Ive recently purchased a duplicator i3 and being new to 3d printing was eager to try it out. I’ve tried printing the sample from the SD card (twice) and both times it got to 73% ( 35mm) then the 1st time it moved on the heat bed 2nd time, broke of the base. On both accounts it carried on printing. Is there anything wrong me the machine? or me lol
Bed adhesion. What are you using? Is it the stock bed or glass?
Looks like a bed adhesion issue. Are you printing on blue painters tape or only on the black Wanhao mat? I suggest glue stick… Elmer’s school glue that changes from purple to white when dry is my glue stick of choice. It could also be from about 10 or 57 other things though. Bed leveling, first layer height setting, first layer speed (slowwwww is better). What slicer are you using? Does the filament continue extruding after the print fails? Heat sink on the LH side fan may be backwards (was on mine when I got it) causes too much heat buildup before the filament reaches the Teflon tube before the nozzle (best thing there is to upgrade to an all metal hot end).
If that works, do what I did… get a full can of acetone and remove the black Wanhao mat. You’ll need the acetone to get the residual sticky crap off the aluminum heated build plate. Get a piece of Pyrex (boro-silicate) glass and print on that with glue stick for PLA and either Aqua Net Super Hold hair spray (not anything but Aqua Net) for ABS. If ABS still fails to stick or warps up during printing make sure the room is warm (above 75 -mine is 85-90 right now with a space heater because I have a long ABS print going) or use ABS slurry for bed adhesion -ABS scraps dissolved in acetone to a syrup consistency then apply evenly and get the HBP hot -at least 100. Mine is printing at HBP 110 and extruder 260 right now.
Lastly, what overall print speed are you set at? Okay… one last thing that I’m sure you’re going to hear is that the micro SD card that came with your printer is faulty. While that’s not out of the question, it is a possibility -corrupt file. Email me beflin@yahoo.com and I’ll send you the Okay.gcode file from mine that I know is not corrupt. You could run your printer straight from you laptop or PC with cable that came with it if the SD card is bad and you don’t have another one laying around somewhere…
Brian
It is very important that the first layer of your print is strongly connected to the printer’s build platform so that the remainder of your part can be built on this foundation. If the first layer is not sticking to the build platform, it will create problems later on. There are many different ways to cope with these first layer adhesion problems, so we will examine several typical causes below and explain how to address each one.
Build platform is not level
Nozzle starts too far away from the bed
First layer is printing too fast
Temperature or cooling settings
The build platform surface (tape, glues, and materials)
When all else fails: Brims and Rafts
The fact that his prints are failing at the same height is telling me it’s either a bed adhesion issue and when it reaches that height the way it’s sliced is causing something to change on printer movement. Or, there is an actual problem with the GCODE when it was sliced either killing heat to the extruder or extruder feed motor (e-steps). Upload the GCODE file and I’ll look at it on S3D line by line and see why it’s failing at the same height
What’s your first layer height and what height are you printing at?
Looks like the bottom right corner of the left Ok hand had issues from the get go. The fact that it carried on printing is understandable, since the printer believes the part is still there. These printers need perfect bed leveling. If not there will always be issues like that.
I am sure Stphopkins will get back with us with more details
Level the bed. Keep levelling till you get it right and then get rid of that mat. Replace with a glass bed. Put the limit switch up by one notch and lightly smear your glass with prit stick. I swear by it. Way better than hair spray.
Then for for when you go hardcore check out the flex ion Extruder for the i3. It’s on my wish list 
Thank a lot! Now I’ve got a new wishlist too. Ironic that my wife just asked what I wanted for Father’s Day 
I wear out a drive gear so often I keep a couple extra around. Stainless and brass… Mainly because my youngest
son is into RC cars and LOVES carbon fiber -aka the nozzle drill and extruder gear destroyer. This one looks nice
IF they have the one with an all metal hot end now.
https://flexionextruder.com/
i think I’ll treat myself next month haha
Definitely a bed adhesion issue.
You should be able to print on the stock I3 bed (I’m assuming yours also came with black Build Tak covering the bed) without any issues. Prints adhere to Build Tak like crazy (in fact, it’s usually hard to remove), so if it is coming off too easily either your bed height is wrong for the first layer, or the bed is not level.
For problem one, use the A4 paper test to ensure you head is at the correct level when z=0.
For the second problem, also use the A4 method, but check the edges instead of the middle of the bed.
There are many guides on the net explaining how to level the bed correctly- suffice to say, don’t do what most beginners do and check the corners, use the middle of the side edges of the bed (because there are 4 adjustment points instead of 3, if you adjust a corner up or down, the opposite corner see-saws in the opposite direction, and it’s virtually impossible to get things correct that way).
For long term solution, I recommend a piece of glass covered with PEI - as I’ve said, Build Tak makes your print stick, but is often incredibly difficult to get off, whereas PEI sticks to almost all thermoplastics when the bed temp is 60-70 degress, but just pops off when cooled down.
Thanx for all the info guys. Will get back to you all in due course as away for a few days. Thanx again
As it is very much appreciated.
