A1 - Extrusion issues, I think

[3dPrintedNickname]

Hi all,

I’m having some sudden issues with my A1 after a year of very nice prints.
It seems to have started when I also began using a 0.2mm nozzle but might not be related, I don’t know anymore.

So up to a month ago I was getting very nice prints with my A1.
Then, since I wanted to print some miniatures, I bought an official Bambu 0.2mm nozzle and troubles seem to have began.

I’m using Bambu basic PLA for everything. Temp and humidity are very constant where the printer is and have not changed.

0.4mm nozzle
Coincidence or not, since I tried using a 0.2mm nozzle and then went back to my 0.4mm, quality degraded. Among other places, very noticeable in top layer. Where before I easily had smooth top surfaces, these are now quite rough. Also I see more defects in walls and more visible layer lines throughout. And while using a textured plate, my bottom layers aren’t bad but where I used to have a perfect bottom surface only showing the texture of the plate, I also see layer lines now.

With certain infill types I hear the nozzle dragging against the infill, never happened before. I printed another flow ratio test and I just hear the nozzle dragging against some of the plates its printing. In the past I’ve ran multiple flow ratio tests and they always end up very close to 0. The one I just ran, all surfaces are just really rough, nothing like the flow ratio tests I got in the past. This is on a brand new spool, straight out of the box, freshly delivered.

Some examples:

I ran a dynamic flow rate calibration and the part with the actual values look horrible. Dont mind the fact it’s deformed, I pulled it off while the plate was warm cause I saw how failed it looked.

Rough top layers

Layer lines visible, I’ve had seams before but never looking this bad

0.2mm nozzle
Out of the box, printing was ok except I had massive drooping (for lack of a correct term) on every small overhang. I ran calibrations and adjusted flow rate and while it’s better, it’s still not perfect. I still get some drooping but also there seem to be parts of the model where the PLA is lighter than other places. Again extrusion issues?
The dynamic flow rate test comes out very very thin and is really hard to read.

Again, some examples:

Loops or ‘drooping’ issue is visible here.

Color shift. Hard to see in the pictures but some parts of the model are clearly lighter than other. This also happens on this cloack for example wich is just on solid part that’s equally thick everywhere. Below the back of the knee, still some drooping.

All of this led me to think I had at least an extrusion issue. Wether it was under or over, I have no idea anymore. I’m leaning towards under. So what have I done to try and fix my issues

• Verified that when switching nozzle i set the correct diameter both on device and in bambu studio
• Ran calibration tests and attempted to set the values as best as I could
• Checked that the nozzle is indeed mounted correctly every time
• Tightened the well-known hot end screws
• Did some cold pulls on my 0.4mm nozzle, some debris seemed to came out (white filament had some black specs) and now everything is clean.
• Ran full calibration in maintenance
• Oiled/greased everything, including pullys
• Since I experienced what I think are extrusion issues with both nozzles, I thought the common factor aka the extruder might have issues so I followed the wiki guide on how to deep clean it. There was a bit of dust in one spot on the wheel but nothing visible that could have caused issues imho.

Problems remain and I’m at a complete loss on where to go from here.

Thanks very much in advance, I know this is a long read.

[user_3133895110]

are you sure that your nozzle is secured perfectly? it might be loose if you didnt clip it in right

[3dPrintedNickname]

Yes, 100%, I’ve checked, double-checked, triple-checked, … over the past weeks.
The nozzle is in place and secure.

As an extra sanity check, yesterday I removed all my settings from bambu lab studio and factory reset my printer. Just to make sure I didn’t have some forgotten settings or profile or whatever that was active somewhere. It seems like nothing changed tho, problem still there.

I am completely stumped

[user_3133895110]

did you dry your filament?

[user_3133895110]

This may not be the right forum for this but I am trying to create a simple model extrusion of my school mascot (or what I would think should be simple). My source file is a .png. Is there a tool in the MakerLab that I can use to do this easily?

this should be its own post and not in someone else’s but to answer you, you can convert your picture into an svg. file on a website or program

[3dPrintedNickname]

I haven’t dried my filament but I’ve never had to. I went through at least 8 spools where the printer is now and temp and humidity has always been constant. I have issues on a brand new freshly delivered and opened spool as well.

I will dry them as a next troubleshooting step just to rule it out but would be very surprised if this does anything.

[3dPrintedNickname]

Update that might be relevant. Support asked me to print test files like a benchy and add those and something interesting happened. I now have the drooping issue on my 0.4mm nozzle as well. This is the result showing the drooping and the fact that top layers are again really rough:

Again, this is on a completely factory reset printer with a brand new PLA spool.

[3dPrintedNickname]

Another update. Drying filament did nothing.

According to Bambulab support this is caused by a worn nozzle. Seriously doubt it since my brand new 0.2mm nozzle has the same issues and I have 600hrs max on my 0.4mm, never printed anything abrasive, only PLA.

Nobody have any other ideas?

[Rk456]

Interesting to come across this and see someone else is having similar issues I am now having with my printer.

I have owned the printer for a year and in that time the only failed prints I have had are from warped prints.

I regularly do a first layer test when I get new filaments etc and they have been flawless every time. Few days ago I bought a new nozzle, hardened steel 0.4, put it in, changed settings on the printer and I have been trying to sort poor (understatement) first layers, stringing, over/under extrusion since.

Have done every calibration possible, manually levelling bed, going back to old nozzle, drying filament, going back to the same roll of filament that was printing flawless 2 days before getting the new nozzle, including testing that filament with the original nozzle. factory reset, roll back firmware. Nothing is working. At this point, especially after seeing your post, I am starting to suspect that somewhere, somehow, changing to nozzle in settings has essentially broken something, hardware or firmware related who knows but the fact we have both put our printers back “to before new nozzle” config and settings and can no long get the same quality of prints is suspicious to me.

[3dPrintedNickname]

That is very interesting! Looks like we are experiencing the exact same..
At this point I’m all but sure this is indeed an issue that can occur when simply changing the nozzle, without user error.
Now to convince Bambu support of that fact.. My A1 is still in warranty so I feel this definitely needs to be covered.

Have you created a support ticket yet? And if so, what was your experience?

[Rk456]

Yeah been speaking with support, all they have said so far is to try increasing bed temp 5-10c and they are sending me a replacement hardened nozzle, not gonna fix it though, 90% sure at this point it is a glitch with printer itself.

Put a test print on last night and was able to get an OK first layer, small print so that helped but as it printed and got higher it started scratching while printing, to the point where I was afraid if i let it keep printing the nozzle would get ripped out it got loud. Seemed to hit harder and harder with each layer. It’s almost like the z calibration just isn’t working properly anymore

[user_2085121118]

uneven colors - uneven layer printing time

seems like overextrusion to me, so when you did calibration of filament flow make sure you disable automatic calibration flow when starting print because it overrides filament’s flow preset, maybe try something like 0.9-0.95 (i have 0,93, seems my spool is too thick), seems printer either doesnt know what nozzle inserted and using wrong flow in general

another thought - check extruder - that one yellow gear’s cogs, during printing with 0.2mm it is common to mess up insides of extruder by not being able to push filament as a result everything in melted plastic

A1 series extruder cleaning tutorial

[Miinoo]

Hi, have you ever found a solution to this problem? My prints have been looking exactly the same lately. I haven’t changed anything—same filament, same print settings.

Best regards!

[3dPrintedNickname]

Sadly, no. I’ve been in contact with support for weeks until I finally gave up. I’m debating on what I want to do now. I want to get a 3d printer again but have lost faith in Bambulab