{"id":109,"date":"2026-06-19T10:51:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T09:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-warping-in-3d-prints-the-exact-settings-that-work\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T23:48:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T22:48:35","slug":"how-to-fix-warping-in-3d-prints-the-exact-settings-that-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-warping-in-3d-prints-the-exact-settings-that-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix Warping in 3D Prints: The Exact Settings That Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Warping is the failure that ruins prints hours in: corners curl up, the base lifts off the bed, and what looked like a clean first layer turns into a banana. If you&#8217;re hunting for the right <strong>fix warping 3D print settings<\/strong>, the good news is that warping is predictable, mechanical, and almost entirely solvable once you understand what&#8217;s actually happening.<\/p>\n<p>This guide gives you the real causes and the exact values to change \u2014 per material \u2014 so you can stop guessing and start printing flat parts. The settings paths below are written for the <strong>free <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\">ATN Slicer<\/a><\/strong> (our OrcaSlicer-based slicer with the AI print-doctor built in), which flags warp-prone settings the moment you slice. Because it&#8217;s Orca-based, the setting names and locations are identical to OrcaSlicer, and the same logic maps onto PrusaSlicer.<\/p>\n<h2>Why 3D prints warp (the actual mechanism)<\/h2>\n<p>Warping is caused by thermal contraction and residual stress. As your print builds, the lower layers cool and shrink <em>before<\/em> the upper layers do. That uneven cooling creates internal stress that tugs the corners and edges upwards, away from the build plate. It almost always begins in the first few layers \u2014 but the visible deformation often shows up much later in the print.<\/p>\n<p>To beat it, you balance three pillars:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Adhesion<\/strong> \u2014 maximise mechanical and chemical grip at the bed interface.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thermal gradient<\/strong> \u2014 minimise the temperature difference between the part and the surrounding air.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geometry anchoring<\/strong> \u2014 use slicer-generated brims, rafts and other features to pin down high-stress areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One distinction that trips people up: <strong>warping is not the same as shrinkage<\/strong>. Shrinkage is a uniform dimensional change across the whole part \u2014 you compensate for it by scaling the model up in your slicer. Warping is <em>uneven<\/em> cooling creating internal stress, and you fix it with better temperature control and adhesion, not scaling.<\/p>\n<p>Geometry matters too. Large, flat parts and sharp corners warp the most. Because shrinkage is a percentage of part size, a 20 \u00d7 20 cm PLA base can actually be at higher risk of lifting than a 5 \u00d7 5 cm ABS part \u2014 counter-intuitive, but it&#8217;s the maths of accumulated stress.<\/p>\n<h2>Material matters: which filaments warp and why<\/h2>\n<p>Not all filaments fight you equally. Here&#8217;s the relative risk, lowest to highest:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>PLA<\/strong> \u2014 minimal warping. It shrinks very little as it cools (roughly 0.3\u20130.5%).<\/li>\n<li><strong>PETG<\/strong> \u2014 low warping with good bed adhesion. Sits comfortably between PLA and ABS.<\/li>\n<li><strong>ABS \/ ASA<\/strong> \u2014 shrinks significantly. ABS has a glass transition temperature around 105\u00b0C and warps aggressively when it cools unevenly. Needs an enclosure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nylon \/ PP \/ PC<\/strong> \u2014 semi-crystalline materials with high shrinkage rates (often 1\u20133%, with Nylon 12 up to ~2%). Nylon is also hygroscopic \u2014 it absorbs moisture from the air and warps badly if printed damp.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Across the board, temperature-induced shrinkage ranges from about 0.3% (PLA) up to 4% (PVDF). Amorphous plastics like PLA and PETG shrink the least; semi-crystalline ones shrink the most. One useful trick: <strong>fibre-reinforced filaments<\/strong> (carbon and glass composites) warp less than their unfilled versions, because the fibres physically restrict polymer chain movement as the part cools.