The part-cooling fan solidifies fresh layers as they print: PLA runs best at 100% fan for crisp overhangs and detail, PETG at 30-50%, and ABS/ASA at just 0-20% because aggressive cooling causes warping and layer delamination.
The small fan blowing sideways across your hotend nozzle does one job, and it decides whether your overhangs come out crisp or sag into a drooping mess. The part-cooling fan chills each fresh layer of plastic the instant it is extruded, and the right speed depends entirely on the filament you loaded. Run it wrong and you either melt fine detail away or rip a print off the bed mid-job.
Run PLA with the cooler at full power, dial PETG back to 30 to 50 percent, and keep ABS and ASA near 0 to 20 percent. PLA loves aggressive cooling for sharp detail, while ABS warps and cracks if you cool it too fast. Always keep the fan off for the first layer or two so the print sticks to the bed.
This fan is separate from the hotend fan that keeps your heatsink cool. The part-cooling fan points at the printed object itself, usually through a duct that wraps around the nozzle. As molten plastic leaves the nozzle at 200 degrees or more, the fan freezes it in place before gravity can pull it out of shape.
That matters most on overhangs, bridges, and small towers where each new layer has little support beneath it. Faster cooling means the plastic holds its printed shape. Slower cooling lets layers fuse together more strongly. Every material sits at a different point on that trade-off, which is why one fan setting never fits all jobs. Still deciding on hardware? Any of the 3D printers available from Evetech give you these fan controls inside their slicer profiles.
PLA prints cool and rigid, so it tolerates and rewards maximum cooling. At 100 percent fan you get clean overhangs, sharp corners, and crisp small text. There is almost no risk of warping because PLA barely shrinks as it sets. For miniatures, decorative pieces, and anything with fine surface detail, leave the fan wide open from the second layer onward.
PETG sits awkwardly between PLA and ABS. Too much cooling and your layers will not bond, leaving a print that splits apart under light stress. Too little and overhangs sag. A fan speed around 30 to 50 percent keeps layer adhesion strong while still tidying up overhangs. If your PETG prints feel brittle or peel apart in layers, drop the fan a little before you blame the filament.
ABS and ASA shrink noticeably as they cool, and that shrinkage is uneven across a layer. Hit a fresh ABS layer with a fast fan and the outer edge contracts faster than the core, pulling corners up off the bed and cracking the print along old layer lines. Keep the fan at 0 to 20 percent and, ideally, print inside an enclosure that holds ambient heat steady. The slower, gentler cooling lets the whole part shrink together instead of tearing itself apart.
Whatever filament you run, set the fan to zero for the first layer, and often the second. That first layer needs to bond to the bed, and a cold blast works against adhesion. Once the base is down, ramp the fan to the material's target speed. A clean set of nozzle picks, spare ducts, and maintenance bits from the 3D printing accessories shelf makes it easier to keep that airflow path clear, because a clogged duct quietly halves your real cooling no matter what number the slicer shows.
Too much part-cooling fan is the usual culprit. ABS contracts as it cools, and a fast fan makes that contraction uneven, lifting corners off the bed. Drop the fan to 0 to 20 percent and print inside an enclosure to hold a steady ambient temperature.
No. That works for PLA but ruins ABS and weakens PETG layer bonding. Each material needs its own setting, and most slicers let you save these per filament profile so you set it once and forget it.
A cold blast fights bed adhesion on that critical base layer. Keeping the fan off for the first layer or two lets the plastic grip the bed properly before cooling kicks in for the rest of the print.
No, those are two different fans. The hotend fan cools the heatsink to prevent heat creep, and it should always run. The part-cooling fan points at the print and changes speed by material.
Possibly. Excess cooling on PETG can leave a rough finish and weak bonds, but stringing usually points to retraction and temperature settings too. Try 30 to 50 percent fan first, then adjust temperature in small steps.
Ready to dial in your prints? Browse the full range of 3D printers and supplies at Evetech and get your fan profiles right from the first layer. https://www.evetech.co.za/components/3d-printers-130
Too much part-cooling fan is the usual culprit. ABS contracts as it cools, and a fast fan makes that contraction uneven, lifting corners off the bed. Drop the fan to 0 to 20 percent and print inside an enclosure to hold a steady ambient temperature.
