qid int64 1 2.78M | question stringlengths 2 66.6k | answers list | date stringlengths 10 10 | metadata list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
16,718 | Some people have figured out how to take raw LiDAR data and after going through multiple steps (using LAS tools, converting to digital elevation model (DEM), converting to an STL) getting an STL file that they can then slice and print.
Could you write a program that cuts out all of those intermediate steps and converts raw LiDAR data directly to an STL that can be printed? Could you even cut out the need for slicers and just go straight to a G-code file?
Is this even possible?
From [3D Printing Models derived from Lidar Data](https://research.umn.edu/units/uspatial/news/3d-printing-models-derived-lidar-data):
>
> 1. Retrieve Lidar Data
> 2. Process Lidar Data
> 3. Create a DSM
> 4. Export the DSM into a .STL
> 5. Process for 3D Printing
> 6. 3D Print!
>
>
> | [
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"text": "TL;DR - The problem would *appear* to be that some of the steps require a bit of manual tinkering in order to c... | 2021/07/12 | [
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16,722 | I am currently in the look for a 3D printer and one major issue I find it the fumes/VOCs that printing can emit. I am not planning to do ABS or similar but I've read from studies that PLA also may emit VOCs. I live in an apartment and I plan to put the printer in my office, in which I work remotely, so I spend 8+ hours per day in that room. Additionally, I'm not looking to print huge volumes, I'd rather say probably 1-2 prints per month or so.
Now, through my research I found that it's better to go with an FDM printer rather resin, as the latter not only stinks (and fumes are dangerous) but also is quite overwhelming for a beginner.
Cool, then I was looking for FDM printers with enclosure (e.g. Qidi maker or se Venki) and others without (e.g. Creality Ender 3 V2 or Prosi).
Let's start with the enclosed printers. So, most of them advertise that they have filters on their vents but from some quick research I see lots of people complain that these are useless. In some cases some have printed an adaptor, placed it on the fan's place and use an air hose to direct the fumes outside, to a window for example. That is fine, requires some bit of work but I guess it will keep most dangerous particles away.
For enclosureless 3d printers like Ender V2, I noticed that I can buy an enclosure, like the ones that Creality advertises as fireproof. Or still I could DIY one via IKEA parts. I thought that I could enclose my printer there when I needed to print something, seal it and when done, just put it in the balcony to rest, by opening the enclosure there for the VOCs to come out and disperse in the environment. Would that work? Would that enclosure keep the VOCs from contaminating my room? Does anybody tried something similar? Would that be practical?
Would that affect the printing quality?
So in the end the question is: should I rely on an enclosure without ventilation and then put it on the balcony to rest and release the fumes?
Or should I build a DIY air filtering system to redirect the fumes outside through my window?
Which one would keep away those VOCs? | [
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"text": "The VOC issue is overblown. Unless you print constantly, you don't need any air treatment. Often that kind of treatme... | 2021/07/13 | [
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16,725 | I have a Prusa i3 MK3 or maybe it was upgraded to a i3 MK3S.
How can I figure out?
The [description of the upgrade kit](https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/original-prusa-i3-mk3s/1390-original-prusa-i3-mk3-to-mk3s-upgrade-kit.html) talks about
* the SuperPINDA (how is it different from the old one?)
* a number of small changes (which?)
* improved plastic parts (which parts, how are they different?)
* metal clips (where to look for them?)
* a number of minor changes to the extruder plastic parts (which ones, before and after?)
I'd like to figure that out without taking the printer apart. | [
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"text": "The VOC issue is overblown. Unless you print constantly, you don't need any air treatment. Often that kind of treatme... | 2021/07/13 | [
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16,729 | I have a "classic" home built 3D printer, Arduino Mega, RAMPS 1.4 with Marlin 2.0.
It worked, was put in storage, and now I am trying to get it running again.
During all of the testing phases, the PID autotune, etc., the temperature of the hotend is stable.
When printing, for a few layers (4-5), the temperature is OK, despite the part fan coming on and off. However, after 3-4 mm of printing the temperature just rises and rises and rises, and after 275 °C thermal protection kicks in...
MOSFETs have additional cooling and a fan over them.
I'm out of ideas... Help!!!
My config files and G-code are [here](https://github.com/hergiz/singles)
Using PrusaSlicer.
Why do I see a temperature rise on the display? Last time I unplugged the printer and left it on USB power then gave it power again. During USB power temperature was steadily going down, as soon I plugged the main cable it resumed printing and the temperature rising again.
I did another test. 20mm above bed started printing, and got same result. I captured on video entire process [Hot end to orbit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_1puCo07to). Around 2 min 30 sec the show begins. | [
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"text": "The VOC issue is overblown. Unless you print constantly, you don't need any air treatment. Often that kind of treatme... | 2021/07/13 | [
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16,736 | I have tried to print [Baby Groot](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2014307) , but every time I print the head, there are always layer shifts like the photos below. I have printed three heads and the layer shifts happened all in the same place.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6WAAn.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/denTU.jpg)
I tried to print something else that is the (more or less) same height and the layer shifting also happened.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/W3E96.jpg)
I was thinking maybe because z-rod bent. But apparently the layer shift happened in different height.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/yBkjJ.jpg)
What is my problem and how to solve this ? I am using Ender 3 with BLTouch. | [
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"text": "Layer shifting has two basic causes: the partially printed part moves or flexes, or the bed or Y carriage (al... | 2021/07/15 | [
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16,741 | I recall seeing that it's possible to "bake" or "anneal" or even "remelt" PLA prints to strengthen them. As I understand it, the main effect is improving layer adhesion, which is the main source of weakness in tension in the original Z-axis direction.
Yes, I can print with a hotter nozzle (up to a point) to increase layer adhesion, print with a larger nozzle orifice, print with increased layer height, print slower -- but at a minimum those require reslicing, and affect print appearance (hotter nozzle causes stringing, thicker layers are more visible, etc.).
Baking a print does none of that, as long as it's supported (often done by bedding it in salt).
**Question is, how hot?** I presume I don't want to go all the way to printing temperature of 180-220 °C, but the plastic transition level of roundly 50 °C isn't hot enough for this. | [
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"text": "I've only annealed PEEK personally, but a quick search returns varying recommendations:\n\n* [All3DP](https://all3dp.... | 2021/07/16 | [
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16,750 | I’ve been using Thingiverse pretty heavily since I started printing, and I frequently come across the same text block in unrelated models. Am I missing the joke or a hidden meaning in the frequent reuse of the following content?
>
> Designed up this dealer button to use in home games or have just as something laying around for any poker fan. It was inspired by a dealer button in Pokerstars VR.
>
>
> Printing:
>
>
> Ring - Infil to add weight, supports needed for spade inset. Letter embossing doesn't need it.
>
> Spade - Infil to add weight, no supports
>
> Letters - Print flat, already scaled to fit nicely in the embossing
>
> Star - Infil to add weight.
>
>
> Full print with 4x4x4 walls/top/bottom and 38% infil came to about 48g in weight.
>
>
> Glue in lettering and spade. Star may need minor sanding but should push fit into the space tightly and not need anything else to secure it.
>
>
>
Here is an example of what I mean: [Voronoi bear](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4887617). Just curious if anyone knows why that’s used as a pseudo default description, or if I should avoid those files for any reason I’m unaware of.
Here’s another example: [cats](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4871879) | [
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16,765 | I know that it's said the PLA becomes brittle when kept in a humid environment, but my case is slightly weirder:
I have rolls of 1.75 mm PLA that I bought years ago and they are fine. But if I leave my spool fed inside the PTFE (Teflon) tube of my 3D printer, that part that is inside the PTFE tube, and only that part, gets brittle. The filament spool is always (even when stored) in open air.
Is it still the humidity that somehow is better kept inside the tube, or is there a weird reaction of PLA with PTFE? | [
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16,783 | I'm currently printing 11 copies of the same model. I noticed as it's printing that it seems to work on one model at a time but doesn't travel to the nearest model next. I suspect it's traveling around the bed in the order that I put the models in the slicer. This is resulting in extra unnecessary travel and therefore, increasing print time. I slice in Cura 4.9.
Is there a slicer that handles this better? Or is there a way to optimize movements in Cura? | [
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"text": "**Long story short:** I only know the setting \"Combing Mode OFF\" that improves the travel paths. In my c... | 2021/07/23 | [
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16,793 | *TLDR - I’ve just driven myself insane trying to fix what I thought was a physical problem with my Z-axis, but it seems to have been solved by switching from the TH3D firmware to the Creality firmware. I’m hoping someone can help me see where I went wrong here, so I can learn from it. Have I missed something obvious?*
My printer is a Creality Ender 3 Pro. I have a BLTouch. I recently upgraded to the silent 4.2.7 board and compiled my own firmware using TH3D Unified 2 using their instructions. [This is my `configuration.h`](https://pastebin.com/MYs8sYGj).
This “worked”, but after that upgrade, I had severe print problems. (See the photos below) These are supposed to be 20x20x20 calibration cubes (the big one is 200%). They are significantly taller than they should be. It may be hard to see in the photo, but this is because the Z spacing on the bottom layers seems to be too high. But, at the same point on each print (even the bigger one), the problem seems to just stop - and layer spacing is correct again for the end of the print.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BGayd.jpg "Comparison of multiple calibration cubes")
I tried everything to figure out what this was and I was convinced it was a physical problem with my Z-axis. I read lots of questions on here but nothing quite on topic. I printed on different parts of the bed and got the same result. I re-calibrated my Z steps, but these turned out to be pretty much at the firmware default anyway. I tightened every bolt and eccentric nut I could find that related to the X-axis gantry, but nothing made any difference. Same problem, every time.
Out of desperation, I eventually switched to the official Creality firmware for the Ender 3 Pro 4.2.7 board with BLTouch - and the problem was fixed:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7tXcf.jpg "Printed calibration cube after firmware change")
Does anyone have any ideas about what caused this? Have I overlooked something obvious? I’d ideally like to go back to the TH3D firmware but it’s seemingly not an option.
<https://pastebin.com/MYs8sYGj> | [
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16,805 | I have designed a cupholder for my center console in my truck with PETG. I was hoping it wouldn't deform and it didn't for a while but we got some high temperatures the past few days (around 32-38 °C or 90-100 °F).
Kind of figured it wouldn't hold up mid-summer but I was wondering if ABS would be my next best choice or if there is something better for this. It does see some sunlight but not a lot.
I do want to start producing some to sell and don't want it deforming in high-temperature areas. Also, I have an Ender 3 Pro so I can't do super crazy filaments. | [
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"text": "ABS, or preferably ASA which is \"a better ABS\", is probably your main option. ASA holds up... | 2021/07/28 | [
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17,818 | I need to print some items that will go in my car, which sits in direct sun a good portion of the day and almost certainly exceeds 50 °C inside during the summer months (I've had PLA prints sag quite visibly under their own weight and sliding parts weld together, and PETG prints show slight warpage after a couple weeks in the car).
I have the ability now to print hotter than 250 °C, with Capricorn XS tubing installed in the heat break of my Ender 3. I'm examining nylon and TPU filaments for their higher temperature tolerance, but I don't see anything on any filament that clearly gives a glass transition temperature. Is it safe to assume this will be within the recommended bed temperature range, or is there another way to determine this (important, in my use case) value for a given filament? | [
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"text": "If there isn't a TDS on the manufacturer's website, you could email them and ask for it. If they won't giv... | 2021/07/30 | [
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17,831 | Recently building a new printer, I went with a Wambam PEX system. When I began printing ABS I found it did not stick very well and eventually purchased a new build plate and a PEI sheet since PEX isn't suited to ABS.
Not altering some of the setting while trying to get ABS to stick to the PEX I started printing on PEX which is gripping extremely well...too well. Bed temp may be a few degrees too high, nozzle was giving a little too much squish. I now have several skirts and now the base layer of a ringing tower embedded in the sheet. What is the best way to remove these? I was using acetone on the PEX sheet but I'm told not to use that on PEI.
Just looking for into to clean the PEI sheet, please do not respond on what I should have done, or how to use PEX with glue or whatnot. | [
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"text": "Heat up your bed to the print temperature; maybe even as hot as 100 °C. This will soften the ABS and make it ... | 2021/08/02 | [
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17,838 | I'm likely to need to print some parts from TPU (Shore 95A or harder) in the near future. I have everything I need to do a direct drive conversion using the original extruder on a bracket above the hot end -- but for most of my printing (PLA and PETG), this setup isn't required or even optimal, because of the extra moving mass on the X carriage.
