Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed  

RE:

zig zag pattern very thin and not sticking

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Here is the first layer calibration

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

@phoenixdownlabs

Which filament are you using at which temperatures?

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

• A dirty PEI print surface. Even if you don't think this is the cause, it's always a good idea to make sure your PEI surface is clean before trying any other fixes. If it's a smooth PEI sheet, take it to the kitchen sink and give it a good dunk with Dawn (original formula, no vinegar or hand softener variants) dishwashing soap or your local equivalent (e.g. Fairy in UK). Use a clean paper towel to clean it off, and another to dry it. Avoid using any sponge or cloth that has been in contact with grease. Above all else, avoid touching the PEI print surface. Once it's good and clean, you should be able to use 91%+ isopropyl alcohol between prints, 100% acetone when that fails , and another dunk when acetone fails. Worst-case, use a 3M 7445 ScotchBrite pad or equivalent on smooth PEI to give it a very light buff, but only infrequently. If you've got a textured powder-coated PEI print surface, the official instructions are to use 91%+ isopropyl alcohol on it only. Rumors persist that some tribes deep in the jungle have had good luck getting started with these sheets by giving them a wipe with 100% acetone and a dunk with Dawn. Either way, there's no real warranty on these sheets. YMMV.
• If you have not already done so, try using Jeff Jordan's "Life Adjust" procedure for calibrating your Live-Z setting. It is much easier to use and understand than the on-board routine. It's much easier to make mid-print adjustments accurately with. In general, start high (less negative) and work lower (more negative) in large increments (e.g. 0.1mm) until the filament starts to stick on its own. When you've got your Live-Z setting adjusted properly, you should be able to gently rub the extruded lines on the PEI surface without dislodging them.  Then start lowering (more negative) the level until there are no gaps between layers. 

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

@umaker

We're using Prusament Azure Blue 1.75mm. All of the filament we've printed with (2 successful models and the two failures) were with the Prusament that came delivered with the MK3.

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

@bobstro

Thank you so much! Okay, I've cleaned off the bed with dishwashing liquid and a new sponge than wiped with acetone, and we lowed the z axis during live Z.

We then tried to print the triceratops, but this happened:

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

@umaker

Sorry, and we were printing at the PLA temps 215 nozzle, 60 bed.

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

I don't know if any of those images are showing. Here's where they are:

https://imgur.com/a/miqRs6M

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Ok, PLA, which temperatures?

Try to set the z-distance closer to the bed. in the video, the distence (for me) maybe too far. And you have cleaned the bed with Isopropanol or Aceton. (ACETON IS NOT FOR THE STUCTURED POWDERCOATED one)
Try to set the bedtemp to 63 degrees for the first layer and 63 for the next layers.

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

After cleaning with acetone, we've lowered the nozzle while testing the lines with our finger to see if they stay stuck to the bed, and I thought we were better but when we printed a benchy, it gouged into it (I think the nozzle was too low?)

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

So, my wife ran Self Test and then we tried to print another Benchy and this one is printing like a charm. I'll update with results.

I don't see a button to edit posts, or I would add these updates to previous posts instead of posting a million times. Let me know if I'm missing something.

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

We got the Benchy to print without any problems. In every way except the bottom, it is identical to the first Benchy.

https://imgur.com/2sg1Ddm

We printed a 20mm calibration cube, and it also seemed to print fine and look good, but the bottom isn't smooth at all.

https://imgur.com/zp8FCY4

https://imgur.com/zDAuIs9

Is this still an issue with the nozzle's height?

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Posted by: @phoenixdownlabs

[...] Is this still an issue with the nozzle's height?

It looks like you've got it down to where personal preference comes into play. I'd try lowering it 0.02mm at a time until those lines on the 1st layer close up, but not so far that the nozzle starts dragging. Otherwise, it looks very good. Congratulations!

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Here's a cal circle and how it should look:  the circle should be a solid sheet of plastic and pull off like masking tape. 

Cal Circles

ps: when washing and drying the print sheet at the sink, only use fresh paper towels: no sponges or dish towels. They usually have things like fabric softeners, hand lotions, etc. Things you do not want on the print surface.

