Frequently Asked Questions for 3D Printer Newbies (Updating)

In this blog, we’ve collected most of the Frequently Asked Questions you might have when doing a 3D printing, especially for 3D print beginners, and hope it can help you.

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Why do my 3D prints keep warping?

• The distance between the model and the platform is too high, resulting in a small adhesion between the model and the platform.
• The textured paper or other materials on the surface of the platform have low adhesion.
• The platform itself isn’t strong enough. The degree is not enough (especially indicates the PCB hotbed)

How do you fix PLA warping?

• Ensure the distance between the model and the platform is 1 piece of A4 paper.
• Replace the special textured paper for 3D printing, or other films.
• Add a piece of flat glass to the PCB hot bed (preferably Carbon crystal silicon glass)

Why are my 3D prints messing up?

• There are too many impurities in the printing material, and the thickness is uneven.
• The model printing speed is too fast.
• The extruder force is too strong or weak.

How do I fix my 3D printed model?

• Replace the printing material to ensure the quality of the material.
• Set the print speed within the standard range of about 60-80mm/S.
• Adjust the extrusion force. The size of the extruder motor is guaranteed to run for 2 hours, and the temperature of the extruder motor does not exceed 50 degrees)

What causes PLA stringing?

• The model is too complicated and the model size is too small.
• The model is not cooled enough.
• Wrong withdrawal parameters settings

How do you get rid of stringing?

1. Reduce the sharp corners, thin walls, and cantilever structural design through model processing.

2. Increase the fan cooling power

3. Adjust the retraction speed and distance and the retraction distance should not exceed over 6mm.

Why does my printer start to print and then stop?

Reasons:

1. The nozzle temperature suddenly dropped below 180 degrees.

2. Pausing at a certain height is preset in the slicing software.

3. There is an error in the printing parameters.

4 . Too much data stored in the SD card

Treatment:

1. Heating tube or sensor failure. Check whether the heating tube is tightened or the thermal sensor is installed properly.

2. Re-slice and cancel the setting that paused at a certain height

3. Use slicing software to check whether there is any problem with the model data.

4. Delete the redundant data in the sd card

Why there is a temperature alarm?

Reason: min temp or max TEMP appears on the screen, indicating that the heating tube or temperature sensor is faulty.

How do I fix the 3D printer thermistor?

Treatment:

Check whether the heating tube and temperature sensor are installed correctly and whether there is looseness or disconnection. If things still not going smoothly, you can replace the heating tube or temperature sensor.

What causes layer shifting in 3D prints?

Reason:

1. The printing speed is too fast.

2. The printing produces piles that hinder the operation of the print head.

3. The resistance of the xy-axis is too large.

4. The motor is overheated (above 60 degrees).

5. Excessive acceleration

6. Synchronous belt of XY axis

How do I fix the layers shifting on my 3D printer?

1. Reduce the printing speed and control it within a reasonable range.

2. Reduce the temperature of the print head (adjustment of 5°C).

3. Lubricate the XY axis (lubricating oil, rail oil, or oil).

4. Reduce the electric current of the motor.

5. Reduce the acceleration speed of the motor.

6. Tension the timing belt.

Why are my 3D prints not round?

Reason:

1. The XY axes are not perpendicular to each other.

2. The model belt is too loose.

3. The resolution of the model parameters is not enough

How do you make a 3d print circle better?

1. Use a dial indicator or a knife-edge square for calibration.

2. Tension the belt.

3. Improve the resolution of model data output

Why is my printer not printing the entire document?

Reason:

1. There is an error in the slice data.

2. The sd card data is wrong.

3. Screen data output signal interference.

4. Motherboard heat dissipation problem

Processing:

1. Check whether there is any problem with the data

2. Format the sd card or replace it.

3. Avoid screen wires and motor wires tangled Together.

4. Check whether the motherboard cooling fan is turned on.

Why does my build large parts exceed the Build Volume of the Printer?

