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Filament drying planner: which spools can share a dryer run

Published October 15, 20264 sources

What it calculates

A dryer holds one temperature, so spools can share a run only when their published drying ranges overlap. The planner picks the highest temperature inside every selected spool's range and the longest published time, and splits the rest into separate runs. Prusa warns that exceeding the recommended drying temperature softens filament so the windings stick together [1].

Spools to dry

90 filaments whose makers publish drying conditions.

Add a filament that is not listed
°C
°C
h
Selected
  • Bambu Lab PLA Basic 50 °C
  • Bambu Lab PETG Basic 65 °C
°C

From the dryer's manual. Empty = no limit.

Plan

  1. Set the dryer to 50 °C for 8 h

    Bambu Lab PLA Basic

  2. Set the dryer to 65 °C for 8 h

    Bambu Lab PETG Basic

Runs use the highest temperature inside every selected spool's published range. Spools whose ranges do not overlap get separate runs. Times are the makers' published times; a missing time is shown as not published.

How the plan is built

Each spool you add brings its manufacturer’s drying recommendation from the filament database: a temperature (or range) and a time (or range), as published in the data sheet or the maker’s official guide. The planner then groups spools so that each dryer run uses one temperature that is inside every member’s published range:

  1. Sort the spools by the top of their temperature range.
  2. Take the lowest top. Every spool whose range contains that temperature joins the run.
  3. Repeat with the spools that are left.

The run temperature is the highest value that stays inside all members’ ranges, and the run lasts as long as its slowest member needs. Spools without a published drying time are flagged instead of guessed.

If you enter your dryer’s maximum temperature, spools whose minimum is above it are listed as not reachable, and ranges that extend above it are capped. Bambu Lab’s drying guide, for example, says its AMS 2 Pro suits filaments that need no more than 65 °C, and that some filaments needing more may not dry fully in it [2].

Why not just dry everything hotter?

Because the recommended temperature is also a ceiling. Prusa’s guide says not to exceed its listed temperatures, or the filament softens and sticks together, and to keep to the recommended times to avoid over-drying [1]. Low-softening materials are the most sensitive: Bambu Lab’s guide notes that PLA, PVA, its support filament and TPU should not be dried in its static mode because the windings can stick or deform [2].

The spool matters as well. Prusa states that its current black spools withstand 90 °C, but that older Prusament spools with pressed-in sides should not be heated above 45 °C without adding a screw to hold them together [1]. Bambu Lab warns that some third-party spools may not be heat-resistant enough and can deform during drying [2]. Check the spool before a hot run.

Same material, different numbers

Data sheets disagree, sometimes by 10 °C, for what looks like the same material. For standard PLA:

Maker Product Drying recommendation
Prusa Research Prusament PLA 45 °C, 6 h [1]
Bambu Lab PLA Basic 50 °C, 8 h, forced-air oven [3]
Polymaker PolyLite PLA 55 °C, 6 h [4]

These are different products with different formulations, and the makers assume different equipment. Bambu Lab’s data sheet specifies a forced-air (blast) drying oven and says a kitchen or microwave oven is not suitable [3]. The planner uses each product’s own published values rather than one number per material. The drying chart lists them side by side.

Reading the plan

  • Set the dryer to is the temperature for that run.
  • Time is the published range for the slowest spool in the run. If the makers give 6 h and 8 h, plan for 8.
  • Start and end times chain the runs back to back from the start time you enter.

Bambu Lab lists the effects of moisture as bubbles, stringing, oozing, holes, rough surfaces and reduced strength [2]; see wet filament for diagnosis and how to dry filament for methods and storage. Prusa singles out polyamide, PVA and TPU as filaments more often in need of drying than PLA [1]; nylon in particular is worth drying before every print.

Questions

Why do makers give different drying temperatures for the same material?

Formulations differ, and so do the drying methods the makers assume. For standard PLA, Prusa lists 45 °C for 6 hours [1], Bambu Lab's PLA Basic data sheet gives 50 °C for 8 hours in a forced-air oven [3], and Polymaker's PolyLite PLA sheet gives 55 °C for 6 hours [4]. Use the value for the spool you have.

Can I dry PLA and ABS together?

Not at the ABS temperature. Bambu Lab's drying guide says that when drying high-temperature filament such as ABS in an AMS, PLA must be taken out [2]. The planner puts spools whose ranges do not overlap into separate runs for this reason.

Sources

  1. Drying filament. Prusa Knowledge Base. Manufacturer documentation. Drying temperatures and times for Prusament materials; do not exceed them; spool temperature limits; hygroscopic materials. Accessed October 12, 2026.
  2. Filament Drying. Bambu Lab Wiki. Manufacturer documentation. Effects of moisture; AMS 2 Pro limited to 65 °C; do not dry PLA with ABS; spool heat resistance. Accessed October 12, 2026.
  3. Bambu PLA Basic Technical Data Sheet (V3.0). Bambu Lab. Technical data sheet. Drying: blast drying oven 50 °C, 8 h; forced-air oven recommended. Accessed October 12, 2026.
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet (V5.4). Polymaker. Technical data sheet. Drying: 55 °C, 6 h. Accessed October 12, 2026.