I just got my Zortrax on Friday. Actually I'm very happy with it. Excepted of the long time for heating the extruder and small burnings and stings (I guess there is no possibility to avoid them). But when I printed some parts for my cube gear today, some edges started to bend up. The result of this was that the edges did not become sharp and clean. Moreover, it led to some slight burns. Also the top of the part looks more like a bigger blob than a peak. Now, I'm asking myself, if it's possible to avoid this effect (hopefully without starting to enable support). Maybe the effect could be reduced by increasing the fan speed (when it is on auto, the software maybe doesn't recognize that the edges are small parts which need more cooling) or by printing with a higher resolution. What do you think? The parts were printed in the same position as on the last pic.
Settings:
Speed: Normal (Slow is unfortunately not possible to choose)
It looks like you're running too hot for the filament. I wonder if this is related to the long heating times...
If the sensor is insulated too much it could cause the long heating time and also theoretically cause the heater block to run too hot because the sensor reads too low...
I have printed a similar heart gear part without issues. You should contact support and ask about a fix for the long heating...and this may also fix your burning and deformation issues.
As you pointed out, there is no “slow” speed, and sometimes, I agree it would help.
You may try to print multiple parts at the same time. Printing multiple parts helps with filament cooling without the need of having fan speed sets too high (which is not good for warping).
I printed four of these cubes at the same time. Two smaller and two of the big ones (as shown in the pic). Do you know if the Z-suite is able to recognize these edges and increases the fan speed for them or doesn't it, because the surface is very big in that layer.
Yesterday it took my printer about 15 mins to heat the platform and the extruder. Is this too long? I think I will contact support, because I have burnings in almost every second part I printed.
I don’t see how a slower speed would help in this case. BTW…“normal” speed is actually pretty slow (compared to other printers)
Of the 15min…how much of it was the Extruder?
You should not have that many burns…something is not right.
I used the same settings…only then there was no auto fan…I think I had it at 20%
It would be worth to try more fan (60 or 100%). Since you have several pieces on the plate the Auto setting may have lowered the fan speed too much (not sure how intelligent the setting is if there is more than one part). Warping is not an issue with small elements like that.
You could also try fast setting…it may help with the burns, too.
Still… the burns should not be there… One more thing…have you cleaned the exterior of the nozzle?
Well, it might be that the nozzle moves to fast and that's why the edge is bending up more. So the nozzle actually pulls the material a little bit. It gives some tension on the printed string.
I measured the heating time today again: 4:37 mins for platform, 12:38 mins for extruder -> 17:16mins in total. My MendelMax needs about 15 mins for the heated bed (it is out of aluminium) and the extruder about 3 mins or something like that. So it is actually ok, but the time the extruder is stuck on 97%, 98% or 99% are several minutes. That's too much I think. What do you reckon?
I'm printing at the moment the same parts again with 100% fan. But the edges still seem not to be very good (I will let you know when the print is finished). I also have the side covers, so warping should really not occur.
Maybe I will try the same with a higher resolution. Then, the string does not overhang that much.
I tried to clean the exterior of the nozzle with a tissue but it was not absolutely clean afterwards. I will try to get it cleaner.
If this is happening more on the left hand side of the print and not the right hand side you will need to install a second fan I had the same problem I installed second fan the problem cleared right up, with only one fan the left side never gets know airflow. one way to solve this problem without a second fan is to print an extra part as a sacrificial lamb to let the part cool before it goes back to printing that part.
By the way, I printed it once with the fan speed auto and once with 100%. There was absolutely no difference. Maybe my lower fan isn't working correctly. Does anybody now when the lower fan starts blowing? While printing (don't know how I can check if it spins) or even while heating the extruder up (can't feel any ventilation coming through the hole)?
The lower fan is definitely working. Moreover the heating problem is solved through the new firmware update (4mins for the extruder). Now. I just want to print the parts without burnings and with sharp edges.
I printed it again, yesterday. When I started, the nozzle was absolutely clean. After the print, it was dirty and the prints became even worse with 0.09mm. The peak became a bigger blob and I got some weird dots on the side.
I attached pictures of the new print results and upload the big gear, I have problems with.
at the beginning I cleaned it everytime, now i don't care much (just push it with cloth with aceton sometimes) and it's ok (until i want to make sth artistic in non dirty white :P)
conclusion: our prints are similar, i think hangouts and dirties on them are natural, rest of the model is nice, straight, and clean,
possible clue for this: cut somehow to have all teeth top printed, then glue parts
one of my first prints (a year ago?) was sb's head oriented with nose up and last layers were ugly by dirties, what made me :(
now i would just use file, sand paper, maybe acetone, and don’t care much those issues… sometimes you have to help it to be ideal print