Reason:

1. The size set by the printer slicing software does not match the size of the machine itself.

2. “Print in the center” is selected

Processing:

1. Match the print size settings in the software with the machine print size.

2. Do not check the option to print in the center of the XYZ structure

Why is my filament coming out squiggly?

Reasons:

1. The printing speed is too fast and the machine shakes.

2 The print platform adjustment is too loose.

3. Z-axis screw bending

How do I get rid of 3D printing lines?

1. Reduce the printing speed.

2. Adjust the platform to have a certain pre-pressure (especially if the platform moves frequently).

3. Change the Z-axis screw

Why is my nozzle leaking?

3D printer nozzles may start leaking because they have been put together wrong or because the extrusion temperature is set too high. Additionally, a dirty nozzle may cause leaking along with wrong adjustments or broken equipment. 

The printing temperature is not controlled

Reason:

1. There is a problem with the mainboard wiring of the nozzle heating tube.

2. The heating tube is not fixed

Treatment:

1. Check whether there is any problem with the wiring between the heating tube and the main board (especially the wrong position of the heating bed and the heating tube).

2. Tighten the heating tube with the set screw

How do I fix the SD card not recognized?

Reason: SD card driver corruption

Processing: 1. Format SD card (do not format quickly). 2. Replace a new one

Why is the print not sticking to the bed?

Reasons:

1. The stickiness of the textured paper is not enough.

2. The glass platform cannot be directly bonded to the model

How do you make PLA stick to bed better?

1. Replace the high temperature-resistant textured paper for 3D printing.

2. The glass platform should be coated with PVP-type solid glue

Why the temperature of the printer nozzle or hot bed can not be set to the predetermined temperature?

Reason:

1. The power and voltage of the heating tube are wrong.

2. The heating tube is not fixed.

3. Fan air duct problem

Treatment:

1. Replace the heating tube.

2. Fix the heating tube.

3. The fan cannot directly blow the heating aluminum block

Why does my computer not respond when I try to print?

Reason:

1. The printer hasn’t heated to the set temperature.

2. The file saves as a Chinese name and cannot be recognized

How do I fix my printer from printing to file?

1. Check whether the set temperature is too high.

2. Change the file to English or numbers

Why is filament not coming out of the nozzle?

Reason:

1. The nozzle is too close to the platform.

2. The set temperature is too low.

3. There are impurities in the nozzle

How do you fix a blocked nozzle?

1. Adjust the distance between the nozzle and the platform (about the thickness of 1 sheet of A4 paper).

2. Set different temperatures according to different materials, PLA (190℃-210℃) ABS (205℃-220℃) Nylon (240℃-250℃).

3. Clean the nozzle (preheat the ABS, turn off the hotbed, squeeze out the impurities by hand), or replace the nozzle

Why does my 3D printer keep oozing?

Reasons:

1. No support is selected for printing the cantilever structure.

2. The support angle of the slicing software is not set correctly

How do I keep my filament from oozing?

Processing: 1. Select the appropriate model support.

2. According to the angle of the model, set the critical angle for automatically generating supports in the slicing software

Why is my model GREY in Cura?

Reasons: 1. The size of the model is too large.

2. Model data error

How do I change the color of my slicer?

Processing:

1. Scale the printed model.

2. Repair the broken surface of the model and the thin wall error

BLOBS are Small lumps on the printing surface.

Reason: 1. The head temperature of the printed model is set too high.

2. The heat dissipation of the model is not enough

How do you fix pimples and blobs?

1. Reduce the heat dissipation of the model.

2. Increase the fan direct blowing model

Why there is an over and under extrusion?

Reason: 1. The wire diameter is wrong. 2. Wrong extrusion ratio

How do you fix over and under extrusion?

Check Nozzle & Hot End.

Check Bowden Tube & Cold End.

Check Extruder Gears.

Check for Filament Knots.

Increase Print Temperature.

Adjust Retraction Settings.

Correct Filament Diameter.

Increase Flow Rate.