It looks as if, once I have the bracket installed the first time, I can move the extruder (including adding/removing a wire extension and switching between full length Bowden tube and short coupler tube) in less than an hour -- in addition to the time I'd need to clear one material from the hot end before loading the other, of course. Is it practical at all to swap the extruder back and forth like this, on the assumption that I'll want/need to print TPU parts from time to time (I'll want softer material, too, since some of what I want TPU capability for is gaskets).
Obviously, if I needed to print TPU alongside PLA on a regular basis, I might be ahead to have a second printer, but space considerations, more than money, work against that.
Am I missing something on the effort needed to swap the extruder position back and forth (suggesting I should stick with direct drive and pursue firmware and tuning solutions to correct the accompanying problems with faster printing), or should I plan to do this as needed? | [
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"text": "It depends on the level of automation you are willing to implement.\n\nThe Bowden extruder, including the motor, from... | 2021/08/03 | [
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17,840 | Let me preface this with me being quite a newbie to 3D printing, however, I am an engineer and coder, so tinkering with stuff like this is quite the norm for me. Don't be afraid to be too technical, knowledge is power!
I recently purchased a new Creality Ender 3 V2 based on a friend's recommendation and within a week or two, started getting terrible screeching from the print head fan. I already knew I wanted to get better PETG (and in the future, TPU) prints so I went ahead and bought a direct drive extruder (BIQU H2) to replace the Bowden setup.
I got everything tuned pretty well (or so I thought), which included tuning the E-steps (945 which is 10x the original value of 93, however normal for this BIQU H2), my home position, changing the retraction setting, setting my K-factor for linear advance, tuning PID, etc. I flashed these settings into a custom Jyers Marlin firmware. Everything was working fine, and I was starting to get some really high-quality calibration tests, so I then began tuning my slicer profile.
Then, yesterday, all of a sudden it is no longer printing correctly, even older G-code files before I messed with the slicer settings. It prints the prime line, retracts, moves, prints the brim, then retracts again, but doesn't start extruding to actually print the model. I've tried multiple G-code files that were working, and seem to get the same results, nothing prints beyond the first layer retraction or two. There is no clicking/vibrating or any attempts to move the extruder again after it stops printing.
After some more reading, it seems that maybe I should have adjusted the vRef on extruder driver pots, as the new stepper motor is 0.8a (I believe the original 4042 extruder is 2a). Is it possible I damaged my stepper driver for the extruder? From my understanding, it would be moving at 10x the speed of the old stepper attached to the Bowden tube extruder.
Some things I have done:
* Completely rebuilt the BIQU H2. There is no sign of jamming or that there has ever been a jam. The gears all move smoothly with no areas with additional resistance. The PTFE heatbreak was clear and freely allowed filament through. Once re-assembled, I can freely turn the extruder gear when heated and the stepper disabled, and I can extrude/retract using the printer GUI (even after a failed print). I also checked to make sure the gear was firmly attached to the stepper motor while apart, and it was. I also added some gear lubricant while I was in there.
* Tried a print with the BIQU H2 stepper detached and the wires attached to the old 4042 stepper (and adjusted the steps back to 93). It seems to stop moving the stepper in about the same place, so I don't believe the issue has to do with the stepper motor which has led me to believe this must be firmware or driver related.
* Tried letting the printer sit idle overnight, thinking maybe it was just an overheated driver after running calibration tests almost continuously for 2 days.
* Tried printing the same known working G-code with the speed adjusted to 25% and 50%, the same issue occurs around the same position in the print process.
For reference, I have an Ender 3 V2 with a 4.2.2 Motherboard. I'm not sure what stepper drivers it uses as there seems to be conflicting info online and I don't really want to remove the heatsinks if possible (but I will if I need to get this info and can't obtain it directly from the firmware). Unfortunately, the drivers are soldered to the motherboard so I guess I will need a new motherboard if I destroyed the extrusion driver. I do feel I probably should have made some driver adjustments given this stepper motor is 40% the amps, and runs at 10x the speed of the old stepper.
I'm sort of at a loss as to what to try next, any thoughts would be appreciated. I plan on flashing the stock firmware back later this evening to see if that helps, but I doubt it will. I have only made some small tweaks mainly related to home offset, build area, PID tune, and K-factor for linear advance (which were previously working fine).
**Edit:**
I did some further testing yesterday. Flashing back to stock firmware didn't help at all. It also seems I may have been mistaken as further testing of the old 4042 stepper was successful if I attached it to the motherboard and ran the G-code which fails on the first layer, however I attached it with a spare cable as to not have to take apart my harness going to the X carriage. Using the same spare cable with the BIQU H2 unfortunately did not help. The issue is reproducible without any filament loaded at all as well. There is an ever so slight play in the motor drive, so I am going to disassemble the extruder again tonight and see if the issue is reproducible with the motor detached from the extruder drivetrain.
Also, just an interesting point, but multiple times after the failure I quickly checked the temp of the heatsinks on the drivers. Ironically, the only "hot" ones were the X/Y/Z steppers, and the extruder driver was only warm. Also, when the issue happens, the stepper becomes completely disengaged (I can turn the wheel freely without feeling the resistance of the stepper holding the position). Not sure if this is indicative of a driver failure, or standard practice for the driver if it encounters significant resistance.
Another interesting point, the motherboard was not grounded. Although attached indirectly to the frame using screws, the panel the motherboard was attached to was not making contact with the frame. Some minor sanding resolved this issue. Once done, I notice the exterior case of my Y motor is grounded, but the X and Z as well as the extruder do not seem to be grounded. Is it typical for the exterior of the motors to be grounded? Perhaps there are some other ground faults I need to sort. | [
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17,844 | I've recently changed my Ender3's hotend to E3D v6 clone with Titan direct extruder, so I can print faster than on stock. But when I increased the speed up to 70 mm/s for walls and 80 mm/s for infill (PETG, nozzle temperature of 225 °C, bed temperature of 80 °C, 0.2 mm layer height, 0.4 mm layer width), I've faced this kind of issue:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ipyUr.jpg "3D printer printing a model with errors")
Here's how it looks in Cura:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/668ki.jpg "Screenshot of Cura's preview of model")
The printer's head goes from left to right, counter-clockwise and I get issues on both exits from curved shape.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AMZUz.jpg "Another Cura preview further into the print with arrows indicating problem areas")
First of all, I thought, it is connected somehow with retraction, but according to Cura, both problem places are in the middle of the current layer. Later I thought it could be related to Linear Advance and disabled it on the next test print, but it did nothing:( Slowing the printer down to 60-65 % in mid print solved the issue, but it's not what I changed the hotend for:)
Maybe someone has any ideas, what's wrong with it? | [
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"text": "In other words, your print exhibits issues when the hotend is accelerating, like if not enough filament were pushed i... | 2021/08/04 | [
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17,845 | I want to plug in my drivers from the printer into my Raspberry Pi. I want to control the printer's axes by sending G-code directly from the Raspberry Pi command line (if possible) to the drivers.
Is that possible and if yes does anyone know how? As I stated above without using any 3rd party program/software. | [
{
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"text": "You can send the data to the serial port using `echo`, but you'll have to use `cat` to get the response."
},... | 2021/08/04 | [
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17,848 | Printer: Ender 3 Pro - Direct drive, BLTouch, stock magnetic print bed surface
Material: PLA - multiple brands
Slicer Settings:
* Layer Height .2 mm
* Initial Layer Height .1 mm
* Line Width .4 mm (with .4 mm nozzle) and also tried .39 mm
* Wall thickness 1.2 mm (3 lines)
* Hot End 210 °C
* Bed 60 °C
* Print Speed tried between 40 and 100 mm/s
* Retraction Distance 6 mm speed 25 mm/s
* Print Cooling- Initial 3 layers 0 %, then 100 %, also tried 50 %
I designed this in Tinkercad and sliced it with Cura for the Ender 3 Pro. When I print this specific shape at this size the outer wall does not print properly, there are large gaps and it does not bond to the rest of the model so it just flakes off as soon as you handle it. I can print other shapes fine- see the color swap example that was printed with the same settings successfully before AND after this series of failed prints of the same design. Sometimes I get a clean first 15 layers then it goes to crap, and cleans up for the last 10% or so. If I scale it down to 50 % it prints fine, but it will NOT print properly at full scale.
The infill and inner walls seem fine, but the walls are definitely not air-tight with what is left.
Looking for more things to try and troubleshoot, so please send me your ideas!
Troubleshooting steps so far:
* Re-downloaded the files and resliced with all new settings
* Adjusted the print speed, wall line width and fan speeds
* Tried multiple PLA types and brands
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4D9iC.jpg "Printed model with printing errors")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BNu8J.jpg "Printed model without printing errors") | [
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"text": "You appear to have severe underextrusion. It may be that you are trying to melt plastic faster than your p... | 2021/08/04 | [
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17,853 | I'm just learning how to use a 3D printer, I have an Anycubic Mega Zero 2.0.
When I start printing the PLA filament doesn't want to adhere very well. I have leveled it out and all of my corners on my test print adhere well. However, when I go to print anything besides the test print I get basically a small bead - it doesn't smooth flat. If I try and adjust from there it starts pushing all the material around.
This lack of adhesion and bead continue throughout the print making it flimsy. It's weird because it looks nice but it's not strong.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8CAGr.jpg "Print on bed")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XIqlp.jpg "Flimsy printed filament")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HfpdH.jpg "Finished print")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/R6PeV.jpg "Base of finished print") | [
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"text": "If you look at the multiple lines of the skirt, you see that none of the printed lines are touching the other laid d... | 2021/08/05 | [
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17,870 | A few weeks ago I got a thermal runaway message on my modded Ender 3 during a print, and I have not been able to get it working since then! I have tried fixing and replacing everything, and I still keep getting the message!
When the printer starts/heats up, the thermistor is able to read the temperature with no problem, but when a print starts, the thermistor starts reading strangely and I get the thermal runaway message! Basically, whenever I start a print the temperature being read slowly drops until it gets to around 20 degrees below the set temperature. I then get the thermal runaway message.
So far, in an attempt to fix it, I have replaced the thermistor twice, the heating element, the wiring was replaced, the firmware and even the entire motherboard! I have no idea how/why I’m still having the message, it just doesn’t make sense.
Also, the thermistor is snuggly attached to the printer.
Please note I’ve tried another thermistor that was glass and had the exact same issues. This lead me to think that this had something to do with the heating element being overwhelmed by something. So, as a test I simply just extruded filament from my nozzle with my fan on to see if that would have the same effect and it didn’t! The temperature stayed up fine. This is leading me to believe that this is some sort of issue with starting a print. Maybe a G-code issue. | [
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"text": "If the error only happens when the printer starts moving it's logical that the issue is in the wire loom that star... | 2021/08/06 | [
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17,900 | I've had my Ender 3 Pro for a few months, and it's been working great. Then, after a failed print (the STL had extra seams, causing the print to get mangled), I've started having issues that I have attributed to under-extrusion.
As evidenced by the below image, some lines in each layer are missing. The gaps align throughout the print, but not between prints (the two squares are identical G-code). This happens in every layer, with a different pattern in each. It also causes some perimeters to not adhere to the previous layer at all.
The extra strands in the right print are present because I ripped off the infill layer that printed on top before I aborted the print.
I first assumed I needed to calibrate my extruder. It turns out I did (93 had to be changed to 150 steps/mm). However, that did not fix the issue.
**Some things I've tried**:
* Calibrate the extruder
* Check nozzle size and filament size in Slic3r
* Level the bed (I had to place a post-it note under the centre of the flexible magnetic build surface to make up for a warped bed)
* Clean my nozzle and hotend (I fully dismantled the hotend)
* Replace my nozzle
* Increase printing temperature
Is there anything else I might try to get this fixed?
**Specs for Reference**:
* Ender 3 Pro
* 0.4 mm Brass Nozzle
* 205 °C Hotend
* 60 °C Bed
* Slic3r
* 150 Steps/mm for Extruder
---
If you need any more information, just comment and I'll do my best to supply it.
*Please note that I am **not** open to suggestions to replace my printer. I'd rather fix the one I have.* | [
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"text": "It turns out the extruder *was* slipping, but not due to a nozzle or Bowden tube pressure issue. The extruder arm ... | 2021/08/12 | [
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17,904 | I have a Creality Ender 3. I've unscrewed the coupler from the drive assembly, but can't get it loose from the tube. The hot end coupler came free easily.
I compress the rubber gasket, but it stays tight.
Are these manufactured to be replaced every time? My new Bowden tube didn't come with a new coupler.
I see that the couplers are sold with or without the tubing. | [
{
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"text": "After depressing the retaining ring, try pushing the Bowden tube further in to the coupler. This should disengage the... | 2021/08/13 | [
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17,920 | I am currently working through various different iterations ofccreating a propeller for a model ICE (nitro engine). So far I have managed to disintegrate each of them eventually. I have been experimenting mostly with PLA and PETG so far. I am currently thinking about using carbon-infused PLA or using PC (I found one that is printable on my printer). However, I am not so sure what properties I exactly have to look for when it comes to a propeller.
