1

Quick Question. My Printer is the CTC clone of the Makerbot Replicator Dual.

For my past few prints after nth layer the print just starts to go stringy.

Here is an example:

IMG_2843.JPG
IMG_2843.JPG3264×2448 1.96 MB

My Settings in makerware are as follows:

{
   "_attached_extruders" : [ "mk8", "mk8" ],
   "_bot" : "replicatordual",
   "_extruders" : [ 0 ],
   "_materials" : [ "pla", "pla" ],
   "adjacentFillLeakyConnections" : false,
   "adjacentFillLeakyDistanceRatio" : 0,
   "anchorExtrusionAmount" : 5.0,
   "anchorExtrusionSpeed" : 2.0,
   "anchorWidth" : 2.0,
   "backlashEpsilon" : 0.050,
   "backlashFeedback" : 0.90,
   "backlashX" : 0.0,
   "backlashY" : 0.090,
   "bedZOffset" : 0.0,
   "bridgeAnchorMinimumLength" : 0.80,
   "bridgeAnchorWidth" : 0.80,
   "bridgeMaximumLength" : 80.0,
   "bridgeSpacingMultiplier" : 1.0,
   "coarseness" : 9.999999747378752e-005,
   "commentClose" : "",
   "commentOpen" : ";",
   "computeVolumeLike2_1_0" : false,
   "defaultExtruder" : 0,
   "defaultRaftMaterial" : 0,
   "defaultSupportMaterial" : 0,
   "description" : "",
   "doAnchor" : true,
   "doBacklashCompensation" : false,
   "doBreakawaySupport" : false,
   "doBridging" : true,
   "doDynamicSpeed" : false,
   "doDynamicSpeedGradually" : true,
   "doDynamicSpeedInteriorShells" : false,
   "doDynamicSpeedOutermostShell" : true,
   "doExponentialDeceleration" : false,
   "doExternalSpurs" : true,
   "doFixedLayerStart" : false,
   "doFixedShellStart" : true,
   "doInfills" : true,
   "doInsets" : true,
   "doInternalSpurs" : false,
   "doMixedRaft" : true,
   "doMixedSupport" : true,
   "doOutlines" : true,
   "doPrintLayerMessages" : false,
   "doPrintProgress" : true,
   "doPurgeWall" : false,
   "doRaft" : false,
   "doSplitLongMoves" : true,
   "doSupport" : false,
   "doSupportUnderBridges" : false,
   "endGcode" : "",
   "exponentialDecelerationMinSpeed" : 0.0,
   "extruderProfiles" : [
      {
         "bridgesExtrusionProfile" : "bridges",
         "feedDiameter" : 1.769999980926514,
         "feedstockMultiplier" : 0.9300000000000001,
         "firstLayerExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayer",
         "firstLayerRaftExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayerRaft",
         "floorSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "floorSurfaceFills",
         "infillsExtrusionProfile" : "infill",
         "insetsExtrusionProfile" : "insets",
         "layerHeight" : 0.20,
         "maxSparseFillThickness" : 0.10,
         "nozzleDiameter" : 0.40,
         "outlinesExtrusionProfile" : "outlines",
         "raftBaseExtrusionProfile" : "raftBase",
         "raftExtrusionProfile" : "raft",
         "restartExtraDistance" : 0.0,
         "restartExtraDistance2" : 0,
         "restartExtraRate" : 25.0,
         "restartExtraRate2" : -1,
         "restartRate" : 25.0,
         "restartRate2" : 25,
         "retractDistance" : 1.299999952316284,
         "retractDistance2" : 0,
         "retractRate" : 25.0,
         "retractRate2" : 50,
         "roofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "roofSurfaceFills",
         "sparseRoofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "sparseRoofSurfaceFills",
         "toolchangeRestartDistance" : 18.50,
         "toolchangeRestartRate" : 6.0,
         "toolchangeRetractDistance" : 19.0,
         "toolchangeRetractRate" : 6.0
      },
      {
         "bridgesExtrusionProfile" : "bridges",
         "feedDiameter" : 1.769999980926514,
         "feedstockMultiplier" : 0.9300000000000001,
         "firstLayerExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayer",
         "firstLayerRaftExtrusionProfile" : "firstLayerRaft",
         "floorSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "floorSurfaceFills",
         "infillsExtrusionProfile" : "infill",
         "insetsExtrusionProfile" : "insets",
         "layerHeight" : 0.20,
         "maxSparseFillThickness" : 0.10,
         "nozzleDiameter" : 0.40,
         "outlinesExtrusionProfile" : "outlines",
         "raftBaseExtrusionProfile" : "raftBase",
         "raftExtrusionProfile" : "raft",
         "restartExtraDistance" : 0.0,
         "restartExtraDistance2" : 0,
         "restartExtraRate" : 25.0,
         "restartExtraRate2" : -1,
         "restartRate" : 25.0,
         "restartRate2" : 25,
         "retractDistance" : 1.299999952316284,
         "retractDistance2" : 0,
