<p>I know some could not fit your question but maybe someone will look for all possibilities.</p>

<p>Delamination can be caused by:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>filament</p>

<ul>
<li>humidity</li>
<li>diameter</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>extruder</p>

<ul>
<li>pressure (holdfast) - soft filament can be crumpled caused by extensive retraction)</li>
<li>dirty jagger teeth (knurls)</li>
<li>thermistor/wire failure - when it reports temp under ie 170C then extruder doesn't extrude</li>
<li>caret floatage (extruder motor cannot pull filament so it climbs)</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>general</p>

<ul>
<li>printing speed</li>
<li>temperature issue</li>
</ul></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-03T16:46:29.060Z
2016-05-03T19:00:18.093Z
2016-05-03T19:00:18.093Z
darth pixel
<p>Delamination should not happen when the temperature is correct. As already pointed out, different temperatures between hot and cold layer cause warping, but warping is not delamination. If you print at the correct temperature (higher for bigger pieces, lower for thin columnar pieces), the layers will stick.</p>

<p>This is the procedure to optimise the printing temperature to avoid delamination:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:35088" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:35088</a></p>

<p>Print the object at increasing temperatures (210-250C, 5C by step) and when cooled try to break it. Pick the temperature (for THAT SPECIFIC filament roll) that gives you the highest strength.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/3VwaN.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/3VwaN.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Other test objects such as <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:915435" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:915435</a> are meant to test print quality, not strength. For strength and delamination you need the procedure I described above.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-21T11:50:38.620Z
2016-07-21T11:50:38.620Z
FarO
<p>wall size and filling are also parameters.
If wall size is too thin delamination is more visible</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-07T06:11:11.810Z
Hi zaaz, and welcome to SE 3D Printing! Whilst your answer may be technically correct, it *is* rather terse, and, as such, it has been recommended for deletion, unfortunately. If you could expand it then you may get a more positive response. I would recommend that in addition to reading some highly voted answers to gauge the standard expected, that you take a look at the help section relating to [answering](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/help/answering) questions, in particular [answer], and take the [tour] for more information on how stack exchange works. Thanks :-)
Greenonline
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-06T21:35:53.730Z
2019-04-06T21:35:53.730Z
zaaz
<p>Cool environmental conditions are the single biggest contributor to ABS delamination. Delamination or edge/corner cracking is caused by warping stresses when the first layer adhesion is stronger than the interlayer bonding. Or it happens when the heated build plate allows a strong non-warping foundation to be built until the print is too tall to be adequately warmed by the plate. In either case, the corners of the first layer can't lift, so the print cracks elsewhere to relieve the stress. </p>

<p>All ABS warping stress, in turn, is caused by the repeated thermal contraction of the fresh plastic layer at the top of the print. The FDM process sticks hot, expanded plastic onto cool, contracted plastic. When the new layer cools, it tries to contract, but it's stuck to a layer that is already fully cooled/contracted. This generates a large shear stress between the two layers. The accumulation of those shear stresses over many consecutive layers generates a large-scale bending force on the entire print. That's what causes both warping and delamination. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/HZZam.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HZZam.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>The less the previous layer cools below the glass point of the plastic, the less thermal contraction it experiences before the next layer goes down, and therefore the less warping stress will accumulate as the <em>next</em> layer cools.</p>

<p>Environment temp is the biggest thing you can control:</p>

<ul>
<li>If your printer's environment is below 35C, you probably shouldn't even bother printing ABS. </li>
<li>A 50C environment is significantly better and will have minimal problems with warping and delamination. This is within the ambient temp ratings of most motors and electronics. Air-cooled extruders can typically extrude ABS reliably up to about 60C ambient, at which point they may be prone to clogging. And don't forget about plastic structural parts in your printer.</li>
<li>Industrial ABS printers with heated build chambers print ABS in a 75-85C environment, with lots of airflow. In terms of cooling regimes, ABS in an 80C chamber acts very similar to PLA in a room-temp environment. No warping, but lots of airflow required for good detail. </li>
</ul>

<p>Printing ABS at a higher nozzle temperature (say 240-250C) will also improve layer adhesion so delamination is less likely to occur. The same warping stresses will be there, but the layer bonding may be stronger than the internal stresses in the part so it survives printing.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-03T19:25:55.813Z
Thank you for the detailed response, I think this response will be helpful for others in the future. Side note, this is more of an issue with printer design, but you have to be careful with machines that have a plastic build plate platform. I had a platform warp above 100F.
tbm0115
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-03T19:07:00.210Z
2016-05-03T19:13:39.337Z
2016-05-03T19:13:39.337Z
Ryan Carlyle
<p>I've printed mostly ABS in the past and encountered <a href="https://www.google.com/#q=3d+printing+layer+delamination">delamination</a> between layers many times. I've ensured the following conditions regularly:</p>

