Printing Tips

This page will outline tips for proper printing. Sub categories should include finishing techniques, proper removal of prints from the platform, and techniques for high resolution prints.


Added by Kendall 11-9-12: A lot of people are having problems making the ABS stick to the Kapton Tape. Your main problems are proper 'settings' and a 'level bed'. 1st the bed leveling; Ian covers this totally with Leveling the Print Bed, this must be done first, before you First Layers - Setting the Z offset (also a very well covered subject by Ian); Why level the bed first, b/c after leveling the bed, the Z axis set is a different distance from the Hot End! Next; make sure your bed is set @ 95°C, and the first layer extrude temperature is set for 200°C; these numbers can be played with, but the ones stated, are proven to work and a good starting place for you. Now; look at your first layer as it is printing, it should look slightly smushed out (how flat your bed is where your printing is another factor, so look at the average bead size). The less smushed out, the less the stick; the more smuched out, the more the stick; to much smush makes your first layer wider at the base (also a problem that can be solved (I'll cover this in another Tip)), and very hard to remove the printed part from the Kapton Tape. This bead can be adjusted/fine tuned by the Z Set. Make yours look like these example pictures Z-Tab Adjustment
~Happy Printing~


Update from Solidoodle 4-3-13: Many of the newer beds only reach 85o. This is perfectly fine for printing.


Added by Pesce 5-14-2013:
slic3r 0.9.9 infill examples of 1st layer

2013-05-13%2023.46.05.jpg

Left to right: rectilinear, concentric, hilbertcurve, archimedeanchords, octagramspiral


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