         "retractRate" : 25.0,
         "retractRate2" : 50,
         "roofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "roofSurfaceFills",
         "sparseRoofSurfaceFillsExtrusionProfile" : "sparseRoofSurfaceFills",
         "toolchangeRestartDistance" : 18.50,
         "toolchangeRestartRate" : 6.0,
         "toolchangeRetractDistance" : 19.0,
         "toolchangeRetractRate" : 6.0
      }
   ],
   "extruderTemp0" : 208,
   "extruderTemp1" : 200,
   "extrusionProfiles" : {
      "bridges" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 40.0
      },
      "firstLayer" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 5.0
      },
      "firstLayerRaft" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 50.0
      },
      "floorSurfaceFills" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 90.0
      },
      "infill" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 90.0
      },
      "insets" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 90.0
      },
      "outlines" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 40.0
      },
      "raft" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 90.0
      },
      "raftBase" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 10.0
      },
      "roofSurfaceFills" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 90.0
      },
      "sparseRoofSurfaceFills" : {
         "fanSpeed" : 0.50,
         "feedrate" : 90.0
      }
   },
   "fixedLayerStartX" : 0.0,
   "fixedLayerStartY" : 0.0,
   "fixedShellStartDirection" : 215.0,
   "floorSolidThickness" : 0,
   "floorSurfaceThickness" : 0,
   "floorThickness" : 2.0,
   "gridSpacingMultiplier" : 0.990,
   "infillDensity" : 0.05000000074505806,
   "infillOrientationInterval" : 90,
   "infillOrientationOffset" : 0,
   "infillOrientationRange" : 90,
   "infillShellSpacingMultiplier" : 0.70,
   "insetDistanceMultiplier" : 1.0,
   "jsonToolpathOutput" : false,
   "layerHeight" : 0.250,
   "leakyConnectionsAdjacentDistance" : 0.0,
   "maxConnectionLength" : 10.0,
   "maxSparseFillThickness" : 0.250,
   "maxSpurWidth" : 0.50,
   "minLayerDuration" : 5.0,
   "minLayerHeight" : 0.010,
   "minRaftBaseGap" : 0.0,
   "minSpeedMultiplier" : 0.30,
   "minSpurLength" : 0.340,
   "minSpurWidth" : 0.120,
   "minThickInfillImprovement" : 1.0,
   "modelFillProfiles" : {},
   "numberOfShells" : 3,
   "platformTemp" : 70,
   "purgeBucketSide" : 4.0,
   "purgeWallBaseFilamentWidth" : 2.0,
   "purgeWallBasePatternLength" : 10.0,
   "purgeWallBasePatternWidth" : 8.0,
   "purgeWallModelOffset" : 2.0,
   "purgeWallPatternWidth" : 2.0,
   "purgeWallSpacing" : 1.0,
   "purgeWallWidth" : 0.50,
   "purgeWallXLength" : 30.0,
   "raftAligned" : true,
   "raftBaseAngle" : 0.0,
   "raftBaseDensity" : 0.6999999880790710,
   "raftBaseLayers" : 1,
   "raftBaseRunGapRatio" : 0.8000000119209290,
   "raftBaseRunLength" : 15.0,
   "raftBaseThickness" : 0.3000000119209290,
   "raftBaseWidth" : 2.50,
   "raftExtraOffset" : 0.0,
   "raftFillProfiles" : {},
   "raftInterfaceAngle" : 45.0,
   "raftInterfaceDensity" : 0.3000000119209290,
   "raftInterfaceLayers" : 2,
   "raftInterfaceThickness" : 0.2700000107288361,
   "raftInterfaceWidth" : 0.4000000059604645,
   "raftModelSpacing" : 0.2199999988079071,
   "raftOutset" : 4.0,
   "raftSurfaceAngle" : 0.0,
   "raftSurfaceLayers" : 3,
   "raftSurfaceShellSpacingMultiplier" : 0.70,
   "raftSurfaceShells" : 2,
   "raftSurfaceThickness" : 0.2700000107288361,
   "roofAnchorMargin" : 0.40,
   "roofSolidThickness" : 0,
   "roofSurfaceThickness" : 0,
   "roofThickness" : 2.0,
   "shellsLeakyConnections" : false,
   "solidFillOrientationInterval" : 90,
   "solidFillOrientationOffset" : -45,
   "solidFillOrientationRange" : 90,
   "sparseInfillPattern" : "hexagonal",
   "splitMinimumDistance" : 0.40,
   "spurOverlap" : 0.0010,
   "startGcode" : "",
   "startPosition" : {
      "x" : -112,
      "y" : -73,
      "z" : 0
   },
   "supportAligned" : true,
   "supportAngle" : 68.0,
   "supportDensity" : 0.2000000029802322,
   "supportExcessive" : false,
   "supportExtraDistance" : 0.50,
   "supportFillProfiles" : {},
   "supportLayerHeight" : 0.250,
   "supportLeakyConnections" : true,
   "supportModelSpacing" : 0.4000000059604645,
   "supportRoofModelSpacing" : 0.4000000059604645,
   "thickLayerThreshold" : 0,
   "thickLayerVolumeMultiplier" : 1,
   "travelSpeedXY" : 150.0,
   "travelSpeedZ" : 23.0,
   "version" : "3.9.3"
}

