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  1. #1

    Unable to print a small simple cuboid

    So at my new work one of things I have to do now is get this 3D Printer running/learn how to use it. I kind of got the hang of 3D Modelling and on one of the computers here, Cura was already installed and connected to the printer. However when I decided to try and print a simple cuboid something definitely went wrong.

    It started moving to a corner, then while going back to the center it already started to "print" and because of that the "paste" got in the way. Then it would start moving in the shape of a cube but they way it put the lines was quite bad since they even had gaps in between and were not straight. After a while, some of the filament would get wrapped around the nozzle itself and then it would just start moving and dragging the "thing it printed" with it. I would just abort that's pretty much it.

    I attached the photo of the printer (model unknown it's from China), the photo of my settings (as you can see very basic Cura settings), and the photo of what it "printed", you can kind of recognize the shape, that it was trying to print a cuboid and you see that something is connected to it and wrapped up, that's the part where the filament would get wrapped around the nozzle and start dragging it around.

    The filament used is PLA 3D Filament 1.75MM White.

    I am not sure what to do, any help would be appreciated, sorry if this is something easy to fix since I am a beginner in all of this.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Super Moderator curious aardvark's Avatar
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    right, well your printer is a CTC i3 pro-b
    Got one just to my left :-)
    That's the good news.

    The bad news is that it's currently the cheapest printer on the market.
    It's not the worst, not by a long chalk - but it's not exactly ideal for a beginner.

    So what do you have on the glass for the filament to stick to ?
    I think initially I'd recommend pva - get some cheap gluesticks from the buck store. Heat the bed to about 60c and then liberally cover the bed by rubbing with the glue stick.
    I usually got for about 3 layers.
    Let the heat dry the glue between each layer.

    That will help the filament stick to the bed immensely.

    Also you probably need to calibrate the bed. This is tricky on this particular machine as the firmware is complete and utter shite !
    So best to do it through the slicer.
    Me - personally - do not like cura.
    But it should have a calibrate printer option.

    You need a sheet of paper. The slicer should move the print head to different parts of the build plate, you then adjust the wingnuts under the bed so that the paper only just slides between the print nozzle and the bed - oh remove filament first !
    Run through calibration untill the paper slides the same at all points.

    Then try your print again.

    Unfortunately mate they've dropped you right in at the deep end !

  3. #3
    Staff Engineer Roberts_Clif's Avatar
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    This is just a quick post.

    I Have a similar Style 3D Printer as you. Out of time right now. Though I will type up the techniques I used when I first started printing.

    Your 3D Printer is the same style as my printer, and it appears we both use Cura.
    I Have installed a thumb nut to my Z-Axis end stop sensor, This allows me to adjust the nozzle to with microns of the bed with a fraction of a turn of the thumb screw.

    This make it very easy to setup nozzle height for any layer thickness requirements necessary.
    One of the hardest things that we learned during the 1st few days of owning a 3D Printer, is getting that first layer close enough to the bed to stick. It is also necessary to learn that on a glass surface glue sticks make it much easier for filament adhesion.

    You have advantages to the knowledge of the best owners of 3D Printers, They are here to share their knowledge with you and aid in our 3D Printer learning process.

    For a test print I would try learning with a .2 layer height as it is much easier to get adhesion. My first prints were average in size and printed on the paper tape method. ("Blue Painters Tape") as this is the easiest to learn for beginners.

    I first home the printer then lower the nozzle to it's lowest point, making sure a thin piece if paper will slide under the nozzle only when nozzle is raised to 0.2mm. This is about the thickness of the paper and the first suggested layer height.

    I have a thumb screw on my Z-Axis sensor to adjust this height very quickly.

    TL-W3M.jpg

    OR you can use use Z-Offset to change the Z Height using M851.

    If you are using Marlin you have access to the Z-Offset from the LCD this allows quick setting of the desired offset. As you can see my Whole bed is covered in 1 strip of Paper Tape.

    Though in all fairness today I print on a many Bed surfaces...

    Gutter.jpg

    Example "can change bed from Paper Tape to Bed surface to this ("image Below")

    Floor Tile.jpg

    Floor Tile on the Bed surface an a smaller piece of Bed surface on the floor tile.
    In just a couple minutes. Why this strange test just to see how fast I could print on a second printing surface.
    Last edited by Roberts_Clif; 12-11-2018 at 06:43 PM.

  4. #4
    Thank you! Like, thank you a lot! After leveling the bed (to a more or less okeish height) the prints got way better.

  5. #5
    Thank you! I adjusted the level of the bed, then a new problem occured which got solved with the glue sticks. Thank you!

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