Bad second layer, first layer prints awesome
I'm wondering if anyone can point me at mechanical issues that could be causing this. This is on a newly assembled printer but an older prusa of mine with the same code and filament prints perfectly.
My first layer prints beautifully and then starting at the second layer and going up there is an issue. Pictures are below, the part with the issue is solid 6 layers so it isn't from a lack of infill or anything.
I've never had an issue like that that I couldn't trace down to a Z layer height problem. Looking for suggestions before I tear down the Y axis looking for flatness issues
Wavy printing:
The first layer waving is usually:
- Too low of a Z
- Dirty bed
The second layer on:
- Too high of a flow rate is what I have seen.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
Wavy like water ...
"the first layer prints beautifully" - not so much. Wavy like water means the following:
Z is too low, nozzle is dragging in the first layer, accumulates blobs of filament that then ease into the print in the later layers - causing a mess, possibly a blob of doom.
Code is fine on other printers
The first layer waving is usually:
- Too low of a Z
- Dirty bed
The second layer on:
- Too high of a flow rate is what I have seen.
Thanks but as I have said the code is fine on other printers with the same filament so it’s not that it. It’s actually the prusa default
First layer is smooth?
"the first layer prints beautifully" - not so much. Wavy like water means the following:
Z is too low, nozzle is dragging in the first layer, accumulates blobs of filament that then ease into the print in the later layers - causing a mess, possibly a blob of doom.
Sorry you are going to have to explain the first layer comment? I posted my Z height set as the third picture and it’s smooth ect. The same way I set my other two printers which are running fine
i did spend a bunch of time setting my Z until it was just barely at the right height starting from too high and working down thinking it was something like that but that didn’t make a difference
RE: zOffset
zOffset is particular to that printer + build plate combination at a minimum. In my experience the material type can often require even a minor adjustment. I have two prusa-assembled MK3S+ printers. the zOffset for the same sheet+ material is quite a bit different between the two(by like .450). Definitely take time to do a 75 or 100mm 1 layer high(.2mm layer height) square with each type of material you will be printing with and figure out the numbers for each printer.
Setting up steel sheet profiles can help a lot if you switch materials and/or plates a lot. Here's how to set them up.
https://help.prusa3d.com/en/article/steel-sheet-profiles_1955/
Once these profiles are set up, the live z adjustment will save to the selected profile.
Re:zoffset
Yes I know that, this is my third printer. I set the Z the same way I do for my other printers that run fine. I assumed it was Z at first and spent a few days playing with the Z height and printing. I’ve ruled that out as the issue.
esspecially considering that while trying to fix this I replaced a different printer heat break, reset my Z offset and successfully finished this print in one attempt
pla
I saw a similar issue using some black PLA ages ago when the print had a very large flat contact surface with the build plate. I'm trying to remember what I ended up doing to fix it. I think it ended up being a cooling issue. I've not tried to print that same part since but I felt like it was probably the particular brand of filament. I've not seen the same problem on any other prints since then either.
Filament drying
I had the same issues recently and I think drying the filament helped.
drying
yes drying could be possible. that was well before I had gotten a filament dryer.
drying
re-reading I wasn't clear but I moved the literal spool to a different printer and printed the file and it was fine.
I ended up tearing the Y axis down and putting it back together just in case and it's printing a similar file now so we will see how it goes
Rule dout
Then you have ruled out one of the possible causes.
re-reading I wasn't clear but I moved the literal spool to a different printer and printed the file and it was fine.
I ended up tearing the Y axis down and putting it back together just in case and it's printing a similar file now so we will see how it goes
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
works now
Tore down the Y axis and redid it and it works fine now. I must have messed up something in my initial assembly
Great news
Glad it’s working now 🙂