Print is unacurate in the first layer

[Advanced 2]

Hello together,
I am using an Ultimate 2+ and we are printing just simple prints.

However I am struggling with following problem:
The first layer of the print is always bad.. On the glass as well as on a printed Build plate Adhesion (Raft).
The layers after the first layer look good, as well as the rest of the model. 
Do you know what I have to change? I am using simple white PLA with standard setting.
I also calibrated the printer again, with both calibration cards.

Is it maybe the file? we designed it with rhino 3D.

I look forward to your answer. Thanks alot in advance!
Fabian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UM2+_EXBERRY Kaffeeschablone 60mm.gcode

[Smithy 1,141]

Hi Fabian and welcome aboard!

 

Are you sure you have calibrated your bed correctly? It looks like, your nozzle is too far away from the bed.

[Advanced 2]

Hi Smithy,
I used the plastic card and second the paper calibration card at the 5 calibration points, and set the distance so that the paper between bed and nozzle have some resistance if i move it. Should be fine i guess?
However as you see in the picture, the bottom of the model is not accurate, but the top is perfect.

Could that be the file as well? I wonder why the printer is able to print a perfect adhesion plate, but the model then becomes that bad?
Do you have a test-print file which i could try to figure that out? 

Best,
Fabian

[Smithy 1,141]

It is possible that it is the model itself if the object is not lying flat on the build plate, you print in the air and if this is only a few microns then you don't see it on the first sight. But you can check it in Cura if you rotate the build plate to get a look at the underside. Check if the whole bottom is red, then it is actually touching the build plate.

 

To try another object is a good idea, download any object you like from Thingiverse, there are a lot of 🙂 

 

You can also enable the option "Automatically drop models to the build plate" in the Cura preferences, which should automatically put the object on the build plate.

[Smithy 1,141]

And something else, after you have solved the first layer problem, I think you should print it not with PLA when you want to use it with hot drinks, because PLA is not very temperature stable.

[Advanced 2]

Nice on Smithy, lets try your things.

(1) - the full model is colored in red on the downside. 
(2) - Sharp eye, it is made for a cappuchino- foam powder logo 🙂 I will have a look on other materials. 
(3) - i will print a tool and then i come back 🙂

[Smithy 1,141]

Not a sharp eye, but I saw your filename "Kaffeeschablone" (und damit wars klar 🙂 )

[yellowshark 153]

Actually another and fool proof way is to load the model into Cura. select the model and hit the move icon; the Z parameter should be 0 otherwise it is not sitting on the bed. Set it to 0 if not 0 . Also you could set it to -1mm (say) which means the model will below the build plate and try printing i.e. your first printing layer will be 1mm into the model rather than the  actual 1st layer of the model.

[Advanced 2]

Process:
I used this file to have a dummy -
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2400553

The first print looked like this:

As we can see, there are first layer problems again.. I was thinking about the calibration distance.
I did the calibration again, but now with distance which is that low that the paper calibration card was almost stuck between needle and plate.. I would not say that this is a slightly resistance, more a aggresive resistance 😉
However the next trial comes out likes this:

Way better I would say. Its printed without any "Build Plate Adhesion".
Tomorrow I will give it a next trial with my file, wish me luck.

 

@yellowshark thanks for your idea, I think its a better way if i find a good calibration first, before i set the Z to negative values. However if my attempt tomorrow will not work, i give it a try!

Thanks,
Fabian

[Smithy 1,141]

It will not help with your first layer problem if you set z to something negative, it helps if the bottom of your model is not flat for example. 

 

You have probably calibrated too high before, it is much better now. You should also clean your glass with alcohol, it is dirty 🙂 which could cause also adhesion problems. And I recommend to use a glue stick (UHU), make some stripes on the clean bed and then distribute it with a wet tissue to get a very thin layer of this glue mix. Then you don't need a brim.

[Advanced 2]

Moin Smithy,

The glas plate was cleaned with alcohol, but the "dirt" is the UHU glue 😉
However I will re-clean the glass and then i will use ur wet tissue method.
Thank you

[peggyb 169]

another way to check the z calibration on the fly is:

when printing the first layer, if you see irregularities, gently push underneath the bed, a little upwards. If the flow gets better, adjust the screws underneath the bed, looking top down, clockwise is bed higher.

Pushing too hard will result in very thin extrusion, there is a sweet spot between too thin, too thick. Just push the bed a bit while doing the first layer and look what happens, and adjust the screws accordingly. It also depends on what kind of model you print; a small surface might need to be closer then a big  surface, the calibration card is a general indication.