What did you 3D print today?

Alright, my latest issue.

My brim, and my first layers are not tight together. They are better on the right side of my plate, but as it moves to the left side they get spaced out more and more. Belts and everything feel good. I've tried resetting z offset, tried thinner layer height, tried more rows for the same width brim, but it keeps printing like this.

I don't think it's just the first layers though, as my last two attempts at this print have failed after 50 layers or so because something isn't quite right. My supports are getting messy and a couple smaller ones eventually catch the nozzle and break away from the plate causing the print to shift.

I tried a test with a different print to see if maybe it was the file since I grabbed it from thingiverse, but it's printing the first layers like this on everything.

Note** This is a new roll of Overture PLA, but I had been noticing the brims getting spaced out with other rolls.

 

Happening on one side more than the other makes me think bed leveling, but you have auto leveler i'm assuming? Could your extruder gears be wearing out and it's slipping and under extruding while trying to grab the filament when it's tighter on the far side of the plate? Just thinking out loud, since it's only on the one side, that'd be where my brain goes for troubleshooting..

 

Yes auto leveling.

Extruding issues would make sense. It IS quite a stretch when at the far left of the plate.

 

Auto leveling can only do so much. Maybe try some 2" wide Polyimade tape under the print bed, I had to run a strip down all 4 sides to get it to level with the center. Just do one strip at a time, auto-level, and run a test.
Another culprit could be the gantry being out of level with the bed.

 

I tried running part of this print the other ways so the head stays in the middle and it did the same thing. Also tried dropping my Z offset by .05 to see if it wasn't squishing enough and still no dice. But, the little strip it does to clean/prime the nozzle looks great?

 

I can't keep all the different models straight. Does your Ender V3 KE have dual Z stepper motors? A CR10 at my makerspace occasionally gets out of whack where the gantry is no longer parallel to the print surface. I made a setting tool with a bolt and piece of tapped extrusion to get the gantry at the same height above the base. Once that is done, use the bed leveling screws to fine tune the print surface.

 

Thank you both!

 

FWIW... wrote all this.... then went and put in a $176 order of bambulab filament for 15-17/each haha 8kg plus 4 empty spools. Should get cheaper over time as I start re-using spools, but I need to swap colors and haven't finished any yet. And i don't want to do ABS to print my own. Also my wife picked out half the colors. A lot easier to justify when she's getting some too

 

hahaha always nice when the boss signs off. I'm looking at ELEGOO PLA 3D Printer Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG – ELEGOO US seems to be the best price per spool ~$14. they also have 2 and 10KG options for more basic colors.

 

I bought a few of these from Amazon for $16 a spool. I have prime so it was sorta free shipping. Colorado has some weird thing that charges you like $0.29 per amazon order? idk its weird

I haven't noticed a difference between this and other stuff i have used.

 

i'll keep that in mind.

 

I have this arriving today from them:




It was also for the wife

 

Easter project?

 

LOL, my wife bought the last 3 rolls for random crap she wanted printed. PAX chargers, desktop trash can, etc.

I lightly greased stuff on the new AM5, recalibrated, and switched to the latest OrcaSlicer. This thing is still louder, but the crazy loud vibrations are gone. Not sure which of the 3 things made a difference, but I don't feel like sending it back anymore.

 

I don't really print much of the way of toys and whatnot but I found a Gengar model I'm putting on my shelf of nonsense.

 

My descent into gridfinity madness has begun.

 

Okay folks. I made the leap and purchased a Bambu P1S. Next question: what do you guys use for 3D modeling? I’m a former SolidWorks user before I retired.

 

I use SolidWorks.

 

I’m looking for a low or no cost option. I don’t believe SolidWorks has a free version, correct?

 

I'm using Fusion 360 (free version, which is somewhat limited).