Adjusting settings for warping of PLA.
Pictures probably explains it best - I can't seem to stop this relatively simple part (and similar ones) warping badly. (Print is stopped half way through, since it was already loose from the bed at this point)
I've tried adding the brim, and decreasing the bed temperature down to 50 and then 40 degrees - this is with the Prusa PLA which prints fine in general. Even with the brim, the part warps so much along the long axis, that it splits off from brim and completely loses bed adhesion. (I can rock it back and forth on a flat surface)
Ambient temperature in the room is about 20 degrees - Scotland is not that warm, even in summer 🙂
In general my first layer adhesion is good - PEI smooth plate, cleaned before the print with IPA - but larger solid parts like this often exhibit this kind of warping.
Longer term I will setup an enclosure to keep the ambient temperature higher which I suspect would make the most difference, but any other suggestions would help. Google suggested a brim, lower bed temp, and slower print speed, none of which helped so far.
(Using a three-layer raft did help, but that made for a nasty surface finish on the part, and seems like rather overkill to fix this)
Thanks for any suggestions!
RE: Adjusting settings for warping of PLA.
From the gaps in your brim, I can say you can go a bit lower with your first layer height.
For a cleaned bed, the bed in your picture looks dirty. Try to wash it with soap water and wipe it with acetone (once a month).
You should set your bed temperature higher and not lower (max 65°C).
Here some tips to reduce warping:
SLICER SETTING ADJUSTMENTS
The following are settings in your slicer that can be adjusted to help improve adhesion.
1. Brim
A brim is an extra layer of print attached to the base of your object to increase the surface area in contact with the bed, which improves adhesion. This setting is relatively easy to implement and can effectively improve adhesion.
2. Increase Layer Height
Increasing the thickness of your first layer has the effect of smoothing out any inconsistency in the bed and is part of the object itself.
3. Increase Layer Width
Printing wider layers helps to ensure that there are no air gaps in between the beads of plastic.
4. Reduce amount of Bottom Layers
Sometimes, a large amount of first layers can increase chance of warping as the extra layers add more warp stress to the bottom layer. Try to find a balance between printing only the amount of bottom layers required without weakening the strength of the base.
5. Reduce Infill
Similar to reducing the amount of first layers, decreasing the amount of plastic inside your print (infill) will reduce the warping stresses in the object.
6. Rounded Corners
Sharp angles can be more prone to warping. By adding a filleted edge (a rounded corner) on the Z axis, you increase the amount of contact that the print has with the surface, decreasing its chance of lifting from the bed.
7. Use a Raft
A raft acts as a base for the print, ideal if the print isn't adhering to the bed surface. However rafts are not always easy to remove.
RE: Adjusting settings for warping of PLA.
Thanks, I increased the bed temperature and chamfered the edges of the shape in Fusion, that seemed to make a big difference.
RE: Adjusting settings for warping of PLA.
By the looks of the bed, soap and hot water is your best choice... but you might want to do an alcohol scrub first to get the old PLA residue off.
Alcohol rinse: every few prints
- Gloves recommended.
- Once in a while, an alcohol rinse is helpful to remove PLA 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.
Hot Water wash: often, as needed, and after any of the above
- 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.
RE: Adjusting settings for warping of PLA.
First layer must be perfect.
Cleaning is very important.
If still not good, use glue sick.
Use a brim attache to model
If i print a big square model i always use a glue stick.
first layer hotter.