I’m using AMS PRO2, which recommend us to dry PLA for 8 hours straight!
It sounds sooooo long.
How much does it cost for electricity and everytime I have to print, do I always need to dry filament like this way???
Can’t you dry filament and print simultaneously?
You dont have to dry it unless its wet and exhibiting some brittleness (PLA) or stringing while printing. Its much easier to store it properly, I use those big clear bin from IKEA with a box of desiccant in each one. Also it really depends on the humidity in your area. Up here in Toronto its pretty dry so even if I dont store PLA in those bins, it takes a very long time it to get wet and spoil.
With some engineering filaments like PA/PPA/PPS its is a requirement to dry before printing as they are very hygroscopic, I use vacuum bags to store those.
Thanks so much.
What if it’s 45-55% at inside of house, and keeping filaments in AMS PRO2?
Actually, I see a lots stringing these days.
Am I supposed to use AMS PRO2’s drying function before printing?
You are supposed to use it when you see problems appearing due to moisture. Honestly its nice the AMS 2 has built in drying function but as it can only be used while not printing (unless you have multiple AMS units and the power supply) I am not a big fan of that feature. Its much more convenient to use a stand alone dryer that does not take your printer out of commission. A good one can be purchased very cheap now days.
Thanks!!!
Do you have any recommendationfor external dryer??
You want three things in a dryer:
I use a FixDry NT2 as I purchased it very cheap and I wanted a small unit due to limited space but I dont think they are available anymore, NT1 (single and dual) are sold on aliexpress. As long as it has the above features any brand/model will do, its a simple heating device. You might want to buy a two or four spool unit if you have the space/budget/need for it. Creality Space Pi and Sunlu has some nice models, but they are not cheap.
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mslDRoj
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNqrYLd
@maxximit is correct. It may not need dried. Unless youre in a hurry, it wont hurt. I dry pla for 12 hours personally. Kind of a measure twice cut once idea. Or I guess dry good print once.
I have similar humidity levels here and honestly I never dry PLA.
It’s a different story with PETG and the more technical materials.
I even store PLA in the paper boxes it came in without any bags. As I heard you can overdry PLA and it becomes brittle then not due to moisture but due to too much longtime heat, which changes the chemical structure. No first hand experience though, as I never dry it 
I’m very careful though to protect PLA from UV light, e.g. sun because that can badly deteriorate PLA. Some brands (or colors?) seem to be resilient while others very susceptible.
So if you stay with PLA for now, I would delay the decision for a dedicated dryer until you really need it and know what you will be printing.
For PETG, 70°C is fine. For PC and Nylon you rather want higher than that. If you have an air fryer that could also be the perfect filament dryer.
I use either the heatbed or our air fryer but I’m heavily eyeing the AMS HT because it ticks many boxes for me.
In my opinion, there’s usually no need to dry PLA or PETG filament. I’ve been printing since 2020, and I’ve only had one issue with moisture—specifically with a spool of PETG that had been sitting out of its packaging for over a year. You could already tell visually that it had absorbed a lot of moisture.
I ended up using my wife’s food dehydrator (she wasn’t exactly thrilled to find filament drying in there instead of apples 
—but that’s another story). After drying, the filament printed just fine.
ASA and TPU, however, are a different story. I take much more care with those—I always store them with silica gel beads in airtight bags or containers. But of course, that’s just based on my personal experience.
The idea is to dry it before first use or if it has been stored for a long time - not every time you use it. This is because it can’t be guaranteed to be “dry” out of the packet/storage.
Local conditions and storage method will affect how long filament can be stored or left without needing to be dried. My usual approach to storage is vacuum bags with a pack of colour changing dessicant as this gives and indication of how much moisture has gotten in.
Also remember that drying is the means, not the end. As long as the print is good then it’s fine. Filaments don’t have to be bone dry to print well.
It may depend on the climate, but I haven’t had to dry any PLA or PETG. I store PLA in the open on a rack. I also have no desiccants inside the AMS which shows a 30% humidity at the moment.
Ive shot steam from the nozzle many times before I learned (Do a long manual purge close to the front of the bed and watch closely). Bambu pla is usually good to go, but I still dry it when I open it. May aswell make the best possible print, if you have the time to wait. It also plays a role in overall strength of the finished part and how much it will shrink and warp over time(PLA). If you havnt noticed, some pla parts slowly shrink
It’s not because of being or not PLA, it’s because of ADDITIVES.
Shiney, or foamy filaments require to be dried, because of their additives. Otherwise you’re going to have a nightmare…
