Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
Hi, so I've been struggling with the same issue since I got this machine and I'm not sure what to do. As you can see in the included picture - the Z level is actually too low, and still, the perimeter won't stick. When I include skirts, they don't stick either.
I've run calibration and z leveling 100 times, I've cleaned the PEI with isopropanol alcohol before each print.
Also, if I let the print proceed even though there are defects in the bottom layer, the parts almost always warp and come of the plate in the corners. Sometimes they come off completely.
Any thoughts on what I should do?
Best Answer by rmm200:
Scrub your build plate with unscented detergent (like Dawn), lots of water, and dry with a clean paper towel.
Never touch the build surface.
Skip the IPA for first prints after a Dawn scrub - and toss any IPA less than 91%.
Never touch the IPA bottle with your rag. Pour a little on your build plate. Holding a paper towel to the top of the bottle will transfer oils from your fingers to the bottle.
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
Scrub your build plate with unscented detergent (like Dawn), lots of water, and dry with a clean paper towel.
Never touch the build surface.
Skip the IPA for first prints after a Dawn scrub - and toss any IPA less than 91%.
Never touch the IPA bottle with your rag. Pour a little on your build plate. Holding a paper towel to the top of the bottle will transfer oils from your fingers to the bottle.
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
When I adjust the z level as best I can, there are still some broken edges on my test squares
And some zits / ooze
And some squares are totally borked. Like this one. All these pictures were from the same print run, with the same z settings...
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
@robert-rmm200
Thanks, I'll try your advice and see how it goes! Not sure I can find Dawn here in Sweden, but I'll use some kind of dish detergent.
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
@robert-rmm200
That actually seemed to have worked! I'm not sure if I did a dish-washing of the plate when I got it brand new, so any low-sticktivity residue may have been from the factory.
There were absolutely no traces of fingerprints or oil residue on the plate before I did this, and there are none after - but things seem to be sticking better.
Thanks!
/m
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
How well it sticks and whether you need to wash the sheet may also depend on the filament you're using. I found that printing Sunlu PLA+ after printing regular PLA always results in failure if I don't scrube the sheet with dishwashing liquid in between. Whereas printing Hatchbox PLA work fine whether I print after Sunlu PLA+ or after other PLA.
Same deal with PETG - I always have to wash my sheet with soap when switching from PLA to PETG. Otherwise PETG won't stick.
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
Thank you for this post and the solution to a problem that I was going through. I have used this filament with another printer having great results when the printer was on good behavior. I have been running the Mk3s with mmu2s for less than a week and have been profiling filaments as I incorporate them into the project. Last night I could not get the print to stick although the height appeared to be okay. After washing the plate today I have been successfully printing the object, it's not yet complete; however, I expect to see a good result. I also ventured into a cold pull since I went from a petg to pla filaments.
Stay safe and healthy, Phil
RE: Perimeter (and skirt) won't stick, but z looks too low...
Cleaning filament also works in lieu of a cold pull. Do one or the other every time you go from a hotter filament to a colder one.