Bad print quality - probably due to bumps on one side?

Vertex 3D Printer Vertex - Issues while printing
1

Hi!

I recently finished my build and aligned the axis so that auto home works smooth but i got bad prints. One side of the layers get a rough surface with extra PLA on it. I don´t know why it happens, but it probably gets worse because the nozzle hits plastic that should not be there so it loses its position (thats what i think).

So does anyone know why it gets a bumpy surface and how to solve it?

The pictures in these links show more. I used a infill of 30%

http://imgur.com/a/5YMVx

Thanks :slight_smile:

2

It looks like you have shifting happening.
Try this link to help.
http://www.k8xxx-3dprinters.crimed.be/w/index.php?title=XY-Carriage_Alignment
Also if you are printing with PLA 190C is a good temp.
You should also set the retraction to 4mm retraction speed to 110

3

Thanks for the answer. I will try those settings tomorrow. Is there any other settings that I should change from the standard? (Perhaps travel speed,now its 180 mm/s. Or maybe print speed, now its 42-48 mm/s)

I have seen that link a few times - does it solve everything? :stuck_out_tongue: I have alligned the 4 outer axis as in the first part of the guide in the link. I will give the next part a closer look.

I have noticed that the belts parallel to the x-axis is quite a bit looser than the belts parallel to the y-axis. I tightend both equally. Does it relly make a big difference how much you tighten the belt tensioner? Or is there any other war to regulate the tension?

4

Now my printer works almost flawlessly :slight_smile:

I made some adjustments:
retraction speed 70-> 110
retraction distance 9-> 4
Travel speed 180-> 120
temperature 210-> 190

Another important thing I did was to cut away a small pice of the nylon wire, because it went down as much as the nozzle. The small thread might have bumped into the plastic that had not solidified completely? (Strange thing, but true story)

Right now I´m printing a Batman figure:
[Url] thingiverse.com/thing:307775 [/ url]

Most of the time the result is very nice but there was some flaws at the chin and nose (half bad brigding so far), and the “ears” were not so good because my printer jumps between two ears and must wait between the layers, I get some small wires in the back. (the nozzle “leaks” a thin wire when it moves away) Any tips on that?

EDIT: added pictures
http://imgur.com/a/yJGdy