Liquid Masterbatch and SmoothFlow

Overview

Liquid Masterbatch is a premium liquid color additive for PLA and PETG pellets on the G1. It provides vivid, consistent color throughout the print and comes in a syringe for clean, precise dosing.

SmoothFlow is a liquid, oil‑like lubricant designed to improve pellet flow and melt consistency when printing with PLA and PETG on the G1. It reduces friction, stabilizes extrusion, and helps prevent clogs.

This page explains exact dosages, safe limits, mixing steps, and how these additives interact with Ginger Slicer (Orca Slicer for G1) settings such as multi‑heating‑zones, Max Volumetric Speed (MVS), and rotation volume.

Safety & Tools

• Shake bottles/syringes well before use; the content must be smooth (no clumps).
  
• Use a sealed container for mixing to ensure uniform coating of pellets.
  
• Use a precision scale with 0.1 g resolution.
  
• Keep additives in a cool, dry place; wear gloves. Warning: liquids can stain surfaces and clothing—wipe spills immediately.
  

Quick Dosing Cheat‑Sheet

Use the pellet weight in kilograms (kg) to calculate amounts.

• Masterbatch (typical full color): 0.1% of W → 1 g per kg.
  Start lower (0.05–0.08%) for stability; only increase if you need stronger color. Absolute maximum: 0.2%.
  
• SmoothFlow (starting point): 0.05% of W → 1 g per 2 kg.
  Do not exceed 0.2% (e.g., 4 g per 2 kg).
  

Examples:

• 2 kg pellets → Masterbatch 0.1% = 2.0 g; SmoothFlow 0.05% = 1.0 g.
  
• 10 kg pellets → Masterbatch 0.1% = 10.0 g; SmoothFlow 0.05% = 5.0 g.
  

Liquid Masterbatch (PLA, PETG)

What to expect

• Concentrated liquid color in syringe form (thick, oily).
  
• Provides excellent dispersion without compromising mechanical properties when correctly dosed.
  

Dosage & Limits

• Recommended ratio for full color coverage: 0.1% by weight.
  
• Maximum suggested ratio: 0.2%.
  
• Stability caution: to avoid under‑extrusion, do not exceed ~0.08% unless needed for color intensity. Prefer to start low and iterate.
  

Precise mixing method (syringe‑weighing)

1. Weigh the full syringe, note the mass.
   
2. Tare the scale; dose into the pellets.
   
3. Weigh the syringe again to compute how much you used.
   
4. Seal & shake/mix pellets thoroughly for uniform coating.
   Uneven mixing → banding/uneven shade.
   
5. You can blend colors to achieve custom tones.
   

Common mistakes & fixes

• Under‑extrusion after coloring: reduce the % toward ≤ 0.08% and verify Feeding Zone temperature (see below).
  
• Uneven color: mix more thoroughly in a sealed container.
  
• Screw grip (pellet slippage): too much liquid masterbatch reduces friction between pellets and the screw; the screw stops “biting” the pellets, so no material comes out. Lower the masterbatch % and/or MVS until grip returns.
  

SmoothFlow (PLA — PETG )

Purpose

• Reduces friction and helps pellets move and melt consistently inside the G1’s screw extruder.
  
• Prevents the extruder stepper from skipping when friction is high.
  
• Let you lower the temperature to avoid overheating the polymer (avoid degradation).
  
• Lowers the risk of melted plugs clogging the feeding zone (feed throat).
  

Dosage & Limits

• Starting ratio: 0.05% by weight → 1 g per 2 kg of pellets.
  
• Do not exceed: 0.2% (e.g., 4 g per 2 kg). Excess lubricant can cause under‑extrusion.
  

Mixing & correcting over‑dose

1. Shake the bottle well.
   
2. Pour a very small amount over pellets, then mix thoroughly in a sealed container.
   
3. If you added too much: remove lubricated pellets and load clean pellets to rebalance the mix.
   

Ginger Slicer Interplay

Multi‑Heating Zones (3‑zone nozzle)

• Feeding Zone (Zone 1): initiates heating and pellet compression.
  
• Melting Zone (Zone 2): completes melting and ensures homogeneous flow.
  
• Nozzle Zone (Zone 3): maintains the correct viscosity for stable extrusion.
  

Recommended initial uniform temperatures (as a starting point; adjust per grade/datasheet):

• PLA: ~190 °C in all three zones.
  
• PETG: ~230 °C in all three zones.
  

Diagnosing Temp vs. Rotation Volume

• Irregular under‑extrusion usually indicates insufficient compression → tune Feeding Zone first.
  
• Constant, predictable under‑extrusion after temperatures are stable → adjust Rotation Volume.
  

Feeding Zone adjustments with additives

• With liquid masterbatch / SmoothFlow:
  
  • If you have irregular under‑extrusion (low compression), you may increase Feeding Zone by ~5–10 °C to raise compression and stabilize the feed.
    
  • If you see melt creeping into the feed throat (plug), do the opposite: lower Feeding Zone by ~10 °C to delay softening and rebuild the solid‑bed seal.
    

Max Volumetric Speed (MVS)

• Practical examples:
  
  • Virgin PLA: ~250 mm³/s (typical safe).
    
  • PETG + lubricant: up to ~400 mm³/s.
    
  • Recycled PLA + lubricant: ~300 mm³/s.
    
• If the extruder stepper skips/“clicks”: reduce print speed or MVS; alternatively increase temperature, add lubricant, or both.
  
• Masterbatch at very high MVS can reduce screw grip; lower MVS to restore compression.
  

Troubleshooting Quick Guide

Notes by Material & Grade

• Same polymer ≠ same behavior: grades vary in viscosity, crystallinity, additives, and recycled content. Start from the polymer’s common range, then fine‑tune per grade/supplier.
  
• Keep a log of temperatures, MVS, additive % per material/batch for repeatability.
  

At‑a‑Glance Reference

• Masterbatch (PLA/PETG): start 0.05–0.08%; for full coverage target ~0.1%; absolute max 0.2%.
  
• SmoothFlow (PLA; effective on PETG): 0.05% (1 g/2 kg); max 0.2%; if overdosed, purge/dilute with clean pellets.
  
• Feeding Zone when melted material clogs: if melt creeps up into the feed throat/hopper, lower by ~10 °C and/or reduce SmoothFlow/masterbatch.
  
• MVS guide: PLA ~250; PETG+lubricant up to ~400; rPLA+lubricant ~300 mm³/s.