Consisting layer shrinkage for on the first 5mm of prints...

[AlsoJames]

…which is leaving a visible band on prints. I assumed this was just the first few layers cooling too quickly, but neither leaving the fan off for the first 5mm nor running print considerably hotter for the first several layers seemed to have an effect. Am I looking at the wrong issues entirely?

This is happening using both red and white opaque Inland PLA (I’m not entirely happy with the quality of the filament despite good reviews online. It’s good if you take into consideration is $15/kg) I feel like my bed is well leveled and I’m not getting pronounced curling from these prints, so hopefully someone can enlighten me.

Thanks!

[AlsoJames]

Whoops, meant to say “Consistent shrinkage”

[MB3D]

Hi James, this sounds like underextrusion or a partially clogged nozzle. I’m currently too busy to explain either of those so I’d recommend searching for both terms via Youtube and Google. Get a caliper and check the filament diameter. Use the recommended printing temperatures (PLA is usually 190-210c) and slow down the printing speed, just to see, if that might solve the problem. Also clean your drive gear / hobbed bolt and align it perfectly with the filament path. Check out the YouTuber Thomas Sanladerer for more information regarding printer defects and how to fix them. Good luck! Marius

[kr0sh1]

Is that the first 5mm of height? How many layers in is that?

Where do you store your filament when it’s not in use? Do you hear any crackling noises (evaporating moisture) while it prints?

Does the room your printer is in have any drafts or is it cold? Or is your heated bed set to drop its temperature at all?

Do you print with a raft? And if not, let us know when you’ve tried.

Do you have another filament you can test with, something higher quality?

[AlsoJames]

It’s happening with 220-250 micron prints so 20ish layers?

My storage solution is bad right now, it’s in a non-airtight container with desiccant. I’m getting bubbles on outside surfaces that aren’t the result of z-scar and hearing popping sometimes, so I don’t doubt that there’s some moisture in this filament. I bought four kilos of PLA in four different colors. Opaque red and white and translucent green and blue. All the filament save for the green has been giving me surface bubbles since the moment I opened it.

Now that I’ve put some calipers to the prints, it’s a very consistent 3-4mm in height band, would tainted filament reproduce that over and over? The rest of the print consistently stops warping after 4mm.

No heated bed, this is a stock Simple Metal. First thing I tried was shutting the A/C in my room off, still happens. Going to try printing in an enclosure today and/or keeping the bed and print warm with a hairdryer.

Slice in Cura 15.04 with a 20 line brim.

Just measured my filament in three different points every few feet and entered the average as the filament diameter. About to test with the green filament, which has been consistent. I have a spool of Makergeeks black PLA arriving today or tomorrow so I look forward to testing with that. Probably ordering some Hatchbox filament as well since those seem to be everyone’s favorite budget filaments.

I attached some pictures, don’t hesitate to point out anything I’m doing wrong if you can tell from the pictures. I bet there is a no-brainer thing I’m not thinking of. Thanks for the reply!

[kr0sh1]

Bake your PLA in an oven at 80C for a couple of hours, periodically checking, that should sort the moisture out. In future get yourself a big sealable tupperware container from a hardware/kitchen store and fill it with any desiccant you can find.

Now you know what to look for, send that kind of stuff back if it arrives in such poor condition and get your money back.

Try the Matterhackers site for high-quality stuff when you’re done slumming it

[kr0sh1]

Oh my god, is that a Lionel Ritchie ashtray!!? That’s amazing!!

[AlsoJames]

Haha, that is most certainly a Lionel Richie ashtray.