Print Troubleshooting Pictorial Guide

>>Currently populating data 3/4/2013- You are welcome to help. 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 Problem Common Cause Correction Forum Link 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]

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	Material Handling, Material Contamination 02 Problem Common Cause Correction Forum Link Extruder jamb without apparent cause is a symptom. After extruder hot section disassembly and clean out, no source of jamb commonly found. May be visible in transparent filaments and may be accompanied by gas bubbles. Test for condition: (may damage nozzle) while extruder hot, insert orafice size drill bit up nozzle. If ooze occurs then stops again after drill bit removal, foreign particle may be in melt chamber. Particulate inclusions in raw filament as purchased from source. Found in cheap filament (Chinese mfr) noted in PLA from Esun. Use quality filament from known sources. [3] Indications of abrasion may be noticed internally in the thermal isolator of the hot end with the lines of abrasion in the direction of filament feed. </td>

Bed Adherence

Insufficient

	Bed Adherence, insufficient 01 Problem Common Cause Correction Forum Link 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

Part Temperature

Too hot

	Part Temperature, too hot 01 Problem Common Cause Correction Forum Link 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).  ?

Too cold

	Part Temperature, Too Cold 01 Problem Common Cause Correction Forum Link 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]

PRINT DEFECTS:

Body Defects

Warping

#Part Temperature

Interlayer Delamination

#Part Temperature

Failure at Height

#Part Temperature

Overall Disaster

	Problem Common Cause Correction Forum Link 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.