Nothing is more frustrating than spending days, weeks, months, or even years 3D printing something only to realize you made a simple mistakes.
We all recognize the sensation well, so we’ll try to put you back on the right track by highlighting some typical blunders to steer clear of as you embark on your 3D printing adventure.
Simple advice that you haven’t been using or errors that could lead you to give up 3D printing completely are some examples of these.
Join us on this adventure to learn about some typical errors and the easy fixes for them.
Avoid The Top 5 3D Printing Mistakes Made By Beginners 1. Not correctly adjusting the height of your bed and nozzle
The initial layer of your 3D print is the most crucial, and how well you leveled your bed and set your nozzle height will determine how effectively it prints.
The process of downloading a 3D design, saving it to an SD card, and initiating the print isn’t always as straightforward.
Although the hardware is just as crucial as the software, both are equally necessary.
Since many print beds need to be manually leveled, you must raise or lower each corner on your own. This procedure should not be an issue if you have a 3D printer with automatic bed leveling.
The easiest way to illustrate this incident is to picture how your 3D printer functions.
Because it doesn’t have an ideal feedback mechanism, your 3D printer can’t always tell where the print head is when it is in a specific place.
The best it can do is check if the print head is at 0.00mm on each axis using the X, Y, and Z endstop switches.
Your 3D printer makes incredibly accurate motions along the X, Y, and Z axes, but everything breaks down if it isn’t in the right place from the beginning.
You must position the nozzle correctly so that it extrudes smoothly along the build surface and is neither too high nor too low because the Z axis determines the height.
Your 3D printer will merely keep making the exact moves since it won’t be able to detect that one corner is somewhat higher than the other.
Solution:
- Learn several manual bed leveling techniques, such as leveling while the skirt is printed (live leveling).
- Once your bed is balanced correctly, and your nozzle height is appropriate, you may anticipate getting some decent prints.
- You might consider investing in a BLTouch or other auto-leveling device or get an expert in manual bed leveling. Check this article to
Check best BLTouch Deals:
ANTCLABS BLTouch : Auto Bed Leveling Sensor | Amazon.com
Creality3D CR Touch Auto Bed Leveling Sensor for Ender-3 | Creality3D.shop
Avoid The Top 5 3D Printing Mistakes Made By Beginners
2. Using the Wrong Slicer Settings
When it comes to correctly 3D printing, one of the most crucial factors is the slicer settings you utilize.
Out of the thousands of adjustments you can make, one wrong setting is all it takes to damage a print.
Fortunately, printer profiles and setting defaults provide a simple starting point for printing.
After a few prints, you’ll begin experimenting with variables such as temperature, line width, flow velocity, and so forth.
Changing materials makes you may accidentally apply the wrong settings. There will be variations in temperature recommendations between PLA and ABS and between PLA brands.
Please verify that you are entering them correctly. Use slicer settings carefully, with some advice, as they can make or break you.
When you download a model from Thingiverse or other 3D Model Websites (Check out Top Websites with the Best 3D Printing STL Files Free to get more details), it’s common to see a list of settings that generally work well, but you should proceed cautiously.
You might want to raise your nozzle temperature slightly if you switch from brass to hardened steel. But hardened steel doesn’t conduct heat as well as brass. So you should adjust your slicer settings (Cura Slicer Settings) according to your upgraded 3D printer.
Another parameter to be aware of is your construction surface.
You need to increase your bed temperature if your 3D printer has a glass bed to accommodate the extra layer of material for heat transmission.
Solution:
- Use calibration towers, such as speed and temperature towers, for each new material;
- Give your slicer extra time to ensure that the settings are precise;
- Repeat this procedure until you achieve perfection, and you’ll get much better.
Avoid The Top 5 3D Printing Mistakes Made By Beginners
3. Letting Filament Get Tangled
Unfortunately, users are usually to blame manufacturers when a filament becomes twisted. Although manufacturers claim their filament is entirely tangle-free, this does not preclude poor handling from making the filament tangle.
These filaments extremely rarely tangle when appropriately used.
