Whether you’re new to 3D printing or just facing new issues as you try new projects, there is nothing more frustrating than facing tedious printing issues while starting a new project. The waste of printing materials, time and energy can be an incredibly frustrating aspect to learning how to 3D print anything. Thus, before you start a new project, it’s essential that you know a few troubleshooting tips to ensure that you waste the least amount of materials possible and can complete the project successfully without severe delay. Leading to a common question of, why is your 3D printer printing in the Corner?
This issue has less to do with your printer being faulty than your software is off. If you are having trouble with your 3D printer printing only in the Corner no matter what you set the size or ratio, then the problem has to do with an internal software issue. For example, if you don’t have the proper software involved, you won’t be able to solve the issue as the settings internally for the software could be off without you even knowing about it.
For example, you may have the “build size” wrong in your printer software’s actual settings. Another issue could be that you have set up the printer to place it’s “origin” in the top Corner, meaning that the only place the printer will want to start is the top Corner as that is where you placed the “origin” to be. To fix both of these issues, you’d need to go into the settings themselves, and ensure that your “origin” is set to center, that the dimensions of your printer are properly put in without mistake, and that your build size is accurate to the project.
Another issue that could be occurring is that you have gotten your measurements imputed in the wrong system. For example, your printer may be expecting you to use inches to give dimensions and where to start the print, while you have used millimeters instead. This is another issue that could be found and solved within the software of the printer. A good tip to keep in mind while you are starting a new project or setting up a new printer is double checking all of your settings before you start your first print. There may be a single value that you didn’t read correctly or a single button for “origin” that you missed while you were setting up that could be causing issues throughout your print.
Much like a regular printer that is printing too small on large pages or photos copying into the wrong places on the page, the issue is often in the settings. The software is where all the control for these machines are, and it is incredibly unlikely that the issue was computer caused. Instead, more often than not, the issue is caused by human error that had the computer told to do something you didn’t mean for it to do. As such, it is best to ensure that you’ve double-checked all of your bases and that there is no chance that you have made a mistake when starting the job or changing the settings on the machine.
How to Solve Common Printing Problems?
There are many more problems that can arise if you’re not careful while preparing to start the 3D print. Aside from printing on the Corner only, you could face issues with warping, incorrect printing shapes, and various other issues that could be created by simple issues that could be easily troubleshot and solved. Here is a list of a few more common issues and how to solve them.
No Filament Deposit
Are you having issues with your 3D printer not printing any filament despite having loaded it right before your job? The problem here can be pretty easy to spot and solve through simply looking. The problem of not having any filament coming out despite having filled it is often caused by the nozzle being too close to the printing bed to function properly. This issue can cause a whole series of issues, like blockages in the nozzle at worst and the first few layers of your project being missing entirely at best.
This problem is just as easy to diagnose as it is to solve. Just check the nozzle and make sure that it is not pressing hard against the printing bed. Most 3D printers have a setting for the Z-axis offset, but all you need to do is raise the nozzle off the print bed and increase the offset into a positive value. This is the same hack that you’d use in reverse if you’re having issues with the filament sticking to the bed. It’s a tough balance to strike but essential to ensuring that your printer is working well, and your print comes out intact.
No Filament Deposit, but Checked Everything?
If you’re still having issues with the filament deposit, and have tried to raise the nozzle or extract and reinsert the filament, the problem may be more serious than a simple solution. Generally, these symptoms can be a tell that your printer nozzle has become blocked with the filament. Before the blockage even occurs and stops the filament from getting out, there may even already be some filament stuck in the nozzle that is diminishing the quality of your print without your knowledge that could lead to worse blockages in the future.
Sometimes, the solution isn’t hard. Just start by removing the filament and go into the printer’s control panel to select the “heat up nozzle” button. Then, increase it to the filament melting level, and use a small pin to clear the hole. Even an airbrush cleaning kit might be able to help get it out of the nozzle if it is too small. You may still have trouble, but in many cases, you can force the stuck filament out by using another filament.
In extreme cases, you may even need to fully dismantle the hot-end of the 3D printer to extract the filament that is stuck. This may be a bit too difficult for you to want to attempt on your own, so in some cases, you may want just to call the maintenance or manufacturer and see if they have any solutions to getting the blockage out before you further damage your 3D printer.
Snapped Filament
This problem is most often seen when you remove the filament from the machine and find that the spool looks full, but there is still filament in the tube. This is most common to happen with old or improperly stored filament, as they usually have such a long life span that the main issues come with keeping them in the wrong conditions and allowing them to get brittle. This brittleness could lead to snapping and getting filament stuck in the tubes of your 3D printer. The solution to this can be as simple as removing the filament from the printer. Essentially, start as you normally would and then when you’re left only with the bit stuck in the tube, you start to go through the new route of getting it out. Starting by removing the tube from both ends of the machine, you want to heat the nozzle and just pull out the filament as it is warm and more willing to move. Additionally, while it is warm, it is less likely to snap a second time within the tube again.