Temperature Tower

A temperature tower is a fast way to pick the best nozzle temperature for one specific filament on your specific printer. You print one model that automatically steps temperature by height, then choose the coolest section that still has good layer bonding and clean surfaces (not stringy, not saggy, not under-extruded).

TL;DR

Print a temperature tower that steps nozzle temperature by height (usually 5–10 °C per section). Then pick the coolest section that still extrudes smoothly and bonds layers well, with clean surfaces (not stringy, droopy, or under-filled). If you see smoke, sharp/irritating odor, or dark/brittle plastic, stop and lower temperature.

Each height uses a different temperature so you can compare quality side by side.

When a temperature tower is worth your time

Run a tower when you switch filament type, brand, or color (pigments can change flow). Re-run it after changes that affect heating or airflow, like a new hotend, a different nozzle material, or a new part-cooling duct/fan. Also run one after a big speed/volumetric-flow change. If stringing or weak bonding shows up suddenly, first confirm basics (dry filament, clean nozzle, stable cooling), then use a tower to re-find your best temperature.

Setup (freeze the other variables)

  1. Use the filament maker’s recommended range as your test window.
  2. Print the whole tower from one spool that’s reasonably dry so moisture doesn’t mask the real sweet spot.
  3. Keep everything else unchanged: layer height, line width, speed, retraction, fan settings, and flow/extrusion multiplier.
  4. Pick a tower with clear temperature labels and stress features (overhangs, bridges, posts/gaps for stringing, and fine text/corners for detail).
  5. Choose step size: 10 °C for a first pass, then 5 °C around the best-looking section.

Slicing and printing (confirm the temperature steps happen)

  1. Program temperature changes by height using your slicer’s calibration tool, post-processing, or manual G-code so each segment holds one stable temperature.
  2. Set start/end temperatures to cover your full test range without exceeding the filament or hotend limits; use the spool/spec sheet, not copied numbers.
  3. Use your normal cooling for that material and keep it consistent unless you’re specifically testing cooling.
  4. Let the tower finish and cool before judging; surface sheen and stringing can look different once the plastic fully cools.

How to choose the winning segment

  • Stringing: go cooler if extrusion stays solid (no gaps, skipping, or sandy under-extrusion).
  • Overhangs/bridges: pick the section with the cleanest edges and least sag; too hot droops, too cool can look patchy or brittle.
  • Surface and detail: reject swollen corners, blobby text, and “melty” gloss (too hot) and also reject thin, grainy, underfilled surfaces (too cool).
  • Layer bonding: flex a thin feature or try to snap a narrow section; avoid temps where layers split easily even if the surface looks great.
  • Overall result: choose the best all-around segment, not the one that wins only one feature.

Lock it in, then confirm on a real print

Save the winning temperature in that filament profile. Then print a small, real-world part that matches what you usually make (walls, small details, and overhangs) to confirm it behaves the way you want. If the tower’s “good” zone is narrow, run a second tower centered on it with smaller steps to make sure the choice repeats.

If your tower results don’t make sense

All sections look stringy

Likely cause: Wet filament, lots of long travels across open space, or retraction/cooling not dialed in

Fix: Dry the filament and re-run the tower. If it’s still stringy, tune retraction and part cooling separately—temperature alone may not solve it.

All sections look under-extruded or rough

Likely cause: Partial clog, pushing more flow than the tested temperatures can melt, or an extrusion-path/setup issue

Fix: Clean or replace the nozzle and check the full filament path. Re-run the tower slower (lower volumetric flow) to separate “too cold” from “too fast.”

Only the hottest sections look bad (blobs, droop, glossy, loss of detail)

Likely cause: Temperature is higher than your cooling and feature size can support

Fix: Pick a cooler section. If you need higher temp for strength, add cooling, slow down small layers, or raise minimum layer time.

Only the coolest sections look weak, have gaps, or layers split

Likely cause: Temperature is too low to melt and bond well at your current print speed

Fix: Choose a hotter section, or reduce speed/volumetric flow and re-test so you keep bonding while staying as cool as practical.