Warping — curling and lifting of a print's corners — is pure physics: plastic shrinks as it cools. The upper layers cool and contract while the lower ones are already stuck to the bed. The resulting stress pulls the part's corners upward.
Most common causes
- A cold or dirty bed — grease from fingers can ruin adhesion for the whole print
- Drafts and cold air — an open window next to the printer is a reliable recipe for warping with ABS
- An incorrect first layer — too high above the bed, printed too fast
- A high-shrinkage material on an open printer — ABS and ASA without an enclosure
- Unsuitable geometry — long straight walls and sharp corners make warping worse
Solutions, from simplest to most effective
- Clean the bed with isopropyl alcohol and set the correct first-layer height — print it slower and with a slight "squish".
- Increase the bed temperature according to the recommendation for the specific material (you'll find this on our material pages).
- Add a brim or raft — a wider contact area holds the corners down.
- Eliminate drafts — keep the printer away from windows and air conditioning; for ABS/ASA, an enclosure isn't a luxury, it's a requirement.
- Match the material to the part — a large flat ABS part on an open printer is a fight against physics. Consider PETG, or CF/GF composites, which have lower shrinkage and better dimensional stability.
When nothing helps
If the part still warps even after fine-tuning conditions, the problem is usually a combination of material × geometry × printer. Get in touch via a technical consultation — we'll advise on material choice, or print the part for you on our own technology.