<\/p>\n<h2>Bed temperature: the single biggest setting<\/h2>\n<p>A stable, correctly heated bed is your first line of defence. If the bed is too cool, the print lifts and warps. Too hot, and early layers deform or go soft. Crucially, <strong>holding a steady temperature matters as much as the target value<\/strong> \u2014 a bed that dips mid-print invites curling. In the ATN Slicer, set this under <em>Filament \u2192 Temperature \u2192 Bed temperature<\/em> (same path as OrcaSlicer; PrusaSlicer keeps it under <em>Filament Settings \u2192 Temperature<\/em>).<\/p>\n<h3>PLA bed temperature<\/h3>\n<p>Start at <strong>50\u201360\u00b0C<\/strong>. If corners lift, bump it to <strong>65\u00b0C<\/strong>. If the first layer looks over-squished and soft, drop to <strong>55\u00b0C<\/strong>. PLA rarely needs more than this.<\/p>\n<h3>PETG bed temperature<\/h3>\n<p>Aim for the <strong>70\u201385\u00b0C<\/strong> band. PETG warps if the bed drops below ~70\u00b0C during printing, because the material contracts and pulls away. Keep it warm and steady. If you&#8217;re also battling strings on PETG, our <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/petg-stringing-fix-the-orcaslicer-settings-that-actually-work\/\">PETG stringing fix for OrcaSlicer<\/a> covers the temperature and retraction side of that problem.<\/p>\n<h3>ABS \/ ASA bed temperature<\/h3>\n<p>Run the bed at <strong>95\u2013110\u00b0C<\/strong> for adhesion and to counter shrinkage. ABS without a hot, stable bed will lift its corners almost every time.<\/p>\n<h2>Enclosure and ambient temperature<\/h2>\n<p>For high-shrinkage materials, controlling the air around the part is non-negotiable. The physics target is simple: keep the temperature around the part <strong>slightly below the material&#8217;s glass transition temperature (Tg)<\/strong> throughout the print, then let it cool to room temperature slowly afterwards.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>PLA and most PETG (shrinkage under ~0.5%):<\/strong> do <em>not<\/em> need a heated chamber. Shrinkage is practically negligible, so they print fine on open machines \u2014 even large parts. In fact, you should <strong>never enclose PLA and let it get hot<\/strong>; trapped heat above Tg softens the part and ruins it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>ABS, ASA, Nylon, PC:<\/strong> these benefit hugely from an enclosure. It stabilises chamber temperature, slows cooling, and \u2014 for Nylon \u2014 reduces moisture exposure during the print.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A draft shield in your slicer is a lighter-touch alternative: it prints a single-wall barrier around the part to block cold air currents. In the ATN Slicer, enable it under <em>Other \u2192 Skirt \u2192 Draft shield<\/em> (identical in OrcaSlicer; PrusaSlicer calls it <em>Draft shield<\/em> under <em>Print Settings \u2192 Skirt and brim<\/em>). Useful when a full enclosure isn&#8217;t practical.<\/p>\n<h2>Bed adhesion: brims, rafts and surface prep<\/h2>\n<p>Once your temperatures are sorted, anchor the geometry. In the ATN Slicer you&#8217;ll find these under <em>Other \u2192 Support \/ Skirt and brim<\/em> (same layout as OrcaSlicer):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Brim<\/strong> \u2014 the most efficient fix for corner lift. Set <em>Brim type<\/em> and <em>Brim width<\/em>; start with a 5\u20138 mm brim width for warp-prone parts and widen it for large flat bases. It adds bonded surface area exactly where stress concentrates.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Raft<\/strong> \u2014 heavier-handed, but worth it for Nylon and other high-shrinkage materials, or when bed adhesion is genuinely poor. Set it with <em>Raft layers<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mouse ears \/ anchors<\/strong> \u2014 small discs added at sharp corners hold down the highest-stress points without a full brim.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Surface prep<\/strong> \u2014 a clean PEI or glass bed, wiped with isopropyl alcohol, plus an adhesive (glue stick or specialist spray) for ABS and Nylon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Get your first layer dialled in too \u2014 adhesion problems and warping are close cousins. If your foundation is unreliable, see <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/first-layer-adhesion-problems-with-pla-the-real-causes-and-exact-fixes\/\">first layer adhesion problems with PLA<\/a> and, for exact slicer values, <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/prusaslicer-settings-to-fix-first-layer-problems-exact-values\/\">PrusaSlicer settings to fix first layer problems<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Cooling and first-layer settings<\/h2>\n<p>For warp-prone materials, less cooling is better. Adjust these in the ATN Slicer under <em>Filament \u2192 Cooling<\/em> (the names match OrcaSlicer; PrusaSlicer keeps them under <em>Filament Settings \u2192 Cooling<\/em>):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>ABS\/ASA:<\/strong> part cooling fan off or very low (0\u201320%) after the first layer. Aggressive cooling is the enemy here.