In this blog post, we unravel the ironing technique in FDM printing. We'll explain what ironing is, how it works, and why you should use this setting. By using ironing, you can achieve better surface quality on your FDM prints, resulting in a more professional end product.
November 7, 2025
Irrigation, also known as nealy or ironing, is a feature available in various 3D printing slicer software. It is a technique used to reduce the visible lines caused by the layer-by-layer structure of FDM prints.
In the ironing technique, the extruder moves over the top layer of the print while spewing out a minimal amount of plastic. This process helps to level and smooth the top layer, creating a much smoother surface.
Irrigation improves the aesthetic quality of the top layer of the print by smoothing out the lines between the filaments. This results in a smoother and more uniform surface, making the end product look much more professional. In addition, ironing can also help improve the mechanical properties of the print.
This video further explains the printing setup using prusa-slicer:
At Antistatic, we use techniques such as ironing to ensure that our FDM prints are of the best possible quality. Our expertise in FDM printing, combined with our high-quality PLA filaments and the latest 3D printing technologies, allows us to handle projects of various sizes and complexities, all with an excellent finish. Learn all about ironing in FDM printing: what it is, how it works, and why you should use this setting to improve surface quality in your 3D printing projects. Are you interested in learning more advanced 3D printing techniques or would you like to have your project printed using the ironing technique? So get in touch with Antistatic today! #FDMprinting #3Dprinting #Antistatic #ironing #3Dprinttechniques
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