Print Troubleshooting Pictorial Guide

>>Currently under construction 2/23/2013- see [1]<<

This guide assumes a basically properly built and calibrated printer Main_Page. If you have not read through and attempted a complete calibration, see the REPRAP wiki for Calibration instructions. Some common calibration issues as well as common build related issues however are discussed.

The following categories are used to help identify the print issue by either print defects or by cause (if known). The print defects will point to identified causes and branch into individual examples and solutions:

CAUSES:

Material Handling

Material Contamination

	Material Handling, Material Contamination 01 Material Handling, Material Contamination 01 01 [[Image:|x150px|center]] 02 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 03 [[Image:|x150px|left]] 04 [[Image:|x150px|center]] 05 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 06 Problem Common Cause Correction Tiny filament width holes on print sides. Steem blow-outs or bubbles from water absorbed from the humidity in the air into the raw filament during storage prior to printing. Proper handling of filament to reduce exposure to humidity. [2] Heat raw filament prior to use to remove absorbed water. take care not to melt filament as it will not be usable if it looses its round (cross section) shape or sticks together and cannot be separated.

Bed Adherence

Insufficient

	Bed Adherence, insufficient 01 Bed Adherence, insufficient 01 01 x150px 02 x150px 03 [[Image:|x150px|left]] 04 [[Image:|x150px|center]] 05 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 06 Problem Common Cause Correction Prints do not adhere to build platform. Print head too high to push plastic against build platform Change height settings, calibrate bottom stop, level build platform Build platform not clean Clean using rubbing alcohol or amonia, or reapply surface tape Build platform temp too low (other than PLA) Raise build platform temp (max ~65C)

Part Temperature

Too hot

	Part Temperature, too hot 01 Part Temperature, too hot 01 01 02 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 03 [[Image:|x150px|left]] 04 [[Image:|x150px|center]] 05 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 06 Problem Common Cause Correction Prints warp at height Part temperature builds up as part is built Change settings to turn off or down temp of heated build platform after base layers are complete. Ex: with heat on all through print and off upon print start (starting at full temp but cooling as it goes) (pic01). ? Reduce print speed to allow time to cool down [3] Introduce wait states/orbit for each layer Add fan to reduce heat of part.

Too cold

	Part Temperature, Too Cold 01 Part Temperature, Too Cold 01 01 02 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 03 [[Image:|x150px|left]] 04 [[Image:|x150px|center]] 05 [[Image:|x150px|right]] 06 Problem Common Cause Correction Part warping and delamination as print progresses. Part cools too fast causing contration especially in ABS which has a higher glass transition temp of ~140C. Print perimeter surrounding skirt full height of part to keep the heat in. [4] Enclose printer or print envelope in a box or bag to retain heat during print. Take care not to overheat printer parts which are not tolerant of heat. Heat treat part post print (if it survives until then) using heated build platform and a cardboard box.

PRINT DEFECTS:

Body Defects

Warping

#Part Temperature

Interlayer Delamination

#Part Temperature

Failure at Height

#Part Temperature

Overall Disaster

If you are not certain about having correctly calibrated you printer, verify that it is calibrated first as that is the first step. See Calibration. Verify you also calibrated your extruder. Then verify your extruder zero height (endstop position) above your print bed is appropriately set.