No. That works for PLA but ruins ABS and weakens PETG layer bonding. Each material needs its own setting, and most slicers let you save these per filament profile so you set it once and forget it.
A cold blast fights bed adhesion on that critical base layer. Keeping the fan off for the first layer or two lets the plastic grip the bed properly before cooling kicks in for the rest of the print.
No, those are two different fans. The hotend fan cools the heatsink to prevent heat creep, and it should always run. The part-cooling fan points at the print and changes speed by material.
Possibly. Excess cooling on PETG can leave a rough finish and weak bonds, but stringing usually points to retraction and temperature settings too. Try 30 to 50 percent fan first, then adjust temperature in small steps.
Low FPS after an ultrawide monitor upgrade usually means the GPU is pushing more pixels. Lower resolution scale, tune graphics presets, check drivers, and retest the same game scene on your SA gaming setup.
Read more
AM5 is a smart long-term platform because Kimberley gamers get CPU upgrade room and DDR5 support. SA builders should still check motherboard value, BIOS support, cooler fit, and GPU budget before committing.
Read more
Ryzen 7 9800X3D interest comes from its gaming-first X3D cache, strong frame-rate reputation, and clear upgrade appeal. In SA, the real question is whether your GPU, monitor, board, and budget can make the CPU advantage visible.
Read more
Wi-Fi 7 routers make sense for SA fibre when your network has enough fast devices to use the upgrade. SA buyers should check fibre speed, router placement, mesh needs, gaming latency, and whether Wi-Fi 6 is still enough.
Read more
240Hz OLED panels are still expensive in SA because OLED tech and high refresh remain premium. Check panel size, warranty, burn-in care, GPU demands, and whether your games can reach 240 frames before judging value.
Read more
ITX builds are gaining popularity with Kimberley gamers because compact PCs save desk and room space. SA builders should compare case airflow, GPU clearance, PSU size, cooling noise, and upgrade limits before downsizing.
Read more
Tests reported audio capture and local-network scanning on a specific LG television with its screen off. LG says supported standby modes can keep voice and connected-device features active, so owners should review model-specific settings.
PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 differ most in lane support, compatibility, and upgrade value for video editing in 4k. SA buyers should match the choice to their actual hardware and games.
Real world difference between b850 b650 mmo live service games sits in stability, networking, storage, and upgrade room. SA players should compare LAN quality, USB layout, RAM support, and SSD slots for always-updated games.
Dead Pixel on Wi-Fi 7 Router is likely a display-path or source-title issue, so check the screen, cable, driver state, and related system symptoms before blaming the device itself.
Industry reports point to another roughly 10 percent Intel processor increase from 5 October, but Intel has not published a consumer price list confirming the scope. South African buyers should treat it as a risk signal, not a guaranteed Rand change.
Put the headphones in pairing mode, open Bluetooth and devices in Windows 11, then add the headset. If it fails, remove the old pairing and check charge, range and drivers.
Microsoft says upcoming Windows 11 work will target memory use on 8GB PCs and improve boot and sign-in responsiveness. There is no public release date or measured uplift yet.
Windows 11 does not show CPU temperature in its standard Settings pages. Use your CPU maker's supported utility or a trusted monitor, then read idle and loaded temperatures in context.
Industry reports point to another roughly 10 percent Intel processor increase from 5 October, but Intel has not published a consumer price list confirming the scope. South African buyers should treat it as a risk signal, not a guaranteed Rand change.
Tests reported audio capture and local-network scanning on a specific LG television with its screen off. LG says supported standby modes can keep voice and connected-device features active, so owners should review model-specific settings.
Thermalright's AXP120-X77 is a 77 mm top-down cooler with six heatpipes and a slim 120 mm fan. Local availability is not confirmed, so compact-PC builders should verify case height, memory clearance and socket support before comparing it with stocked coolers.
One-sided sound can come from balance settings, a dirty or loose connector, Bluetooth pairing data, firmware, the source device or a failed cable or driver. A short swap test isolates the cause before you reset software or replace the headset.
