layer shifts to one side for no reason
I'm having a strange problem with one of my prints. It's a rectangular box with flat walls all around. At a certain height, the longer walls shift 1mm to one side, creating a ridge protruding on one side and indenting on the other, as if the whole layer just shifted 1mm to the right. I can't see the issue in Fusion 360, the STL viewer, or Prusa Slicer. I cut a small section and that partial section of the walls printed fine, but every full print is ruined. The STL and gcode files are available here: box.stl, box.gcode
RE: layer shifts to one side for no reason
That’s because it’s almost certainly NOT a software issue. These are usually mechanical in cause. First check your grub/set screws on your motor pulleys are correctly tightened onto the flat of the motor shafts. Next check your belt tensions. Too loose and it can skip under resistance. Then check that the axis moves smoothly and freely with no sticking points. If there is then you need to lubricate the bearings.
Other causes are physical obstructions to the axis or possibly the cable bundle that cause resistance and a skip.
RE: layer shifts to one side for no reason
Definitely, it is mechanical. Just to reiterate in an easy to read list:
- Check the grub screws
- Check your belt tension
- Lubricate your bearings - it should be smooth on the X and Y axis
- Check your wiring bundle on the back
- Make sure the bed is not hitting anything
One clue is which direction the shit is occurring - X or Y.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: layer shifts to one side for no reason
I was onboard with this being a mechanical issue and checked everything as suggested but could not find any particular issue. The next print had the same problem at exactly the same layer height. So that makes it seem less likely to be a mechanical issue. Again, I checked everything and there are no obstructions. I remembered that I had a weird "Crash Detected" error on a previous print a few days ago and had simply resumed printing. I never reset or power-cycled the printer since that incident.
This occurred to me yesterday and so I decided to power-cycle the printer and give it one more try. The print just completed this morning perfectly. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I'll make sure to restart the printer after any error in the future. Thanks for your help.