Hotend

Also known as: Hot End, Print Head

beginner Hardware

The heated assembly that melts filament, consisting of heater block, heat break, and nozzle.

The hotend is the heated assembly where solid filament is melted into liquid plastic. It includes the heater block, heat break, nozzle, thermistor, and heater cartridge.

Components

Heater Block

  • Aluminum block that holds the heat
  • Contains heater cartridge and thermistor
  • Nozzle screws into bottom

Heat Break

  • Throat connecting cold and hot sections
  • Critical thermal transition zone
  • All-metal or PTFE-lined designs

Nozzle

  • Where molten filament exits
  • Screwed into heater block
  • Various sizes and materials

Heater Cartridge

  • Electric heating element
  • Typical power: 40-60W
  • Heats the block to printing temp

Thermistor

  • Temperature sensor
  • Reports temperature to controller
  • NTC type most common

Hotend Types

PTFE-Lined

  • PTFE tube goes down into heat break
  • Max temp: ~240°C (PTFE limit)
  • Common on budget printers
  • Good for PLA, limited for high-temp

All-Metal

  • No PTFE in hot zone
  • Can print at higher temps (280°C+)
  • Slightly more retraction issues
  • Required for Nylon, PC, high-temp filaments
  • E3D V6 - Industry standard
  • E3D Revo - Quick-change nozzles
  • Micro Swiss - All-metal upgrades
  • Phaetus Dragon - High-flow option
  • Slice Mosquito - Compact, high-performance