I am making the following assumptions:
* When rotating fast (5-6k RPM) there it probably has to create quite some centripetal force and I assume this would translate to
tensile strength
* When the engine starts or stops it gets accelerated and decelerated almost instantly which probably causes quite some jerk to the propeller. However, I do not know what property that would
translate to, also tensile strength.
So far the PLA propeller has held up the longest and I cannot rule out that it accidentally touched something when it broke. That is of
course something it does not have to be able to handle, so I am
probably going to give PLA another chance.
The PETG propellers all literally broke apart the second the engine
started, and it did not even hold up one rotation.
The design of the propeller is actually sacrificing some aerodynamic efficiency in order to make sure there are no "thin" parts. It is
typically breaking in the section I have highlighted in the
the following picture.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Lttne.png "3D rendering of a propeller with a circle around a section")
I have also a picture of the "remains" of the broken PLA propeller.
It actually held up many runs before it eventually broke. It actually partially delaminated the entire wall.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/15u6P.jpg "A damaged print of a propeller")
I am looking for two recommendations/tips:
* What material properties should I look for in my use case?
* Less important, but some tips regarding print settings are also appreciated. So far I could notice that smaller layer size helps,
and thicker walls also helped. | [
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"text": "You need **WAY** more infill or make it solid. Normal props like this are 100% solid for a reason.\n\nTo add to th... | 2021/08/15 | [
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17,927 | In FlashPrint there is an **Extrusion Ratio** setting. It's set to 97 % for the stock PLA profile and 107 % for the stock PETG profile.
I would've thought these would be 100 % by default (and the same for all materials). Why is it that these defaults make sense and they differ? Why would you need to push more PETG for the same print than PLA if they're the same diameter filament?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fiXhW.png "FlashPrint Extrusion Ratio setting") | [
{
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"text": "I may be entirely out of my league here, But I think it's related to Viscosity, or how thin or thick the fluid p... | 2021/08/16 | [
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17,942 | Using 3D printing I'd like to create a text oversized keycap that uses several strong LEDs to make the text light as red or green, depending on status. It's quite similar to what are called annunciators on aircraft:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6B1lY.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jce1q.jpg)
I'd like to create an MX keycap with this ability and size with the backlighting changing from green to red to indicate something is on or off. I understand including the MX connector in the center, but how would I print a black panel and leave the text transparent, or at least transluscent? | [
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"text": "There are a few possible ways you could go about this:\n\n1. If you have a multi-material printer, you may be ab... | 2021/08/18 | [
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17,952 | Ok I’m so new at Blender. Half the time it’s knowing what question you have to ask to get the answer you need...
I want to make a 3D printable warrior type action figure but I only have one very detailed frontal view. Can I input that image into somewhere and it gives me a 3D model to start from? Like will it generate a 360 view? I have no idea where to start. | [
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"selected": false,
"text": "In short, no. A 2D image has insufficient information to determine a 3D form.\n\nIf you want... | 2021/08/21 | [
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17,953 | I'm getting zits or blobs in lithophanes while printing on my Ender 3 and 10S Pro. I tried a suggestion: change resolution in mesh fixes of Cura to 0.5 (from 0.05 default). That removed the zits.
But now there are white patches as shown in the image. I reduced the resolution to 0.2 but to no avail.
Anyone else encountered this problem?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xpqvz.jpg "Example of white patches in a lithophane print")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tKl6c.jpg "Example of zits/blobs in a lithophane print") | [
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"text": "In short, no. A 2D image has insufficient information to determine a 3D form.\n\nIf you want... | 2021/08/21 | [
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17,954 | Recently got a Creator 3 (v2) and single-colour prints are great, but dual colour Benchies are coming out quite bad. Initially, I thought it was X/Y calibration as when I printed a dual-colour cube, I could feel a slight bump as I ran my fingernail across the joins. I tweaked that and the cube now seems good (pics attached), but the Benchy came out the same, with a lot of scruffy plastic in several places.
I had the same with some old Balco filament and now with Technology Outlet filament (all four reels have printed fine on their own, the prints are really good).
I'm using Flashprint 5.1 for slicing, with mostly default settings (though infill reduced to 10 % and temp increased from 200 °C to 210 °C for the Technology Outlet filament). I'm using an Ooze Shield and a brim. Stock 0.4 mm nozzles.
Any suggestions on what the issue might be or what I can do to improve it some? The [dual-colour pic on the Benchy website](http://www.3dbenchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Dualprint-3DBenchy-Main-image-Dual.jpg) looks way better, so I don't think it's just that these parts of the models are difficult to print.
Thanks!
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KLOF7.jpg "Dual-colour Benchy highlighting printing errors")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dtNCh.jpg "Another dual colour Benchy with printing errors")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8UjKx.jpg "A dual-colour cube showing good X/Y alignment")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2wEj3.jpg "Another side of a dual-colour cube showing good X/Y alignment") | [
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"text": "You have a problem with retraction or more broadly with what happens to the material in the ... | 2021/08/21 | [
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17,963 | Just a simple question about my FEP sheet getting dented after print.
I just bought an Elegoo Mars 2 Pro and had trouble getting it to stick to the bed, after some painful bed leveling and realizing my exposure times were too low for maroon resin, I finally got it to stick to the bed by the 4th print.
Now before I start my next print, I want to know what causes the indents in the FEP sheet below so I can prevent it from happening again.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Jqxah.jpg "FEP sheet with noticeable dents")
Is it too High exposure time, bed leveled too low/tight, or both?
Now I will also note, that this print was with the standard rook test print the mars recommends you do first, also that my print was very hard to remove from the bed when finished, I had to use a lot of force to rip it off. | [
{
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"text": "The rook is normally difficult to remove, it's designed this way.\n\nHave you tried resetting the height ... | 2021/08/22 | [
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17,982 | I have the FlashForge Dreamer NX which prints with good quality on small models. However, when the model is taller than 2 cm or 2.5 cm (around 0.8 or 1 inch), it really loses quality.
Here there is a picture so you can understand what I mean. Which setting do I have to change? Have a look the the base is very acceptable, but then, the printing is not acceptable.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/c5gTf.jpg "Printed model losing quality the higher up it is printed")
I'm using FlashPrint 5, but I can switch to any other app if it is needed.
**UPDATE**
I'm using PLA 1.75. Here are my settings.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YVjEL.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mmYy4.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9ptVP.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/b1T6J.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Kq4zf.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3vgya.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5V4ZK.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AmB3T.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lJUpe.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RcWm9.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Z2lVV.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EXTue.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/J16mV.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sd9bA.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sK0GL.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/g6jC6.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/b7liI.png) | [
{
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"text": "That looks horribly familiar; I call it meshing.\n\nIt's underextrusion, which can be caused by lots of things.\n\nI... | 2021/08/26 | [
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17,995 | I have an FDM printer, I printed ABS for years.
Since SLA printers became really cheap lately and are able to print finer details, are there resins out there as strong as ABS/PLA? | [
{
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"text": "I'm an owner of both an FDM printer and a resin one:\n\nI've long searched a resin capable of printing du... | 2021/08/29 | [
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18,004 | I've heard a bit about folks using air compressors with tubing to the toolhead and outlet openings there as part cooling. One example is the [Berd Air](https://the-makerhive.myshopify.com/products/berd-air-max), but from the information I can gather, it works with rather low pressures where the expansion of the compressed air is unlikely to get the air significantly below ambient temperature, so it's basically equivalent to a low-end fan. Indeed, [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65FVQ1jArME) comparing such a system against the HevACS found it rather ineffective.
If one wants to harness the cooling of compressed air to hit the part with air significantly below ambient temperature, what is the relationship between pressure needed and temperature drop? I assume one can work it out pretty closely with ideal gas law, but I don't understand how to figure in both the change in volume and pressure when the air exits the high pressure part of the system. | [
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"text": "I'm an owner of both an FDM printer and a resin one:\n\nI've long searched a resin capable of printing du... | 2021/08/31 | [
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18,022 | I am building my CoreXY 3D printer with 350x350 mm heated bed at about 4 mm thickness. I just found out that borosilicate glass is unavailable at the local glazier. He offered tempered or ceramic glass instead. Which one should I go for? I read that both are a more expensive option to borosilicate glass, but I worry about the temperature stability, warping of the glass (in case of the tempered one), and parts (not) sticking to it. Any experience is appreciated.
PS. The ceramic glass of this size would cost me about 45 USD. The glazier did not tell me the price of the tempered option, but I reckon it will be around 30 USD, which is much more acceptable if it does the same job. | [
{
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"text": "People choose borosilicate because of its thermal properties.\n\nBetween ceramic and tempered, I would suggest... | 2021/09/06 | [
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18,051 | I left my printer to print a circular object and when I came back I saw it didn't print anything but left this layer of white on the surface. I can't get it off, I've tried washing it and scraping it off with the chisel, nothing works.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7zuyK.jpg "Printer bed with white circular marking") | [
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"text": "My guess is it's damaged print surface from the hot extruder mashing against the print surface. Your descript... | 2021/09/10 | [
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18,082 | Wouldn't it be better to mount lead screws with the motor on top and the bottom end unconstrained? Compared to the conventional way (motor on the bottom) the lead screw would be under constant tension rather than compression and any misalignment would always be "pulled straight" and in this way minimize z-wobble.
Here is a image for clarification:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7hSCU.png "Illustration of wobble in both top and bottom mounted stepper motors with lead screws")
With the motor on top the load of the bed will help to move the lead screw in line with the mount. In the opposite case the load tends to further increase any misalignment. | [
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"text": "The motor is mounted in a fixed position no matter if it's on top or bottom.\nYou can imagine the lead screw as a ... | 2021/09/16 | [
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18,088 | How safe do you think it is to run an SLA 3D printer in the bedroom? I am planning to run Mi Air Purifier 3H/C while the printer is running, I am also thinking about adding [this](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B086277CNQ) inside the actual printer (Elegoo Mini Air Purifier with carbon filter).
Is this safe or still too risky? | [
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"text": "Danger Will Robinson!\n---------------------\n\n#### Fumes\n\nSLA/DLP printer resins contain skin irritants inside t... | 2021/09/17 | [
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18,090 | I am attempting to print a model that is too tall to print up-right and it has a large flat side that would be my first layer but ultimately would be the side of the object and I'd like it to look presentable. I'm using wood PLA, so I intend to sand and stain it.
I've had no issues with adhesion when using a raft. The slicer lays down a thick first layer that sticks beautifully. Here's the first layer of a raft - nice thick lines:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2I1of.jpg "First layer of a raft")
But when I try printing without the raft (even when using a brim) that first layer is not only thin, but easily moves away. Also the lines meld together creating gaps in the layer. And that's no skirt around the outside, that's the side of the model that doesn't touch the fill. I have to imagine this would be awful rough and impossible to sand out if it finished.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tFiqL.jpg "Printing without a raft")
By the second layer, the friction is picking up the first layer and it catches the extruder and bam:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hCaCe.jpg "Destroyed second layer")
I've done some research suggesting higher temps, both of the extruder and the plate. I did see an improvement in the lines, but it still doesn't stick well. And what is considered a good temp? how do you know if you went too hot?
Any recommended settings in the slicer to make the bottom layer smoother?
The printer is a FlashForge Creator Pro. | [
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18,096 | I have a seemingly unique problem. I'm trying to design models that print with single extrusion walls and are not closed volumes. For example, a topographical map model printed on an edge. It has height and width, but no depth. I want the model to print with a single, non-closed extrusion per layer. Printing back and forth as it moves up the model.
When slicers cut up a model, historically each plane must result in a closed shape. The slicer then determines the tool path to create that shape. But what if, instead of a closed shape, the slice results in lines. No area or volume, just lines. Couldn't the slicer then create a tool path at each line?
Is there anything like this available anywhere?
Also, to be clear, I've been doing this 3D printing thing for a long time and know pretty well how slicers work and their resulting models. I've also been 3D modelling for a long time.
The simplest solution I can think of would be to modify a slicer or find a plugin or something that already does what I'm looking for. The second possible solution would be to find 3D software that can "extrude" an arbitrarily complex surface in such a way that normal slicing software with the "detect thin walls" setting enabled would result in a single extrusion resulting in the desired outer surface. I haven't found either in my searching.
The solution should work with nearly any extrusion width or any nozzle. You have a 0.4mm nozzle, you can print the part with wall widths anywhere from ~0.4mm wide to around 1mm. Your choice when slicing. If you have a 1mm wide nozzle, you could print the part with much thicker walls. It would be configurable in the slicer because the model only defines the surfaces, no volume data.
