PVA

Since PVA is highly reactive to water, storing the filament in a moisture-free container is mandatory. PVA that has absorbed water from the air will tend to bubble and crack during printing, which will ruin the quality and strength of the finished part. When you are done with the PVA spools, be sure to remove them from your printer and place them in air-tight containers along with a desiccant to remove any moisture from the container. If your filament has already absorbed too much moisture, the filament can be dried using a commercial dehydrator, or an oven set to the lowest possible temperature for a few hours. This will draw the water out of the filament without melting it, allowing it to print smoothly and without bubbles.

When using PVA as a support material for your PLA prints, consider adding an ooze shield with at least two outlines. This will have the benefit of priming the PVA extruder after every tool change, which will ensure this extruder is ready to print at the start of the layer. Additionally, the ooze shield will catch any oozing from both nozzles to prevent these plastic deposits from reaching your part. Once the print is completed, the ooze shield can be removed and discarded. If you find the ooze shield is too weak or tends to separate easily, consider adding an additional ooze shield outline to thicken the protective shield.