• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Tutorials and fixes for smartphone, gadget, and computer problems

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iOS
    • MacOS
    • Office
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About Technipages
3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About PVA

3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About PVA

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Mel Hawthorne Leave a Comment

Polyvinyl Alcohol or PVA is a soft and biodegradable polymer that is extremely sensitive to moisture. PVA’s vulnerability to moisture is so extreme that it has actually become its main selling point. When exposed to water, PVA dissolves; this makes it a fantastic support material. It can be printed to provide full support for extremely complicated geometry and then trivially removed with no effort and leaving no marks.

Hardware requirements

  • Bed Temperature: 45-60 °C
  • Heated Bed: Optional
  • Build Surface: PEI, Painter’s tape
  • Extruder Temperature: 185-200 °C
  • Part Cooling Fan: Required

Best practices and tips

With PVA’s extreme sensitivity to water, it must be stored in a dry box. For this, you want an air-tight container with a desiccant to preferentially absorb any moisture. If possible, you should use a dry box that features a filament guide tube, so it never has to be taken out.

If your PVA filament has already been affected by moisture, you’re likely to hear a crackling and popping sound when printing as the water evaporates. The resulting prints will have bubbles and holes; this may not sound like much of an issue for dissolvable support material, but it can also affect the main print material’s surface quality.

You can dry a wet filament in a dehydrator or in a low-temperature oven. However, if you do so, be very careful to keep the temperature below the glass transition temperature of the filament.

As PVA is expensive, it can be tempting to use it sparingly as a support material. While you don’t have to print large solid blocks of PVA, you will get the best results when you provide your main print with proper support. The best way to do so is to configure your slicing software’s support density settings to find the best of both worlds.

Advantages

  • Water-soluble support material
  • Doesn’t require special solvents to dissolve
  • No additional hardware required

Disadvantages

  • Extremely moisture sensitive
  • Expensive
  • Requires careful storage

Conclusion

This information should give you a great starting point for PVA printing. Have you got any specific projects for which you’re planning to use PVA? If so, let us know down below.

You Might Also Like

  • 3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About TPU
    3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About TPU
  • 3D Printing Material Guide - How to Use ABS
    3D Printing Material Guide - How to Use ABS
  • 3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About PLA
    3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About PLA
  • 3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About ASA
    3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About ASA
  • 3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About HIPS
    3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About HIPS
  • 3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About PETG
    3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About PETG
  • 3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About Nylon
    3D Printing Material Guide - What to Know About Nylon
  • 3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About Polycarbonate
    3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About…
  • 3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About Polypropylene
    3D Printing Material Guide – What to Know About…

Filed Under: Hardware Tagged With: 3D

Reader Interactions

Did this help? Let us know!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • How to Enable Dark Mode in Firefox
  • Windows 11: How to Add Clocks with Different Time Zones
  • Google Assistant: How to Never Miss a Birthday
  • Windows 11: How to Disable Notifications and Ads
  • How to Use Oculus Quest 2 Air Link
  • How to Create an Avatar in the Oculus Quest 2
  • 5 Free and Fun Math Apps for Kids
  • Windows 11: How to Discover What Graphics Card You’re Using

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

You May Also Like

  • Buyers Guide: Best Wireless Charging Stations
  • Buyers Guide: 9 Galaxy Watch Bands You'll Love

© Copyright 2022 Technipages · All Rights Reserved · Privacy