Problem with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments
Dear all,
I have lots of problems printing with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments. I bought them from the PRUSA shop together with my Original Prusa i3 MK3. I usually use Prusament PLA that works like a charm.
I attach some screenshots of the bed after a failed print together with a screenshot of the nozzle which is covered in melted filament.
I used slic3r PE to slice my model and entered ColorFabb PLA / PHA as the filament preset for the slicing.
Am I using the wrong temperature (210ºC)? Wrong bed temperature (60ºC)? Wrong distance between the bed and the nozzle? Both? Neither?
Any help is much appreciated!
Thank you in advance.
Cheers,
Roberto
Re: Problem with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments
I also bought a roll since Mad Maker was out of the smaller rolls of green. This stuff is a nightmare. All my other rolls print just fine but i am barely able to get the skirt down without it balling around the nozzle. I reset my z back to my normal and use another roll and it prints just fine.
Re: Problem with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments
Thank you, terry.a2... So, overall ColorFabb is... 🤦♂️
RE: Problem with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments
I've had good success with printing ColorFabb PLA/PHA. Bed adhesion is certainly an issue, but on my lightly sanded PEI sheet (simply sanded to make it matte with a 600 grit sandpaper), it held well enough at 50/60ºC bed temperature. I always clean the sheet with IPA and/or Acetone before printing PLA or PLA/PHA. What's worse (at least for me), is that the properties vary wildly with color. A Ultramarine Blue PLA/PHA requires printing at 200ºC (otherwise it'd show temperature artifacts), whereas Transparent Green required 230ºC (at standard temps the layer adhesion was bad). They also have a very different feel, like if they were entirely different materials.
RE: Problem with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments
So i had the opportunity to work with my roll some more and think i have my problem solved. Figured i would share my findings in case it can be of use to someone else.
I started following the directions in the life-adjust-z-my-way While it did help a little what i noticed the gcode was printing the first layer a bit slower. after loading the profile he said he used into simplify things started working right. I like Simplify well enough but kinda like Slic3r PE a bit better.
I haven't really messed with the speeds so it should be what they had in stock other than lowering support material to 30mm. I changed my first layer speed until i reached 30%. The skirt started sticking and a test print looked pretty good though i had issues with supports curling in the first layer. I upped my first layer temp to 230c with other layers being 220c. After this the i was able to get a really good first layer supports and all. This worked with leaf green and don't know if it will with other colors.
RE: Problem with ColorFabb PLA / PHA Filaments
@terry-a2
Hi. I am having problems with Leaf Green like you did. Thanks for the recommendations. Have you anymore wisdom to share?
thanks, Steve