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I can't print anything but the prepared G.code


Zeezee073

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Posted · I can't print anything but the prepared G.code

Hi, 

I've went and bought an Ender 3 printer assembled and printed the cat model from the SD card that came with it and it came out as a success. Afterwards I tried to print out simple models I found online but I couldn't for some odd reason. When it first started it began with a priming process of making a straight line twice but it only started to stick to the bed half way for the first line and when it finished the second line it doesn't cut off but drags it around the bed causing more filament to form out yet not sticking to the bed.

 

I did another of the cat model given again and there was no problem so I concluded that the problem is from the slicer or the models itself. I need help in getting it to work propley please.

 

These are links for the models I want to first print

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2648592

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2517867

 

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    Posted · I can't print anything but the prepared G.code

    The main reasons for the plastic not sticking are a dirty build surface, the bed wasn't leveled correctly, the E-steps need to be calibrated.

    When the build surface is new (either the magnetic one or glass) it may have some finish on it.  Take it off the printer and give it a good wash with dish detergent.  Put it back on the printer and warm it up to 50° or so.  Give it a good wipe with isopropyl alcohol (90% is best).  Even fingerprints leave enough oil on the surface that the plastic doesn't stick.

     

    The only way for the printer to know where the build plate is in the Z is the bed leveling.  Did the printer come with an an Automatic Bed Leveling system?  If it did then you may need to adjust the Z-offset.  If you level with a piece of paper (I do) then use a store receipt or parchment paper.  You need to develop a feel for it as you move the print head and adjust the leveling screws.

    If the E-steps aren't adjusted correctly from the factory (and most Enders are not) then it's quite possible that the printer isn't moving as much plastic as the gcode is asking for.  That means you aren't getting enough squish between the nozzle and the bed so the plastic isn't getting smeared.

    A fella named CHEP has videos on YouTube that he calls Filament Fridays.  He is very Creality centric and I'm sure he covers both bed adhesion and calibrating the E-steps.

     

    When you level the build surface you are telling the slicer "Here is Z=0".  If the nozzle is actually .1mm above the build plate then the gap is too large and the careful calculation made by a slicer program will be wrong.  If you have the "Initial Layer Height" in a slicer set to 0.2mm and your nozzle starts out at 0.1 instead of 0 then the first layer will be 0.3mm high.  The amount of plastic needed is 50% greater than the gcode is supplying and so there is no squish and your print just slides around and becomes a mess.

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    Posted · I can't print anything but the prepared G.code
    12 hours ago, GregValiant said:

    The main reasons for the plastic not sticking are a dirty build surface, the bed wasn't leveled correctly, the E-steps need to be calibrated.

    When the build surface is new (either the magnetic one or glass) it may have some finish on it.  Take it off the printer and give it a good wash with dish detergent.  Put it back on the printer and warm it up to 50° or so.  Give it a good wipe with isopropyl alcohol (90% is best).  Even fingerprints leave enough oil on the surface that the plastic doesn't stick.

     

    The only way for the printer to know where the build plate is in the Z is the bed leveling.  Did the printer come with an an Automatic Bed Leveling system?  If it did then you may need to adjust the Z-offset.  If you level with a piece of paper (I do) then use a store receipt or parchment paper.  You need to develop a feel for it as you move the print head and adjust the leveling screws.

    If the E-steps aren't adjusted correctly from the factory (and most Enders are not) then it's quite possible that the printer isn't moving as much plastic as the gcode is asking for.  That means you aren't getting enough squish between the nozzle and the bed so the plastic isn't getting smeared.

    A fella named CHEP has videos on YouTube that he calls Filament Fridays.  He is very Creality centric and I'm sure he covers both bed adhesion and calibrating the E-steps.

     

    When you level the build surface you are telling the slicer "Here is Z=0".  If the nozzle is actually .1mm above the build plate then the gap is too large and the careful calculation made by a slicer program will be wrong.  If you have the "Initial Layer Height" in a slicer set to 0.2mm and your nozzle starts out at 0.1 instead of 0 then the first layer will be 0.3mm high.  The amount of plastic needed is 50% greater than the gcode is supplying and so there is no squish and your print just slides around and becomes a mess.

    Everything one the printer is fine since it is able to print the given G.code that came with it. The problem I can see is from the slicer instead 

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    Posted · I can't print anything but the prepared G.code

    Hey @Zeezee073,

    Congratz on the new 3D Printer and welcome to the Ultimaker 3D printer Community!

    There are a number of things that can impact your bed adhesion 😄
    Here are some things to look at.

    I recall that the example cat is kind of small, these printjobs are probably a little bigger making bed adhesion a little more challenging. The bigger the printjob the trickier the adhesion. 
     

    Do you have a project file for us so we can help troubleshooting?

    To save a project file go to File -> Save project.

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    Posted · I can't print anything but the prepared G.code

    This is one of those things that I look at as "If the slicer did this to everyone, no one would use it."

    If you open a gcode file in a text editor you can follow the Z movement by searching for " Z" (space+Z).

    Layer:0 should be at "Initial Layer Height" and succeeding layers should each go up by "Layer Height".

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