Wobbly print

Hi, new here and new to the 3D printing world. Just assembled my creality ender 3 pro and did my first prints. A problem I had was that the thread was wobbly/wavy instead of straight in some layers. Followed the instructions from the maker and by a youtuber. Also did a leveling test print which looked ok.

Any ideas of the reason to why the thread turned out this wobbly?
Nozzle: 0,4 mm
nozzle temp 200 C
bed temp: 60 C
wall layers: 3
layer thickness: 0,2 mm

one factor is room temperature it?s lower than a normal indoor temperature. It?s like 10-12 C instead of ~20 C. Not sure if this can play a part.

it?s printed upside down, so first image is in the beginning of the print, second is in the end

Attachment 12435

Attachment 12434

Cold room can have some impact but I'd say you want a little more temperature on your filament also.
Any way to put a box around your printer with a small heater blowing through it?

Also look to see if the infill is crowding the walls. With 3 walls, I wouldn't think so, but worth noting.

I’m titally new at this but I don’t think it’s the infill since it’s just one side and not all over that side.

I also noticed when wet sanding it filament lines broke of like splinters, like the didn’t melt in to the model as they should. Does that indicate too low temperature? What’s ideal? I’ve read 205 degrees at some places and I’m just 5 degrees below that. Does that make that big of a difference?

5 degree temperature changes are about what you need to dial in a filament but for the most part, PLA, I can run 215 all day. My machine does a layer 1 at 235.
Funny thing about plastic, it has a huge transition phase so just look at it like "how wet do I want my plastic".

I was using a sampled MakeShaper red PLA (Thanks again MakeShaper!). Their filament is a very nice opaque filament which is hard to find. On the first 2 layers, I got a gloss red, deep but gloss. The remainder of the print came out a beautiful matte red! You couldn't have dialed it more perfect if you tried! What I am getting at is that parts that are highly opaque are easier to analyse printer idiosyncrasies.

When I was thinking about your post, and I must preface this with saying I do not have an Ender 3, I wanted to ask how smooth the build is. Some of what I see in the print is a harmonic that lends itself to consider vibration as an issue. If that was mixed with some catches along the route, as in one or more of the three axes may not be traveling smoothly, then you will definitely see this mechanical interference in the print. I print on a magnetic base. A shift in the print is inevitable at some point. Any base stiffness issues?

Do crank up the heat some. With PLA, you just don't want to burn it... make carbon in the tip. Stay under 235 and you should be okay. I'll also plug CNC Kitchen on YouTube as his approach to solving problems is very in depth. Many videos discuss print quality and how he goes about solving it. Quite simple, actually :) Good luck and enjoy.

The Creality Ender 3 has concentric nuts holding the Bed Plate if these are not tightened correctly the Bed will in fact wobble and Shift from side to side.


Video Attached

I tightened the concentric nuts underneat the build plate when I assembled the printer just as I tightened every concentric nut on the other carriages but maybe something went wrong since it was the first one

I?m wondering if it can be the unwinding of the filament spool causing vibrations but then it wouldnt be concentrated to the same areas over several layers I guess. Mainly two problem areas now.

Failure to feed will only result in a thin or skipping traces unless things are flexing.

Temperature and movement restriction would be repeatable.
Unplug your stepper motors to test for mechanism smoothness.
Your print will show you what positions you should duplicate to check for restrictions.
Wiring snags are the usual suspect.

I will try a higher temperature for sure, can understand if that solves the problem with non sticking layers/loose threads but not tye wavy/wobbly pattern. Will look for wiring snags or other stuff that might cause disturbance. Thanks for your thoughts

Tried to tighten the belt for the extruder and x-axis cable a bit, also went down in layer thickness to 0,15 mm and higher temperature 205 C. Printed the popular filament guide. Which is a two piece. Pretty much the same problem as the first print. Some problems in the beginning, after 10 layer or so. This time all around the models. The end cap became almost see through at this part, like a mesh, don't think that was designed that way. The arm itself had similar problem that disappeared and the reapperad in the end of the print.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GY...w1998-h1498-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lK...w1998-h1498-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/c7...w1998-h1498-no

odd that it's just at that particuler height.

The enders use a bowden feed system. Could be your getting constriction at that height and the filament isn't feeding properly.

With it being tied into the height it's most likely going to be a mechanical issue.

Did another print and with that the problem appeared a bit higher than with previous print so it's not always on the same height. The wall layers when the problems appear is not smooth and flat but a bit rugged like the filament is sticking to the nozzle or something.

Someone else said I might have a problem with my Z-axis and the z-rod. Some kind of common problem with the ender 3. the fit in the motor and in the carriage is not always totally aligned making the travel a bit more heavy than it should. Saw a youtube video where he was able to push the whole z bar down quite easily, I have to turn the motor to lower it.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N3...w1124-h1498-no

Could it be that the filament is getting tangled.

Select a small model, slice and get a measurement of the amount of filament cut to length + a little extra.
Loop the filament over the Spool holder and Print.

