PLA stringing  

RE: PLA stringing

Two common causes of stringing in  PLA - temperature and too little retraction.  

I would suggest you start by printing a temperature tower.  

RE: PLA stringing

@cwbullet

Thanks I will try the tower but at 11 hours it is quite a long print by my newbie standards. I have tried different temperatures for the bed and the nozzle but stringing is always an issue. After the problems I had with the first layer and to see the results now I'm sure it's not insurmountable.

RE: PLA stringing

It is also possible for PLA to absorb moisture under the right environmental conditions. Before changing too much else, I'd suggest drying the spool. Here are results I was getting on day 1:

Things deteriorated with the weather until day 4:

After drying the spool, everything was back to normal:

If the filament is in good shape, I have found that fine stringing can usually be addressed by calibrating the extrusion multiplier for each type of filament. If you've done these steps, and only then, you should start making setting changes. Full notes here. 

RE: PLA stringing

Thanks again for the advise, I don't think it's moisture as I opened a new roll and got stringing immediately before it had chance to absorb any moisture. I've only had the printer a couple of weeks I always extract the filament and vac pack it with desiccant after use.

Mick

RE: PLA stringing

I tried to print the temperature tower but it only seemed to want to print at 215° nozzle temp and the stringing was that bad you couldn't see what it was so I aborted. Tearing my hair out as I wasn't expecting this much trouble from a Prusa that's why I chose it. Bought it mainly for printing enclosures and such like for my arduino projects so far after two weeks I have yet to manage a good print.

RE: PLA stringing

Please post a picture of the problem.

Cheerio,

RE: PLA stringing

Example of my problem

RE: PLA stringing

@mick-3

OK, that's not the usual type of stringing we see.  Is this new PLA?

Please save the project from slicer as a .3mf file and zip it here so we can check for errant settings.

Cheerio,

RE: PLA stringing

I have attached the file as request. I am using brand new Prusament pictured, opened two weeks ago this kind of thing or fine string occurs on any print with gaps. I have also tried a brand new roll of black SUNLU but got the same results. Was hoping to try the reels of PETG as some point but can't bring myself to open it. Flat surfaces are pretty good. I have tried a multitude of temperatures, retraction settings, print speeds etc but nothing gets rid of the stringing fine or like the photograph. Thanks once again for helping me I am desperate to get it sorted whilst I am new to home FDM printing I work in engineering so I am very familiar SLA 3d printing.

RE: PLA stringing

Posted by: @mick-3

Example of my problem

That is very eerie looking stringing.

RE: PLA stringing

zipped file

RE: PLA stringing

You have a min layer setting of 0.07mm but you have selected 0.05mm ULTRADETAIL

I have no idea what that does but please try reprinting with a 0.15mm or 0.2mm layer height.

BTW a lot of users here will have trouble with your compression, it's best to use plain old fashioned zip.

Cheerio,

RE: PLA stringing

@diem

I agree.  I would dial them in with a more routine layer height.  

RE: PLA stringing

Thanks I'll give it a try. Please bear in mind that I did not select anything I just sliced a file from the internet. I have other models from Prusa that I sliced with the Prusa software and got a similar result.

RE: PLA stringing

The 0.07 setting is probably the default for the minimum layer height slicer uses for variable layers. It should not affect directly setting layer height to 0.05. 

The frizz is probably filament that is more wet than dry; or a small chance of printing too hot. 

ps: I have seen this when the nozzle was clogging up, too.

RE: PLA stringing

@Tim has given you good recommendations.  Along with trying a layer height of 0.20, I think you have a good start.  

RE: PLA stringing

Better result with 0.15 layer height but still plenty stringing

RE: PLA stringing

zip

RE: PLA stringing

@mick-3

I will take a look at it tonight.  Thanks.