Like I said, this is a seemingly unique problem. | [
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18,101 | I've been using a resin printer for some time now, and am looking for a filament printer to compliment it. It will mostly be used to print scenery or bases to match 3-6" models printer on the resin printer.
I'm aiming for an entry level printer, or possible a mid level one on black Friday sale if I can find one.
Should I limit myself to looking for one with a heated bed or auto-bed leveling, or should I mark these down as being bonus features that are nice to have but which are not essential for the kind of printing that I will be doing?
I will probably be using basic budget filament to print items under 6". Probably no more than 2 prints a week. | [
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18,105 | Prints are generally successful, but I always get a herringbone pattern on the top and bottom surfaces and striations on the sides. The herringbone is finer with finer print qualities, but it is always there. Ditto the sides. See photos.
Always there, regardless of temperature (using a heat tower), speed (even very slow), quality in Cura, etc.
Perhaps this is the best an Ender 3 Pro can do? If so, that's fine. I'm only trying to determine what this printer is capable of.
(Perhaps I can improve the top surface with ironing, but that isn't my question.)
Some things I've done with no effect: Run PLA spool from a drying cabinet; replaced extruder; reset Bowden tube; replaced nozzle; leveled bed numerous times.
One thing I haven't tried yet (will soon): using a better grade of PLA.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JvYbY.jpg "Top herringbone")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SQY6r.jpg "Side")
It's a heat tower, so the top surface was 190 °C. Speed was about 50-60 mm/s (don't remember exactly). With the belt tightened, the herringbone is much finer, but still there. The walls are much smoother, by still the layers are visible. I'm just not sure what to expect from this printer. Am I supposed to get surfaces that are perfectly smooth, or is some texture to be expected? | [
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"text": "With a replaced Bowden tube and better PLA, the herringbone is a little better, and the layering on the sides i... | 2021/09/19 | [
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18,108 | My OctPrint and Monoprice Maker Select IIIP (A Wanhao i3 Duplicator Plus clone) were working fine, but suddenly today the hot end won't heat up anymore. I tried disconnecting the OctoPrint USB and resetting the printer power, and it still couldn't heat up the extruder, such as through the filament menu.
But then it got weird.
I left it off for a few hours and turned it on to see if it was getting 12 V to the hot end, and it was heating up again! So I plugged in the OctopPrint and we're back to square one, the extruder has just been cooling down. I know the thermistor is working, because it's accurately following the temp, such as following the cooldown after the heating stopped working again.
Is it possibly I have a dead hot end and for some reason it temporarily started to work again? Maybe an intermittent short?
I guess the next step is to open up the base and look at the connector to the motherboard, and or measure for 12 V | [
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"text": "This has nothing to do with OctoPrint itself, the cause is related to the printer itself, not the print server runni... | 2021/09/20 | [
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18,119 | I have an [STL](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3723481) (Raspberry Pi 4 casing) that automatically places itself like below on the bed surface:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0Xm8V.png)
Would it be a better and more efficient print if I place it like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9Slno.png)
At first, I thought this is no-brainer, the bigger surface should be the bottom layer. However, the horizontal print might result a more efficient head movement. | [
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"text": "The second placement is a better choice from an overall standpoint. In the vertical placement, adhesion is going t... | 2021/09/22 | [
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18,135 | I'm trying to 3D print a lattice work or truss, basically some beams forming a rectangle and additional beams forming the diagonals and where those beams cross, they should be fused. So, something like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gdKj1.jpg)
The problem is that any slicer I give a form like this to starts drawing triangles around the inner openings and in best case those triangles then touch if you use enough walls, but the pull strength you would get from beams in such a truss is lost because the opposite corners of the rectangle are not connected by a single length of filament laid down. Here as example what PrusaSlicer does for every layer:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dpkQW.jpg)
Basically this gives separate triangles at the top, bottom, left and right with some rectangular walls at the outside. Not bad, but I think that for extra strength it would be better if on even layers there would be long extrusions going all the way from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner (and hence interrupting extrusion on the other diagonal) and on odd layers having just the opposite (so long extrusions from bottom-left to top-right).
So, my question: is there any way to tell the slicer to do something like that? So, having extra long (alternating) corner to corner extrusions next to the triangular "outer" walls that it normally puts down? Or, is there some other trick I could use to get a similar effect (while also having long extrusions between adjacent corners)? | [
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18,144 | I'm trying to figure out how to automatically extract the part after it was printed.
One of the ideas is to wait until the bed get cooled enough (let's say to 40-50 °C, usually the part can be just slide of at this bed temperature) and turn on the powerful fan blowing off the part to a tray or something.
Is this setup feasible?
I'm printing with ABS on an opal glass. | [
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"text": "You can do this provided the part releases consistently after cooling. Your filament choice may cause prob... | 2021/09/26 | [
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18,151 | I have problems with layer widths and uneven outer walls on my 3D prints. Sometimes layers are squeezed and sometimes pushed outside. I noticed that these problems happen when there are retractions on layers. I don't have problems with round and simple objects without changes on layers or where all layers are identical.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wgANn.jpg "Image showing uneven layers")
I think that this can be linked with pressure in the nozzle or retraction. It looks like sometimes the pressure is too high and it's pushing too much filament and sometimes it's too low and it's not pushing enough filament. In this picture, layers in the first circle are squished in and it looks like there is not enough filament being pushed from the nozzle. In the second circle layer is pushed out and is wider than other layers. Looks like there is not enough filament being extruded at the start of the layer and too much being extruded at the end.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eTbfq.jpg "Image showing two areas: one with layer pushed in, and one with layer pushed out")
This problem happens always on the same layers, where there are some retractions on these layers. I tried to print the same objects multiple times and it always occurs on the same layers.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UIP6a.jpg "Image showing squished in layers")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GyHLJ.jpg "Image showing squished out layers")
What have I did to fix this problem:
* calibrated e-steps and slicer flow,
* tightened belts,
* different slicers (Cura, PrusaSlicer),
* different filaments (e.g. PrusamentPLA),
* disabled combing in slicer,
* printed with and without infills,
* different retraction distance (from 3 mm to 8 mm),
* different retraction speeds (from 20 mm/s to 80 mm/s),
* different retraction accelerations (from 500 to 1500),
* different hotend temperatures (from 200 °C to 230 °C),
* slow printing speed (up to 15 mm/s),
* calibrated K-factor (also tried many values from 0.0 to 2.0),
* calibrated junction deviation (also tried many values from 0.0 to 0.3),
* printed with and without cooling.
I think, that disabling coasting and changes in retraction settings helped a little, but not too much.
My setup:
* Ender 5, SKR mini E3 V1.2
* Capricorn PTFE Bowden tube,
* printing with PLA, but this problem also occurs with PETG.
The most similar issue I've found is this question, [Inconsistent Layer Issues](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/10738/4762), but this didn't resolve my problem.
**How can I get rid of inconsistency in layers widths and get smoother outer walls?**
---
I calibrated K-factor with [K-factor Calibration Pattern](https://marlinfw.org/tools/lin_advance/k-factor.html) and discovered that lines are always thicker after retraction at the start of the line and thinner at the end of the line. Then I generated and printed test files to confirm this. My lines are always thicker at the start of the line and they get thinner later. This is the problem presented in the second picture.
I printed 3 cubes (dimensions of a cube: X=0.2 mm, Y=100 mm, Z=10 mm). This is the result.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UFWb8.jpg)
This is the best representation of my problem. The order of printing was as follows: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 1 -> 2 etc. There are under extrusions at the end of the second and third line (points 4 and 6) and under extrusion at the start of the first line (point 1). These under extrusions are before (points 4 and 6) and after (point 1) travel moves.
**What can cause this problem?** | [
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18,155 | I am printing Benchies at high speed, I successfully printed one at 300 mm/s. If I set the speed to 400 mm/s, the Y axis begins shifting around. This is usually accompanied by a banging sound.
In addition, the extruder motor occasionally clicks. When it clicks, the filament shoots back out a little bit.
Print settings:
* Infill: 100 %
* Hotend: 200 °C
* Bed: 60 °C
* Material: PLA
* Infill: Lines
* Walls: 2
* Top/bottom layers: 2
* Speed: 400 mm/s
* Jerk: 400 mm/s
* Acceleration: 1000000
I am running custom Marlin-based firmware on the stock mainboard.
The printer shakes my desk when printing like this. | [
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"text": "TL;DR: Don't do that.\n\nDetailed answer: You need motion limit parameters that actually make... | 2021/09/29 | [
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18,173 | I have used PLA and PLA+ so far and I know that it can use ABS and PETG but I'm curious what other materials could I in theory use with my Ender 3?
It is a stock configuration, for the time being at least until after Christmas, and my grandfather and I have designed an enclosure to build together. | [
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"text": "Consider **Wood PLA**. It is similar to PLA but more abrasive, and with different happy-temperatures.\n\nEspecia... | 2021/10/02 | [
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18,181 | I've changed SD cards, printed from USB connection, upgraded/reloaded firmware and attempted using different software packages. Nothing has worked yet. When connected via USB, I get a "disconnected" error after a few minutes into the print. Also, the LED lights now either don't work at all or will randomly go out after a few minutes - usually indicating that the print failure is imminent. I've had the printer for about 4 years without issues. I don't want to replace the motherboard only to find out it's the power source or vice versa. Help? | [
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"text": "I recently had this problem and narrowed it down to the part cooling fan (on the side of the extruder head). I dia... | 2021/10/03 | [
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18,186 | I keep looking around for 3D scanning software but can't find anything I like. Any suggestions? I'm more looking for a free app so I can use my android phone, but am open to desktop based solutions too. | [
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"text": "I personally use [SCANN3D](https://scann3d.it/). It is available on Android but I don't know if it is for deskt... | 2021/10/03 | [
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18,189 | Suppose I have the X, Y, and Z coordinates (either in a list or a function z = f(x,y)) that defines a shape as the one provided and I want to 3D print it with a solid bottom, is there an easy way to do this? If not, how can a functionally well-defined shape be put into a 3D modeling software like FreeCAD?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5bcSU.jpg "3D graph") | [
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18,191 | I have been printing toy cars for about a month now and my Ender 3 has stopped extruding plastic even when I insert filament, it has been about a day since it stopped working. Is there any tips for getting it working again?
I tried manual feeding which worked. | [
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18,200 | When I pluck the belts of my CoreXY printer, I feel significantly different tension between the two idlers on the back and the tension on the sides, between the gear on the stepper shaft and the idler on the back.
Is this normal? If not, what could be the cause?
For reference, I'm using this support for the idlers:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OMTPC.jpg) | [
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"text": "If you are referring to the tension in a single belt, but ar different positions, the tension is everywhere the same... | 2021/10/05 | [
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18,207 | I bought an Ender 3 V2 printer and printed successfully with PLA and PLA+. Ender 3 V2 is rated at <= 250 °C but when I set temperature above 200 °C to print to PLA+, I get an error message "Nozzle is too lowperature" and the printer freezes (the term lowperature is actual and not a typo error).
I tried to raise the temperature gradually. I started at 200 °C and have gone to 205 °C and a little bit more. I started printing and I might get this message again or might not. Also, the temperature seems to change or lower while printing. It is not stable.
Any suggestions as to what causes this unstable behavior?
---
Following the above behavior, I was able to raise the temperature to 213 °C and I was printing for 10 minutes or so, then I got the message "thermal runaway".
---
I managed to capture the event [here](https://youtu.be/oo0f237iTVo) | [
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"text": "This sounds like a bad thermistor. Try replacing the head thermistor, see if this fixes it.\n\nAs for the stran... | 2021/10/06 | [
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18,210 | I recently got an Ender 3 Pro and had a blast with it for the first few days, but then I got greedy for a better print and threw off my calibration with some "upgrades" and ended up with some really nasty elephant's foot. The first 3 mm are all bubbly and uneven as if someone heated it up and squished it slightly.
I've read the other forums and have made sure my belts are tight, my bed is perfectly level, and my filament is just fine. I've tried using rafts to take the blow from the deformity and that usually helps but even with my initial layer horizontal expansion setting turned to -1, I'm still getting a little bit for flaring on the base layer on the raft.
The upgrades I got were an aluminum extruder housing (single drive) and Capricorn tubing.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8TQ6d.png "3D printed calibration cube with elephant's foot")
---
After addressing the comments, now my corners on bigger prints come up and commonly fail even bed level tests... and the prints that do work (that I do print on a raft) are incredibly weak and break when I pull it off.
