yellowshark

The parameters that control it are bed levelling; nozzle to bed distance, 1st layer print speed ,“glues” and to some extent bed and extruder temp. Irrespective of the model print speed you need to print the 1st layer slower; at least 30mm/s, a lot of people use 20mm/s., I think some even go to 15mm/s “Glues” – I disagree with the statement above abut not using them. People use a variety of substances, including nothing. I print on glass and use hairspray because I have found that for me it improves adhesion but I think it is a very personal thing. You will find lots of posts on the forum on this subject. If you are struggling a bit with adhesion then increasing the bed and or extruder temp. for the 1st layer can help. Unlike some other slicers base Cura does not provide this option, (there is a plugin, “attweakZ” or something like that that may allow you to do this) so I think a lot of people on the Ultimaker side maybe do not use this technique. Although I think the printer jog dial may let you do it and of course you can put it into the gcode but that would be PIA for every print. But, assuming your bed is level then to me the major factor is nozzle to bed distance. Of course you can change the screws with the printer not operating but the advantage of doing it in situ during a print is that you can see the effect and it is normally quite a quick process. But IMHO if you want to get it really good you have to do it electronically. As it happens yesterday I retuned my nozzle distance. I did 5 prints with 0.02mm difference in distance between each one. They were all good but one was the best. I defy anyone to manually change the distance with that precision using the screws, let alone changing the height exactly the same on both sides so you do not screw the bed levelling. Manually in situ is fine; you cannot argue with what you can see but then again it may not be the best you can achieve. The paintwork on a new Ford will look great until you park a new Bentley beside it.

Hi Bjorn, sorry for my misinterpretation of “Primary”, it was late when I saw your post! I do not know Simply3D so cannot comment really. All I will say is that it has always been my understanding that if you set the first layer to a thicker resolution you will get more material extruded. In Cura if you set a 1st layer of 0.3 the print bed is lowered 0.3 before starting the print so my view would be that there HAS to be more material extruded – but I did not write the code so who knows! 1st layer width is a fairly recent option added to Cura but I have never used it as I rarely get a problems with the 1st layer – for me normally a sign that bed levelling and /or nozzle bed distance need tuning. Lol I will probably get flamed now but for me these type of settings are just used to hide the fact that you have a problem with your printer setup and I would rather fix the setup than mask it. If I look at you pics I would say that all of them are quite poor, possibly in the last pic the print on the left is almost there in the extreme top left corner. I would suggest you use those settings in Cura and then adjust the nozzle width distance with the screws whilst it is printing to get it right. Personally I would use something with a larger base – just take a cube and modify the x/y dimensions and set z to 0.3. I have only done this once but it is a quick way of getting it correct and is quite a nice method. I normally use the z-offset to achieve the same thing. It takes considerably longer but is potentially a more accurate approach and there is no danger of disturbing the bed level.

H Bjorn, Ok your problem really is trying to print the 1st layer at 0.1. To do this successfully everything else needs to absolutely right, i.e. bed levelling, nozzle to bed distance and temps. Far better to use 0.3 for the first layer. You do this under the Advanced tab\ Quality\ initial layer thickness. Reset your layer thickness %s and line widths %s back to 100%. There is no right or wrong answer to the following but with PLA where necessary you can improve your 1st layer adhesion by adding say 5 degrees to your bed temp and extruder temp for the 1st layer. I print my 1st layer at a minimum of 210c; if the extruder temp I want to use is higher than 210c then I set the 1st layer temp the same as all the other layers. I set my bed temp to 65c and then for 2nd and subsequent layers I change it to 60c. If I remember rightly you can do this in Slic3r but with Cura you will need to change the bed and extruder temps after the 1st layer manually. Use 20mm/s for your 1st layer print speed. If you have a glass plate on your print bed then your printer bed temp. monitor is almost certainly measuring the bed temp. NOT the temp. of the glass plate (they will be different). On my printer I add 8 or 9 degrees to the bed temp. settings to get the glass up to the required temp. And if you are printing something with a large base, say 50% + of the build plate, remember that it takes time with most printers t get the entire bed up to the required temp. On my printer when the centre of the bed reaches the desired temp. the perimeters of the bed can be 10-15c cooler. So you need to wait and use a digital thermometer to measure the bed before starting the print.

