As entertaining and engaging as that may seem, your 3D printer may quickly become a source of stress. This is because you will encounter a variety of 3D printer troubleshooting challenges as you use your machine. How to recognize which the problem is? How to improve your print quality? So here’s what they are and a guide to help you fix 3D prints of yours when you are into printing trouble.
One of the 3D print problems that beginners usually make at some first printing is stringing or hairy prints. When an FDM printer nozzle passes through an open area on its way to the next spot, it may drip melted plastic, which solidifies and adheres to the printed pieces. This is known as 3D printer stringing, and it results in thin strands of plastic that resemble cobwebs or hair strands on your 3D printed items.
In principle, when it passes through the open air, your nozzle should not deposit plastic (otherwise known as a travel move). Molten plastic, on the other hand, frequently leaks onto sections where it shouldn't, producing "whiskers" in your prints. In FDM printers, the most common reasons for stringing are inappropriate retraction settings and a high hot-end temperature. PETG, for example, is renowned for stringing and requires rather high temperatures to melt. PLA and ABS, on the other hand, are known to have this problem.
There are a few printing issues that cause this trouble:
Extruder movement between portions of a component or many parts is slow.
The filament retraction length is too short.
When going from one location to another, the printer spans gaps.
Even though you loaded the filament correctly and the print head appears to be in good working order, no filament is being deposited on the print bed. That’s when you realize there is a problem with 3D printing somewhere.
Simply said, it's possible that your nozzle is too close to the print bed. If you've managed to calibrate your print bed to within microns of your nozzle opening, the melted filament is unlikely to escape. At best, your print will be missing its first layers, and once the filament does extrude, it will have a higher probability of not adhering. In the worst-case scenario, you'll create a buildup of melted filament in your hot end, which might lead to a blockage.
And there are 2 solutions to fix this 3D printer troubleshooting:
Simply, you can lower the bed: You may also accomplish a similar effect by lowering your print bed if your printer permits it. This is the more difficult issue since it necessitates recalibrating and leveling the bed for even printing.
Otherwise, you can use The Z-Axis Offset: Increasing the nozzle's height by a few degrees will typically assist. In the system settings of most 3D printers, you may adjust a Z-axis offset. To move your nozzle away from the print bed, change the offset value to a positive number. This also works on the reverse, with a negative offset assisting in the removal of prints from your bed. However, if the offset is too great, it will not attach to the platform.
The earliest layers of a print might be difficult to work with. It might be that the print simply does not adhere (as we discussed in a previous 3D printing troubleshooting advice), or that you're seeing undesired lines that give the bottom shell an odd appearance. Furthermore, any tiny detail on the bottom of your print has the potential to congeal into a blur with little resemblance to any surface design.
These 3D printing issues are characteristic of a print bed that hasn't been properly balanced. The bottom surface often reveals undesired lines and/or the initial layer does not stick if the nozzle is too far away from the bed. Blobs can form if the nozzle is too close together. If you notice that detail is getting unclear and hazy, it's likely that your print bed temperature is too high.
So what should you do when you have this problem with your printing?
You can change the level of the print bed: Print platform leveling is handled differently by each printer. The newer Prusa machines offer an incredibly dependable auto-leveling technology, while others, like the Ultimaker, have a helpful step-by-step method that walks you through the procedure.
Or else, you can change the bed temperature: Reduce the bed temperature by 5 degrees at a time until you reach the sweet spot of adhesion without losing detail.
While printing, what a frustration when you see your work is a mess because the print isn't stuck to the bed. That means you have to reprint countless times if you don’t find a way to fix the 3D printing problems.
Losing a print because it won't cling to the print bed is a typical problem that's generally simple to fix. It's extremely aggravating when a 3D print breaks away at virtually any point, from the first layer to the last. Of course, it's not always the printer's fault, and if you've tried to print a model with only a little amount of contact with the platform, that's almost certainly the problem. Assume you're attempting to print a plane, and the model's only point of contact with the print bed is the wheels. It's therefore doubtful that you'll be able to print without some form of build plate adhesion and brim, and that's before you even consider the support.
And here’s the “why”:
The most typical problem is that the print does not adhere to the print platform's surface. Because the filament requires a textured foundation to adhere, you'll need to construct a better bonding surface to remedy the problem. Another key concern is an uneven print platform. If the platform is uneven, the nozzle will not be near enough to the platform to properly extrude and bind the initial layer in some portions of the print.
Calibration can also be a problem; with time, the distance between the nozzle and the print platform might grow to the point that the first layer is dragged instead than pushed into the print platform. In all circumstances, you'll probably witness a spaghetti of filament appear above your half-formed figure or sections of your sculpture strewn over the print platform.
Therefore, you may need some solutions:
You'll need to add another material to provide texture to boost the possibilities of filament bonding to the platform. Applying a small coating of stick glue to the print platform, which can subsequently be readily wiped away with hot water, is the most typical option. Adding decorators tape to PLA is another option. There are now a number of special tapes available that are a little more heat resistant for filaments that require a hot platform of 40C degrees and beyond.
Every printer has its own method for leveling the print platform; some, like the current Prusa models, have a highly dependable auto-leveling mechanism, while others, like the Ultimaker, offer a helpful step-by-step approach that walks you through the procedure. To level your print bed, consult your printer's manual.
If you're printing on material like glass, it's a good idea to clean it every now and again, especially if you use adhesive a lot. The oil from your fingerprints, as well as an excessive build-up of glue deposits, can all contribute to the print platform's non-stickiness.