Furthermore, I’ve been fixing several things like suggested in comments and nothings worked, now for the most part every part I’ve printed that’s longer then 2 hours has failed.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PJQul.jpg)
Yes that is brand new capricorn tubing... the old fittings dug through my old tube and caused the filament to melt in the tube and ruin it. | [
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18,217 | I know that you need a special nozzle to extrude abrasive filament (carbon fibre, copper, ...). I do have such a nozzle (coated steel) and am printing carbon fibre and copper filament. Last time I used it to print carbon fibre PLA. It worked well, however when I removed the nozzle from the hotend I realized that I could no longer screw the non-abrasive nozzle in (the dirt cheap 0.1$ china nozzles that work well enough for most materials) and the thread of the hotend was completely loosened up.
I had been working on a few other things with my printer, so I am not entirely sure what caused the thread to become loose, but I was wondering, are there some requirements to the hotend excluding the nozzle when printing abrasive filament? | [
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"text": "Abrasive filaments require a stronger nozzle indeed. They also require an all-metal hotend. If your hotend wasn't all... | 2021/10/09 | [
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18,232 | I have an Ender 3 and I'm experiencing an issue where it won't print on the edges. Near the outside of the bed plastic just peels away. Bed is level - verified multiple times.
The nozzle appears to be dragging the freshly extruded filament away before it has a chance to cool. Straight lines and wide curves print well about 30 % of the time, and sharp corners and curves won't print at all.
The printer works fine in the center, but the outer 3 cm or so are unusable. Not sure what could cause this. I leveled the bed multiple times - even told the printer to move without touching it, just to eliminate incorrect leveling by slight play in the rollers. Head is the same distance from the plate in the center as it is along the edges. No irregular high or low areas - bed is perfectly flat.
Is this a known issue with the Ender 3? How can it be fixed?
I am using the stock fiberglass bed with the BuildTak surface. | [
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18,252 | **Backstory:** Like [quite a lot of people here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/search?q=build+plate+sticking), I'm having problems with parts adhering to the build plate of a resin printer. I've tried everything that I can think of: cleaning & re-sanding the buildplate at 80 grit, levelling the plate with and without a sheet of paper between the plate and LCD, warm resin, and silicone spray on the FEP.
---
In [the answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6220) to [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/4353), [Michael Wooten](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/11171/michael-wooten) says:
>
> **PRO TIP to improve bed adhesion**: apply a thin layer of resin to the build platform before you start to print. I have not any failed prints after I started coating the plate with resin.
>
>
>
I was wondering if there was any clarification on this layer of resin:
* Should it be cured, partially cured, or left alone?
* How thick should it be?
Also, is there any known methodology? If I paint some resin onto the build plate and cure with a UV lamp, I worry that the layer won't be particularly flat. I thought about using the "cleaning" function on the printer to shine UV light through, but it would also cure area between the edge of the build plate and the tank.
Any tips on this exact method of making prints stick to the plate would be greatly appreciated!
---
**Update:**
I tried again, and it still didn't work.
I left a thin film of resin on the build plate from the previous failed print, and cured it for a minute or two until it felt tacky. The resin was still warm from last print, so I ran again (after removing the failed pancakes of course) and after a few hours I could see that nothing had printed this time either. The irritating bit is that the pancakes slide off the FEP pretty easily! | [
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18,254 | I am new to 3D printing and have an Ender 5 Pro.
I have manually leveled the bed by setting the nozzle gap to 0.1 mm (via feeler gauges) and then printing a calibration print and manually adjusting the bed height as it prints. I can get perfect calibration prints using both a glass bed and a PEI bed, printing with a bed temp of 75 °C and a nozzle temp of 210 °C:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rPi1S.jpg)
I’m now trying various other prints without success, as the print doesn’t adhere. See this example of a 1 mm thick bookmark, which I am printing with a brim to try and help :
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/G4sDz.jpg)
I’m not sure what the experts here can ascertain from this failed print without all the slicing parameters. I’m a bit suspicious that the print appears to clump and I’m wondering if the soft extruded material is sticking to the PLA already laid down and if so, if I can address that?
I actually seemed to have more success with the original flexible bed with several successful prints.
The G-code for the calibration target: <https://pastebin.com/Brc8R8Cs>
and for the bookmark: <https://pastebin.com/9AXaqiMw>
I had to remove a lot of the G-code for the bookmark due to its size, so hopefully I've left the important stuff in.
I started printing by loading the models in CURA, slicing and exporting to an SD card. I didn't;t create a new project for each print and it took me a while to realise I was losing the slicing parameters I'd used each time, making it difficult or impossible to go back and just change one set of parms. I'm now creating a separate project, so hopefully from now on I can just tweak one or 2 parms. | [
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18,259 | We are in a stage of creating a prototype of some IoT device with some electric boards and sensors.
The device will be connected to the power and the boards inside might be warm a bit.
What material whould you recommended to print it? Will you recommend it to production as well?
Thanks | [
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18,270 | For some reason, my larger prints, or rather the ones that I create, have this "dotted" line in them. And, that line usually splits into two pieces.
I use Ultimaker Cura for a slicer, I use Blender for modeling, and I have an Ender 3 Pro
Let me know if anyone knows the reason for this as it's preventing me from making things on my own.
Picture:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZUi8y.jpg "Photo of print with dotted line")
Here's my [Cura file](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/610969665744666664/901290253678178364/box.3mf), if anyone needs it | [
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18,289 | Can you convert a 3D printer to a laser engraver?
If so is there a specific thing I have to buy? | [
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18,295 | Is it possible to 3D print a QR code? or to engrave it using a 3D printer? I tried to convert it to individual boxes but that takes too long and is very inaccurate. Is there a better way? | [
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"text": "From the excellent Thingiverse link, [Customizable QR Keyring or Tag](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:496793... | 2021/10/29 | [
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18,316 | Recently I noticed a small issue with my Creality Ender 3, where I would come home and find one of the bed leveling wheels had fallen off. This one wheel keeps vibrating loose. It's not really affecting my prints for some reason, so I just kind of let it happen.
Yesterday I started an 8 hour print and left. When I came home, I heard a loud buzzing noise. I walk into my room and smell a burning smell. I see the printer has extruded plastic all over the place. PLA is all over the floor. The plastic its extruding is normal filament, not extruded plastic; the nozzle is gone. Not entirely sure how it came out, because it was tight.
I switch off the printer and assess the damage.
* The nozzle is on the floor, covered in a big blob of plastic.
* The stock fiberglass build plate is nowhere to be seen; I think it fell behind the desk the printer is on.
* The friction surface below the plate is covered with scratches and blobs of plastic - that needs to be replaced as well.
* Two of the bed leveling wheels are gone. One is on the floor, and the other probably fell behind the desk like the build plate.
* The hotend fan has filament going through it. It's missing three blades. Two of them fell on the floor, and one fell into the hotend and melted, making the burning smell.
* The hotend is *covered* in melted plastic.
* The heater block has lots of plastic jamming the hole where the nozzle goes.
Where do I go from here? How do I fix this?
Is this fixable?
What should I do to make sure this doesn't happen again? | [
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18,330 | If you are printing an object that has a base (A statue or trophy, for example), and presuming that you have already optimized every other setting: which shape of base would give you the best and most consistent bed adhesion when using PLA on the widest range of printers (For example, if you're putting it up on a site for anybody to download)?
For example:
1. A square base that is thin at the edges and thick in the middle, and slopes upwards in the center, like a pyramid.
2. A circular base that is thin at the edges and thick in the middle, like a dome
3. A flat thick square.
4. A flat thick circle
Is a shape with corners better, or a shape with no corners like a disc or a fried egg?
Do sloping sides make a difference, or general thickness? | [
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18,345 | I had problems with print bed adhesion when using white PLA (Arctic White) but no problems when using other colors. So I tried to print three bottom layers with transparent PLA and all other layers with white PLA. I did not change any setting and printed both tries one after another using the same .stl file.
There was some warping of the printed ring too. No problems when using transparent plus white PLA.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FngJU.jpg "Photo of two printed rings")
Right: white PLA only, left: transparent PLA bottom layers plus white PLA above. View of the bottom sides.
Has anyone experienced similar problems? | [
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18,350 | This problem started technically just before a major move but I had hoped it was a "one off" issue... I started up my trusty Ender 3 today to find it may have actually gotten worse and I'm not entirely sure what the solution is. I was printing a replica of a weapon from a game and I noticed at one point through the print I had a rather extreme X layer shift now today after finally getting the printer setup I've come to find the problem may have actually gotten worse, additionally I'm having a strange gap issue on the top most layers of my prints and strange waving patterns. Now I should note my printer is printing within an enclosure and its temperatures have been adjusted for it but this is rather extreme.[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SSGmx.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8Ru7M.jpg) | [
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18,376 | I am at a school with several Makerbot Replicator+ – a total of 9 of them.
So, they seem to print fine and I can hook up to two of them to one laptop (they are some Lenovo models from a few years back) using Makerbot Print. Well and good.
But I wanted to hook them up to my MacBook Pro (2020, OS X Catalina) with the USB cables, and the MacBook doesn't seem to "read" the printers, it's like they aren't even there. Makerbot Print (latest version) doesn't seem to "see" that they are hooked up. I checked the system prefs to see if the Makerbots showed up as connected USB devices and they don't seem to be there either.
Now, I am connecting via the USB cables and then through an adapter that connects the USB-A to USB-C. If I should just use a USB-B to USB-C cable (I ordered one to test it) then fine, I'll do that. I just wanted to check that there wasn't some other problem or if anyone else had this issue.
Next up: USB hubs. Makerbot says they don't recommend it, but sometimes I have to print out lots of stuff at once for student projects and I can't tie up multiple laptops for hours-long prints. I have done the technique of leaving stuff all night but that's hit or miss – if something goes wrong I am not there to stop the print (at least once something got unstuck from the build plate and I ended up with an extruder with the end encased in hard plastic like a stalactite. Unless I basically blowtorch it off... )
So, the question(s) is/are:
Any recommendations for USB hubs? (I would do wireless but that I am less sure of, and it seems easier, faster, and more reliable to link up through USB. The wireless connection always drops).
Any recommendations for the MacBook issue? Is it just a matter of finding the right cable? (it's certainly possible my $10 USB-A to USB-C adapter plugs aren't well designed, and I should just go for direct cabling)
Any recommendations for a good USB hub to link a Mac (or anything else) to Makerbots?
Thanks for your time and help. I do hope I am not duplicating a post but I don't see anything in my searches that addresses the specific issues I have; though it's possible I didn't use the right search terms. | [
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18,380 | I have a Chiron from Anycubic and I have had some leveling issues in the last few weeks, however, I believe that I have sorted that. The layers attached to the base plate or the raft now come out very weird and I am uncertain why. I heard that this is caused by the extruder being too cold but I have turned up the temperature and nothing has changed. Could someone please help with this because I have a feeling this is the reason the prints are being warped slightly but enough to not fit together?
I am very new to all this and I have no one to help me with this, if you could help I would be very grateful.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZfWri.jpg "3D printed model with badly extruded layer")
My bed temperature is set to 70 °C and the speed is 50 mm/s. I manually leveled it afer the self leveling didn't work, the image shows the top layer of a very bad failed print that had the same settings as my other ones but this one specifically was worse. I use PLA and have the extruder set to a temp of 210 °C most of the time. I now have the base set to 80 °C due to when its lower, adhesion doesn't take place for some reason. There are no large overhangs on my models but it can comfortably do a 70ish degree angle with no major flaw. The extruder height is set to 2 mm due to some massive leveling issues I had before. | [
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18,385 | I'm struggling to find the name of a connector I just broke, so I can order a new one.
It's a six pin nylon terminal, that plugs into a set of header pins on a stepper motor.
What do I search for to find these?! Also, how would I go about finding something like this in the future? I seem to struggle to find connectors.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ejbJR.jpg "Connector") | [
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18,399 | I own an Ender 3, it's about 3 years old and the issues I have with extrusion, leaking and filament blockage are monstrous.
Examples of problems like this are filament flow issues, filament blockage, and filament leaking out of the sides.
Problems like this take all day to fix, and in the end, they are never really fixed. Everything is so overbearingly finicky.
Not only that, but it seems one of its parts breaks down about every week (this may just be due to its age but I thought I would note it.)
It seems I run into the exact same problems every single time I 3D print. Nothing ever seems to go right. I am getting really tired of it, and I'm wondering if these kinds of problems aren't so frequent/ as big of a deal with more expensive (better) 3D printers, or if this is just normal. | [
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18,405 | Alright, long story but I want to provide as much detail as possible:
I have a heavily modded Ender 3 Pro. Mods include:
* Metal Extruder
* Capricorn PTFE tube
* Glass bed with improved leveling nuts
* BLTouch
* LED strip
* Dual Z-axis motors with the recent addition of BTT E3 RRF control board (and IDEX module so that it could do `G34` auto-align) (most recent additions)
I'm using Overture Brand white PLA and for the first print that messed up (pic below), I was using the default "generic PLA" Cura settings for an Ender 3 pro.
