3D Printing Troubleshooting

Solve by Picture

Or Solve by Logic

Troubleshooting Solver

Fix any 3D Printing Problem

Note: This is by no means complete, but it is a start

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Troubleshoot by Picture

(Especially for people like my who only read pictures, not words :D )

Add a Raft

1

If you add a raft, either custom or automatic, it may have enough surface area to stick to the bed plate. Then your model will print on the raft.

Problem

Map

Start

Change the Bed Plate Surface

The surface must be sticky enough for the filament to stick on the bed plate. Use hair spray, tape, etc. to make a sticky surface.

Put the Extruder at the right height

Solutions

2

Make sure that there is the proper amount of pressure between the bed plate and the extruder nozzle. Usually you should be able to just slide a sheet of computer paper between the two.

No

Level the bed Plate

No

Yes

The extruder cannot place material on an uneven bed plate correctly. The bed plate must be level this is extremely important.

START HERE

3

Are all the supports printed correctly?

Did it start to Print?

Did the filament stick to the Bed Plate?

(Even if it prints bad)

Yes

No

Yes

Is the Printer trying?

Are the angles over 45 degrees?

Did the first layer Print good?

No

(printer trying to extrude)

Yes

4

Yes

Did your object finish printing?

Is the Problem only with the last few Layers?

Yes

Add New Filament

Are Layers Missing?

Solutions

Before you print you should make sure you have enough material. This can be done by weighing the material and looking at the estimated material used.

No

5

No

Did the object warp?

Has the Printer stopped?

(do the edges curve up,

or is there an uneven surface)

Power Outage

(Is it Frozen)

Perhaps the power went off during the print, ending the print. Try printing again.

Solutions

Yes

Stop the Draft

Consider Insulating your printer

Perhaps a window is open, a fan is going, or the air conditioner is on. All of theses can produce wind currents that will affect your print.

Yes

It would be worth the effort to enclose your printer. This not only stops drafts, but also helps insulate the temperature.

No

Yes

Did it warp only on one side?

Solutions

6

No

G7

G6

##

##

B7.5

D8.5

F8

F10

B7.5

F9

##

D2

Symmetrical Warping

One-Sided Warping

Missing Layers

Bad Finishing Layers

Pimples

Stringy

Non-Manifold

Extruder Jam

Frozen

Discolored

Failed the Wiggle Theorem

Non-sticky Bed Plate

Yes

No

Is There Filament

Do you have a heated Bed Plate?

Is your computer frozen?

Are there small bumps on the surface?

No

Add a Raft

New Heated Bed Plate

No

Solutions

Is the extruder Jammed?

7

Yes

Warping will always happen to some extent, but by adding a raft you should be able to reduce it

Unfortunately this is a reason to buy a 3D Printer with a heated bed plate. Most printers have a way to upgrade to a heated bed plate. Also look into a way to insulate the heat inside the 3D printer as well.

(is it making clicking sounds)

Yes

Similar Size Thickness

If your model has thicknesses that are not uniform, certain parts will deform more than others. Try to make your model have the same thickness

No

Note:

Are you printing from your computer?

Change the Filament

Solutions

(as opposed to an SD card)

Slow down the speed

If this happens quite often, then change where your brand of filament. This is due to your filament not being a uniform diameter or other manufacturing defects. Poor Quality.

Take out the filament, inspect it. You will probably find markings on the end. Cut off the bad end and re-insert the filament.

Is it Stringy?

This is most like due to the fact that you are printing too fast for the printer to stop extruding and start again. The speed settings can be changed in advanced settings

No

8

Yes

Solutions

Yes

No

Use the SD Card!

Lower the Temperature

Solutions

If the computer freezes it also freezes the printer. It the computer gets too busy it will also mess up the printer. If the computer is turned off, the printer stops. Frankly always use the SD card.

Is it Discolored?

As the temperature increases the filament begins to change from a solid to a liquid. Too much heat and it will become stringy or burns. Temperature is very important in 3D Printing.

9

Yes

Solutions

No

Does you model have Non-manifold geometry?

10

Fix your Model

Yes

No

Solutions

You will have to go back into editing the model and fixing the non-manifold geometry

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