Typically, when the filament is spooled onto rolls, it cannot physically tangle; instead, this is something that occurs after the spool is removed from its packaging.
When you re-spool the filament after overly loosening it, you could unintentionally spool one line of filament underneath another, ruining your prints with a tangled mess.
Solution:
- Ensure the filament’s end is safe and cannot be easily loosened up when storing it. Usually, to retain the end in place on the spool, you should bend it around the gaps.
- If your thread is already tangled, carefully unwind it and then securely rewind it.
Also, check our “How to Untangle a Filament Spool” article to save your 3D prints before fails.
Avoid The Top 5 3D Printing Mistakes Made By Beginners
4. Not Using Support Material When Necessary
To save time and resources, most individuals try to avoid using support materials, but when they are required, you have to utilize them.
After a certain point, it won’t work to try angling prints in a particular way or shifting them around the print bed.
Many patterns are explicitly created to print without needing support materials, and they are always fantastic.
On the other hand, some designs are too challenging or nearly impossible to print without assistance.
The print will unquestionably need support material to hold it up as the material is extruded if it has large overhangs, like the limbs of a figurine.
Your 3D printer can print lengthy lines across using a technique called bridging; however, support is required for small complex pieces.
On overhangs at or below 45°, you can typically avoid using supports, but anything higher will require them.
While specific designs will alert you to support requirements, this is more of a visual talent to identify where models need them.
You may not see the supports in the preview for some slicers, so you’ll have to make your assessment.
Solution:
- Be careful not to refuse assistance when required since you will ultimately lose.
- Orient your parts properly to reduce the support material needed for printing.
Avoid The Top 5 3D Printing Mistakes Made By Beginners
5. Not Monitoring 3D Prints
Your 3D prints could break down if you have a high-end or low-cost 3D printer. When the initial layer isn’t printing correctly, it can fail within the first few minutes of a print or even several hours afterward.
On a few occasions, I’ve returned to find 3D prints that were knocked over and were still extruding spaghetti. Although it’s not ideal, you can prevent a printing catastrophe by keeping an eye on things.
Throughout a print, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your 3D printers to ensure everything is running smoothly.
You should watch the initial layer to ensure that it is adequately extruded, then check in 15 minutes later to ensure that the first layer is still holding up nicely.
After that, checking in on your prints is a good idea every hour or so.
Even though they are infrequent, fire dangers exist, so it is recommended for all machines to keep an eye on your 3D printer while it is in use.
Solution:
- Use a live camera to check in on your prints remotely (Octoprint) and check that everything is working as it should be.
- Implement Spaghetti Detective, a program that can detect printing errors automatically.
- If you have housemates, show them how to shut down your 3D printer in an emergency.
Best Deals for Raspberry Pi & Cameras
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2019 Quad Core 64 Bit WiFi Bluetooth (4GB) | Amazon.com
Webcam HD 1080P,USB Camera with 110 Degree Widescreen | Amazon.com
Avoid The Top 5 3D Printing Mistakes Made By Beginners
Bonus: Using 3D printing without proper safety precautions
Regarding safety precautions that need to be followed regarding 3D printing, I believe people have become complacent.
The primary safety measures are centered on the dangers of burns and fire, mechanical risks, and injuries from sharp objects or instruments.
There are few fire dangers these days because thermal runaway safety is typically included with 3D printers.
It would be best if you were on the lookout for Burns from going too close to your nozzle or from the print bed.
Other accidents I’ve heard about include using a scraper tool to remove a print from the build surface and unintentionally grabbing their fingers or hand.
When you are diligent in your actions, you can easily avoid this.
While removing supports aggressively can be annoying, receiving cuts or scrapes from doing so would be considerably more so.
Checking your wiring, bolts, belts, and all other moveable parts periodically will help you identify potential future failures.
Pay close attention to these factors to ensure a smooth and safe 3D printing voyage, as connectors might occasionally fail.
Solution:
- Pay attention to your surroundings and ensure safety is top of mind.
- Be careful not to put your hand too near the nozzle.
- Don’t keep your hand on the build surface when removing a print.
