Extrusion Width

Theory

Extrusion width is typically set to 100-120% of the nozzle diameter. A wider bead increases layer adhesion and print speed but reduces detail resolution. A narrower bead (minimum ~75% of nozzle diameter) increases detail but risks poor adhesion and under-extrusion. The extrusion width determines the minimum feature size a printer can resolve and the gap between adjacent perimeter lines. Different features can use different widths: thin perimeters for detail, wide infill for speed.

Application

Set perimeter extrusion width to 100-110% of nozzle diameter for standard prints. Increase first-layer width to 120-140% to improve bed adhesion. Use wider infill extrusion (130-150%) to reduce print time without affecting surface quality. For engineering parts requiring tight tolerances, reduce extrusion width to 90% and add an extra perimeter instead of increasing infill.

Common mistakes

Extrusion width below 75% of nozzle diameter is unreliable: the nozzle tip physically limits minimum bead width. Over-wide extrusion (above 150%) causes excess plastic squeeze-out on the sides, affecting surface quality. Mismatched extrusion width between perimeters and infill creates gaps at the infill/perimeter interface: keep infill width within 30% of perimeter width.

Related terms: Wall / Perimeter, Nozzle, Flow Rate