<\/li>\n<li><strong>PETG:<\/strong> moderate cooling (around 30\u201350%) \u2014 enough to control overhangs, not so much it pulls corners.<\/li>\n<li><strong>PLA:<\/strong> full cooling is fine; warping isn&#8217;t your main concern.<\/li>\n<li><strong>First layer:<\/strong> disable cooling for the first layer on every material to maximise bed bonding.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Slowing first-layer print speed (to around 20 mm\/s) and increasing first-layer height\/width also improves the initial bond that everything else depends on. When you slice in the ATN Slicer, the built-in pre-flight engine flags risky combinations \u2014 like aggressive cooling on ABS or a too-cold PETG bed \u2014 right beside the gcode preview, before you waste filament.<\/p>\n<h2>Not sure what you&#8217;re looking at? Let the AI read the photo<\/h2>\n<p>Warping, elephant&#8217;s foot and poor adhesion can look similar in a photo, and the fix for each is different. Rather than working through every variable by hand, you can upload a picture and <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/diagnose\">diagnose a failed print from a photo<\/a> \u2014 our <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/\">vision-AI<\/a> identifies the defect and returns concrete, slicer-specific settings. The same Diagnose and Ask AI panels live right inside the free <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\">ATN Slicer<\/a> next to the gcode preview, and PrusaSlicer \/ OrcaSlicer users can also download an importable .ini patch. For a deeper look at how that works, read <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/ai-3d-print-failure-diagnosis-how-to-find-and-fix-defects-fast\/\">AI 3D print failure diagnosis<\/a>. And before you commit a long print, run it through the <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/preflight\">gcode pre-flight checklist<\/a> to catch settings problems early.<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>What bed temperature stops warping in ABS?<\/h3>\n<p>Set the bed to 95\u2013110\u00b0C and keep it steady throughout the print. Combine that with an enclosure that keeps the chamber just below ABS&#8217;s ~105\u00b0C glass transition temperature, switch off most part cooling, and add a brim. ABS warps almost entirely because of uneven cooling, so temperature stability is the priority.<\/p>\n<h3>Will increasing bed temperature alone fix warping?<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes, for PLA and PETG. For high-shrinkage materials like ABS and Nylon, bed temperature is only one of three levers \u2014 you also need to control the ambient air (enclosure or draft shield) and anchor the geometry with a brim or raft. A hot bed with cold air around the part still warps.<\/p>\n<h3>Why does my PLA warp even though it&#8217;s low-shrinkage?<\/h3>\n<p>Usually it&#8217;s a cool or unstable bed, a dirty surface, or a very large flat base where small percentage shrinkage adds up to real lift. Raise the bed to 65\u00b0C, clean it with isopropyl alcohol, slow the first layer, and add a brim. PLA does not need an enclosure \u2014 never trap heat around it.<\/p>\n<h3>Should I scale my model up to fix warping?<\/h3>\n<p>No \u2014 that fixes <em>shrinkage<\/em> (uniform size loss), not warping. Warping is uneven internal stress and is solved with adhesion, temperature control and brims\/rafts. Scaling a warping part just gives you a bigger warped part.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/bed-adhesion-settings-in-prusaslicer-skirt-brim-raft-and-elephant-foot-explained\/\">Bed Adhesion Settings in PrusaSlicer: Skirt, Brim, Raft and Elephant Foot, Explained<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Warping is the failure that ruins prints hours in: corners curl up, the base lifts off the bed, and what looked like a clean first layer turns into a banana. If you&#8217;re hunting for the right fix warping \u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":192,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109\/revisions\/192"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askthenozzle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}