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

I'm having the same issue as OP but I have been printing just fine for months with both PLA and PETG and then suddenly it started having issues with sticking to the print plate, I've tried all the suggestions but still it will not stick. Now what?

The first edge strip sticks fine but nothing else. I've tried every Z distance from far too far away to so close the filament gets transparent.

I've tried no fan for 1st layer to 3rd layer doesn't make any difference since it always fail on 1st anyway.

I've tried messing with bed temps, I've cleaned the bed thoroughly.

Starting to get desperate, please help...

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Adhesion is almost always a matter of getting the print surface clean.  Have you tried soap and water?

The recipe is simple: plain dish detergent (Dawn, Fairy), without additives like anti-bacterials or hand softeners. 

Hot water, use a fresh paper towel to scrub, rinse until the water beads off. If one scrub doesn't get to a beading stage, scrub again with more soap.

Hot water will bead up and sheet off the PEI surface. Dry with a fresh paper towel.  Paper towels must be the plain type, no scents, no dust collectors, no lotions.

Handle the bed by the edges; you never want to touch the printing surface, ever. Use tools to remove parts, not fingers. 

Here's a menu of things that work with cleaning the smooth PEI sheets.

Hot Water wash: often, as needed, and after any of the following
              (not recommended for daily use on Powder Coated sheets)

• Handle the bed only by the edges.
• Wash the bed in hot water, use a fresh paper towel as a wash cloth, with a few drops of plain dish soap (Dawn, unscented, no anti-bacterial, etc.).
• Rinse well in hot water - if you have very soft water, rinse a bit longer.
• Dry the bed with a fresh paper towel.
• Handle the bed only by the edges.
• Place bed on printer.

Alcohol wash: rarely as needed

• Gloves recommended.
• Once in a while, an alcohol rinse is helpful to remove PLA printing residue. It does not remove finger oils well.
• Pour a 5 cm puddle of 91%+ alcohol in the middle of the bed, with clean hands use a fresh paper towel to scrub the bed. Wipe up all the alcohol with a large cloth.

• Wash with soap and water to ensure no oils remain.

Acetone wash: infrequent as needed
              (Not recommended for USE on Powder Coated sheets, but some find it necessary)

• Pour a 2 cm puddle of acetone on the bed, scrub it around with a fresh paper towel. It will evaporate fast as you clean. This step removes PEI oxides that form over time and with heat, and improves PLA adhesion to a like new state.

• Wash with soap and water to ensure no oils remain.

Streak test: when contamination is suspected

• With a fresh piece of paper towel, and very clean fingers, dampen the towel with 91%+ alcohol, and wipe the bed side to side moving back to front, like you're painting it with alcohol. The alcohol should be thin enough on the towel it quickly evaporates from the bed. If you see any streaks, the bed is dirty and needs a wash.

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

2 things are important for printing,

1. clean bed

2. first layer calibration needs to be 100%

Both settings are needed to get a good print, it also prevents a big ball of filament sticking to the nozzle after a long print, wen prints sticks to the nozzle because it released during printing.

Clean with dish soap, alcohol does not clean all dirt off.

If you switch between petg pla(or other), clean always with dish soap.

How to make a first calibration,

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Well, I did mention that I had tried all the suggestions posted in the thread as well as cleaning the print plate thoroughly.

So let's assume the following are not the problem:

-How clean the print plate is

-Levelness of print plate

-Temperature of either nozzle or print bed

-Nozzle distance from print plate

So any suggestions as to what the problem could be?

RE: Filament Curling Around Nozzle - Won't Stick to Bed

Posted by: @hkgarne

[...] The first edge strip sticks fine but nothing else. I've tried every Z distance from far too far away to so close the filament gets transparent.

Assuming you mean the prime line sticks well, that's quite telling. The prime line is printed using raw gcode from your startup gcode, before any slicer settings are applied. If the prime line is sticking well but your prints won't adhere, that indicates you likely have some slicer settings that are causing problems.

• Try using the default Prusa-supplied profiles if you're using custom settings.
• Try printing one of the pre-sliced gcode samples provided on the SD card. If it's fine, that's a further indication that your slicer settings are part of the problem.
• Save your part & settings off in a 3MF project file, zip it up and attach it here so we can take a look at your slicer settings.