Heated Bed Temperature Calculator

3D Printer Bed Temperature by Filament Type

Few settings decide first-layer adhesion in FDM 3D printing as much as the heated bed temperature. Each polymer has a glass transition temperature (T_g) that sets where the sweet spot is. PLA prints well at 50–60°C, PETG at 70–80°C, ABS/ASA at 100–110°C, TPU at 50–60°C, and Nylon at 70–90°C. Run it too cold and the corners lift (warping); run it too hot and the first layer bulges out into an “elephant’s foot.”

The surface itself matters too. Borosilicate glass works for PLA when you add an adhesive like dishwasher detergent or hairspray. PEI sheets, smooth or textured, grip ABS and PETG well with nothing extra. Flexible magnetic plates such as G10 make popping the part off easy. And calibrating the first layer (Z-offset) counts just as much as the temperature, since a poorly leveled bed wastes filament no matter how perfect your setpoint is. Brands like Mosaic Manufacturing and Prusa publish detailed tables per material.

Applications

Makers and engineers reach for it when setting the initial profile in slicers (PrusaSlicer, Cura, OrcaSlicer, Bambu Studio), when chasing down an adhesion failure, or when swapping filament rolls without burning prints on trial and error. Print farms lock in a start G-code per material so the results stay consistent across every machine.

FAQ

Can I print PLA on a cold bed? You can, but adhesion only holds for small parts. A bed at 50–60°C cuts the warping risk on long prints way down.

Why does ABS lift even at 110°C? ABS needs a closed enclosure to hold the ambient temperature steady. A draft cools the upper layers and they delaminate.

Does glue stick or hairspray damage the surface? No. Both dissolve in water and wipe off with a damp cloth, and they actually shield PEI from getting pulled away by overly aggressive PETG.