If anybody has any ideas please let me know I have not been able to get a successful print in quite some time.

Thanks

2

Hey Robert, it’s odd that this happens so high up in the print. Is the location/layer/height of the error always in the same place? What material are you printing with? You may have some small blockage in your nozzle needing to be cleaned. You can try turning off retraction to see if that prevents the issue.

3

The issue is not exactly in the same place every time how ever in the last few prints it was around the same point. I will try turning off retraction and seeing what happens. I’m printing with PLA

Thanks

4

Hi Robert,

If it happens almost in the same place, maybe it is a mechanical problem and you should check the Z axis system: threaded rod, the two smooth rods. Maybe you have some problem there that is causing the bed to not go down smoothly… You should even try greasing them a little bit., I recommend a Teflon based grease.

Br,

Catalin

5

Hi Robert,

I had kind of the same problem i think, in my case i noticed that speed increased higher up the model and that my temperature was not high enough at that flow rate. So one thing i would check is if your problem disappears if you half the speed. if so, than you can either print at that speed, or increase your temperature along with your speed.

cheers,

Rence

6

Hello Robert.

It seems an extrusion problem. For small instants you have no extrusion, the filament doesn´t fill the all level and thats the beginning of the problem. after that all the subsequent levels became aleatory lines on the space.

Put your fingers softly around the filament to try to identify instantaneous “stop and go” and try to hear a “tic” “tic”.

The parameters you show, are almost standard ones, including the extrusion speed. But concerning extrusion speed is too high. You will never be able to do a good job like that.

Try this:

Fisrt floor; 15-20 if you are printing over blue tape.

Infill; 40 - 50

Insets; 30 - 35

Outlines; 20 - 25

Be sure you are using a calibrated filament (thickness 1.75 - 1.78)

Try to increase temperature (215 º)

Are you making dual extrusion? (if not turn off the heating of second extruder)

Good job,

Patricio