**The problem:**
Anyhow, it caused this kind of print:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/46TAX.jpg "3D benchy with printing errors")
There are a few angles where it actually looks pretty good. The hull is fairly smooth, the first layer went down well, the roofs and bridging look tolerable, but as you can see, especially around the "pillars" it looks I don't know... under-extruded? Like the lines don't connect very strongly. In fact, it might be hard to tell from this photo but the bottom actually ripped off when I took it off the plate, mostly due to weak connections between each layer.
**What I've tried:**
I pretty much went step by step through Teaching Tech's [calibration guide](https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html#intro).
* I started by getting out my bubble level and 90-degree gauge and just making sure the frame/bed/everything was level and perpendicular to each other and everything.
* I did the E-steps calibration until I reliably got 100 mm when I asked for 100 mm
* My first layer had never been a problem (especially with BLTouch and glass bed), so I skipped that step.
* I did the baseline print. My first one looked like the top of the cube had some under extrusion (you can see through it if you look closely in this photo
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YnEzD.jpg)
* I did the slicer flow calibration and actually it came out a little tiny bit too big (which would indicate I need to turn down the flow), but as Teaching Tech mentioned at the bottom of the page, you can't always trust that so I didn't end up making any changes to flow.
+ Worth pointing out, in this photo of the Slicer Flow calibration cube, you can see some weird holes where the nozzle would be kinda late starting a line.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2xyq9.png)
* The stepper motor driver current thing confuses me but I had previously set the current of both Z-axis' to the values I've seen in several YouTube videos, including Aurora.tech's channel where she covered the same BTT IDEX board and dual Z's.
* I did the temperature tuning and it seems like for this PLA 210 °C seems to work well.
* At this point I felt like retraction tuning was the problem and would fix everything, but with the default speeds in Teaching Tech's sample print, distances from 0-8 mm didn't seem to do anything differently in this print:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uUyXL.jpg)
* I never ended up doing the acceleration tuning
* For the linear advance, I changed the k value to 0.4
* I don't have a dial gauge to do the XYZ steps calibration
Long story short, with those few changes I redid the calibration cube and the benchy and they look maybe 5% better but still weird.
My Z-axis squeaks sometimes when moving through a spot 5-10 mm off the bed, so I lubricated them according to the [guide here](https://letsprint3d.net/how-to-lubricate-z-axis-lead-screw-3d-printers/), but I did that prior to that second benchy so it didn't seem to solve it.
After I first posted this, I decided to dive deeper into that squeaky Z-axis. I triple, super-duper checked that both Z threaded rods were parallel to each other and neither was warped/curved/etc... They seem fine. I lubricated them both a bit more and using G-code told the printer to jog the Z-axis up and down the length of the rods about 20ish times. The squeak did eventually go away so I printed another benchy. No dice. Still looks bad.
Per Criggie's answer, I disabled the steppers and moved the axes around to see if they moved smoothly. Both X and Y move great with steppers disabled and then are pretty firm normally. Z is pretty stiff no matter what but that may be intentional. I previously had problems with my Z-axis falling down when prints were over so I [installed anti-backlash nuts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpc1bTsSpRA) and with two anti-backlash nuts (one on each rod) I'm not surprised it doesn't want to fall. But again, when I just tell it to move, it moves very smoothly.
For instance, I just got out my micrometer and measured the Z movement. I told it to move 100 mm up using OctoPrint and measured the actual movement. Seemed to be 100 on the dot.
I have a BTT filament sensor in the filament path prior to the extruder. I noticed it provided a little friction and I was concerned it was making it hard for the extruder to pull the filament. I removed it, but no improvement in print quality.
One other strange thing I've noticed is the benchy always looks bad in the same spot (the pillars). Makes me wonder WHY it's always that exact spot, not randomly all over.
It's got to have something to do with under-extrusion or flow. I think I ruled out the Z-axis. I made a "tall" benchy by modifying the benchy file to have a platform underneath it. This bumped it up a few cm and the problem still happened in the same spot on the pillars of the benchy (which is now in a completely different spot on the Z.
Also, given the "flow" preview in Cura:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TNvq4.png)
That circled low flow area is where it always messes up.
So now to figure out why it's got low flow. Again, I calibrated the E-steps and it seems to be accurate. I've also printed benchy's where I told Cura to have 110% flow just to check. The last one I attempted didn't just fail, it failed big time and became a blob at that same spot.
I wonder if the extruder gear is worn and slipping and/or the Capricorn PTFE tube is too restrictive for the "budget" filament brand I'm using that might have trouble sliding through it. I have replacement steel extruder gears showing up Tuesday, will update my question then. | [
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18,420 | Is there such thing as a 3D printer with a very large diameter nozzle, that can make low fidelity, large and fast prints? I'm picturing a soft serve ice-cream machine on a gantry, with a hopper. You feed it shredded plastic, and it prints bricks, or boards. | [
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"text": "You can certainly get large nozzles, but the material for extrusion still needs to be consistent. So any chunked... | 2021/11/22 | [
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18,428 | Will a 3D scanner capture internal details within an enclosure?
I'm contemplating buying a 3D scanner, but they're pretty expensive so I'm looking for advice on whether they will actually be useful for the projects I have in mind. So with the picture below as an example, could I expect to generate a usable STL file by scanning this?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iYiDz.jpg) | [
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18,433 | I thought I am not bad at Google, but simply I am unable to find a G-code for doing circular motion for nozzle cleaning. It is possible to write a simple circular motion in G-code? | [
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18,437 | I'm trying to print large objects (around 1 meter squared) with polycarbonate pellets. The problem is sometimes the print cracks. It is not due to delamination as it is a shear crack across multiple layers. I know the ideal scenario is to have a heated enclosure but I cannot do that due to the size. Any suggestions?
I am using a robotic arm (KUKA KR360) with a custom extruder. That is why I can't build the enclosure. As for the temperature, they are 230 to 260 °C. Nozzle is 10 mm.
---
*I like the idea of directed heat. I might try that.* | [
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"text": "Printing polycarbonate requires a high end 3D printer that is suitable for the task.\n\nFrom [Simplify3d support](ht... | 2021/11/24 | [
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18,442 | I want to put in a date and serial number that would be difficult to erase or change. Is it better to print in the number or engrave it in with a laser engraver.
Material will be anti-bacterial PLA.
It will be on free masks donated to schools, I want to make sure we can identify them when they show up at the market or in shops. | [
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18,453 | A 3D printer needs to be homed (homing) before the print starts.
* What is homing?
* What is the purpose of homing?
* Is it necessary? | [
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18,457 | When choosing which filament to use for a particular print does the color of the filament have any impact on it's performance, or is it purely a cosmetic choice?
For example, are there any side-by-side comparisons available that demonstrate that differences do\don't exist between different color filaments from the same company\range, such as a particular filament needing a hotter bed because the pigment changes it's properties? | [
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18,458 | This has me stumped. I had been printing normally until this happened. Below is an expurgated version of my headache over two days. Some help would be appreciated.
Printer is Hypercube Evolution (CoreXY) using Bowden tube and eSun PLA+ filament. Bowden tube goes from inside the feed cone in the extruder straight through the heatsink and into the feed throat of the heatbreak. Genuine Titan Extruder. Extruder stepper has no label.
Started a new print. Printer was at ambient temperature of about 18 degrees. Printer brought up to temperature, 60° bed and 200° hotend. Bed homed and levelled in gcode. Print speed 60mm/s. Hotend moved to centre of bed and print started. No filament extruded and extruder stepper was making a grinding noise. Normally expect this to be hotend not hot enough. Altered pressure adjustment on the extruder. Made no difference. Cancelled print.
Lowered bed out of the way. Hotend to 225°. Attempted to extrude filament. Nothing other than extruder stepper grinding. Tried to retract filament, no motion and extruder stepper still grinding.
Disassembled hotend. No problem removing nozzle. The heatbreak and the heatsink Bowden connections would not give. There was filament between the Bowden connector and the heatbreak. When this snapped, I could get the parts free. The heatbreak had stretched filament stuck in the feed throat. There was thickened filament in the Bowden tube preventing retraction. It is still in there and stuck. Extruder stepper replaced and VREF adjusted. New all metal 1.75mm heatbreak. Bowden tube replaced. Hotend reassembled.
Hotend to 200° and extruded 200mm of filament. There was some smoke from the hot end at first and the initial filament was burnt. Everything seemed to be working, hotend turned off and Z-offset calculated and stored.
Lowered the bed, hotend back to 200°. The problem was back, could not extrude nor retract, extruder stepper grinding. I was able to withdraw the filament manually. The end was slightly thickened with a whispy "tail". Cut the filament, hotend to 225° and re-fed filament. Acrid smoke initially from the hotend and filament extruded. Hotend allowed to cool to room temperature. Hotend to 225°. Filament would not extrude nor retract. Hotend turned off and left.
Disassembled hotend. Again, heatbreak and Bowden connections to heatsink would not give. Managed to manually feed filament whilst unscrewing heatbreak. The filament found is shown in the attached picture. The small thick bulge would seem to have occurred in the tiny area where the Bowden tube enters the feed throat of the heatbreak. The thin filament is stretching whilst trying to retract. After that can be seen where the filament has thickened again. Mangled filament trimmed and hotend reassembled making sure that the Bowden tube was seated in the heatbreak feed throat. Hotend to 200° and extruded 200mm filament. Tried a test print, not very good, but worked. Tried a second print, the problem was back again.
Has anybody any ideas how to solve this? I have also checked that the thermistor is reading correctly, changed the roll of filament (just in case I had a bad roll) and have replaced the extruder stepper driver.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iOIoz.jpg) | [
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18,468 | I am trying to print this really cool [flying toy model](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4551901/comments) on my [ToyBox](https://toybox.com/) 3D printer, but when I try to print the "copter\_key-175.stl" file it complains it is a "non-manifold shape". How can I fix this .stl file?
---
[update START]
*Update for future readers:*
I haven't tried it yet, but the Free and Open Source slicer software, [Slic3r](https://github.com/slic3r/Slic3r), boasts this feature worth trying:
>
> **auto-repair** of non-manifold meshes (and ability to re-export them);
>
>
>
Update again: the **best slicers**, it seems, based on my research, are:
1. **Cura** (FOSS and professionally supported),
2. **PrusaSlicer** (FOSS, forked from Slic3r, and also professionally supported now).
Articles to look at:
1. [Google search for "slic3r vs cura"](https://www.google.com/search?q=slic3r%20vs%20cura&oq=slic3r%20vs%20cura&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i65.2775j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
1. Slic3r vs Cura (Cura wins; Slic3r lags due to no full-time company-sponsored development): <https://all3dp.com/2/slic3r-vs-cura-3d-printer-slicer-software-shootout/>
2. [Google search for "prusaslicer vs cura"](https://www.google.com/search?q=prusaslicer%20vs%20cura&oq=prusaslicer%20vs%20cura&aqs=chrome..69i57.10468j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
1. PrusaSlicer vs Cura (Cura wins, but just barely, since both are professionally supported with full-time developers): <https://all3dp.com/2/prusaslicer-vs-cura-differences/>
[update END]
---
Note that I have printed many ToyBox-designed models perfectly with this printer over the last 24 hrs.
I have also split the model (to cut the last few cm off the end and shorten it) using this technique here in TinkerCad, then exported the part as a shorter part so I could print on the smaller bed of the ToyBox printer.
Here is what the "key" is supposed to look like:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hTkbn.jpg "3D rendering of 'key'")
And here is how it comes out instead. Notice the misaligned teeth and layers about halfway through. Once I saw it was botched, I stopped the print early.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9BQTr.jpg "Side view of 3D printed 'key'")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1gm0T.jpg "Top view of 3D printed 'key'")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GqYyf.jpg "Angled view of 3D printed 'key'")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RE9sB.jpg "Back view of 3D printed 'key'")
**How can I make it print properly and/or how can I fix the .stl file?**
Notes:
------
* My operating system is Linux Ubuntu 20.04
* I have Windows 10 running in the VirtualBox virtual machine in case I need to run Fusion 360 or something in Windows
* I tried installing Meshmixer inside Windows 10 and it won't open. I had read online it can be used to fix .stl files, so I was going to look into that.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/yfPSh.png "Screenshot of Meshmixer Error Report dialog box")
Related:
--------
* my comment on [Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4551901/comments#comment-6238246)
* my help request on [Toybox](https://maketoys.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/4411413024916-Cannot-split-part-in-editor-Something-went-wrong-please-try-again-)
* Another person seeking help for this: [tinkercad.zendesk.com: Non-Manifold Model](https://tinkercad.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360038762593-Non-Manifold-Model) | [
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18,476 | Forgive this long-winded post, but I thought it would be helpful to include the back story leading up to a very scary situation on my Ender 3.
