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maybe you may want to try using makerbot desktop to generate print path to print it.
Makerbot desktop do better prints than simplify3d?
sometimes it does.
Hey there! I have no experience with 3DLAC but I do with everything else you have mentioned. I bought my FFCP printer back in September and to date only have one failed print. It was my first and I was printing via USB instead of the SD card. The bed stopped moving down the z axis as simplify or windows 10 locked up. Anyhow the only thing you haven’t mentioned is the filiment you’re using? I’ve been successful with the standard ABS it ships with but have recently gone with Hatchbox filiment. I had to print new spool holders so if you do go with a different filiment make sure you have enough left of the old stuff to print at least one. I realize I am getting off topic. There must be something either very simple that is wrong with how you are going about your print or something fundamentally wring with your equipment. Could you let us know what filiment you’re using and maybe throw up some screen shots of your print processes from simplify?
Things I would look at are:
1. leveling the print bed - if your print bed is not level or the print head is too far away from the bed it will have trouble adhering. I use a folded sheet of printer paper to set the height of my print head. MAKE SURE THE BED IS LEVEL.
2. build platform - I have never used 3DLAC (it does sound promising) so I can’t opine on how well it works. Have you tried Kapton tape and ABS slurry? These have worked very well for me. They can be messy but they work. I have heard that a VERY clean glass plate with work on it’s own but I have had no luck so far. Have you tried masking tape. Try it.
3. Slow down - What speed are you printing at? One of the mistakes I made early on was to assume that because the FFCP advertises 100 mm/s that I should be able to print that fast. Not true. My best prints are run at 40 mm/s and the first layer I sometimes go as slow as 20 mm/s. I believe that with some tweaking My FFCP will work well at higher speeds but I am not there yet. Start with quality first then work on speed.
4. Start small - It looks like you are trying to print some complex parts right out of the box. This machine does have a steep learning curve. Start with very basic prints. A calibration cube, or the cup thingy with the Chinese symbol in the bottom. Have you tried the test prints? The ones that come on the SD card? Do they print well? If they do then you probably need to work on settings in simplify3D. If they don’t look back to items 1 and 2.
5. Start testing and tweaking - Once you have these simple parts printing you can start tuning the printer to improve quality. Marvin and Benchy are great prints for learning what changes you need to make to improve quality.
You have only had the printer for a short time and this printer has a learning curve. Take your time to get to know the printer and your slicer. I understand that simplify3D is a great slicer. Keep asking questions and digging through old posts. You’ll get there. You have a great printer it just needs to be understood.
Makerbot desktop is garbage. But it could tell you if the problem is you slicer settings.
Shipped white ABS
Simplify default settings
Speed 1200 mm/min
In first picture I try to print Marvin
I print from SD Card, I do not have test prints only a horse with chinese file name.
Have you looked on thingiverse.com 1? There are a lot of cool things. Look for things that have little to no overhang. Solid simple shapes. I have some examples linked below. Feel free to find something interesting. Just try to start simple.
I never use temperatures that high for ABS, so I would suggest lowering your bed temp to 100 and extruder to 220.
If you prepare the surface of your platform with ABS slurry and print at 40mm/s you won’t have a problem.
How did you prepare the platform?
I don’t know what 3DLAC is but obviously it is not working so why don’t just get some acetone and make some ABS slurry.
It is difficult to make ABS stick to glass so try covering it with masking tape.
Did you specify your nozzle diameter and filament diameters in your slicer? looks like you might be over extruding.
Just wanted to see how your progress is going and if your prints are getting any better? I’d like to also like to emphasize how important it is to make sure the bed is level. Take the time to make sure it’s as level as can be. Next would be to check your layer settings in S3D. Set your first layer to be .1mm and other layers to be .2mm. After changing the layer settings add 6, 8 or more skirt perimeters to the object. This way you can stop the print if your having bed adhesion problems. Now for bed adhesion. Elmers purple glue stick. Get the three pack of the jumbo sticks. Get 1 pack to start. Apply a thick layer of the glue to the bed. Enough so there’s no gaps. You only need to apply where the print will be. You may need two coats if it appears to have dried to fast if the print hasn’t started. With the bed hot, 100 or 110 like you had is good, apply a second coat. Now when your print starts you’ll see the nozzle almost carve into the glue. With ABS the smaller transition temperature from hot to cool you’ll have more shrinking. I would even try to bump up the temps a bit 235 or 240. I think you shouldn’t have to go above 245 for ABS. Once the print cools wait for the print to cool evenly with the bed or carefully remove the glass from the bed and set aside to cool. You could also try with PLA. 200 or 205 max temps with the bed at 60. Hi me up if you still have issues.
14 days later
bed 100 ext 220
