shrink/warp printing multiple parts simultaneously

Hi Folks,

New to 3d printing and using the following:
Makergear M3-SE
PLA
Bed 70C
Nozzle 220C
Simplify3D
No enclosure, ambient temp 22C

I've been experimenting with some small parts getting them to print exactly as I'd like. During this experimentation I was printing only one part at a time and tweaking as needed.

However, when laying out and printing multiple copies of these parts (15 parts total to be printed), I ended up with substantial shrinkage and warpage over the first few millimeters of the print on every single part.

I'm assuming this has to do with temperatures and cooling?

The 15 item run did use a skirt but no brim or raft.

I'm testing now with just 3 items and a raft (no skirt, no brim) to see how that works out. Thus far, I haven't changed any other settings.

Appreciate any advice on scaling up the number of items I can print successfully. Even if rafts work, i'm not sure if the wasted PLA makes it worth while or not and I'll have a need to do this kind of multi-small-part print fairly often.

So.. what does the part look like.. does it have pointy corners? If so try and add a fillet to round the corner if you designed the part. What PLA are you using.. if it is the stuff MakerGrear gave you with the printer and it is black, toss it in the trash and buy some eSun pla+. If you are using .1mm layer height, try .3 and see if things improve..
I don't use much PLA any more, I prefer PETG or ABS with a home made enclosure for my MakerGear M2. I printed a part in eSun PLA what was designed by a family member which had sharp corners and they warped as I expected as I used .1mm layer to makes some angled areas look less stepped..

Another thing that can cause issues is a bed that is not level and a Z offset that is incorrect and or incorrect extrusion multipier.
To check use the attached model assuming 3.5 mm nozzle and .4mm extrusion width.
Should measure 2.98-3.02 mm tall, shoot from the 2.98. Set your first layer height in S3D to 100% if it is not already.
Wall thickness should be .82 to .84 thick if extrusion multiplier is correct.
Next print them 3 across the bead in 3 or 4 rows .. then measure them to check bed level.
The quick start app sucks.. I have never had much luck and use a dial indicator with a mount I made that gets installed where the hot end is..
You may want to check out the makergear forum as well.. I have posted one of the methods used to set z offset using firmware M206 Zxx.xx setting

Quote:

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Originally Posted by airscapes

So.. what does the part look like.. does it have pointy corners? If so try and add a fillet to round the corner if you designed the part. What PLA are you using.. if it is the stuff MakerGrear gave you with the printer and it is black, toss it in the trash and buy some eSun pla+. If you are using .1mm layer height, try .3 and see if things improve..
I don't use much PLA any more, I prefer PETG or ABS with a home made enclosure for my MakerGear M2. I printed a part in eSun PLA what was designed by a family member which had sharp corners and they warped as I expected as I used .1mm layer to makes some angled areas look less stepped..

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Yes, I'm using the PLA that was shipped with the printer - I'll look into getting the eSun brand. I do eventually want to print with PETG but I hear that PLA is an easier plastic for beginners to work with. I think, for now, to reduce the number of variables in play, i'll stick with the PLA that I have.

Using rafts did help a lot. And, in fact, I like the surface finish better than the glossy smooth surface that I get when printing directly on the glass plate. I may stick with rafts but for now I'd like to try other solutions as well.

I'm trying to attach pictures but I'm not able to. Not sure if it's a limitation of the forum given that I'm new?

Anyways, yes, I do get the corners lifting as in the attachment you posted but I also see shrinkage and distortion all the way up to about 3mm above the print bed...

Thanks for the tips and I'll keep trying to upload pics!

And, again, as I mentioned in the original post... Printing these parts one at a time - no issues - they come out great. It's only when moving to a scenario where I'm printing many of them simultaneously that it becomes a problem.

-G

to be honest should be better printing more than one at a time.. try putting a line of them down the center of the bed and see what happens.. You do have the fan on 100% after the first layer correct?

I've tried tests with your model for 1, 6, and 16 copies...

Pretty much all the same with little variation and no apparent warping...

Set first layer height to 100%. Extrusion Mult is 0.9.



One off test print:
Width x Length = 16.66mm x 16.68mm
Height = 3.02mm typical (range: 2.99 - 3.12) - one corner measure a bit taller than the others...
Wall thickness = first layer 0.94mm, rest 0.81mm

Other than the one corner at 3.12 being a bit low, which could cause adhesion issues in that area, the rest look fairly good!
Another thing to check is to make sure you did not get abs with the wrong label on it.. If is smells when printing it is not PLA.. also you can bend the filament and if it turns bright White it is ABS.. Don't think that is the problem but PLA does not normally warp other than at the edges like I had posted. MakerGear ABS is great stuff, but the PLA was god awful. How fast are you printing? If the model is small (golfball sized) try 35mmS too slow can do weird thing like over heat the model. Normally I would say print more than one at a time.. but that is when you are having issues.. It is a shame you can not post a factory file, I would love to try and print the parts for you to see what is going on. BTW that is the best way to deal with S3d, when you have your bad all set up how you want it, save a factory file and the entire thing is saved with all the models in place and setting.. File > save factory file as ..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by airscapes

Other than the one corner at 3.12 being a bit low, which could cause adhesion issues in that area, the rest look fairly good!
Another thing to check is to make sure you did not get abs with the wrong label on it.. If is smells when printing it is not PLA.. also you can bend the filament and if it turns bright White it is ABS.. Don't think that is the problem but PLA does not normally warp other than at the edges like I had posted. MakerGear ABS is great stuff, but the PLA was god awful. How fast are you printing? If the model is small (golfball sized) try 35mmS too slow can do weird thing like over heat the model. Normally I would say print more than one at a time.. but that is when you are having issues.. It is a shame you can not post a factory file, I would love to try and print the parts for you to see what is going on. BTW that is the best way to deal with S3d, when you have your bad all set up how you want it, save a factory file and the entire thing is saved with all the models in place and setting.. File > save factory file as ..

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Still having issues with multiple copies even when printing with rafts...

Tried printing 11 copies of a part that printed perfectly as a single copy...

Top side of the part is measuring 1.499 inches (model is 1.500 inches). The bottom side of the part (closest to the bed/raft) measures 1.486 inches... Trying to post the .factory file but the app is telling me invalid format?

Any thoughts on why this might be happening? I'm guessing cooling but I'm running fan at 100%... May try again with no fan at all and see if there is a difference...

Thanks!
-Greg-

Also, any help with posting attachments would be appreciated.

Greg, where are you located? Any where near Philadelphia PA USA?

I'm in the Chicago suburbs.

My parents lived in Philly for a short time. Really enjoyed a couple visits there!

wht slicer are you suing - and 220c for pla is probably too hot.
200-210 is pretty much my full pla range.

Also with multiple prints the slicer will print each layer faster, so that might be an issue.
Maybe slow the overall print speed down - you'll still get faster results than one at a time, but it might solve the shrinkage of the first few layers.

And drop the print temperature to 200c.