I was printing a job and everything started out fine just like it normally does. I'm not sure if it is related, but partway through the job, there was a power dip severe enough to trip the alarm on the UPS my computer is attached to. It didn't seem to affect the job on the printer though. (the printer is not on a UPS)
A little while later I noticed the extruder clicking like there was a jam, and the print had started severely under extruding. The hot end temp was showing around 209 °C, which is about what it was supposed to be, so I figured the nozzle was getting old and had probably gotten something stuck in it. I canceled the job, did a cold pull, then went ahead and replaced the nozzle and restarted the job.
The second run started off looking ok, but the clicking and under extruding soon came back. I stopped the job and was standing there next to the printer trying to figure out what was going on when I noticed it reboot itself. Octoprint showed a message (I can't recall the exact wording) of something to the effect of "your printer reset and the job is probably failed".
Weird. It's never done that before. I hadn't restarted since the power dip, so I thought maybe it was just in a bad state and physically powered everything down to start fresh. But as soon as it powered back up, the heater went active and the hot end started warming up. The status display said the temp was set at 0 °C, but the "current temp" reading was rising. I quickly went into the menus to select "cool down" and couldn't find it. There was no cool-down option on the menu!
By this time the hot end was up to around 270 °C and starting to smoke, so I shut the whole thing down again. I let it sit for a little while and powered up again. Immediately upon receiving power, the heater went active and started heating up again! I'm pretty sure had I not been standing there it would have eventually caught fire and possibly burned down my house!
This is the original Creality board, but I did flash it with Manmil U1.R2.7 maybe a year ago. It has been completely stable since. Thermal runaway protection is enabled (and tested), but I don't think it would have done anything in this scenario since the printer thinks the heater is off (hence the missing cooldown option). Even if it did detect an issue, I'm not sure it would have been able to do anything since it seems to be permanently shorted "on".
Has anyone heard of something like this before? Any idea what might have caused it?
I opened the case and inspected the board for signs of something shorting out or a smoked component, but everything appears normal. I disconnected the heater so I could power up and everything seems to work other than the heater terminals always having power.
Obviously, my trust in this machine has been severely diminished. I already ordered an SKR Mini E3 V2 to replace the Creality board since I had been thinking of upgrading anyway. But I would really like to know what happened so I can assess the probability of it happening again.
Ideally, I would also like to figure out some way of protecting against this happening again in the future and causing a fire when I might not be standing next to the printer next time.
My first thought is some sort of thermal fuse (like the ones in hairdryers) in line with the heater that would "blow" if it gets past a certain temperature. A typical consumer printer should never have a reason to get above 260-270 °C, so it seems appropriate to kill the circuit if it goes beyond that regardless of what the board is telling it to do.
Has anyone tried retrofitting something like that? Are you aware of any printers on the market that include such a feature?
Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot the board to figure out what happened? | [
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18,493 | I want to make an anime-style figurine in Blender with long strands of wavy hair coming down from pigtails, similar to sailor moon, but more so.
They are going to be extremely challenging to print in place as they will be very thin and difficult to support.
Would it be possible simply to print long flat strips of PLA straight onto my bed 5 mm wide, 200 mm long, and a couple of mm thick, and then to heat them up after printing with a heat gun or some other means, and reshape them to make them wavy, then attach them to my model with glue before painting?
I haven't started on the model yet so I have no pictures to provide. | [
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18,512 | I am looking to buy an Ender-3 Pro, but the place I'm looking to buy from has this picture:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RY2ds.jpg "Confusing 3D printer publicity photo")
My question is, what is meant by "Junior" in the name?
I'm just wondering if this means it's an alternative kind of version for kids or something, or if it's just the name of that type of 3D Printer (e.g. in the way you might have a Junior Hacksaw or something)? I.e. is this the normal Ender V3 Pro? | [
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18,519 | My new Ender 5 Plus' Bowden tube keeps popping out of its socket on the extruder mid-print, I've tried several times and it keeps doing it even though it's locked into place securely at the start every time. Is this a known issue? And how do I resolve it?
I just got it so I doubt it's the coupler, I replaced it with a spare as my first solution, I did notice that it got almost stringy plastic around it whenever it gets popped out.... could that be indicative of what the problem is? | [
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18,531 | I have been trying to make some small signs, and to highlight the text by changing between black and white filament at a layer just above where the text comes out of the back plate.
I've used Cura 4.12 and the "change filament" script to make the printer pause at the right layer. The change and purge process works fine, no issue there.
However the second colour adheres poorly to the first. Doesn't matter if I print Black then White, or White then Black. Both filaments are the same brand.
* Should I dab gluestick into the print at the same time as changing colour? (read on)
* Is there some way to re-preheat the object and get a better adhesion?
To save the print I've used superglue to stick the letters back on that have fallen off, but is definitely not ideal.
---
Here's an example:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RgUOS.jpg)
The loose letters are held on well enough for printing, but only barely. They can knock loose at a touch of a finger afterward.
I have tried changing filament on the first layer that is not the back board, and one or two layers up the letters. One print I even changed filament a layer too low, and surprisingly that did not have adhesion problems. Perhaps it is merely a function of surface contact area ?
Gluestick on the exposed surface while changing filament was useless - the whole thing simply didn't stick and the second colour never got any adhesion at all, merely wiping off.
As for timing, it seems to make little difference if I'm there waiting for the last layer to print, or if I let the printer sit for half an hour before noticing and changing colour. The bed stays hot at 50 degrees, and the hot end is permitted to cool off.
There is a heating cycle, and then a purge/discharge-into-air that shows the transition between colours, so its not that the filament has lost a prime.
At the moment, a much more effective solution is to use a paint marker and colour-in the top layer with a contrasting colour. | [
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18,533 | I am having two separate issues. One is specific to this particular model, the other is on all my prints, but more pronounced on 90° vertical walls.
The first issue is a localized area of under extrusion only in one area of the print. This issue is specific to this model. The second issue is evenly spaced horizontal bulges that appear approximately every 5mm during the first 30-35 mm of the print. This is a two-piece Christmas tree I designed for my wife and I have been printing both pieces together on the build plate.
I am printing on a mostly stock Voxelab Aquila with Voxelab Gold 1.75 mm PLA. I have changed the stock extruder to the aluminum extruder after the plastic one cracked, and am running a Satsana style shroud with stock fans. I am using CHEP's Cura 4.11 Ender 3 profile for .2 mm (good) - [CHEP Cura Profiles](https://www.chepclub.com/cura-profiles.html), printing at 200 °C and 40 °C bed temp. I have lubed my Z screw with white lithium grease, checked that belts are tight and no screws or physical connection points are loose. I checked to make sure that the eccentric nuts are snug but not binding the gantry. I have calibrated my extruder E-steps and changed the value to 96.
Can someone offer me some guidance on where to go from here?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ga1uq.jpg "Photo of a 3D printed two-piece Christmas tree")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hOFLf.jpg "Photo of the inside of the top part of Christmas tree")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/t5nSL.jpg "Photo showing the printing errors inside the top of the Christmas tree")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BC8q4.jpg "Photo of horizontal bulges on the base of Christmas tree")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lXNb3.jpg "Photo of ruler measuring the evenly spaced horizontal bulges on the base of Christmas tree") | [
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18,540 | I literally just started OpenSCAD today, so please take it easy on me, but is shell scripting possible with OpenSCAD? as in, to write a script in the OpenSCAD syntax, and have it output images, or animations? with or without having to render the image.
I've been reading the man pages, and I'm not sure if that can be done. | [
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18,548 | Most people, articles, videos, etc. refer to printing speed by linear speed (mm/s), but a lot of YouTubers prefer to talk about volumetric flow (mm3/s) (mm cubed per second). I suspect that at some point in the past year or three, some of the more engineer-y types switched to this new measurement standard, but I'm not entirely sure what happened. What is the practical difference between using linear speed vs flow rate to determine print speed?
For a follow-up, how can you go about changing your print speed as a flow rate in a slicer? It's easy to find the linear speed, but I have not found the flow rate speed. I use Cura and will start using Prosi Slic3r soon. | [
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18,549 | I've heard that PETG, what we print with, is slightly different than PET or PETE, which is commercially available. Yet, PET bottles seem easy enough to recycle into prints according to these videos:
#1 Multicolor printing-Details of free filament production from recycled bottle (PET)for 3D printer
Precious Plastic channel
<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqA-SppbeUi5ou0isB27mgg>
What properties change between PET and PETG? Obviously, the additives will change, but what are the properties and parameters that change that make PETG more suited to 3D printing? Especially given the fact that PETG is fairly hygroscopic, which I believe took a while for the community to uncover.
While more science is better as far as an answer, please keep it relevant to practical 3D printing as well. | [
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18,567 | I have a new Creality Ender 2 Pro with a Creality 4.2.3 mainboard. I'm attempting to compile Marlin to fix a bug. How can I tell what driver chips I have on this board?
I've narrowed it down to likely `A4988` or `TMC2208_STANDALONE` or possibly the `TMC2225`. Strangely Creality only has documentation for the 4.2.2 and the 4.2.7 boards (not 4.2.3)
4.2.2 => TMC2208
4.2.3 => ?
4.2.7 => TMC2225
Some say you can tell the driver just by listening to the noise it makes. [Here is a video of the printer running](https://youtu.be/4hL-r02w6rM). The motors are nearly silent to my ear.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ALHyb.jpg "Photo of Ender 2 Pro motherboard version 4.2.3")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xUdVU.jpg)
Resources
* <https://github.com/Creality3DPrinting/Ender-3/issues/58#issuecomment-842935869>
* 4.2.2 [schematic](https://github-repository-files.githubusercontent.com/139231738/7626788?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIWNJYAX4CSVEH53A%2F20211215%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20211215T153407Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Signature=43dfe1ff5518c5003cf55ade1554caeb5953c733a599db07fb153cc976cebb45&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&actor_id=0&key_id=0&repo_id=139231738&response-content-disposition=attachment%3Bfilename%3D1623133432-Creality422-Schematic-2.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf)
* [Marlin Config pull request](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Configurations/pull/633#issuecomment-995206382) | [
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18,568 | Why do concrete 3D printers lay the concrete in a zigzag shape? I know pouring it in a straight line makes it unstable, but the zigzag shape reduces the contact of the top layer to the layer below. What is the advantage? | [
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18,575 | It seems there are some missing lines on the outer wall on the Z-axis with my prints. I'm not able to pinpoint the problem. Does anyone have ideas about what might be wrong with my setup/settings?
Example:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3q1k3.jpg "Printed model with printing errors highlighted")
Here are some settings that I think are relevant:
Printer: Ender 3 v1
Filament: Das Filament
Slicer: Cura
* Hotend temp: 215 °C
* Layer height: 0.2 mm
* Wall speed: 30 mm/s
* Travel speed: 200 mm/s
* Retraction distance: 6.5 mm
* Combing mode: not in skin (Max comb: 30)
Cheers | [
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18,587 | I have an Ender 3 V1 with a glass Creality plate. I was having difficulty using manual levelling and my prints were struggling, so I ordered a 3DTouch. I have installed the 3DTouch and used Creality's BLTouch firmware. But my bed is still not level.
So my build is an Ender 3 V1 with:
* Extruder upgraded to all-metal extruder
* Glass bed upgrade
* 3DTouch Upgrade
* Capricorn Tubing
* Yellow bed springs
I manually levelled my bed using my 3DTouch. I used the `G30` command in `Pronterface` to probe each corner of the plate. At each corner, I would adjust the knob until the 3DTouch read 0.0. I did this iteratively multiple times until I thought it was reasonably level. The four corner values were something like 0.1, 0.0, -0.2, and 0.3 mm.
I have also put a straight edge with an Angle Finder Phone App. The bed is quite level. It reads 0, 1, or 2°
depending on how I place the level. X-axis gantry has a 1° tilt.
Here is my current bed levelling mesh:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kepvq.png)
After doing this, I added `G29` after `G28` in my starting G-Code in Cura. I sliced a model from Thingiverse that had 5 squares and some lines. Here are the results:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/we8Sk.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XWZZB.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ONbBq.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/h3aib.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YBnku.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O7gkY.jpg)
I am using:
* Filament : PLA
* Bed Temp : 60 °C
* Nozzle Temp : 200 °C
Some miscellaneous notes:
* The bed was cleaned thoroughly prior to use
* I rotated the bed 90° and the print looked the exact same way
* I ensured that the bed soaked in some heat for some time prior to printing
* I have set my Z offset to -1.800 mm
* The frame and components seem to be square and tightened down. Nothing is shaking around and seems to be in order.
