Material Drying ResourcesFreedom and FlexibilityToday’s industrial 3D printer operators demand the freedom and flexibility to operate their additive manufacturing equipment the same way they operate their injection molding and CNC machining equipment. With that freedom however come the challenges of proper material handling that is paramount for consistent results from printed parts. Here you will find best practices for material handling and recommendations on the proper equipment to implement a material handling workflow at your facility so you can create the optimum environment to keep your 3D printing materials dry, extend their shelf life, and yield more consistent prints with better part quality. Equipment & Filament EquipmentThe Essentium DryBox is a humidity-controlled cabinet designed to store and protect 3D printing filaments in a humidity-controlled environment. Find Out More FilamentWe recommend drying all of our materials to specification prior to printing. Find Out More Resources & Information Video White Paper WebinarDrying TimesMaterialsDrying temp*Drying time**Max moisture contentPLA65-90°C4-12 hrs250 ppmABS80-90°C2-4 hrs200 ppmPCTG65-70°C4-8 hrs600 ppmTPU A80-90°C2-3 hrs200 ppmTPU D90-120°C2-3 hrs200 ppmHTN110-110°C6-8 hrs400 ppmPA 1280°C4-8 hrs1000 ppmPACF100-120°C4-8 hrs500 ppmPC120°C3-5 hrs200 ppmEssentium 9085110-120°C4-6 hrs200 ppmPEEK120°C3-6 hrs200 ppmPEKK120°C3-8 hrs200 ppmPPS120°C2-4 hrs100 ppmPESU120°C3-4 hrs200 ppmPETCF90°C6-8 hrsNAPPCF70°C2-4 hrs200 ppm*Temperature for a desiccated hot air dryer with <-40°C dew point air**The times indicated in this table are approximations based on typical industry workflows for these materials. Spools that have picked up very little moisture can be dried on the shorter end of the time ranges indicated, whereas higher levels of moisture exposure will require longer times and higher temperatures for effective drying. Very hygroscopic resins including polyamides, polysulfones, TPU, PEI, and PVA may require even longer drying times if they are allowed to absorb moisture up to their equilibrium moisture content; we strongly recommend that these resins be kept dry and not allowed to absorb large amounts of moisture. Request A QuoteRequest a quote of Essentium's unique 3D printing technologies today. Request A Quote