Why is it important to choose the right cooling fan settings in FDM?

Choosing the right cooling fan settings in Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is crucial to help solidify layers promptly, which significantly reduces defects. Proper cooling allows for the printed material to set correctly as it is extruded, leading to improved layer adhesion and reducing issues such as warping, excessive stringing, or sagging. By controlling the temperature of the freshly extruded filament, the cooling fan ensures that each layer cools and hardens adequately before the subsequent layer is deposited. This is especially important for materials like PLA, which benefit greatly from rapid cooling, and it also helps maintain dimensional accuracy in the final print.

The other aspects, while related to the printing process, don't directly correlate with the primary benefits of proper cooling fan settings. Overheating might be a concern, but the direct connection to cooling is more about layer integrity than preventing heat-related issues. Enhanced visual appearance can be a result of good cooling settings, but it is secondary to achieving solid layer adhesion. Lastly, although effective cooling can indirectly affect print speed by allowing for quicker layer transitions, the primary focus remains on ensuring that layers are solidified properly to minimize defects.