First layer great. Tops, not so much.

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Calpoog
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 1:51 am

First layer great. Tops, not so much.

Post by Calpoog » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:13 pm

I took a lot of advice from the forums to perfect a nice first layer. I even printed little test boxes to measure wall thickness to make sure the extrusion multiplier was correct. These 1 line thick walls and the floor (to test first layer) didn't prove another issue though. Top layers (or filled layers in general that are not the first layer) don't fill properly. I get a great first layer that's perfectly flat and shiny (using PLA) with no gaps like I used to. However, filled layers above this are only completely filled towards the edges where the plastic pools more when the extruder switches directions to go back the other way.

I think my extrusion multiplier may be too low. For instance, on top layers, in the larger areas I can see the crosshatching nature of the previous layer through the top layer (it's not drastic, but enough that I believe it is wrong). However, I arrived at the extrusion multiplier due to measurements I took of the single line walls of my test box prints. I'd rather have not-perfect thicknesses of single line walls and have completely filled solid layers than the alternative. Should I be upping my extrusion multiplier? Is there some other parameter that could be affecting this? I noticed it on my first print in a while using 0.3mm layer height, and I believe this is also the reason that on even slight overhangs I occasionally get a thread that does not attach (even starting inside-out). On long straights I just think I'm not extruding enough and that's why I can see to the previous layer, and why outer perimeter rings on overhangs may not be attaching properly in some cases.

Any help is much appreciated!

(unable to upload a quality picture due to lighting, camera focus and having black PLA.... :| )

thunderbt3
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:36 pm

Re: First layer great. Tops, not so much.

Post by thunderbt3 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:21 pm

Maybe increase the number of top layers?

3dPrintingMD
Posts: 277
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:37 am

Re: First layer great. Tops, not so much.

Post by 3dPrintingMD » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:32 pm

Infill extrusion width - what is that set at?
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Calpoog
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 1:51 am

Re: First layer great. Tops, not so much.

Post by Calpoog » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:35 pm

Number of top layers isn't really the issue. I'm not seeing infill underneath, I'm just seeing the previous 100% (still top layer) layer.

I'll get back to you with infill extrusion width later when I can check my settings at home. But does infill extrusion width affect top (100% fill) layers? I glossed over this parameter because to me it meant the thickness of just the infill layers (which in my case was 30% rectilinear infill).

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