Hatchbox PLA Stringing
So for the last few weeks I've been playing with MMU and I've been having a stringing issues...it's killing me.
Today I decided I was going to fix that...7 hours later and still no dice. I've got it down to the filament I use, which is Hatchbox. I've used hatchbox for the 8 months on my MK2S and it's been perfect. Stringing is the only issue I'm having with it on MM. I've had a good 4-5 successful MM prints (all I've done so far), all is great expect for the stringing.
I had a bit of filament I got from Prusa when I got the printer, gave it a go and it worked perfectly, no stringing! So I'm assuming it's a matter of messing with the settings to dial in the filament for MM.
What I've tried:
1. Lower temp --- tried multiple temps, all have the same amount of stringing, can't go any lower
2. Increase/Decrease retraction --- same thing, nothing changed
3 . Slow retraction speed --- nothing changed
4. Different filament (Solutech) --- similar amount of stringing as Hatchbox
5. Prusa filament --- worked perfectly
Here is a picture of the stringing test object I've been printing, every print had different settings.
https://imgur.com/a/0sbkQ
- Orange is Solutech
- Black is Hatchbox
- Silver is Prusa
Here is my test object
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2080224
Any help or tips would be much appreciated!
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
I have had minimal stringing with Hatchbox (which I used on the MK2 and the MMU). I print at 210/205, otherwise the Slic3r defaults.
Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage or loss. If you solve your problem, please post the solution…
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
Print a cube with temperatures ranging from 215 degrees down to 175 degrees.
If the print starts to skip stop it (but I doubt it will).
Have a look at the cube to find the temperature where you get the best finish, and then try your string test object with that temperature - you may need to go 5 degrees lower.
I did post a "Temp Tower" cube in the "Blockage Troubleshooting" thread (read the first post in the thread).
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
Hi Peter,
I printed your test cube and it turned out pretty good, the higher temps made some blobs and zits, but as it got cooler those disappeared. Oddly enough I have some stringing on the model, so I don't know what that means, but can't imagine that's normal.
I printed my test print again at 180 degrees (10 degrees lower than the lowest recommended by Hatchbox) and I still get a lot of stringing, nothing changed. I watched a few prints and what is happening is on retract it leaves a little blob, this blob has a little whispy string on it which the hotend then pulls onto the next part of the object.
I took a video of it, put it on 1080p and fullscreen to see the little blob that is created on retract (on the left column)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dMrTYyI4S959iwHo1
I've had some really good prints with the mmu, quality wise, using Hatchbox, so I'm pretty sure the temps are dialed in, especially after Aaron said he prints at 205, 5 degrees higher than I do.
Thanks for the help
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
What retraction settings (distance/speed) are you using? Is wipe turned on?
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
I'm using the Prusa Slic3r defaults, 4mm retraction length and 50 mm/s speed. Wipe is turn on at 60%, also tried 100% just for testing (nothing changed).
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
Try turning off the wipe and reduce retraction speed to 25mm/s
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
I've tried turning down the speed to 25 before, didn't seem to change anything unfortunately. I'll try turning off the wipe tower tonight.
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
I've tried turning down the speed to 25 before, didn't seem to change anything unfortunately. I'll try turning off the wipe tower tonight.
No, not the wipe (purge) tower, but the wipe setting (may be called "Wipe while retracting").
It may be that I can't talk you through preventing the stringing without getting some of the same filament. Kinda running out of ideas at the moment...
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Hatchbox PLA Stringing
oops sorry, meant to say the retraction wipe, not the wipe (purge) tower, my bad!
It might be something I just have to live with until the filament Prusa sells on there website has a distributor in the U.S. I would much rather buy that brand anyways. Nothing a heatgun can't fix, for the short term.