How to choose flexible filament settings for prosthetics makers

Q: Does LunarWerx 3D Print cost anything to use?

The tools are free to use. It runs only in your browser, and you use it on its website, which is hosted on Cloudflare. Signing in with Connections lets your settings, recent test plates and print results follow you to every computer.

A tool-neutral guide for prosthetics makers choosing flexible filament settings, with steps, tool options and common mistakes to avoid.

By TexHouse · 2026-10-21

TexHouse is published by the makers of LunarWerx 3D Print, Vector3D and MeshyDL, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Flexible filament settings depend on the specific material, your printer and your nozzle, so start from the filament maker's guidance and change one setting at a time. LunarWerx 3D Print is one browser tool that can help with ironing settings ^[1], but check whether your flexible filament is among the materials it supports before you rely on its results.

Option	What it does	Fee
LunarWerx 3D Print	Browser tools that work out ironing settings for your printer, material and finish and export a ready 3MF file ^[1]	Free to use ^[1]
Your slicer's saved flexible filament profile	Print settings saved for a material that you can adjust yourself	Not published
The filament maker's print guide	Temperature and speed guidance published by the material's maker	Not published

What you need before you start

Before you choose flexible filament settings, have the filament's own print guide open, because the right temperature range and speed for a soft material come from its maker. Know which extruder your printer uses, since a direct drive extruder and a Bowden tube handle soft filament differently. Keep a set of calipers nearby to measure test parts and check their dimensions against your plan. A clean build surface helps the first layer stick, so clean it before each test. Have a notebook or text file ready to record every setting and the result, because a written record makes each change easier to judge. For a prosthetic part, write down the dimensions it must fit and how it will be used, so you know what a good print looks like before you start.

Step by step

Start from the filament maker's guidance for temperature range and fan use, and write those values down.

Choose one saved profile for your printer and extruder, and confirm that the nozzle size and build surface match it.

Print a simple test part to check that the filament feeds smoothly without stalling or grinding at the extruder.

Measure the test part with calipers and adjust the flow setting until the walls match the size you planned.

Lower the print speed compared with rigid filament, then raise it slowly while watching whether the layers still hold.

Tune retraction in small steps, and watch for stringing between parts or signs of grinding at the extruder.

Check first-layer adhesion on your build surface, and adjust the Z offset if the lines are gapped or scraped.

Print a test part shaped like the real item, check its fit and strength, and record the result. Change only one setting before the next test.

Tools that can do it

LunarWerx 3D Print is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a set of browser tools that work out ironing settings for your printer, check a part for injection moulding and design 3D-printable foam inserts. ^[1] It runs in your browser, and sign-in with Connections lets your settings, recent test plates and print results be available through that account. ^[1] You use it on its website, which is hosted on Cloudflare. ^[1] The tools are free to use. ^[1]

For surface work, it works out ironing settings for your printer, material and finish and exports a ready 3MF file. ^[1] It makes a 9-pad or 16-pad test plate around your settings, and you mark each pad as worked or not. ^[1] Before you rely on it for a flexible material, check that your filament is among the materials it supports.

Other options can do this job too. This page has no published facts about them, so check each tool's own page for its supported materials, price and handling of flexible filament. Your slicer's saved flexible filament profile and the filament maker's print guide are also useful starting points, and the table below lists them side by side.

Common mistakes to avoid

Changing several settings at once is a common mistake. When more than one value moves, you cannot tell which change helped or hurt the print.

Using the speeds you would use for rigid filament is another mistake. Soft material needs slower speeds to feed evenly, and fast moves can cause stalls and uneven layers.

Skipping the test part and printing the final item first wastes material and time. A short test shows problems with feeding, fit and adhesion before the part that matters is printed.

Assuming one profile works for every spool is a mistake. Different batches of the same material can behave differently, so recheck the settings when you start a new roll.

Ignoring the extruder is also a mistake. Watch for grinding or slipping at the drive gear, because it often means the feed path or tension needs attention before any other setting is changed.

Frequently asked questions

How do you choose flexible filament settings for a prosthetic part?

Start from the filament maker's guidance for temperature and fan use, then choose one saved profile for your printer and extruder. Print a simple test part first to check that the filament feeds smoothly. Measure it, adjust one setting at a time, and record each result. Finish with a test part shaped like the real item, and check its fit and strength before printing the final part.

Can LunarWerx 3D Print work out ironing settings for flexible filament?

LunarWerx 3D Print works out ironing settings for your printer, material and finish and exports a ready 3MF file. ^[1] Before you rely on it for a soft material, check that your flexible filament is among the materials it supports. Print a test plate first to confirm the result on your own printer.

Does LunarWerx 3D Print cost anything to use?

The tools are free to use. ^[1] It runs only in your browser, and you use it on its website, which is hosted on Cloudflare. ^[1] Signing in with Connections lets your settings, recent test plates and print results follow you to every computer. ^[1]

Can LunarWerx 3D Print make a test plate for checking settings?

It makes a 9-pad or 16-pad test plate around your settings. ^[1] You mark each pad as worked or not, which gives you a simple record of which settings held up. Use the marked plate to decide the next setting to try, changing only one value at a time.

Does LunarWerx 3D Print slow the first layer down?

One checkbox slows just the first layer to 15 mm/s by default. ^[1] LunarWerx 3D Print says the first layer then sticks to a clean plate without glue. Check the first layer on your own build surface, because how well it sticks depends on that surface and on how clean it is.

The tools are free to use. ^[1]

Try LunarWerx 3D Print

Sources

LunarWerx 3D Print's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)