Gaps in mid-layer
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Gaps in mid-layer
I got my printer in early January and it has been working mostly fine until last week. It started with skipping the first 3/4 of the first line of the skirt and a few random blobby prints. Within a couple days it went to diagonally skipping sections of the layer right after puking out enough filament to fill the skipped section. It also prints occasional lines to the x or y endstops then picks up where it left off.
There were no hardware changes in the past few weeks.
I've tried 4 slicers and 3 cards, and the results are the same each time. The same gcode files work fine on a Wanhao printer, so it's got to be something with the printer.
It's not random, though. If I print the same file 4 times, I get 4 identical fails. Each file has its own pattern of screwup.
Ideas?
There were no hardware changes in the past few weeks.
I've tried 4 slicers and 3 cards, and the results are the same each time. The same gcode files work fine on a Wanhao printer, so it's got to be something with the printer.
It's not random, though. If I print the same file 4 times, I get 4 identical fails. Each file has its own pattern of screwup.
Ideas?
Last edited by spinnychick on March 30th, 2017, 9:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
- LePaul
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
Any photos or video of what it's doing?
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
At what temperature are you printing? When I had issues like this it turned out I had set it way too low for the speed I was printing at.
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
I've had the temps everywhere from 195-210 for PLA. The nozzle is still oozing normally when it's stationary and I managed to give myself a nasty burn on my knuckle a couple days ago so I'm positive the temps are ok. I have the speed down to 35mm/sec so I can catch what is happening, too. The only thing that changed is that when it pukes out a bunch of filament before it skips a bunch of lines, the drop of plastic doesn't spread as far because it comes out in one spot.
I've also tried various spots on the bed, tried different spools/colours/manufacturers, and made sure the filament is feeding smoothly.
I've also tried various spots on the bed, tried different spools/colours/manufacturers, and made sure the filament is feeding smoothly.
- Roberts_Clif
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
I had a similar problem not long ago, I have a PTFE lining inside the throat.
The PTFE had became deformed causing the extrusion to vary erratically.
I replaced the throat and Nozzle the faulty prints went away.
You may want to check to see if the nozzle or throat are partially clogged.
The PTFE had became deformed causing the extrusion to vary erratically.
I replaced the throat and Nozzle the faulty prints went away.
You may want to check to see if the nozzle or throat are partially clogged.
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
Thanks, I'll check that this afternoon!
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
I replaced the arm for the extruder because it seemed a little bent. The filament feeds through smoothly without catching on anything, it's not getting shredded or anything. The throat looked ok. I replaced it AND the nozzle just in case. When i raise the nozzle and heat it up and use the controls to extrude, it squirts out of the nozzle in a nice straight line. I re-sliced my test square with both higher and lower extrusion rates, but get the same results.
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
I tried re-calibrating the e-steps. if anything, it made it worse. every few lines, the extruder would slowly wander off to either the X or Y endstop to peek over the edge of the print surface, then wander back again via a different route. Now it doesn't even seem to be trying to make normal angles. There are supposed to be two rounds on the skirt and 4 perimeters on the test square, too.
Worse by Clothocan, on Flickr
Worse by Clothocan, on Flickr
- Roberts_Clif
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
spinnychick wrote:I tried re-calibrating the e-steps. if anything, it made it worse. every few lines, the extruder would slowly wander off to either the X or Y endstop to peek over the edge of the print surface, then wander back again via a different route. Now it doesn't even seem to be trying to make normal angles. There are supposed to be two rounds on the skirt and 4 perimeters on the test square, too.
If you are using 1.75mm Filament you could upload your g-code and I could test print it for you.
or some else could if you have 3mm filament.
It may be your slicing program settings are not tuned in.
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
Thanks, but I've tried 4 different slicers including s3d, and the same gcode file prints ok on the wanhao. The gcode preview definitely doesn't show giant gaps or extra trips to the edge of the bed. I'm almost ready to see how far this thing can fly.
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
If the extruder head is making erratic movements, I would think you are dealing with a communication (over USB?) or controller issue.
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FIXED: Gaps in mid-layer
Funny story.... After a couple cups of coffee and putting the printer on a time-out for the thousandth time (and probably about the same time as you posted the reply), I thought I'd hook it up to USB while it printed to see if the software registered the weird movements. I was still pretty po'd and not thinking clearly, so I selected to print from the computer, not the SD card. The @#$%# thing worked. I tried another file. It worked. I tried the first file again. It worked. All these hours of removing and replacing the same 6 freaking screws and it's the card slot. I'm going to go drink and print now.If the extruder head is making erratic movements, I would think you are dealing with a communication (over USB?) or controller issue.
FTR, if I had read your reply before I accidentally printed over USB, I would totally have tried it on purpose!
- jonnybischof
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
Is the card reader located on the printer's controller board, or on a second board and connected via flat ribbon cable? (I don't know your printer, just have my trusty UMO...).
It could be an EMI (electrical interference) problem. Maybe the card reader data cable goes in parallel with some power cable or motor wires? Sometimes it can help to just shove the ribbon cables away from where they are by a few cm and suddenly everything is fine.
If there are two cables (which is the case on many printers) it can help to just separate them a little bit instead of keeping them close to each other. They can interfere with each other because the cables aren't shielded.
EMI can be a very strange thing to deal with..
It could be an EMI (electrical interference) problem. Maybe the card reader data cable goes in parallel with some power cable or motor wires? Sometimes it can help to just shove the ribbon cables away from where they are by a few cm and suddenly everything is fine.
If there are two cables (which is the case on many printers) it can help to just separate them a little bit instead of keeping them close to each other. They can interfere with each other because the cables aren't shielded.
EMI can be a very strange thing to deal with..
- GrueMaster
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Re: Gaps in mid-layer
Looks like spinnychick has the right solution.
Couldn't say it better. Thankfully, I live really close to a really good local distillery. They even have ice cream.I'm going to go drink and print now.