> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://stem-docs.intellectualpoint.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Loading filament

> Mount your filament spool and feed PLA up through the tube to the extruder.

## Loading your first spool

Your printer is built. Now let's load filament so it's ready to print. We will mount the **PLA spool** on the holder and feed the filament up through the PTFE tube until it reaches the extruder.

<iframe src="https://iframe.mediadelivery.net/embed/697805/1c9cbe8a-eb71-457f-9e6d-68c9e1237ca1?autoplay=false&preload=false" style={{ width: "100%", aspectRatio: "16/9", border: "none" }} allow="encrypted-media; picture-in-picture" allowFullScreen />

<Info>
  Your printer came with a spool of **PLA filament** - the easiest material to print and perfect for your first prints. You will learn about other filament types on Day 4.
</Info>

<Frame caption="The path filament takes from spool to nozzle">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/intellectualpoint/O5GrjWnEycOQFaAQ/images/adv3d/filament-path.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=O5GrjWnEycOQFaAQ&q=85&s=f98cd1d4dc852e96f6fadde899d69cc2" alt="Diagram tracing the filament path: spool, runout sensor, PTFE tube, extruder gear, hotend, nozzle, and onto the build plate" width="1200" height="800" data-path="images/adv3d/filament-path.png" />
</Frame>

## Step-by-step

<Steps>
  <Step title="Unpack the filament">
    Pull the filament spool out of its box. Find the crimped end hooked into the side of the spool that holds the filament in place.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Free and trim the end">
    Unhook the filament end and cut off the bent, crimped tip with your **pliers**. A clean end feeds far more reliably.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mount the spool on the holder">
    Place the spool onto the I-shaped holder on the back of the printer. Seat it against the small clasp clip so it cannot fall off. Orient it so filament feeds up toward the tube.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Cut a sharp 45-degree point">
    Trim the filament tip at a **45-degree angle** with your pliers to create a spearhead point. This sharp tip slides into the tube much more easily.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Feed filament through the tube">
    Push the pointed filament into the PTFE tube and keep pushing it through. You can watch the tube change color as the filament travels through it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Push until it reaches the extruder">
    Continue until the filament stops - it has reached the extruder head (the gray piece) and will not push further. The extruder will heat and push it out the nozzle during printing.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Cutting the filament tip to a sharp 45-degree point is the single best trick for smooth loading. A blunt or bent tip snags at the tube entrance and the sensor.
</Tip>

<Check>
  The PLA spool is mounted on the holder, the sharpened filament is fed all the way through the tube, and it has reached the extruder head. You are ready to power on and calibrate.
</Check>

## Up next

The filament is loaded. Now plug the printer into the wall and move to **printer setup and calibration** - powering on, connecting Wi-Fi, binding the Flash Maker app, and running automatic calibration.