<ul>
<li>Build plate is level</li>
<li>Base of print isn't warped (using ABS slurry)</li>
<li>Prevent air draft. I've added acrylic panels to the sides of the machine and the machine is in a custom cupboard.</li>
<li>Nozzle temperature at about 225C</li>
<li>HBP temperature at about 112C (I live in NW USA, so the ambient temperature is typically fairly cool).</li>
<li>Using MakerBot filament</li>
</ul>

<p>What are some other variables to consider to help prevent delamination between layers?</p>

<fdm><makerbot><abs><print-quality><delamination>
Layer delamination
tbm0115
# Layer delamination

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-03)

I've printed mostly ABS in the past and encountered [delamination](https://www.google.com/#q=3d+printing+layer+delamination) between layers many times. I've ensured the following conditions regularly:

* Build plate is level
* Base of print isn't warped (using ABS slurry)
* Prevent air draft. I've added acrylic panels to the sides of the machine and the machine is in a custom cupboard.
* Nozzle temperature at about 225C
* HBP temperature at about 112C (I live in NW USA, so the ambient temperature is typically fairly cool).
* Using MakerBot filament

What are some other variables to consider to help prevent delamination between layers?

**Tags:** fdm, makerbot, abs, print-quality, delamination

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-05-03. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

Cool environmental conditions are the single biggest contributor to ABS delamination. Delamination or edge/corner cracking is caused by warping stresses when the first layer adhesion is stronger than the interlayer bonding. Or it happens when the heated build plate allows a strong non-warping foundation to be built until the print is too tall to be adequately warmed by the plate. In either case, the corners of the first layer can't lift, so the print cracks elsewhere to relieve the stress.

All ABS warping stress, in turn, is caused by the repeated thermal contraction of the fresh plastic layer at the top of the print. The FDM process sticks hot, expanded plastic onto cool, contracted plastic. When the new layer cools, it tries to contract, but it's stuck to a layer that is already fully cooled/contracted. This generates a large shear stress between the two layers. The accumulation of those shear stresses over many consecutive layers generates a large-scale bending force on the entire print. That's what causes both warping and delamination.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/HZZam.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/HZZam.png)

The less the previous layer cools below the glass point of the plastic, the less thermal contraction it experiences before the next layer goes down, and therefore the less warping stress will accumulate as the *next* layer cools.

Environment temp is the biggest thing you can control:

* If your printer's environment is below 35C, you probably shouldn't even bother printing ABS.
* A 50C environment is significantly better and will have minimal problems with warping and delamination. This is within the ambient temp ratings of most motors and electronics. Air-cooled extruders can typically extrude ABS reliably up to about 60C ambient, at which point they may be prone to clogging. And don't forget about plastic structural parts in your printer.
* Industrial ABS printers with heated build chambers print ABS in a 75-85C environment, with lots of airflow. In terms of cooling regimes, ABS in an 80C chamber acts very similar to PLA in a room-temp environment. No warping, but lots of airflow required for good detail.

Printing ABS at a higher nozzle temperature (say 240-250C) will also improve layer adhesion so delamination is less likely to occur. The same warping stresses will be there, but the layer bonding may be stronger than the internal stresses in the part so it survives printing.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for the detailed response, I think this response will be helpful for others in the future. Side note, this is more of an issue with printer design, but you have to be careful with machines that have a plastic build plate platform. I had a platform warp above 100F.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-05-03. Score: 4

I know some could not fit your question but maybe someone will look for all possibilities.

Delamination can be caused by:

1. filament

   * humidity
   * diameter
2. extruder

   * pressure (holdfast) - soft filament can be crumpled caused by extensive retraction)
   * dirty jagger teeth (knurls)
   * thermistor/wire failure - when it reports temp under ie 170C then extruder doesn't extrude
   * caret floatage (extruder motor cannot pull filament so it climbs)
3. general

   * printing speed
   * temperature issue


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-07-21. Score: 1

Delamination should not happen when the temperature is correct. As already pointed out, different temperatures between hot and cold layer cause warping, but warping is not delamination. If you print at the correct temperature (higher for bigger pieces, lower for thin columnar pieces), the layers will stick.

This is the procedure to optimise the printing temperature to avoid delamination:

<http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:35088>

Print the object at increasing temperatures (210-250C, 5C by step) and when cooled try to break it. Pick the temperature (for THAT SPECIFIC filament roll) that gives you the highest strength.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/3VwaN.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/3VwaN.jpg)

Other test objects such as <http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:915435> are meant to test print quality, not strength. For strength and delamination you need the procedure I described above.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-04-06. Score: -1

wall size and filling are also parameters.
If wall size is too thin delamination is more visible

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Hi zaaz, and welcome to SE 3D Printing! Whilst your answer may be technically correct, it *is* rather terse, and, as such, it has been recommended for deletion, unfortunately. If you could expand it then you may get a more positive response. I would recommend that in addition to reading some highly voted answers to gauge the standard expected, that you take a look at the help section relating to [answering](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/help/answering) questions, in particular [answer], and take the [tour] for more information on how stack exchange works. Thanks :-)  

---

