Stringing PLA? Try These 3 Slicer Tweaks First

Those thin, hairy webs between your print features have a name: stringing. And before you blame your filament, try these three slicer tweaks first. Most stringing disappears with the right settings.

1. Dial in retraction

Retraction pulls filament back when the nozzle moves between points, so molten plastic doesn't drip and trail.

• Bowden extruders: 4–6 mm retraction distance
• Direct drive: 0.5–2 mm retraction distance
• Retraction speed: 25–45 mm/s

Start in the middle of your range, then test. Too little = strings. Too much = under-extrusion and clogs.

2. Lower your print temperature

Hot filament flows more freely—and strings more easily. Arkforge PLA prints reliably between 190–230 °C, but if you're seeing heavy stringing, drop 5–10 °C from your current setting. A 205 °C start point is a safe baseline; many makers find their cleanest result around 195–205 °C.

3. Speed up travel moves

Slow travel gives molten filament more time to ooze. Set travel speed to 100–150 mm/s (within Arkforge PLA's 50–200 mm/s range) and enable "combing" or "avoid crossing perimeters" if your slicer supports it. The nozzle spends less time over open air, and that means fewer webs.

Quick test print: Run a retraction tower or stringing test model. Change one setting at a time so you know what actually helped.

If you've tried all three and stringing persists, moisture is usually the next suspect. Dry your spool at 50 °C for 4–6 hours and re-test.

Arkforge PLA is formulated with consistent pigment and flow properties, so once your settings are locked in, you get clean prints spool after spool—no re-calibrating every batch.

Ready for a filament that plays nicely with your slicer? Browse our PLA filament collection.

Happy printing!

– Arkforge Team