Oh dear, those settings look to me to be fine to avoid pillowing. I am going to suggest two things. Firstly move the infill to 40%. I appreciate that for the actual print you may not want to do that but for resolving your problem I think it can only help. Also it may well work for some filaments but I I think .200 at 40mm/s and 200c must be on the borderline. I would be inclined for the moment to take the temp to 205 or 210; maybe 210 you can always then back off. I would be inclined to not move the .200 depth until the pillowing is resolved; going thinner will only make it more difficult to resolve. Of course for your threads you may well want to do that. I have not printed many threads but I suspect that for the 2 or 3 that I have done I used .100 Have you tried going back to your original brand? If you have run out then I would try a third filament if you have one. When you say the fans are 100% is that 100% working or 100% working at 100%? When your fans are coming on strong say 50% going to 100% do you see the extruder temp dropping? On my printer, which is not a UM, my extruder will drop 5 degrees+ when the fans start charging, I ramp them up steeply after layer 2 or 3

...oh and if you are still struggling try increasing your infill; 40%+ normally overcomes it as it makes it easier for the solid layers to adhere to the infill compared to say 20%

... sorry, with regards to my penultimate para you may well want to increase "Bottom/Top" thickness under Fill on the Basic tab. 1.2mm would not be OTT - again without knowing your settings not possible to be precise. What brand/colour filament is the one that is causing problems?

Hi Duffy the first thing to realise that different PLAs from the same manufacturer may need different settings to get the flow correct, let alone using PLA from different manufacturers even if the colour is the same. It would be useful if you could give us your primary settings used for the original print and the after print. Regarding the screw surfaces are you sure you were using the same fan setting what was it? Looking at the top of the bottom surface and the top of the top surface that is pillowing. To fix that that you need one of or all of – fans full on, use a thicker layer resolution, print slower. Difficult to be exact without your settings. Given that and the screw thread I do suspect your fans were not on. I suppose there might be some under extrusion, maybe you got a blockage as a result of the filament change but not convinced on that. Can you do an atomic pull? Maybe worth doing that after addressing the pillowing if you are still having problems.

I would add one point and I am not sure if this is right but if you do an atomic pull with PLA, after using XT, then I suspect you need to heat the extruder to the XT print temp., not the PLA print temp., before the pull. My thinking is that you need to be sure the XT is molten so it comes away from the nozzle wall and sticks to the PLA.

:mrgreen:

From another thread I came across the Aaron Thomas website and that wonderful Ronin model. Reading through the details I saw that his finishing included using surface wax. Doing some more investigation I saw some wax from Wurth, a pack of 10 sticks in different colours. I was quoted a price of £148!! I am wondering if anyone here has used wax in their finishing and what product(s) you used and an idea on pricing. I would like to try it but not at that sort of pricing!

On the filament side I do find white more different than others rather than difficult. I use Faberdashery white and it seems to flow thicker (cannot think of another way of describing it) than all my other filaments. So I print it at least 5 degrees cooler, even up to 10 degrees. On the Colorfabb Dutch orange, which I have used a lot, I think that if you need to print .100 & 50mm/s at a temp higher than 210 then you are probably masking a problem somewhere.

Hi I am in the process of getting some lubricant for the Z-screw and came upon this interesting thread. Sewing machine oil is indeed part of the English landscape, it is used for oiling sewing machines J. Now I am no expert on the subject but I have always understood sewing machine oil to be a very specific oil with a low viscosity. I do not think in England that it is considered general purpose such as 3in 1. I use it for lubricating the four X/Y axis rods and the Z-screw and uprights. I saw last night an interesting article on this subject on the RepRap forum. It was recommending Super Lube, an American range of products, but so far I have failed to track it down in the UK. They do a synthetic oil with high viscosity and PTFE which potentially could be ideal for the Z-stage and maybe the x/y rods too. Anyway just wondering what people are using. on their Z stage. For the bearings I am going to use a very light bearing oil which I use for the roller bearings in RC race cars where freedom of movement is paramount.

