1 Topic by rcskpeters

  • rcskpeters
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-27
  • Posts: 28

Topic: Print Quality

Need some help trying to figure out what is happening. My prints seem to get worse. I have tried printing a heart pendant for my girls and the quality has gotten worse. Not sure what is causing the problem. I have tried using the XYZ software, slic3r, calibrating the bed and cleaning the extruder. Each time I print the quality seems to get worse. I have the DaVinci 1.0a and it has been working pretty good until lately. I am using Hatchbox ABS, the extruder temp is set to 210 and bed is 100. Attached is a picture of the print.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Post's attachments

WP_20150214_22_01_22_Raw.jpg
WP_20150214_22_01_22_Raw.jpg 1.34 mb, file has never been downloaded. 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.

2 Reply by Coin

  • Coin
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-08
  • Posts: 53

Re: Print Quality

Hi,
Seeing the picture, I would guess overheating. Not by the extruder temp. but by it's radiation.
What is the size of that item ?
What is your printing speed ?
Did you used support ?
Is there any chance that the filament caught a lot of humidity ?

3 Reply by jasonb.194

  • jasonb.194
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-01-20
  • Posts: 67

Re: Print Quality

A lot of it looks like stringing due to excessive temperature on the nozzle. When I have used hatchbox in the past it has always had a power melting point than other filaments. I would try lowering the extruder temp a bit.

4 Reply by rcskpeters

  • rcskpeters
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-27
  • Posts: 28

Re: Print Quality

So I tried another print to eliminate a problem with the design and this didn't print much better. I reduced the extruder temperature down to 200, printed with layer height of .2, density of 10%, Speed slow. No support or rafts. I attached a pic of the latest one.

And... it didn't print much better. How low can I go on printing ABS? I did read where some people said that Hatchbox ABS sometimes contains PLA mixed in. I thought about testing it with some acetone to see.

The object is not very big about 2 inch X 2 inch. The humidity is pretty low right now but I wouldn't rule it out as being a problem.

Any other advice? I didn't know if there are any test prints out there to help troubleshoot the problem any more.

Thanks!

Post's attachments

WP_20150215_13_41_42_Raw 1.jpg
WP_20150215_13_41_42_Raw 1.jpg 277.16 kb, file has never been downloaded. 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.

5 Reply by carl_m1968 (edited by carl_m1968 2015-02-15 23:41:56)

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Far North almost not Dallas
  • Registered: 2014-10-17
  • Posts: 6,512

Re: Print Quality

rcskpeters wrote:

So I tried another print to eliminate a problem with the design and this didn't print much better. I reduced the extruder temperature down to 200, printed with layer height of .2, density of 10%, Speed slow. No support or rafts. I attached a pic of the latest one.

And... it didn't print much better. How low can I go on printing ABS? I did read where some people said that Hatchbox ABS sometimes contains PLA mixed in. I thought about testing it with some acetone to see.

The object is not very big about 2 inch X 2 inch. The humidity is pretty low right now but I wouldn't rule it out as being a problem.

Any other advice? I didn't know if there are any test prints out there to help troubleshoot the problem any more.

Thanks!


200 is too low for ABS. I would never print ABS below 210 myself. To me it looks like you are printing too fast. What speeds are you printing at?

For temps set your bed at 110, and run your extruder at 225 to 235. The print around 40mm/s overall.

Also looking at that part size in relation to your finger, it may bee too small and the nozzle is staying in one area too long. Try to print two at the same time. i know it is a waste if you need one part, but with this printer with out mods it is the only to print small parts.

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.

6 Reply by Coin

  • Coin
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-08
  • Posts: 53

Re: Print Quality

wow it's quite bad.
As I said before, it is not the extruder temperature but the temperature radiation from it being for too long over your print... I think.
I would suggest you to stay at 220°C but to print 2 of them at opposite side of the bed so the layers have time to cool down enough.
Do you have the same problem with other filaments ?
Do you see if the layer are applied correctly by the printer visually ?

7 Reply by rcskpeters

  • rcskpeters
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-27
  • Posts: 28

Re: Print Quality

For the speed, in XYZWare, I have tried slow which was in the first image. For slic3r, I have had it at the default speed settings of 30mm/s for perimeter and 60mm/s for infill.

I have a feeling it is more related to overhang. I've done some test prints today with a calibration test that does not have any overhangs and it printed really nice with different settings. With that test I found the 230 for extruder worked well. I got an overhang test model and I am going to try some tests with that.

I had some similar problems with the XYZ filaments. I haven't tried any others.

I am thinking about flashing the firmware and using repetier, but I want to make sure that my printer is working good before changing everything over.

I'll let you know how these tests go.

8 Reply by Coin

  • Coin
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-08
  • Posts: 53

Re: Print Quality

for your 1st print, overhang could make sens. However on your second one, it's the perimeter that is messed up. (as I can see)
Good luck !

9 Reply by rcskpeters (edited by rcskpeters 2015-02-16 01:48:59)

  • rcskpeters
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-27
  • Posts: 28

Re: Print Quality

The overhangs are definitely a problem. On the second print, it is hard to see in the picture, but the side is angled slightly, probably about 30%.

Any recommended settings for printing overhang?

Attached is a test print I just did for the overhang. When there is some support, it looked pretty good. But the side without is horrible.

I printed at .3, 230, speed of 50mm/s perimeters. I used slic3r for the print.

Post's attachments

WP_20150215_20_42_16_Raw 1.jpg
WP_20150215_20_42_16_Raw 1.jpg 499.35 kb, file has never been downloaded. 

You don't have the permssions to download the attachments of this post.

10 Reply by carl_m1968

  • carl_m1968
  • carl_m1968
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Far North almost not Dallas
  • Registered: 2014-10-17
  • Posts: 6,512

Re: Print Quality

I am printing an angled piece right now with no issues, What is your nozzle size set for slicer and your flow rate? it looks to me like too much filament and under temperature. They lines are not even laying down straight which means they are too cool to bond to the previous layer. Do you have the door open? What is the temp of the area you are printing in?

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.

11 Reply by rcskpeters

  • rcskpeters
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-27
  • Posts: 28

Re: Print Quality

I have the nozzle set for .4mm and the extrusion is set for 1.75 and multiplier at .97. My extrusion width is set at .3mm.

I have the printer in my basement and keep the door closed. The temperature is usually around 68 degrees. I thought about bumping up the temperature to 240, but I have heard people are not recommending using that temperature for too long.

12 Reply by rcskpeters

  • rcskpeters
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2014-12-27
  • Posts: 28

Re: Print Quality

So, I'm still tweaking things out, but it looks like one thing that has made a difference is change the extrusion width. I have changed that to .6mm and that seems to work better. The interesting thing is that for the 15, 40 and 45 degree tests, they look good, but the 20, 25, 30 and 35 overhangs they are still showing some burning on the overhangs. Not sure why there is burning of the filament on those degrees.

Thanks!

13 Reply by evanalmighty

  • evanalmighty
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-01-04
  • Posts: 224

Re: Print Quality

Try setting the extrusion width to 120% of the nozzle diameter.  In this case, your extrusion width should be .48mm.