Prusa takes a while before it starts extruding
Hi guys! Prusa newbie here.
I'm trying to print a certain model of mine, and I've already tried printing it 15 times, from different angles and with different layer widths and different Slic3r settings, but to no avail. It always comes out wrong.
Here's the latest gcode file that I tried: https://gist.github.com/cool-RR/bc2fa5d2a3db1f1413e9c86c94104e94
What happens is this:
1. The printer does the mesh bed leveling, as it does before every print. Seems to work fine.
2. It then extrudes a line at the front of the heated bed. This works fine as well. If I understand correctly, this is done to ensure that extruding is working A-Okay before starting to print.
3. It then goes on to print the skirt-- Except it's not extruding, so it's making the motions but no material is being extruded.
4. It then goes on to print the raft, but again, no material is being extruded.
5. After a few seconds it starts extruding, but because it started in the middle it's making a mess and the print is ruined.
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I tried toying with the Slic3r settings in many different ways but nothing helped.
This doesn't happen when printing the gcode files that came with the Prusa. I also printed other pieces from Thingiverse successfully, though I've seen the same phenomenon described here, except it didn't ruin the print. What makes this piece different is that it's quite small.
Thanks,
Ram.
Re: Prusa takes a while before it starts extruding
Looking at your gcode it seems to me that you selected the muliti material version of the printer settings in Slic3r. That does a 4mm retract after the line, so I guess that is then the amount of filament your are missing when it starts printing the skirt.
If your are not using the MM extension, retraction should be 0.8mm by default.
Re: Prusa takes a while before it starts extruding
Awesome, I'll give that a try! Thanks Hendrik!
Re: Prusa takes a while before it starts extruding
Also, make sure to double check your Live Z adjustment. If it's a bit too high, the filament won't stick to the bed but curl around the nozzle. Once there's too much of it, it'll leave a blob on surface. There's a post on the forums, "Live Z adjust my way" or something like that. It's the best way to get it right.
If your Z is ok and this is only happening on the same side of the bed every time, check "Bed level correction" in the Calibrations menu. In my case, I had my Z height set perfectly in the middle, but it wouldn't stick at all on the left side and I had to correct it by 40 microns.
Re: Prusa takes a while before it starts extruding
Thank you Petra! I'll check out that post.