Thanks for that Jan. I still have not got my head around printing the insert circle smaller (it will be smaller anyway in the finished print!) and then being able to insert the brass insert. What temp. do you guys set your soldering iron to in order to melt the plastic when using heat set inserts?

Just checked my printer specs and the required ambient temp is 16.32C.No idea what would happen if I ran it in a room at 16.31C !

Hi Nalfy I guess you are printing in the garage or something similar. My print room is in the room above the garage, similarly with no heating. I use a small oil filled electric radiator.They are pretty cheap to buy and run. I cannot speak for the printer but I would not want to be sitting there in the current temperatures and I suspect the printer will agree!

The Spirol "Inserts for Plastic Design Guide" is awesome. "https://www.spirol.com/library/main_catalogs/ins_us.pdf"

No I am not being silly Eldrick. Why should I waste my valuable time searching for something that you have kindly shared with us. They ship overseas just like all the Corvette parts distributors, from large companies to one man bands, whom all clearly can cope with whatever level of export regs. - for stuff <10$. And yes the freight is heavy But, and this is the important point, they lied to me. But many thanks for saving my time with Spirol . And God bless America for NFL.

D*mn American paranoia. to our American members. They will not sell outside of the USA except to established customers due to "extensive export regulations". Am I really getting access to important defence technology or likely to create a plastic bomb with one of them. Thank God the Corvette parts suppliers in the States do not take the same attitude - actually thinking about that I assume it means actually these people cannot be bothered. I was told no European distributor I could contact.

Yes it sure does djyeo but persevere, it is worth it

Hi, OK you need to give us more information so that we can help you. You mention all these problems you are having but do not say what they are. You say standard ABS settings but that means nothing to me as I do not print ABS and you do not even say what print speed you are using. So firstly what are your problems? Looking at the photos. The surface finish looks OK except for that under extrusion by the top of the arch. That is probably due to a bit of duff filament or to friction in the feed system. Have you checked for any filament blockage in the extruder/nozzle? Have you done an Atomic pull? Have you measured your filament to ensure to ensure the diameter is consistent along the length. Have you pulled the filament from the extruder to check its condition? The arch does not look to bad. Did you have support – you don’t say. Nothing that a round file will not sort and print speed can affect it plus you could try .200 or .300. The infill does not look too bad but I can see there are blobs there, albeit no impact on the final product. Maybe over extruding or going to fast, not sure. What is you print speed, retraction settings, nozzle setting, wall width setting; infill looks >20% <40%. I am presuming no fans? I am assuming the lift from the bed may be just one of those ABS things but is the bed clean, are you using any additive on the bed, have you very carefully check the bed levelling, and checked it again?

I cannot tell how small it is, no picture access, but it looks SMALL. Yes you need to go to at least 30mm/s I think I would be inclined to use 20mm/s/ 100% fans asap. Minimum layer time 10 sec. Not sure if printing 2 towers will be sufficient, you might need to go to more - all depends on the size. I agree with Peggy B on cool head lift it can be really useful and the threads easily removed with a modelling knife, certainly worth a try if you are struggling. As Didier and Jonny have said, get that extruder temp down loow

Thanks, got it now - looks a really nice idea

Thanks for that; I am not sure if I am clear. Do you - create a hole in the 3D print that exactly images the dimensions of the insert - after the print poke the soldering iron into the hole and lightly melt the circumference of the hole - quickly insert the insert - job done ? Is it a special soldering iron or can I use mine? Recommended temp. of the soldering iron?

Hi EldRick have you used those inserts? I am just wondering in reality how easy it is to use a soldering iron to stick the plastic to them without damaging the plastic surface; accepting of course that in some scenarios the surface may be hidden. They also supply a Solidworks parts model which in theory is great although it differs from the picture. Maybe the picture is generic and the Solidworks model specific?

OK firstly I think I am right in saying that if you order 100mtr of filament from Faberdashery it will come on a spool. I prefer "loose" to spool so I order <100mtr from them. The "loose " filament lays on the floor and travels more than 600mm to get to the printer.