I have had filament rolls that were a tangled mess. when I examined filament it was not tangled.
Only by recording did I determine that the Filament was indeed tangling.

Tried printing the end cap of the filament holder with just a cut meter of filament. It was ok but not perfect.I also made the worst print yet, with a spider web like walls after. Big holes and just failure. I aborted that print. First cm of layers went ok then it just went crap. So problem didn?t start at same place as yesterday but was similiar but worse. This was with the filament in it?s holder and just before the better print I mentioned above. The more I search the more possible problems I find. I just don?t where to look. Z-axis motor need a spacer? Clogging in the nozzle? Filament not unvinding properly?

This is 3D printing. I chased a similar issue in a canned system only to learn that the metalic ABS filaments I've been using slowly degrade my nozzles by leaching something around the Teflon tubing near the hotend. A thorough cleaning and all works wonders again. Had I not known where to look, it would have driven me insane!

I'm new to this and I do not know where to look. All the joy I felt about this is slowly disappearing by having bad and miserable prints only and nothing I do fixes it.

Worst print

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zn...w1998-h1498-no

the print afterwards that was ok but not perfect

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Hk...w1124-h1498-no

I can see the issues even in the small print. Why are images so darn small on this forum? It is very hard to see any level of detail in the pictures.

Best thing to know is your zero point. A goto place that you know will work every time.
The same filament, profile, and part. Use a benign filament and a provided profile and maybe a provided test print from the manufacturer. This has to always come out the same way. If not, then you know something has changed with your machine. This is where you go before you continue to add new bruises to your skull.

Is this a special filament? Are you using retraction and/or z-hop? Are you using a recommended or provided profile?

To get to the bottom of the problem, you will need to apply the scientific method. You can do this on your own or with guidance from the forum but it is one of those open book processes that can zero in on issues although it could really go far down the rabbit hole. We're had frustrating temperature errors turn out to be marginal power supplies.

You're obviously not feeding and melting filament at an expected and known rate.
You are getting filament driver mech. clicking which is indicative of restriction and/or lack of heating.
1. To check restriction: Take the failed print's filament that is currently in the bowden tube... Remove the bowden tube from the machine; push the already tractor'd filament you just salvaged and push it through the bowden tube. Does it have restriction or does it glide through easily? You want the ladder! If not, here's your problem. I have more on this if it turns out to be restrictive enough to cause concern. During a print, this restriction is even greater due to thermal expansion issues.

Started to pick stuff apart tonight, didn't think it was a clogging problem in the nozzle. Was flowing fine when I pushed it and when I retrieved it it looked as I think it should. However when I disconnected the filament guidance tube it had some damage in the back end and some material sticking out. Cut a piece off and put it back, printed the same end cap as before and it came out great. Hoping this was the problem and that it's now fixed.

Big thanks for your time helping me, appreciate it a lot!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LC...w1998-h1498-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vy...w1998-h1498-no

Definitely looking a bit better. Yee'ol burr on the bowden tube thang! :) Good luck!

Did a couple of prints with the filament cut to about the length the print would use and not being distributed from the spool. Layer thickness 0.16 mm and print speed lowered to 40 mm/s. Everything looked great then I got cocky and raised the speed to 60 mm/s, thicker layer 0.3 mm and put the filament spool back up. Then the print became a bit wobbly again. Maybe the problem with the filament guidance tube wasn't the only one.

How smoothly does the spool unwind? Is it disturbing the framework?

I do not have anything to compare with my thoughts is that it could be the problem. That it gets stuck, doesn?t feed enough filament then after a while it gets pulled loose and the print looks good again for a while. I have print with slower speed ongoing. If it fails, I will cut a piece of filament and use that instead of a whole spool again. And if that works I will increase the speed again

Tried again with a print without having the filament on the spool but a shorter cut off length (like 6 meters). Better but still some problem. Is it over extrusion or something else? The only difference now from the two prints that went well is layer thickness. The once that went well was 0.16 mm and this one was 0.20.

Print on the left was with the filament on the spool, the one on the right was with cut off filament. Better but still some problems.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rf...=w1156-h867-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8O...=w1156-h867-no

Yesterday I tried a print and guess what?


Shift is on the Y axis only
Attachment 12452

After a few minutes of Googling found this Web Site now comes the testing of all reasons listed for why my print after 2 years has shifted lines.
Well maybe should not say all reasons, some firmware settings may be eliminated after many successful prints.

Oh! Speaking of firmware, thought of (static discharge) maybe causing Flashed firmware corruption re-flashed known working Copy.

I started by replacing the Y-Axis bearings and I think I replaced the Y-Axis Stepper motor, May do this again may have put the same stepper back in!!
Anyway the shifted layer persisted and in the exact positions, it is not G-Code, have same G-Code running perfect on 2nd 3D Printer.
Rotated the Model 90 Degrees and no Shifting anywhere on the model...

This is your thread so I will create my own if cannot discover the reason why. Remember read this Web Site it may help you.