Silk PLA on Prusa XL

Nozzle Temp

220 °C

Range: 200 – 230 °C

Bed Temp

60 °C

Range: 25 – 60 °C

Print Speed

50

mm/s · max 60

Layer Height

0.20

mm · max 0.28

Fan Speed

80 %

1st layer: 0 %

1st Layer Speed

20

mm/s

Retraction

0.8 mm

@ 35 mm/s

Nozzle Type

Brass

Standard

  Retraction Note

• Keep retraction at 0.8 mm on the Nextruder. If fine hairs appear, drop the nozzle 5 °C before adding retraction.

Settings

Recommended

Range

Nozzle Temperature

215 – 225 °C

200 – 230 °C

Bed Temperature

55 – 60 °C

25 – 60 °C

Print Speed

40 – 60 mm/s

up to 60 mm/s on this printer

First Layer Speed

20 mm/s

slower is better for adhesion

Layer Height

0.15 – 0.25 mm

0.10 – 0.28 mm

Fan Speed (Normal)

80 %

60 – 100 %

Fan Speed (1st Layer)

0 %

0 – 30 %

Retraction Distance

0.8 mm

Direct drive (Nextruder)

Retraction Speed

35 mm/s

30 – 40 mm/s

Nozzle Type

Brass (standard)

Brass is fine; hardened optional

Dry Filament

40 – 45 °C for 4 – 6 h

print from a dry box in humid weather

Enclosure

Not required

Not needed for PLA

Support Material

PVA, PETG (interface)

load it in a second toolhead

Wipe Tower Minimal Purge

15 mm³

35 mm³ when mixed with other materials

Printing Notes

Silk PLA is PLA blended with elastomers and flow modifiers. Those additives change how it melts and flows, which is what gives the smooth, reflective finish.

OzFDM rates Silk PLA at 40 – 60 mm/s, slower than our other PLAs. Set PrusaSlicer's print speeds to 60 mm/s or less rather than using the XL's fastest settings.

Silk is for looks: its impact strength is 5 – 6 kJ/m² against 9.5 – 10.5 kJ/m² for PLA+. On the XL, print decorative shells in silk and functional parts in PLA+ from another toolhead.

Multi-tool: PLA-only jobs use Prusa's 15 mm³ minimal purge on the wipe tower. Raise it if the first walls after a tool change show traces of the previous colour.

Slicer: PrusaSlicer with the Prusa XL printer profile and a 0.4 mm nozzle. Dry the filament at 40 – 45 °C for 4 – 6 h before a long print; every figure above assumes dry filament.

Troubleshooting

Dull or patchy shine: Usually too cold or too fast. Raise the nozzle to 225 °C and slow the outer walls to 40 mm/s.

Stringing and fine hairs: Dry at 40 – 45 °C for 4 – 6 h and drop the nozzle 5 °C.

Parts splitting along layers: Lower the fan to 60 % and raise the nozzle 5 °C, staying at or below 230 °C.