First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)  

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

Posted by: @injectx

When I woke up to the print this morning I thought wow! On closer inspection there seems to be a bit more ghosting going on than I would like to see. 

Currently the i3MK3S+ is placed on a 40x40cm slab of rubber and then on a table. This is the first time using rubber underneath my printer. Maybe it doesn't cope with vibrations that well?

I think you are correct in your assessment, not convinced about rubber as a base for a 3D Printer, although TBH I have not tried it.

A lot of people on here use either a paving slab or a heavy tile (Like Marble or granite) and these work very well, I suspect the rubber feet on a rubber base could cause the printer to wobble quite a lot during printing, and make your print quality worse.

You want a thick solid base than does not move, on solid furniture.

I have just got my printer on an old piece of 40mm worktop, stuck with silicone onto the top of a piece of solid furniture and works well.

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

@clarmrrsn

Yeah using rubber underneath rubber sounds weird, thinking about it. So I removed the rubber feet and printed another benchy on the rubber slab (I don't have a other alternative yet). The newly printed benchy is exactly the same as the one before.

Made a video: Direct link

It's hardly visible and only on one side. What do you think?

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

@injectx

There is an article on Ghosting, it is normally related to belt tension

Prusa Knowledge Base | Ghosting (prusa3d.com)

Watch out running the MC without the rubber feet, the cables sit underneath the extrusions on the normal path, and the feet are designed to give the cables clearance so they don't get pinched or damaged.

Better just sitting it on a solid piece of furniture, as long as its reasonably solid you will be ok. Get down to your local builders yard and get a paving slab, Bobstro had a post where he painted one and it looked the business and it makes a big difference to noise and vibration, normally though unless its on a shaky table it wont cause major PQ issues.

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

@clarmrrsn

Yeah good one regarding the cables running underneath. I guess I'll just use the included rubber feet on a sturdy table for now. Until I find a slab of 40x40cm concrete around here (pretty hard to find since  it's not a common size).

About the tension, I've checked it with the printable tension meter:

Y-Axis

X-Axis

Looks like the Y-Axis is tensioned a bit too much.

Looking at the belt status it seems the other way around?

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

I would trust the belt tension meter and ignore the belt status display for belt tension. 

The display shows the total resistance of the axis. Like belts, motors, bearings, alignment.........

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

@baklin

So what should I do then? The X-Axis belt seems a bit too tight so loosen that one?

RE: First print after initial layer calibration (Benchy)

@injectx

Yip, the display test is just in the ball park, as Balkim says its pretty inaccurate.

The meter is accurate, as long as it is printed in PETG.

I assume your bearings are lubricated (can see grease on the rod)

My ones were a bit grumbly when new and required proper packing with grease to make them smooh, other things that can cause tension, if the pulleys are runing tight (need clearance between motor pulley and motor), idler screw too tight, belts not running straight, (adjust the motor pulley position)  also if the rods were not set for parallel as per install manual(Y axis only).

These are all just suggestions and may not change the numbers but worth double checking.