Need help bij printing model PLA long and small curved

[O_Tiby]

Hi there!

For a project I want to print the next file (see attachment for the STL). It is a curved small and long thing with holes in it. It will be printed in black PLA and with an Wanhao Duplicator 4 printer. I am using Makerware of Makerbot as software because it is easy software and it makes well supports for this model, better than ReplicatorG in my opinion.

I can print it but it is not nice at all. It is not smooth, it has all small ridges and bumps.
A time ago I started with printing on kapton tape, but I soon found out that you do not need to print pla on kapton, and also not on a heated bed, because it warped and would not stick to the bed. So I attached some tape and hairspray, which works for the warping, but it gives the result explained above (not smooth at all, and a very difficult way I think).

I found out that you have to print on the glass, without a heating bed, and the nozzle around the 220C. However the first layer is printed well, (I guess), when the printer moves back for printing the second layer, it takes all printed stuff off the bed. It gets really messy.

I really do not know what to do, which settings and setup do I need, which temperatures, which speed or program?!

Is there someone who can help me?

Thanks in advance for your response!

With kind regards,
Oscar

[RobH2]

I looked at your part. Do you have some photos of the print so we can see what the problems are? We can tell a lot by looking at a good close-up and "in focus" shot. Without seeing the issues, it's hard to give specific advice.

But on first look, it seems as if your print temp is too high. PLA should print much lower than that. It technically prints from 180C to 220C but our temperature readings on our heads are all relative. They aren't exact so you have to experiment. I'd go down to 190C or 200C and try again. Also, try a slow print speed of say 25mm/s. Maybe you can use a fan to set the small areas where you have the two standoffs.

Also, I think you'll do better with a headed bed. Try 70C or so and use purple glue stick or hairspray (Aquanet Extra Super Hold works well for me) on the bed. This gets technical and you can Google it for more but PLA has a glass transition temperature of 60C to 65C. That's the temperature that if below, it becomes hard and solid. If you can keep the material just above that temp, it will be slightly soft (not melted, that's a different state of the plastic) and it will stick to the bed better.

One thing that's going to be a bit messy is the groove. That's going to be full of support material and will take time to clean out and clean up to make nice. You might try splitting the part and printing it vertically to see if the details are better. Use a thin layer height like .15 or something. It will take longer but it will be cleaner around all of your little holes. You'll have to redrill those anyway but it will make them cleaner from the start.

part.jpg

Edit: And Oh yea, welcome to our forum. There are a lot of talented people here. You'll get a lot of help so keep posting.

[O_Tiby]

Hi RobH2,

Thanks for your quick response.
Here are my photos:
my print (2).jpg
my print (3).jpg
my print (1).jpg

The product is to fix some led spots. So, it has a slot in bottom for the cables and holes for screws (these will be redrilled indeed). The support material is not the problem, with a screwdriver you can remove it easily. Also the bottom is not really important because it will be fixed to a board.

This one is printed on a heated bed of 70 degrees with kapton tape, and there on top painters tape with a little bit hairspray. The PLA sticks very good, so good that it is a little difficult to get it of the painters tape and als the painters tape from the kapton tape. There should be an easier way I hope?

In the past I ordered by someone else, he had a Ultimaker 2 and his result was: (I changed a little bit the design, you'll see. But his print is a lot smoother.)
best ones (2).jpg
best ones (1).jpg

But now I am a little confused, which program should I use, and should I just use the glass plate, or without? And what about that when the extruder travels back to the begin to start the second layer, that it takes all extruded pla of the first layer with it? What does it mean, is the extruder to low, or does the PLA not stick hard enough to the glass plate?

Thanks in advance!

[RobH2]

And what about that when the extruder travels back to the begin to start the second layer, that it takes all extruded pla of the first layer with it? What does it mean, is the extruder to low, or does the PLA not stick hard enough to the glass plate?

Before I speculate about the roughness you are getting let me ask about the your comment above. When you say "it takes all extruded pla of the first layer with it" what is happening? Is the head sticking to the last spot on the first layer and then that layer completely detaches from the bed and it is now stuck to the head and traveling with the head?

Edit: I hit send before I speculated on the roughness. It looks like it could be overextrusion. Did you measure your filament carefully in different spots and in different directions? You need to take 5 or 6 measurements and average them. If you did that, maybe dial your extrusion flow amount back to 99% from 100% and see if that helps. If you underextrude you'll get gaps between the rows. So if you go too far, that's how you'll know. If you overextrude, that extra material gets smashed out and it can make the print rough.

It could also be too hot and swelling. Dial your temp back 5C and see if that helps.

Others can analyze this too but that's my first guess.

[Geoff]

Before I speculate about the roughness you are getting let me ask about the your comment above. When you say "it takes all extruded pla of the first layer with it" what is happening? Is the head sticking to the last spot on the first layer and then that layer completely detaches from the bed and it is now stuck to the head and traveling with the head?

Edit: I hit send before I speculated on the roughness. It looks like it could be overextrusion. Did you measure your filament carefully in different spots and in different directions? You need to take 5 or 6 measurements and average them. If you did that, maybe dial your extrusion flow amount back to 99% from 100% and see if that helps. If you underextrude you'll get gaps between the rows. So if you go too far, that's how you'll know. If you overextrude, that extra material gets smashed out and it can make the print rough.

It could also be too hot and swelling. Dial your temp back 5C and see if that helps.

Others can analyze this too but that's my first guess.

Nah I think that's it, just a bit of overextrusion, or its a bit too hot, or simply the filament he is using is a lower tolerance than the one the guy used on the Ultimaker.

Even the ultimaker parts the guy made for him have a few issues, alot of ribbing, from i don't know, is that a loose gear pulley that causes that?