# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > MakerBot Forum >  Part has lots of webbing

## gencode

Many of my parts have "webbing", I'm very new at this and correct me if theres a better term but I'm not sure what it is or why it does this?
Makerbot mini
Filament by Makerbot

Is this normal?
Is there another name for this or is it webbing?

Webbing.jpg

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## richardphat

Some call them artifact, I call them christmas garlands.

Anyways it is normal, but for your specific case, no. The retraction calibration is pissed poor as hell. Heck I can't understand how makerbot can sell you something without half decent configured. Anyways, the trick is to play with the temperature. The hotter is your hotend, the easier plastic will leak while jumping from a spot to another.

You can solve by reducing the printing temperature. Alternatively if you can, play with the retraction speed or retraction distance.

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## Geoff

> Many of my parts have "webbing", I'm very new at this and correct me if theres a better term but I'm not sure what it is or why it does this?
> Makerbot mini
> Filament by Makerbot
> 
> Is this normal?
> Is there another name for this or is it webbing?
> 
> Webbing.jpg


This is caused by an off calibration in your retraction rates combined with a slightly off melting temperature I think. Your part looks pretty warped from heat (unless the top is meant to be wonky, sorry if it is) 

Set your retract to be a little faster, and retract more filament than it currently is. I would lower the printing temp you are printing. I assume thats PLA from the super shiny look? what temp are you printing at?

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## gencode

Thanks Richard and Geoff,

PLA yes
I cant play with the Temp, the tab is grayed out and cant be changed, I cant even turn off rafts
The mini gives little options  :Frown: 
I don't see any "retraction speed" 
For my case do you mean "Speed while traveling" or "Speed while extruding"
Should I increase or decrease?
Here is my settings panel, as you can see temp is grey  :Frown: 

Screen Shot 2014-11-14 at 6.20.21 PM.jpg

Screen Shot 2014-11-14 at 6.23.38 PM.jpg

Thanks again, it means a lot, Ed

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## Geoff

I strongly suggest getting Proftweak, it lets you fix the lack of makerware settings, and is mac compatible..

http://nothinglabs.blogspot.com.au/2...e-profile.html

From memory there is no retraction setting in there but there is many others that will probably let you fix your issue. 

The thing that is seriously confusing me is why your temperature tab is greyed out, this might be a bug I think my friend, #1 thing you do when printing is set the temp (to all different settings.. depending on plastic) so to have it greyed out is a concern and I'd want to get that sorted first.

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## gencode

Tried the app, thanks,
Changed Temp 
230 -> 220

Changed Retract Rate
25 -> 30

does that sound okay?

Screen Shot 2014-11-14 at 8.18.58 PM.jpg

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## Geoff

> Tried the app, thanks,
> Changed Temp 
> 230 -> 220
> 
> Changed Retract Rate
> 25 -> 30
> 
> does that sound okay?
> 
> Screen Shot 2014-11-14 at 8.18.58 PM.jpg


If it's PLA, you can go all the way down to 180c probably, personally I would try at 200c and see the result. If it sounds like its straining or clicking at all, raise it of course but see how you go at 200c. The cooler it is the less goopy and the less spider webbing also. 200-210c seems to be what I print most of my PLA at these days, with very small variances like 205c.. or 195c...

On a Big model, I would set my retraction to around 30-40ms and the extraction amount to about 2.0 

On a REALLY big model probably a higher extraction amount like 3.0. The small things you print only require a small retraction usually and you can do it pretty fast, like 40-50ms.

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## gencode

> If it's PLA, you can go all the way down to 180c probably, personally I would try at 200c and see the result. If it sounds like its straining or clicking at all, raise it of course but see how you go at 200c. The cooler it is the less goopy and the less spider webbing also. 200-210c seems to be what I print most of my PLA at these days, with very small variances like 205c.. or 195c...
> 
> On a Big model, I would set my retraction to around 30-40ms and the extraction amount to about 2.0 
> 
> On a REALLY big model probably a higher extraction amount like 3.0. The small things you print only require a small retraction usually and you can do it pretty fast, like 40-50ms.


You guys are totally the best!!!  I tried 220 and it did not work, changed to 200 and there is very very little webbing, ill try 180 next
Its a different part, but this one had the exact same issue and now there are little threads, before it was thick spider webs like on the other part.

2014-11-15 07.00.13.jpg

Geoff, I do have a question, since lower seems better, sounds like I should just keep lowering till the webs are gone and stick with that, are there any advantages to higher temp?  stronger etc?

Since there are no odd noises at 200 maybe I can get this last bit of webbing out by changing to 180c

*Currently I am using this and the webs are almost gone.
*extruderTemp: 200
retractDistance: 2.5
retractRate: 35

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## Geoff

> You guys are totally the best!!!  I tried 220 and it did not work, changed to 200 and there is very very little webbing, ill try 180 next
> Its a different part, but this one had the exact same issue and now there are little threads, before it was thick spider webs like on the other part.
> 
> 2014-11-15 07.00.13.jpg
> 
> Geoff, I do have a question, since lower seems better, sounds like I should just keep lowering till the webs are gone and stick with that, are there any advantages to higher temp?  stronger etc?
> 
> Since there are no odd noises at 200 maybe I can get this last bit of webbing out by changing to 180c
> 
> ...



Glad it's improving.  The 180c will all come down to the plastic, some will melt that low, some lower and some wont melt till a good 200c... .  You may still get webbing at 180c, but it wont hurt to try at all- the worst you will get is 'click click click'

As you probably saw the retract is what happens everytime it needs to stop printing and move to another area to start printing. If it does not retract enough and fast enough, it will leave the spider web when it moves.

So the webs are caused by a few things, speed being one of them. So in the next set of tests, besides the lower heat, try lowering the travel speed (too fast and it will web! )

So for the next one try perhaps

190c
retract distance 3.0
retract rate 40
Print speed about 50-60ms
Travel speed try 90ms. 

This might be a bit slower, but better to find out whats causing it , and then improve that thing rather than everything.

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## gencode

I tried these
Screen Shot 2014-11-16 at 12.36.13 AM.jpg
and it did not work out well
2014-11-15 23.57.28.jpg

Changing to your suggestion of 2.5 and 35 to see if any improvement
I dont see a Print speed or Travel Speed
Screen Shot 2014-11-16 at 12.36.40 AM.jpg

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## Geoff

> I tried these
> Attachment 3483
> and it did not work out well
> Attachment 3482
> 
> Changing to your suggestion of 2.5 and 35 to see if any improvement
> I dont see a Print speed or Travel Speed
> Attachment 3484


You do see it  :Smile: 

it's right there under Extrusion profiles. But to be honest, your screenshots are so small I can't read any of your settings :/

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## uncle jessy

Wow I am seriously glad I found this thread. 

I'm also a mini user and have started playing around with my profile settings. I will have to try out some of these settings.

What would be cool is if we could get a handful of mini owners to post their preferred settings.

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## gencode

Geoff, although I got it working okay it was never to my satisfaction of print quality, not really a quality I wanted to display.
I ended up selling the mini and getting a flashforge creator pro, wow what a difference, excellent quality, zero webbing, not to mention 2 colors and ABS option.

Thanks for everything, you taught me a lot.

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