New makers often grab a "one temperature fits all" default and stick with it, then blame the printer for strings, peeling corners or weak layers. The truth is simpler: each filament family has a temperature window, and within it small changes decide whether layers really fuse or just rest on each other. This is a methodical, no-flow-chart-luck guide to setting nozzle and bed heat for PLA+, PETG, ABS and TPU.
The Two Jobs Temperature Does
The nozzle temperature melts the polymer enough to flow and fuse with the layer below; too cold and you get weak, matte layers and poor adhesion, too hot and you add stringing and blobs. The heated bed only keeps the parts' first few millimetres from warping as they cool — it is not there to cook the part. Understand those two jobs separately and tuning stops being a guessing game.
A Practical Starting Table
| Filament | Typical Nozzle | Typical Bed | Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA+ | 200–220°C | 55–65°C | Stringing if too hot; low heat weakness |
| PETG | 230–250°C | 70–85°C | Elephant foot; oozing on travel |
| ABS | 240–260°C | 95–110°C | Warping; needs an enclosure |
| TPU | 220–240°C | 40–60°C | Filament buckling in the drive |
How to Actually Dial It In
Temperatures differ by part size, speed and even spool colour, so the table is a start not a finish. Print a small temperature tower — a model that changes nozzle temperature as it rises — and read the result at each segment. Look for the zone where the surface is smooth and glossy-ish (dull, rough tops mean too cold) without becoming stringy or droopy (too hot). Mark that value and save it as your preset for that polymer and speed.
Bed Temperature and First-Layer Fidelity
- Too-hot PLA+ bed with a too-close first layer gives elephant-foot (flared base). Drop bed slightly or raise gap.
- PETG often needs a release layer or gentle cooling help to avoid bonding too aggressively.
- ABS at room ambient will lift corners: an enclosure keeps the whole build warm.
- TPU rarely needs high bed heat and cooks at the drive path if the nozzle sits a hair too low.
Signals to Trust
Let the print tell you which way to move. Poor first-layer adhesion — later at the bed can lift it a few degrees or text a small z-offset. Layer delamination when you snap a calibration part — more nozzle heat. Persistent stringing even at a good temp — that is retraction's job, not temperature's, so stop punishing the heat settings and look at retraction distance and speed. Separating "heat problems" from "retraction problems" is the fastest way to stop chasing your own tail.
| Observed Problem | Likely Heat Fix | If Not Heat, Check |
|---|---|---|
| Weak, dull layers | Raise nozzle 5–10°C | Moisture, flow rate |
| Elephant-foot base | Lower bed heat / raise gap | First-layer speed |
| Lifted corners (ABS) | Enclosure + warmer ambient | Bed adhesion prep |
| Stringing | Lower nozzle slightly | Retraction settings |
Keep the Material Honest
Temperature cannot fix wet filament. Damp PLA+ strings and PETG becomes brittle and pops regardless of heat, and moisture is the number-one reason perfectly tuned settings stop working across spools. Dry your spools and store them in dry conditions first, then trust your temperature presets. Paired with a clean, dry supply, quality PLA+ filament will reward a single careful tuning session with repeated, dependable prints.
The Bottom Line
Stop hopping between random temperatures. Start at the table, run a temperature tower once per polymer, then record the sweet spot. From there, only change heat when a symptom clearly calls for it — and blame moisture or retraction first when the same problem keeps coming back. Consistent machines are built on consistent material handling and a temperature log, not on luck.