Poor adhesion to print bed.
Quote from Andy Harpur on 2022-01-07, 17:15We have 2 craftbot printers - Flow Idex + Flow Idex XL
I'm constantly struggling with bed adhesion on both printers. My prints end up as a mass of material clogging the heads.
I'm using PLA filament. I've used the standard settings and also tried increasing the temperature of the bed from 60ºC to 65ºC. I've tried cleaning the (new hardly used) print beds with alcohol several times. Each time I also pre-heat the nozzle and extrude some filament to ensure that it will flow correctly (which it does) before printing.
Today I've tried to print at least 5 times on each printer without success and I've given up!
Any ideas? My only conclusion is that the ambient room temperature where the printers are located may be too cold. Would this be expected to cause a problem?
We have 2 craftbot printers - Flow Idex + Flow Idex XL
I'm constantly struggling with bed adhesion on both printers. My prints end up as a mass of material clogging the heads.
I'm using PLA filament. I've used the standard settings and also tried increasing the temperature of the bed from 60ºC to 65ºC. I've tried cleaning the (new hardly used) print beds with alcohol several times. Each time I also pre-heat the nozzle and extrude some filament to ensure that it will flow correctly (which it does) before printing.
Today I've tried to print at least 5 times on each printer without success and I've given up!
Any ideas? My only conclusion is that the ambient room temperature where the printers are located may be too cold. Would this be expected to cause a problem?
Quote from Richard Krassnitzer on 2022-01-07, 21:45Maybe the filament is not hot enough?
I print my PLA from "Extruder" with 15°C more than recommended (245°C instead of max. 230°C). Otherwise I would have similar problems like you.
Too much space between the nozzle and the print bed?
Too fast initial layer print speed? (I had these problems with PETG)
Is the cooling disabled for the first few layers?
Maybe the filament is not hot enough?
I print my PLA from "Extruder" with 15°C more than recommended (245°C instead of max. 230°C). Otherwise I would have similar problems like you.
Too much space between the nozzle and the print bed?
Too fast initial layer print speed? (I had these problems with PETG)
Is the cooling disabled for the first few layers?
Quote from cyrus rahimzadeh on 2022-03-15, 23:23Did you get a solution to this issue?
I'm seeing the same thing suddenly on our craftbot 2. I've swapped materials, increased temperatures, releveled the bed, etc with no success.
One thing I was thinking about is the kapton. While ours is not gouged at all, do these surfaces wear out over time? Ours is ~2 years old and other than not adhering to the parts very well, looks perfect.
You mentioned cleaning the surface with alcohol. Is this part of the routine maintenance? We have never tried that.
Thanks,
Cyrus
Did you get a solution to this issue?
I'm seeing the same thing suddenly on our craftbot 2. I've swapped materials, increased temperatures, releveled the bed, etc with no success.
One thing I was thinking about is the kapton. While ours is not gouged at all, do these surfaces wear out over time? Ours is ~2 years old and other than not adhering to the parts very well, looks perfect.
You mentioned cleaning the surface with alcohol. Is this part of the routine maintenance? We have never tried that.
Thanks,
Cyrus
Quote from Craftware Team on 2022-03-16, 11:22Dear All,
Can you attach g-codes, so we can examine them and suggest improvements?
Some best practices (some are mentioned before):
- Correctly leveled bed is a must. (To high, and to low bed can also interfere with first layer adhesion)
- Clean the bed surface with isopropyl alcohol.
- Purge the nozzle before starting the print, because the long heated filament in the head can have undesired properties developed. (the cooling time from the end of the previous printing and the heating time at the current print)
- Keep your filament dry.- Make sure that you turn off the fan on the first layer.
- Use at least a skirt, but you can have brim to ensure the adhesion.
- You can set higher first layer height (At least 0.2-0.3 mm)
- You can over extrude the first layer by 10-20%
- Higher temperatures might helpIf everything fails, there are still alternative solutions like 3D printing glues.
Best Regards,
András
Dear All,
Can you attach g-codes, so we can examine them and suggest improvements?
Some best practices (some are mentioned before):
- Correctly leveled bed is a must. (To high, and to low bed can also interfere with first layer adhesion)
- Clean the bed surface with isopropyl alcohol.
- Purge the nozzle before starting the print, because the long heated filament in the head can have undesired properties developed. (the cooling time from the end of the previous printing and the heating time at the current print)
- Keep your filament dry.
- Make sure that you turn off the fan on the first layer.
- Use at least a skirt, but you can have brim to ensure the adhesion.
- You can set higher first layer height (At least 0.2-0.3 mm)
- You can over extrude the first layer by 10-20%
- Higher temperatures might help
If everything fails, there are still alternative solutions like 3D printing glues.
Best Regards,
András
Quote from cyrus rahimzadeh on 2022-03-28, 19:17Update, while I'm not comfortable sharing the G-Code, I can report that wiping down the surface of the Kapton on the build plate with isopropanol and a paper towel has seemed to resolve this issue. Additionally, I had also increased the build plate temperature to 70 deg C.
Cyrus
Update, while I'm not comfortable sharing the G-Code, I can report that wiping down the surface of the Kapton on the build plate with isopropanol and a paper towel has seemed to resolve this issue. Additionally, I had also increased the build plate temperature to 70 deg C.
Cyrus