Nozzle

A nozzle in 3D printing is the heated metal tip at the end of the extruder through which molten filament is forced. The nozzle sets the diameter of the extruded filament bead and therefore affects resolution, print speed and layer width. Nozzles come in various diameters and materials, and they can clog or wear out when printing with abrasive filaments.

If you want to print a detailed miniature, you often choose a nozzle of around 0.25–0.4 mm because it can reproduce fine features, but the print takes longer. For larger functional parts you might choose a 0.6 or 0.8 mm nozzle: it deposits thicker lines, increases print speed and can create stronger layers. Printing with abrasive materials such as carbon-fiber-filled nylon requires a hardened steel or stainless-steel nozzle to avoid rapid wear; a soft brass nozzle would quickly change diameter and degrade print quality.