Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
Hello all,
I purchased a second hand Prusa i3 mk3. The printer works, but I can't get a print to stick - however it seems a little different from what I mostly read here: I do get the first layer(s) to stick, but after a few layers the printed parts get loose and moves around with the nozzle.
I've cleaned the sheet with isopropylalcool, I've tried cold bed with glue, I've tried 70°C, I've tried lowering the bed temperature after the first layer, I've changed the filament (PLA) in case the one coming with the printer was bad... Always the same result.
I've got the "double-sided textured powder-coated spring steel sheet". I'll try cleaning it once more but what puzzles me is that the print only gets loose after a few layers. Maybe someone has an explanation? I'm new to heated beds so I don't really know in which direction to go.
Would getting a non-textured bed be the solution?
RE: Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
Hi @tcoulon,
One thing you could try is adding a brim to your prints for added surface area for adhesion. A smooth steel sheet would give you additional adhesion for printing with PLA. I use a smooth steel sheet, and have no problems with adhesion as long as I clean it with Windex every few prints.
RE:
Can you post a picture of the bottom of one of your prints? Or/Additionally run the first layer calibration and post a picture of the square still on the print bed.
Brim is good for tall objects with small base, but if your print fails after "a few layers" that's not your problem...
PS. Don't mess with the default settings (temperature ect), they are pretty good, if your print looses adhesion tweaking settings will not help but normally generate other problems.
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RE: Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
Thank you for your help, but it *is* the textured sheet.
As I had a magnetic sheet from an Ender Pro 3, I put it over the textured sheet, re-calibrated and it printed perfectly (I used 70° for the bed and 215° for the nozzle though). So I can use the Ender sheet as a workaround and look for a Prusa bed that will work with PLA.
No idea how the previous owner managed it...
RE: Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
Probably the bed isn’t clean enough. Wash with plain washing up liquid and clean paper kitchen towels. Wash thoroughly in hot water.
It that doesn’t work Print a single layer test square. Ie add a box ( control click on the bed) in the Prusa slicer and change dimensions to 50 x 50 x 0.2mm. print and photograph the result on the bed for review here.
i3 Mk3 [aug 2018] upgrade>>> i3MK3/S+[Dec 2023]
RE: Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
The textured sheet is known to be tricky for use with PLA. Even Prusa recommends the smooth sheet on their material page: https://help.prusa3d.com/article/pla_2062
Or get the satin sheet from Prusa. It's more or less the only one I now use on my printers. Works great with any materials I've tried.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
Read the answer in the first post of this thread. Follow the advice Re cleaning the sheet and first layer calibration. This should prove helpful.
RE: Print looses itself after a few layers - the first layer does stick.
Can you post an image of the first layer calibration on the plate?
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog