Prints 'sliding' (First Prints, Prusa models)
These are some of the first prints I have produced. The very first print, the Prusa logo plate had two issues:
- One corner rose up.
- The S stepped sideways, whilst all the other letters were in correct alignment.
I fixed the corner by re-adjusting the z-height. I have no idea what caused the S to come out like it did, and without affecting any of the other letters.
A subsequent print of the Prusa plate however, suffered from another issue, the whole print moved sideways.
Prusa plate which stepped sideways, front.
Prusa plate which stepped sideways, rear.
I have also tried the Batman file, the whole of this suffered from sideways stepping.
I only have the gcode files for the above (as supplied by Prusa), if the .STL files are available, I would like to try creating the gcode with the item rotated and or in a different location on the print plate (which may help with diagnosing the root cause).
I have produced some succesful prints. These Dome Cities, used for the Terraforming Mars game, for example.
(The STL file for these is available on Board Game Geek (you will need a BGG account (free) and may need to 'see more files').)
There were issues with the first attempts.
I rotated the item, and they came out okay.
The issues were evident from the start of the print.
This Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) model printed well once, but had a few layers slide sideways on another print. Different gcode files, with the model in a different orientation, and located in a different place on the print area.
Suggestions, please, on what I can try to get consistent prints.
Best Answer by Neophyl:
That looks like classic layer shifts. Usually caused by not having the gears properly tightened onto the motors or by having your belts too loose. Check the grub screws on the gears, they must be tightened so that the flat is secured first (and it MUST be parallel with the flat on the motor shaft) before the second grub screw is tightened to ‘lock’ it in place.
as it looks like it’s sliding in x axis then that would be the one to check first.
RE: Prints 'sliding' (First Prints, Prusa models)
That looks like classic layer shifts. Usually caused by not having the gears properly tightened onto the motors or by having your belts too loose. Check the grub screws on the gears, they must be tightened so that the flat is secured first (and it MUST be parallel with the flat on the motor shaft) before the second grub screw is tightened to ‘lock’ it in place.
as it looks like it’s sliding in x axis then that would be the one to check first.
RE: Prints 'sliding' (First Prints, Prusa models)
[...[ Check the grub screws on the gears, [...] x axis then that would be the one to check first.
Spot on! Many thanks. Somehow those x-axis grubs screws were loose. It surprised me because I know they were originally tight. It also surprised me because logic was suggesting the printouts would have been even more and more consistently worse.
Three good prints out now.
Thank you, again.
RE: Prints 'sliding' (First Prints, Prusa models)
Very nice!
Glad you got it sorted.
Strange how those grub screws like to loosen if you mess up the install order - but they do.
If it happens again - put a bit of thread locker on them.