repairs.
PLA: Prioritize progressive sanding; avoid high-speed tools on thin walls.
ABS: Tolerates aggressive sanding; pair with acetone smoothing for glossy finishes.
Functional Parts: Use Bondo or epoxy fillers for structural integrity.
Display Models: Opt for Spackle or model putty for quick, low-stress fixes.
Note: Always test fillers/adhesives on scrap prints to assess compatibility and finish quality.
Best Practices: Apply sparingly to minimize post-processing; avoid 90-degree angles due to sanding limitations.
Low Durability: Prone to dents/scratches; unsuitable for mechanical parts.
Limited Strength: Avoid applications requiring stress resistance.
