Spiky Print / Not Smooth
I am having an issue with the finish a model. I am using a Prusa i3 MK3S.
I am getting little spikes on the surface of the print making it very rough. From what I can tell, when the extruder moves to a new spot it leaves a little point of filament. My settings are as follows:
PLA
Retraction Height: 2mm
Print Temp: 200
.15 Layer Height
6 bottom layers
6 top layers
Do I need to turn my retraction setting higher? Has anyone else had similar issues and solved them?
RE: Spiky Print / Not Smooth
Many just use a heat gun to remove these artifacts of FDM printing, but playing with temperature, retraction and z-lift swizzel can help - but what works best is filament specific.
RE: Spiky Print / Not Smooth
Many just use a heat gun to remove these artifacts of FDM printing, but playing with temperature, retraction and z-lift swizzel can help - but what works best is filament specific.
I tried a head gun today and they don't melt completely. I tested another print by turning off z-lift and it appears to have helped. I'll do some more testing though.
RE: Spiky Print / Not Smooth
Not lifting the nozzle lets the extruder wipe the nozzle horizontally - no ice cream cone swirl - but there may still be some webbing and a swipe won't work in some cases. Reducing temp to minimum is another way to deal with webs... I've gone as low as 180c with PLA: but it's a fine balance with layer adhesion. I use a granite colored filament that is prone to webbing, I have never found a sure cure for it. Plus, my heat gun loves to melt the spires, turrets and crenellations on my prints as well as the webs. In all my reading on the subject, it seems you can minimize the issue, but never fully eliminate it.