1 Topic by quick_dry

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Topic: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

How has everyone fixed elephant foot happening on the XYZ? it's pretty bad on mine, yet I see some prints that look great e.g. galaxy99 on the print speed thread.

I'm printing using Simplify3D, stock XYZ filament with bed temp set at 110, extruder at 190. The bed was levelled using the paper method with the extruder heated.

I'd rather not be printing on a raft - though when I do I don't have any elephant foot, it's only on the first 2-3 layers.

I've read about the brute force 'add a chamfered base' method, but I'd rather get the printer doing those bottom layers properly as it seems fine for the rest of the print. (or add a setting in S3D that would apply this chamfer without needing to tamper with the models).

2 Reply by boxcarmib

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

Open the process settings in S3D... click on the G-Code tab... change the value for the Z-Axis offset (bottom left hand side). Try something like a positive offset like .3 to start with and see how that works, then fine tune it until your elephant's foot disappears.

3 Reply by scobo

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

What the heck is elephant foot ???

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
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http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

4 Reply by mark.burton

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

its something a elephant uses to walk around?

5 Reply by scobo

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

mark.burton wrote:

its something a elephant uses to walk around?

That's what I thought wink but what's it got to do with 3d printing ???

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

6 Reply by quick_dry

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

thanks boxcarmib, will try that and see how it goes.

elephant foot is where the bottom few layers are bulged out slightly before it tapers back in to be in proper size for the other layers in the print. It looks a little like an elephant's foot - I didn't invent the term, just seen it used around the place to describe the issue when people have had it smile

7 Reply by mark.burton

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

if its bulging out to much at the bottom either you nozzle is to close to the bed or your temp is not set right.

8 Reply by scobo

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

quick_dry wrote:

thanks boxcarmib, will try that and see how it goes.

elephant foot is where the bottom few layers are bulged out slightly before it tapers back in to be in proper size for the other layers in the print. It looks a little like an elephant's foot - I didn't invent the term, just seen it used around the place to describe the issue when people have had it smile

Ah, right. Like warping ?

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

9 Reply by boxcarmib

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

as mark.burton points out, its because the nozzle is too close to the bed. it's hard to find a sheet of paper that's exactly right... and that's why S3D allows you to set a manual offset for the z axis... so you can level up the bed with the sheet of paper, and then use the S3D z offset to fine tune.

10 Reply by carl_m1968

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

You should invest in a set of feeler gauges and adjust it to the proper height for your layer setting. Optimal is about half. So you would need the the .15, .10, and .05 blades. I just took them out and keep them by the ptinter. The paper only gets you in an overall ballpark and does not account for different layer heights as you should.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
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Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

11 Reply by scobo (edited by scobo 2016-02-23 20:38:35)

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

There are settings in S3D for 1st layer height and width. These would cause bulging at the base if set too high.
You could try decreasing them but of course, the point of these settings is to help with adhesion so decreasing them too much might lead to lifting/warping.

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

12 Reply by mark.burton

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

I also have a set of feeler gauges  and I use the .05 , .1, and .15  these really do make a world of difference. 

Like Carl said use the .05 on the .1 layer height, the .1 on the .2 layer height, and the .15 on the .3 layer height.  I never print at .4 but you could use a .2 for that.

You can also use a raft.

13 Reply by boxcarmib

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

yes, feeler gauges are a good idea... but if you've already paid the $125 for S3D the x-offset feature is very handy. Any piece of paper will do in getting the bed leveled with respect to the print head, and then without having to continue to deal with those useless thumbscrews you can dial in the right X offset with the S3D feature. Six of one, half a dozen of the other... a proper set of feeler gauges or any old sheet of paper with the S3D x offset feature. Not in and of itself a reason to buy S3D, but saves me the $5 to $15 for a set of feeler gauges. smile

14 Reply by mark.burton

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

Well I already had the feeler gauges from way before 3d printing so why not use them.
I do have simplify 3d as well.

Although for some odd reason it likes to lock the printer up. it has some odd communication issue.  So I slice it in s3d and print in repetier.

15 Reply by carl_m1968 (edited by carl_m1968 2016-02-24 01:38:30)

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Re: fix for Elephant foot on Duo 2.0a

I use the free version of S3D that is hiding around the internet.. Unfortunately it does not support dual heads so I can't take advantage of my dual head printer yet. But I only use it to slice, then put the file on an SDcard..  I like being able to simply pop in the card and select the file from the menu and let it go.. I however have never had an issue with this elephants foot as I have always had my Z height dialed in to the correct height for my desired layers thanks to said feeler gauges which where 2 bucks at Harbor Freight.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.