Print looking "creamy"

[iesvilla 0]

I'm having a problem with this specific print (one of the ultimaker fans). Originally I thought that it was a leveling problem, since 3/4 of the print came out fine, but one of the corners just didn't stick. Now, I was sure the platform was leveled, and started to print, and the PLA came out all gummy/creamy.

 

Any help?

 

Just used the regular high settings from cure, nothing special, and I've had great results up to this point with the default settings cura gives.

 

 

Edit: it seems as if the filament just randomly overflows or underflows after the first few lines of printin.

 

[iesvilla 0]

Additionally, the settings are definitely no the problem, he's another print in low settings:

 

[owen 19]

It may be going over temperature for some reason.

Check your connections in your thermistor path.

 

[iesvilla 0]

It may be going over temperature for some reason.

Check your connections in your thermistor path.

 

I realised a couple of days ago that a fan I printed got kind of stuck, so there's some bits of burnt PLA, but I managed to print pretty well after realising this. Could some damage due to the material sticking be the problem?

 

[illuminarti 18]

It looks like you're first layer is very very close to the bed, so theres a bunch of excess plastic that can't really get out, and gets squished around. Try turning all four leveling screws on the bed a quarter turn clockwise, to lower the bed slightly.

The bits of burned PLA won't do any harm.

 

[iesvilla 0]

It looks like you're first layer is very very close to the bed, so theres a bunch of excess plastic that can't really get out, and gets squished around. Try turning all four leveling screws on the bed a quarter turn clockwise, to lower the bed slightly.

The bits of burned PLA won't do any harm.

 

Well, it required A LOT of leveling and adjusting the end stop, but it seems as if it worked, thanks :-P

 

[gr5 2,173]

When the first layer is .3mm thick you only have to level to an accuracy of .1mm which is about the width of a piece of paper and difficult to do but not too bad. When the first layer is .1mm thick you have to level to about 1/3 of the width of a piece of paper. This is very difficult. On your "fine" settings I'm guessing the first layer was .1mm.

Also I can see in one corner the layer is so thin because the bed is closer to the print head.

Some people just grab the z screw as it's printing the skirt/brim and twist it a few clicks if it is too low or high.

 

[hjk1000 0]

Hi, I think my bed levelling is not good either. The bed level option says "nozzle just touching the bed". Are there trick to make sure it is correct?

 

[gr5 2,173]

How to level:

leveling here is defined as setting the Z height and also leveling. It's one procedure that does both at once.

Optionally heat up the nozzle to 180C because a cold nozzle shrinks and you will be setting the bed to the wrong height. Make sure tip of nozzle doesn't have any plastic on it or you may level to the wrong height. I usually prefer to level with a cold nozzle but if you want extra accuracy then use hot nozzle. If you have a heated bed that should also be warm for the same reason.

Home the z axis only. If you must home all 3 then you need to disable the steppers once it's done so you can move the print head by hand. Move the head as close as possible to each of the 4 screws in turn. Once at a screw tighten the screw and then slip a piece of paper between the nozzle and the print bed. Make sure the paper slides very freeley. Then loosen the screw until the paper gets slightly stuck. You want the paper to easily be able to slide in and out under the nozzle with one hand pushing the paper. If the paper gets stuck it's probably too tight under there.

Repeat this procedure for the other 3 screws. Then go back to the first screw and repeat on all 4 screws again. Then repeat on all 4 screws again. Then again. It may take you 20 minutes to do this the first time but the second time you do this it should take much less time because you are both better at it, faster at it, and because there isn't much to adjust the second time.

If you leveled with a cold nozzle you are done. If you leveled with a hot nozzle you should then loosen the 4 screws 1/8 of a turn to compensate for the thickness of the paper.

Once done leveling rotate the z screw by hand to keep the nozzle off your bed. This makes it less likely to damage your bed surface and gives the nozzle room to leak.

On a new ultimaker repeat this procedure before every print (at least every hour) because the print bed can move/droop like a new guitar string. After many months the droop slows down.

 

 

[hjk1000 0]

Thanks for this, Great instruction...