If your model has intricate overhangs or extremities, make careful to include supports to keep the print together during the process, in addition to adding build plate adhesive.
The print bends upwards at the base of the sculpture until it is no longer level with the print platform. This can also produce horizontal splits in the upper areas of your print, causing it to break loose from the print bed. But what is the reason behind the 3D printing problems and how to fix them?
Warping is a regular occurrence due to an inherent property of the plastic. When ABS or PLA filament cools, it begins to compress somewhat; if the plastic is cooled too soon, warping occurs. Or another reason is the design of your project has sharp corners or thin areas.
If you ever meet this 3D printing troubleshooting, don’t worry and do the following:
Level the bed again.
A heated print platform should be used.
On borosilicate glass, use glues/adhesives.
Advanced temperatures setting must be adjusted.
Should try any different print platform.
Nothing is coming out of the nozzle, yet the filament spool is full, and the feed tube looks to be full as well. Bowden feed printers are prone to this issue; direct feed printers are less prone to it. This is due to the fact that the filament is generally buried and hence not visible right away. This 3D printer troubleshooting can be caused by a variety of circumstances, the most prevalent of which is using cheap or outdated filament. While most ABS and PLA filaments have a lengthy lifespan, they can become brittle if exposed to extreme temperatures. And once they've gone bad, no amount of tinkering will be able to fix them before they're fed to the printer.
Another issue is filament diameter, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and batch to batch. Though the idler tensioner is overly tight, certain filaments might shatter under the pressure, even if they still have a lot of life remaining in them.
When you get into trouble with this, you should try using a different filament. If the problem remains after the filament has been reloaded, try a different filament. This will reveal whether the brittle filament is the root of the problem. And you need to check the temperature and flow rate of your printer. This simply means that if the problem persists, check to verify if the hot end is set to the correct temperature and is heating up as it should. You should also make sure that the filament's flow rate isn't greater than 100%.
The phrase "elephant's foot" refers to the outward bulge of a model's base in 3D printing. Simply described, it's when the bottom of a pattern bows or curls out. This often occurs when the model's weight presses down on its base before it cools back to solid. So here’s a 3D printing troubleshooting advice is to make sure the foundation layers are sufficiently cold so that they can support the top structure. You must ensure that the cooling is exactly correct since too much cooling can cause warping of the foundation layers. You may find this phase difficult, but the best way to go about this 3D printing troubleshooting method is to reduce the temperature of the print platform by five degrees at a time until it is within twenty degrees of the acceptable temperature. If your Bottom/Top thickness is set to 0.6mm, you can start the fan at a slightly lower height than that.
After changing spools, a little bit of filament has been left in the nozzle, usually because the filament has snapped at the end. When a fresh filament is loaded, the old filament left in the nozzle prevents the new filament from being pushed through. That’s the beginning causing 3D printing issues. A little printer maintenance may go a long way toward preventing issues like a clogged nozzle from impacting your extrusions. In fact, you'll often discover that there is old carbonized filament resting inside your nozzle before a blockage forms. It may and can sit there for weeks or even months without you noticing, but the quality of your prints will show signs.
Small nicks in the outer walls, slight specks of black filament, or small differences in print quality across models are commonly missed. These flaws are frequently attributed to the little variations we've learned to anticipate from 3D printers, but there might be something more sinister at work.
To fix it, unblocking may be a simple and quick process if you're lucky. Begin by unplugging the filament. Select the "heat up nozzle" option on your printer's control panel (if it has one) and increase the melting temperature of the jammed filament. Alternatively, connect your printer to a computer that is running suitable control software and use that to heat the nozzle. Preheat the oven to 220°C for PLA. Once the nozzle has reached the desired temperature, clean the hole with a tiny pin (being careful not to burn your fingers). If your nozzle is 0.4mm, you'll need a smaller pin; an airbrush cleaning kit would suffice.
In severe circumstances where the nozzle remains clogged, you'll need to dismantle the hot end and do minor surgery. If you've never done something like this before, take notes and photos so you know where everything goes when you reassemble. Remove the filament first, then consult your printer's manual for specific instructions on how to disassemble the hot end.
You set the printer working but nothing comes out? That’s one of the common 3D printing issues while processing your work. Even though the model has been appropriately set up and established in the slicing program, nothing appears to be occurring; no printing appears to be going place. You've submitted a print to the printer several times, but all you receive in return is filament spat from the nozzle. Maybe the object is beginning to be produced when the filament extrusion stops operating out of nowhere, but the nozzle keeps running, printing nothing.
The procedure of troubleshooting 3D printing is fairly simple here. All you have to do is remove the existing filament and put in fresh material, regardless of the sort of 3D printer you're using. If there is no material on the filament reel, replace it with another reel. That's all there is to it.
After your project is printed out the first time, you see the result doesn’t look as good as you expected. There are some “scars” on the surface that make the project look not pretty. A print's strength, shape, dimensional correctness, and aesthetic attractiveness can all be harmed by a variety of print quality issues. Zits or blobs on 3D printed models are uneven bumps, ridges, or accumulations on the print's exterior.
The cause of this problem may come from retraction, extrusion, nozzle temperature,... so all you have to do is fix incorrect extrusion, lower the temperature or even the speed, adjust any retraction…
There are more 3D printer troubleshooting problems but we should go from some first common 3D printing problems and solutions to something more complicated. Don’t be afraid of being failed when you start, you can always re-print and find the right way to do it!
One of the most common and difficult errors to fix is 3d printing supports hard to remove. Let's take a look at the removal of it now.