New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible prints

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Spencer
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Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:56 pm

New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible prints

Post by Spencer » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:26 am

Hey guys. So I've been fed up with my bed not being leveled. I spent all afternoon trying to get it right, and after looking at multiple guides, I think got it somewhat decent. Anyways, after leveling the bed and redoing the Z-stop, my prints have been coming out like crap. I've changed nothing with the .obj file. I literally releveled my bed and redid my z-stop and printed a file I printed the other day. Here's a difference between the two.

http://imgur.com/cjpiQ5f

Any ideas? Again, I changed nothing software wise.. just a bed level and z-stop calibration. Do you think it has something to do with the nozzle being at a new height, therefore requiring a change Z-axis gcode? If so, what would cause the smushed layers? Nozzel being a little too close or a little too far? Thanks. Appreciate the help. Bed leveling is a nightmare.

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Jules
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Re: New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible pr

Post by Jules » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:44 am

It might be a little bit easier to diagnose the problem with the print if you can get a shot of your first layer - it's really hard to tell what's going on with that shiny white.

(Looks to me like you've got some warping going on at the bottom from that, but I can't tell anything else.)

Which machine do you have? The new Rev. E or an earlier model?

Spencer
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Re: New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible pr

Post by Spencer » Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:00 am

Jules wrote:It might be a little bit easier to diagnose the problem with the print if you can get a shot of your first layer - it's really hard to tell what's going on with that shiny white.

(Looks to me like you've got some warping going on at the bottom from that, but I can't tell anything else.)

Which machine do you have? The new Rev. E or an earlier model?
Yeah sure does this help?

http://imgur.com/cxLUHfI
http://imgur.com/YsUYoeU

The right print in both picutres is the messed up one. The left one is the one I mad a few days ago that's perfect.
I have a Rev. D.

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Jules
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Re: New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible pr

Post by Jules » Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:24 am

It looks to me like there are a couple of problems, but they might result from the same thing - too large of a Z-gap. You might need to reset the Z-Offset value in S3D using the calibration square method....

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3124#p20258

(That warping looks like it was caused by the nozzle being too far away from the plate for the first layer.)

ksevcik
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Re: New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible pr

Post by ksevcik » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:20 pm

Agree with Jules. You're farther away on the first layer now, so it's not sticking as well, so it's letting that side peel up and warp. The warping is what explains the randomly smushed layers on that side, as it slowly pushes up the already extruded plastic on that side, making the gap smaller every few layers.

Reduce your starting gap by reducing your z offset in S3D or screwing in/down your z level screw a tiny amount. Once you get the first layer sticking again, everything else will be fine.

Spencer
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Re: New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible pr

Post by Spencer » Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:49 am

ksevcik wrote:Agree with Jules. You're farther away on the first layer now, so it's not sticking as well, so it's letting that side peel up and warp. The warping is what explains the randomly smushed layers on that side, as it slowly pushes up the already extruded plastic on that side, making the gap smaller every few layers.

Reduce your starting gap by reducing your z offset in S3D or screwing in/down your z level screw a tiny amount. Once you get the first layer sticking again, everything else will be fine.
Jules wrote:It looks to me like there are a couple of problems, but they might result from the same thing - too large of a Z-gap. You might need to reset the Z-Offset value in S3D using the calibration square method....

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3124#p20258

(That warping looks like it was caused by the nozzle being too far away from the plate for the first layer.)

Back to normal! http://imgur.com/j6oZHmJ
The right one is a new print and the left was an older print before I bed leveled.

Yeah I just had to correct the Z-Offset. I'm using BuildTak a sheet (which last forever btw. I would definitely recommend them) and it seems to work best when there's practically no space between the nozzle and plate. For example, I used a .20mm divider (forget what those little metal things are called) when I was resetting the Z-offset. And in order to get the prints back to normal, I had to make my S3D settings -.20mm :roll:

So with this -.20mm difference in place, I just homed the Z axis, loosened the nozzle to make it fall to the build pate, and then tightened again. That print I just linked printed under a -.02mm setting in the gcode offset.

Thanks for your help guys! :D

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Jules
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Re: New bedleveled and Z-stop calibration equals terrible pr

Post by Jules » Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:38 am

Great! Glad it worked! :D

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