Initial impressions of PolySmooth

[NightPueo]

I was very impressed with the packaging of the filament. The box is a gift box style and one side has a description. It also has the recommended printing temperature and speed. Inside the box is a small booklet that has tips on printing and suggestions on how to prep the bed: either apply PVA glue or heat the bed to 70 deg C. The filament comes on a clear roll that is vacuum packed in a reusable zip top bag with a small package of desiccant.

RollPackage.jpg

The roll is labeled with the recommended printing temperature and speed. There are also markings that you can use to estimate how much filament is left on the roll in grams. Nice.

RollMarking.jpg
Even the included sample filaments that were professionally packaged. 45 grams per sample. The sample was zip tied to prevent tangling, vacuum sealed with a package of desiccant, and labeled with printing suggestions.

SampleFilament.jpg

So the big question: How does it print? I measured the filament from a sample pack and is was 1.75 mm, right on the money. Normally I see a slight deviation plus or minus so it was surprising to see it at 1.75mm. I've printed in ABS, PLA, and Nylon and each material needs special bed preparation and/or print surface. I've tried Kapton tape, Polyester tape, painter's tape, glue stick, hair spray, ABS wash, composite build plate, and PEI sheet. Heated and unheated bed. Since the company is recommending a 70 deg C bed, I was going to try that first.

I print on a sheet of wall tile mirror. Mirrors have to be flat to prevent distortion and the wall tile type are thicker. The glass plate provides additional thermal mass and is removable so I can replace the plate and get back to printing while the first print cools. Other that a quick cleaning with a paper towel wetted with a little acetone, no other surface prep. For my test model, I selected the Smiling Owl from Thingiverse.

SmilingOwl01.jpg

Wow. Printing straight on the glass bed. No lifting at all. 0.2 mm layer height, active cooling set to 75%, 215 deg C hot end temp, 70 deg C bed temp. Zero infill (!!). Also didn't detect any odor during printing. This is a concern when I am doing demos at schools and other event. Just based on this one print run, this filament is amazing. If it wasn't for the cost, I would consider making this my primary print material. Next up is trying the Polysher.

[bolsoncerrado]

Thanks for sharing! Now a video of the polysher in action