I would really appreciate help on this. I'm really not sure what to do next. I've been really excited about 3D printing and I hope I can find a solution to this.
**Leveling using CHEP's video**
So I have rebuilt my 3D printer using CHEP's video. I noticed that one or two things were off compared to how it was supposed to be. I will be doing some test prints to see if that actually fixed things. I am hopeful.
I did a mesh before any other changes, and the slant is very clear now. See below. I believe one of the plates on the gantry wasn't completely straight.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XjTYg.png)
**Leveling after rebuilding printer**
Here is my latest mesh, after rebuilding the printer and then re-levelling its bed manually.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fn3G9.png)
These are the results of the print. I had to change my Z offset to -1.60 mm. The broken line is my fault. It was caused by my finger. The focus is the corners. As I mentioned, this is after rebuilding my printer.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JFJ6U.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xyD3N.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/P3fjP.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/b6IWZ.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2oNF7.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MR0WM.jpg)
**Edit**
I would like to have more probing points than Creality's 3x3 grid. To my understanding, Creality's source code is not available, and so I will be rolling my own with Marlin 2.0. I downloaded the latest Marlin from <https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/releases>, and copied the 4.2.2 Creality configuration from the default Configurations. I then changed the following:
1. I ensured `#define PDITEMP` is not commented so that I can do PID tuning of the nozzle.
2. Similar to 1., I ensured that `#define PIDTEMPBED` is not commented so that I can do PID tuning of the bed.
3. I commented `#define Z_MIN_PROBE_USES_Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_PIN` since I will be using the 5-pin BLTouch port that is on my 4.2.2. board.
4. I uncommented `#define USE_PROBE_FOR_Z_HOMING` since I removed my z-axis endstop and want to use my 3DTouch as the z endstop.
5. Uncommented `#define BLTOUCH` since the 3DTouch is a BLTouch clone.
6. Changed my x and y offsets in the setting `#define NOZZLE_TO_PROBE_OFFSET { -42, -8, 0 }`. I left the z-offset 0, since I will be using the tuning tool to adjust that and observe the squish. For the x and y, I measured the distance between my probe and the nozzle using a digital caliper.
7. I adjusted the probe margin from 10 to 15, since I have clips that previously would interfere with the 3DTouch. 15 should give more distance. `#define PROBING_MARGIN 15`
8. I enabled and set MULTIPLE\_PROBING to 3. I'm paranoid about the current accuracy, and am willing to see if that improves anything at the expense of a few additional minutes. `#define MULTIPLE_PROBING 3`. I think 2 should be fine for general use.
9. Uncommented `#define Z_MIN_PROBE_REPEATABILITY_TEST`. I want to test my 3DTouch and uncommenting allows the use of M48 to test it.
10. Uncommented `#define PROBING_FANS_OFF`, `#define PROBING_ESTEPPERS_OFF`, `#define PROBING_STEPPERS_OFF`, `#define DELAY_BEFORE_PROBING 200`. The documentation this may improve probing results. I'm all in.
11. Uncommented `#define NO_MOTION_BEFORE_HOMING` and `#define HOME_AFTER_DEACTIVATE`.
12. Uncommented `#define AUTO_BED_LEVELING_BILINEAR`
13. Uncommented `#define RESTORE_LEVELING_AFTER_G28`. This is to ensure the mesh is applied even after G28, which disables the mesh otherwise.
14. Ensures that this setting was 10. `#define DEFAULT_LEVELING_FADE_HEIGHT 10.0`
15. I set the following : `#define GRID_MAX_POINTS_X 7`. Ensures a 7x7 mesh grid is created. This could be more or less. 49 points is an improvement over Creality's 9, although a bit much. Worthwhile in my case.
16. Uncommented `#define EXTRAPOLATE_BEYOND_GRID`. I was actually wondering if this was causing some of the inconsistent prints near the edge.
17. Uncommented `#define LCD_BED_LEVELING`. This is to unlock more options for ABL in the menu.
18. Uncommented `#define LEVEL_BED_CORNERS`. This should make moving between corners for manual levelling easier.
19. Uncommented `#define LEVEL_CORNERS_USE_PROBE`. This is to achieve exactly what I was doing with G30 in Pronterface. I changed to tolerance with `#define LEVEL_CORNERS_PROBE_TOLERANCE 0.03`
20. Uncommented `#define Z_SAFE_HOMING`, which is important for the BLTouch.
21. Changed my PLA profile according to what I have determined to be best with `#define PREHEAT_1_TEMP_HOTEND 200` and `#define PREHEAT_1_TEMP_BED 60`
I had to comment `#define BLTOUCH_SET_5V_MODE` for things to compile. I also had to modify `#define LEVEL_CORNERS_INSET_LFRB { 30, 30, 45, 45 }`, due to the margin I set as well as the offset of my touch. Otherwise, the above configuration was fine, in terms of compilation.
I'll post back with the results.
Here are the results for the M48 3DTouch test. Are these values good?
| Measurement | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Feun | 0.063667 |
| Min | 0.061 |
| Max | 0.068 |
| Ralme | 0.007 |
| STD | 0.002478 |
I reduced the speed of the probing in half in order to make the probing more accurate. This was done by changing from `#define Z_PROBE_FEEDRATE_FAST (4*60)` to `#define Z_PROBE_FEEDRATE_FAST (2*60)`. I also made the mesh grid 8x8 because might as well.
These are my M48 repeatability results. Interesting to compare to the above table which probed at double the speed.
| Measurement | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Feun | 0.005500 |
| Min | 0.002 |
| Max | 0.010 |
| Ralme | 0.008 |
| STD | 0.001908 |
I also changed the filament (brand new). Just as another variable to modify.
The following prints are the result.
The mesh before this print is as follows:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tk0TQ.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MJAWB.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/v9LPr.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JVV4Y.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MndtV.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IE4eq.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LY47R.jpg)
**Levelling the X-Axis Gantry**
As Oshac in the comments has mentioned, I have read some other forum posts that described the cause of uneven lines and similar inconsistencies as what I am noticing, as being due to the X-axis Gantry that moves up and down as not being level.
I used a digital caliper and measured the x axis gantry relative to the frame of the 3D printer. So for example, I put my caliper against the base metal extrusion and then against the x-axis gantry. I did this on both sides.
The side without the Z-Axis lead screw (right side) was above the side with the Z-Axis lead screw (left side) by about 1.7mm. I'm surprised that CHEP and some other build videos never mentioned to check this, but it does seem logical to consider. Making the brackets flush is NOT adequate. When I do make it flush, then one side is higher than the other. The build videos say to make it flush. This will make things OFF.
To adjust this, I took off the gantry, slightly loosened the bolts on both side plates, so that it was stiff enough that it wouldn't move easily, but could make subtle adjustments by twisting it hard enough. I then put the gantry back on the printer, did some measurements and corresponding adjustments. I then carefully threaded the gantry off and tightened the plates.
Currently, my left and right side have a difference of .17mm. I figured I won't get anything better by hand. I'll do another test print tonight. 1.7mm vs .17mm is a reasonable difference. | [
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18,590 | Recently, my Ender 3D Pro has been unable to print any large models successfully with PLA as the filament starts to expand inside the Teflon tube, causing a clog after about an hour of printing. I am starting to suspect that the problem is heat creep.
* This occurs with the two brands of PLA filament that I use (3D Fila and Voolt 3D).
* The hotend that I am using is the one that comes with the printer, I don't know what it is made out of.
I have tried many things to patch this problem:
* Try to unclog it with the needle
* Replace nozzle (three times)
* Check if the Teflon tube is touching the nozzle
* Increase temperature from 200 to 220 °C
* Increase temperature from 200 to 215 °C
If the problem is indeed heat creep, I have plans to control the heat sink temperature with a Peltier and an extra thermometer. Any other ideas are appreciated. | [
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18,592 | I have a Prosi MK2.5 which runs at 12 V, the Prosi MK3 runs at 24 V.
I noticed that on [Prosi's webpage](https://www.prusa3d.com/product/stepper-motors-set/), they list the stepper motors as being compatible with both the MK2 *and* the MK3 even though they run at different voltages.
My question is: are stepper motors typically tuned for specific voltages (like most fans are), or are these stepper motors compatible with *both* 12 and 24 V systems? | [
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18,603 | I'd like to print a cylinder, 50 mm diameter, 200 mm long, with 1.5 mm diameter holes tightly fit like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/i11dN.png "3D rendering of a cylinder with holes")
The holes go all the way through from top to bottom.
I am using a Prusa i3 MK3S. With 0.1 mm detail and 20 % infill, printing one cylinder is going to take 5 days and 5 hours. I need at least five cylinders.
* Is the above setting appropriate for this job?
* Is there any way I can reduce the printing time? | [
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18,604 | the [3D Benchy](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:763622) is everywhere. It is one of **the** top test prints if you look away from a simple cube.
But what makes the Benchy a good test print at all? It does have almost no critical dimensions that would be measurable to see if the printer is calibrated correctly! | [
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18,619 | It seems that a Bowden extruder is the most used in all cheap 3D printers by far compared to Direct Drive that is very rare under 500 USD machines. But I haven't understood the reason, since in terms of hardware a direct drive doesn't seem to have any impact on price more than Bowden (correct me if I'm wrong).
Why? | [
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18,629 | I have a 3018 Pro CNC and being trying cutting a contour of a simple circular part:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/w3mDe.png "Screenshot of Fusion 360 model and route")
G-code:
```
(TestKnobContour)
(T1 D=1 CR=0 - ZMIN=-3 - flat end mill)
G90 G94
G17
G21
G90
(2D Contour1)
Z15
S5000 M3
G54
G0 X10.8 Y0.1
Z15
G1 Z5 F10.0
Z1 F10.0
Z-2.9
X10.792 Z-2.938 F10.0
X10.771 Z-2.971
X10.738 Z-2.992
X10.7 Z-3
X10.6
X10.562 Y0.092
X10.529 Y0.071
X10.508 Y0.038
X10.5 Y0
G2 X9.851 Y-3.634 I-10.5 J0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X8.983 Y-5.436 I-9.851 J3.634
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X3.301 Y-9.968 I-8.983 J5.436 F10.0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X1.351 Y-10.413 I-3.301 J9.968
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X-5.735 Y-8.795 I-1.351 J10.413 F10.0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X-7.299 Y-7.548 I5.735 J8.795
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X-10.452 Y-1 I7.299 J7.548 F10.0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X-10.452 Y1 I10.452 J1
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X-7.299 Y7.548 I10.452 J-1 F10.0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X-5.735 Y8.795 I7.299 J-7.548
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X1.351 Y10.413 I5.735 J-8.795 F10.0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X3.301 Y9.968 I-1.351 J-10.413
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X8.983 Y5.436 I-3.301 J-9.968 F10.0
G1 Z-2.75
G2 X9.851 Y3.634 I-8.983 J-5.436
G1 Z-3 F10.0
G2 X10.5 Y0 I-9.851 J-3.634 F10.0
G1 X10.508 Y-0.038
X10.529 Y-0.071
X10.562 Y-0.092
X10.6 Y-0.1
X10.7
X10.738 Z-2.992
X10.771 Z-2.971
X10.792 Z-2.938
X10.8 Z-2.9
G0 Z15
M5
X0 Y0 Z0
M30
```
Candle shows that everything is fine for this G-code:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jZ4p3.png "Screenshot of Candle software")
However, I am getting weird results (see top right):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/76m5S.jpg "Photo of milled circles with irregularities")
What can I do for troubleshooting? | [
{
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"text": "It is hard to be sure from the picture. When I wrote this answer, material you were cutting looked like clear plastic.... | 2021/12/24 | [
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18,634 | Every time I try melting a scrap piece of plastic it ends up turning brown, smelling, and smoking before even melting down completely. My entire home ends up filled with cancerous fumes and there's no way I'm baking any food in my oven ever again. I've tried different types of Nylon, ASA, and PLA and all of them turned brown before properly melting. I placed the scraps inside a glass jar inside an oven and tried both slowly increasing the temperature, and placing it into the preheated oven.
Absolutely disgusting.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TaFHz.jpg "Glass jar with burnt melted plastic")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0QNUQ.jpg "Baking pan with burnt melted plastic")
I would like to melt it into blocks or cylinders or planes and further process it with my lathe, my CNC mill, bandsaw... whatever, like this guy: | [
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"text": "Plastic in general and 3d printer plastic specifically doesn't really melt so much as get softer in a range of... | 2021/12/25 | [
"https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18634",
"https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com",
"https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/30842/"
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