Warping is what happens when a print shrinks as it cools and pulls itself off the bed. The corners curl up first, and in a bad case the whole part pops loose partway through. Per Prusa’s warping guide and Bambu’s, the cause is almost always a bed that is too cold or dirty, no adhesion aid, or a draft that cools one side too fast.
A warped corner ruins a part that needs to sit flat or mate with another. Work the causes in order and reprint the same model after each fix.
Your material sets the risk. ABS and ASA shrink the most and warp the easiest. PETG warps some, and PLA warps the least.
What causes it
| Likely cause | Fix | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Bed too cold or dirty | Raise the bed temp and clean the sheet with isopropyl alcohol. | hi |
| No first-layer adhesion aid | Add a brim, or use a glue stick or adhesive on the sheet. | hi |
| Nozzle temp too low | Raise the nozzle so the first layer bonds hotter to the sheet. | md |
| Part cooling too high too early | Delay the part fan for the first layers so the base stays warm. | md |
| Drafts or an open enclosure for ABS/ASA | Block drafts and enclose the printer for warp-prone materials. | md |
Try these first
Print a small part with wide corners, then work top to bottom and reprint after each step.
Raise and clean the bed
Set the bed to the top of the material range and wipe the sheet with isopropyl alcohol.
Add a brim
Turn on a brim so the first layer has a wider, stickier footprint.
Raise the nozzle temp
Add a few degrees to the nozzle so the first layer bonds hotter.
Delay the cooling
Keep the part fan off for the first few layers so the base stays warm.
Deeper fixes to try next
When the bed and the brim do not hold the corners, the environment is the next place to look.
Block drafts
Keep the printer out of open airflow, since a cool draft on one side lifts that corner.
Add an enclosure
For ABS and ASA, an enclosure holds the heat in and cuts the shrink that causes warps.
Try a different sheet
A textured PEI or a glue-stick layer can grip a warp-prone material better than bare glass.
How the material differs
ABS and ASA shrink a great deal as they cool, so they warp the most and almost always want an enclosure and a hot bed. PETG warps some and likes a warm, clean sheet. PLA warps the least and usually sits flat on a 60 C bed. Nylon is the worst of the bunch and needs a heated, enclosed chamber.
Pitfalls to avoid
A few common choices invite the warp right back.
Avoiddo not
- Printing ABS or ASA in an open draft.
- Running the part fan from layer one on a warp-prone material.
- Skipping the brim to save cleanup, then losing the corners.
- Changing bed temp, brim, and cooling in one pass, so the real cause stays hidden.
Key takeaways
- Warping lifts corners as the print shrinks and pulls off the bed.
- Raise and clean the bed, and add a brim first.
- Delay cooling and enclose the printer for ABS and ASA.
- PLA warps least; ABS and ASA warp most.
For the opposite first-layer problem, the first-layer adhesion guide covers prints that will not stick at all, and the filament storage guide covers keeping spools dry.
Related guides
Related
More in this area
Cross-reference
Sources & methodology
3 citations · reviewed 2026-07-10- 01Prusa Knowledge Base: Warping (shrinkage, adhesion, bed temp)accessed 2026-07-09Tier 1
- 02Bambu Lab Wiki: Warping, falling off, collapsingaccessed 2026-07-09Tier 1
- 03All3DP: 3D print warping causes and fixesaccessed 2026-07-09Tier 2