In the fast-growing industry of 3D printing with fused filament fabrication, like in every manufacturing process, we must deal with the limitations of this procedure. When adding support elements is unwanted or impossible and the quality requirements of overhanging structures must be satisfied, adequate cooling and printing conditions are necessary. In search thereof, we compared the influence of different air shrouds and printing parameters on the ability to produce high quality overhangs and limit defects, which we evaluated by a grading system and dimensional measurements, respectively. In addition, we were looking for differences in the mutual orientation of airflow and inclinations on the products. We have learned that the choice of the type of shroud does not have as big of an impact on the quality of sloping surfaces as it does on the negative effect of curling, which was best controlled by the dual air rectifier. The latter also brought the most satisfactory results at different orientations on the print bed. Among the parameters that have been changed, greater wall thickness improved overhangs the most, but it also caused the most noticeable bending of thin ends. This phenomenon was most effectively limited by a reduction in speed of the 3D printing head.
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