Pillowing occurs when the top surface of a print has gaps, bumps, or an uneven, pillow-like texture. It's caused by inadequate top layer coverage or insufficient cooling that allows filament to sag before solidifying.
Too few top layers — infill pattern showing through
Insufficient cooling — top layers sag before solidifying
Infill percentage too low — insufficient support for top layers
Top layer print speed too fast
Print temperature too high for top layers
Line width too wide for top solid infill
Increase top layers count to 4-6 (or 0.8mm minimum total thickness)
Increase part cooling fan speed to 100% for top layers
Increase infill density to 20%+ to better support top surface
Reduce top layer speed to 30-40mm/s
Lower temperature by 5°C for better top layer quality
Enable ironing (top surface smoothing) in slicer
Top Layers
4-6 layers
Fan Speed
100% for top layers
Infill Density
20% minimum
Top Layer Speed
30-40mm/s
The AI uses this knowledge base when analyzing your prints. Upload a photo on the Analyze tab to get personalized recommendations for your specific print.