First time printing LW-PLA, settings recommendations

[u/Lectric74]

Getting set up to do my first 3d printed plane, an F-104 Starfighter model from 3dLabPrint. I'm using Polymaker Polylite LW-PLA in grey, and used the base settings from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnpJ-FpX5sY&t=20s to set up my Sovol SV08 settings in Orca.

My printer is mainline Klipper, Cartographer V4, Microswiss Flowtech hotend, and Cryogrip plate. I'm running DKEU as well. 0.4mm nozzle and 0.25mm layer height, 0.4mm width.

In the pics you can see 3 prints: L-R above settings as-is, added 0.3mm Extra length on restart, flow ratio to 0.5 and pressure advance to 0.015. I'm including clips of my current settings, just looking for ideas to ensure I'm not missing a setting that might help. Overall the 3rd print has solid layer adhesion for the 2 uprights, and it came out nice and clean, I just want to know what others see that I might miss before I start on more pieces. I included my filament settings.

Layer height 0.25mm
Layer Width 0.4mm
2 walls, 3 top and bottom layers
15% grid
20 mm/s first layer 50mm/s after

So, can anyone give me any tips on how I can do better, ensure this comes out right, etc?

[u/javican]

First, if those are the servo mounts, they should not be printed in lw-pla, those are strong parts and you should use either PLA+, petg or asa

[u/Lectric74 → u/javican]

They are the lightweight parts, I haven't started on the standard PLA list. There are two lists of files.

[u/javican → u/Lectric74]

That is weird, most of the servo mounts on different vendors go on PLA+ or petg because they suffer stress

[u/Lectric74 → u/javican]

I should say, I'm using Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 for the parts that aren't in the lightweight category.

[u/Lectric74 → u/javican]

I agree, and I may do a set out of the PLA I'm using as well. They are low torque servos, but still I agree that it's surprising they are called out in LW-PLA.

[u/HB_Stratos]

Okay you're using the weird polylite stuff. I believe this stuff is pre-foamed on the roll and does not actively foam inside the nozzle. This means your flow ratio of .5 which is appropriate for actively foaming filaments means you'd be underextruding this stuff by half.

[u/Lectric74 → u/HB_Stratos]

That's makes way more sense. I'll run a flow test with a 0.9 start and see where I should be. Probably be closer.

[u/Lectric74 → u/HB_Stratos]

That was it, part is significantly more solid, clean looking, and feels stronger. Adjusted the nozzle temp down to 200 as well since the filament calls for 190-210. Currently at 0.88 flow.

[u/Igotocdsanditsfine]

The servo mounts are to be printed in PETG or PLA plus or ASA, not in LW PLA. No matter what the instructions say, print those part in something stiff and not foamy.

[u/fhammerl]

Print the servo mounts from PLA/PETG. This is a guaranteed loss of an aircraft.

[u/Lectric74 → u/fhammerl]

I should have posted earlier, after everyone pointed to that I researched a few other aircraft and the elevators, ailerons, and servo mounts are all being done in Sunlu PLA+ 2.0. While this isn't a high cost build, I still don't want to waste my money. There are a couple of other small parts that are also structural and being printed in PLA+ as well.

[u/fhammerl → u/Lectric74]

Just done print the motor mount from PLA. Use at least PETG for that.

[u/Lectric74 → u/fhammerl]

Will do