Find a starting retraction distance and speed

Choose a starting retraction distance and speed for an extruder and filament.

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ToolRetraction Tuner
Input
Output
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Preview

How it works

A base distance and speed come from direct-drive or Bowden type, then material factors and tube length adjust the suggested range. TPU receives a slower speed because flexible filament reacts poorly to aggressive pulls.

  • A 500 mm Bowden length is a starting estimate.
  • Suggested values are tuning starts, not guaranteed string-free settings.

Worked example

PLA on a bowden setup
Input
											Extruder type: bowden
Material: PLA
Bowden tube length mm: 500
Output
												Suggested distance mm: 5
Suggested speed mm s: 45
Distance range low mm: 4
Distance range high mm: 6

When to use this

Stringing towers, Bowden conversions, and flexible-filament profiles tune retraction.

Edge cases

  • Too much retraction can grind soft filament or jam a heat break.
  • Long Bowden paths add compliance and usually need more distance.
  • Moist filament can string despite correct retraction.