Skip to content
FFF: Nozzle Sizes Demystified - 3DChimera FFF: Nozzle Sizes Demystified - 3DChimera

FFF: Nozzle Sizes Demystified

Nozzles can be a confusing topic in 3D printing, mainly because it feels intuitive that a smaller nozzle sizes would provide for a better finish.  This is simply not true.

When thinking about nozzle size there are really 2 things to consider:

  • Layer Thickness / Resolution / Speed
  • Smallest Part Detail

Generally, the smallest detail you can print is 2x the nozzle diameter.  So, with our smallest nozzle (0.25mm), you can print a 0.5mm feature.  By contrast, with our largest nozzle (0.8mm), your smallest feature must be bigger than 1.6mm.

nozzle

Layer thickness, part resolution and overall print time / speed are all essentially the same thing.  The thicker the layers, the less moves the printer has to make, the faster it prints.  The speed gains are linear...if you double layer thickness, you cut your print time in half.  So, for fast prints, you want a large nozzle to get thicker layers (rule of thumb is that max layer thickness is 80% of nozzle diameter).

table

Interestingly, you can print a part at any layer thickness (resolution) with any nozzle...so it is possible to print 20 micron layers with a 0.8mm nozzle.  Ironically, higher resolution is usually the reason that folks try to swap nozzles...effectively, achieving no gain from the swap other than some extra labor on their part.

resolution

All of our FFF 3D printers from innovatiQ use a default nozzle size of 0.4mm. This is because the 0.4mm nozzle size is a good standard size for 3D printing.  It allows us to get amazing surface finish at smaller layers (down to 20 microns), and it allows us to stretch the layer thickness up to 300 microns for faster prints.

 

Want to learn how advanced manufacturing can support your business?

More You Might Like

SOLIDWORKS Training Made Easy: What’s Available and How to Use It

We’ve been helping small and medium-sized teams get up and running with SOLIDWORKS for years. One of the biggest struggles we see is when a company buys a license, installs the software, and then gets stuck. MySolidWorks is one of the easiest ways to stay unstuck.

Agility Is the New Advantage: Why Additive Belongs in Your Manufacturing Strategy

When supply chains break, tariffs spike, or customers need answers now, agility becomes your biggest competitive advantage. In this article, we explore how additive manufacturing gives companies the ability to pivot fast, stay flexible, and keep moving, even when everything around them changes.

Tariffs Exposed the Weakness. 3D Scanning Is How You Take Control.

3D scanning isn’t a workaround. It’s a reset button. And when you pair that with reverse engineering, you can rebuild your entire product line without waiting on someone else to hand you the files.
Back to top