Small flat print issues with text and other details

[Mightycorndog 0]

Hi there,

 

Thank you in advance for any help you may provide. I've been trying to print a version of a game called 'secret hitler' for my brother. I'm using a creality CR-10 3D printer (I realize it isn't an ultimaker but this is the best forum I know of for 3D printing advice). I am trying to print a game tile but for some reason the details come out completely ruined. I've done a lot of research and the most obvious cause for this is over-extrusion but no matter how I adjust the flow and print temp it doesn't fix or even slightly change the outcome of the print. Another possible cause is that perhaps my printer is making the layers too thin and is subsequently squishing higher layers but I honestly don't know and even if that were the case I don't know how to fix it. The first layer is perfect then subsequent layers look squished. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Attached are photos of the design as it's supposed to be and how it turns out when I try to print.

 

Creality CR-10

Nozzle Temperature: 200C

Bed Temperature: 50C

Layer height selected on slicer: 0.2mm

 

Thank you again for any help!

[Smithy 1,144]

The card is small, so it could help to print with a 0.25 nozzle instead of the 0.4 to get better details.

Another or additional option is to print 2 at once to give the layer more time to cool down before the next layer is printed. The option min layer time can also help if you want to print only one card.

Additionally try to print cooler, adjust the temp until you get underextrusion and then add 5°C.

Print slow.

[gr5 2,173]

How many layers thick is this?

 

You want the first layer to squish quite a bit, otherwise parts tend to come loose during the print or corners "warp" off the bed.  But then the second layer isn't fully recovered and also over squishes but not as much.

 

Let's first address Z issues - you suggested maybe it's not moving enough in Z and that makes the second layer bad.  This is possible - if it's true then all your prints Z height will be off - this is not that unusual - usually they will be off by exactly 2X because some jumper that controls steps/mm is inserted wrong or removed wrong.  So have you ever printed something taller?  Try printing something 1cm tall and then measuring it to see if maybe it's off by 2X.

 

Okay that's probably not the issue.  Here are some other suggestions.

 

1) Try making the first layer 0.1mm in Cura.  If you have manual leveling and practice you can get small parts to print great at 0.1mm bottom layer.  Then have a recovery layer or two and only then print the layer with letters.

2) Print 2 at once as smithy says to insure one cools enough before printing the next layer.

3) Try a smaller nozzle?  That helps a lot.

4) Try a more bold font.

5) Make sure "combing" is enabled even in the top layer (often it is disabled in "skin" layers and top layer is a skin layer)

6) Consider having the letters go all the way through (but now many letters like "O" will have an issue with the center of the O falling through so you need a "stencil" font".  If you go this route set "initial horizontal expansion" to -0.3mm.

7) Consider going with 2 colors

 

[gr5 2,173]

Two color printing with a single extruder printer: