<p>To get the best results, the plastic coming out of the nozzle needs to be squished/ironed down by the nozzle. If you are using a higher layer height than nozzle size, this does not happen. Instead, you are taking a 0.2mm diameter string of plastic and folding it back onto itself to create a thicker 0.3mm bead.</p>

<p><a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/Triffid_Hunter&#39;s_Calibration_Guide" rel="noreferrer">Triffid_Hunter's calibration guide</a> recommends using a layer height that is not higher than 80% of your nozzle size, so with a 0.4mm nozzle you should not print layers thicker than 0.32mm, and with a 0.2mm nozzle you should not print layers thicker than 0.16mm.</p>

<p>While it is not impossible to print thicker layers with a smaller nozzle, the results won't be as good. Moreover, if you are used to working with a 0.4mm nozzle then swapping to a 0.2mm nozzle may take some getting used to, as printing with smaller nozzles is more difficult (for example, the smaller the nozzle, the higher the likelihood of clogs).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-05T00:24:29.557Z
And the print time will be much longer.... You only get a quarter the plastic at half the diameter, and you have to make many more passes. Your feeder may complain/skip/chew when trying to feed at 0.3 rates into a 0.2 nozzle, as well. That's 2.25 times as much plastic as the nozzle would be expected to feed.
Ecnerwal
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-04T08:40:40.543Z
2017-05-04T08:40:40.543Z
Tom van der Zanden
<p>I recently ordered some spare E3D 0.4&nbsp;mm nozzles. However, there was a mix up at the factory and they delivered 0.2&nbsp;mm nozzles instead.</p>

<p>I usually print at 0.3&nbsp;mm using a 0.4&nbsp;mm nozzle. Can I still use the 0.2&nbsp;mm nozzles to print at a resolution of 0.3&nbsp;mm? </p>

<layer-height>
Can you print at 0.3 mm with a 0.2 mm nozzle?
Ageis
# Can you print at 0.3 mm with a 0.2 mm nozzle?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-05-04)

I recently ordered some spare E3D 0.4 mm nozzles. However, there was a mix up at the factory and they delivered 0.2 mm nozzles instead.

I usually print at 0.3 mm using a 0.4 mm nozzle. Can I still use the 0.2 mm nozzles to print at a resolution of 0.3 mm?

**Tags:** layer-height

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-05-04. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

To get the best results, the plastic coming out of the nozzle needs to be squished/ironed down by the nozzle. If you are using a higher layer height than nozzle size, this does not happen. Instead, you are taking a 0.2mm diameter string of plastic and folding it back onto itself to create a thicker 0.3mm bead.

[Triffid\_Hunter's calibration guide](http://reprap.org/wiki/Triffid_Hunter's_Calibration_Guide) recommends using a layer height that is not higher than 80% of your nozzle size, so with a 0.4mm nozzle you should not print layers thicker than 0.32mm, and with a 0.2mm nozzle you should not print layers thicker than 0.16mm.

While it is not impossible to print thicker layers with a smaller nozzle, the results won't be as good. Moreover, if you are used to working with a 0.4mm nozzle then swapping to a 0.2mm nozzle may take some getting used to, as printing with smaller nozzles is more difficult (for example, the smaller the nozzle, the higher the likelihood of clogs).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: And the print time will be much longer.... You only get a quarter the plastic at half the diameter, and you have to make many more passes. Your feeder may complain/skip/chew when trying to feed at 0.3 rates into a 0.2 nozzle, as well. That's 2.25 times as much plastic as the nozzle would be expected to feed.  

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