I replaced the filament spool by a new one (exact same brand, same model) and now my prints are failing: However I have NOT changed any settings between the prints and the filament spool is new.
Here are the details:
Printer Model: Bambu P1S
Filament settings (see pic attached)
Print settings: Unchanged from successful prints (5% infill, 2 wall count)
Speed settings (see pic attached)
Question: Based on the picture attached, how could I make sure to set the speed to a maximum of 50mm/s as recommended by the filament manufacturer ?
Problem: I’m puzzled about whether this is due to the speed or flow rate of the filament or the filament humidity level or anything else…
Has anyone here faced similar problems? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
If the only thing that changed is the spool, that would be the first place to start. Newly from the bag unfortunately does not mean that it is dry. And in any case, you do need to rule out filament humidity first.
Then calibrate the filament and give the plate a good bath with detergent.
Once those are ruled out, it does make sense to look at the settings.
In the meantime, you can use the printer to dry your filament. Heat bed to drying temp, roll on top (maybe a desiccant bag and lid as well), 2-4h per side, done.
Or a standard oven but temp control is more challenging.
I used the method you suggested for drying filament for a duration of 6 hours. At first, it seemed to be effective, but unfortunately, the 3D print did not complete successfully and encountered issues towards the end of the printing process.
Do you believe that extending the drying time for the filament might have prevented this failure?
Gosh. I would love to be able to rule that out but in all honesty, I can not do so. Although my crappy little dryer does a maximum of 5h at a temperature that is anyones guess, it has always worked for me. But that does not neccessarily mean that moisture is not at least a part of this problem.
→ If that is indeed the case, I apologise profoundly!!!
I have seen similar failures when printing PETG. Never in PLA, but I always print much slower. I always reduce speeds to 50% for PLA, 25% for PETG and acceleration to 25% for all. That may take longer, but I have found it to improve print quality to the point where I can get one good part in the time it takes to get 2-4 bad ones with the default speeds and accel’s.
So perhaps the new problem is linked more to the “Other layer speed[s]”? In your first screenshots these were at the Bambu defaults and well above the filament recommendations. Not effective on the first layer, but important later on.
Another item that may cause such failures are infill and surface settings in “Strength”. Much more severe with PETG though. Non-crossing infill such as gyroid, honeycomb or monotonic lines have saved many a print of mine. Similarly, monotonic or concentric surfaces can help. Concentric surfaces however have a bit of a drooping risk as they are not neccesarily well supported. Found out the hard way.
You will also want to have “Ensure vertical shell thickness” enabled. Again, something I found out when I could look through the top of a print which had a shallow angle on the top.
I am hesitant to make a clear recommendation here as failure cases are very diverse and moisture could of course be a factor. Nevertheless, slowing down has always helped me with my prints. Many times direct success, always helpful for troubleshooting.
PS: For the latter, you may also want to only print the troublesome areas, i.e. move the model in the slicer down to only print the top. That can save time, filament and trouble.
You made a good point. I plan to adjust the printing speed for PLA to 50%, and I’ll also experiment with slowing down the speed in the ‘Other Layers’ section to see if it helps complete the print successfully.
Meanwhile, I’ve purchased a few spools of Bambustudio filament for testing. I’m curious to see if the printing issues might be due to the lower quality of the ELEGOO filament spools I’ve been using.
Additionally, for what it’s worth, I’ve observed that changing the print resolution from 0.12mm (Fine) to 0.08mm (Extra Fine) seems to have a positive impact on the print quality.
I will post a heads up in the following days to identify the issue.
Filament quality is subject to a bit of interpretation. High speed often uses higher temps which makes warping worse. Also, high flow filament printed hot will droop more, both being worse for overhangs. But slowing down tends to help a lot.
Using lower layer height does not only improve z-resolution. It also reduces the added heat per layer, counteracting warping and similar defects. I bet you’ll lover the adaptive layer height
Just be a bit wary of the “combine infill” which seemingly goes very well with this. I have found flow to go up so high, that the infill can get messy.
Happy printing and looking forward to your future steps
Problem solved ! I’m happy to share that I’ve successfully resolved the issue.
Here’s what I learned and did:
Conducting a Flow Dynamics Test: This test was crucial to determine the “Factor K” for the filament spool. “Factor K” refers to a specific setting that affects how the filament flows through the printer. Different filaments, even from the same brand, can have varying properties, which necessitates this adjustment. I followed the guidelines outlined in this resource: Flow Dynamics Calibration | Bambu Lab Wiki
Adjusting the Flow Rate to control how quickly the filament is extruded. I needed to find the correct flow ratio for my printer to ensure that the right amount of filament is used during printing.
Lesson learned: whenever possible, always calibrate the printer when changing filaments. Even if the filament seems similar or is from the same manufacturer.
Just so you have other possibilities.
I’ve had good luck using the BL standard PLA settings on Voxelab PLA + /pro filament. Actually looks better than the BL PLA.
eSun’s settings for their PLA+ /pro worked flawlessly. Their spool windings have been having issues lately, and if you get a bad one, it gets stuck on the spool. This issue has been hit or miss. Also, their recommended settings for their ABS were excellent.
Have not had to do a flow calibration on either of these brands.
Check if filament uneven. That looks like possibly your filament in parts is too wide and getting slightly jammed in the tool causing under extrusion. I had that exact same thing happen with some defective filament I purchased.
If you really found the cause great, but if I’m honest I think you have some troubleshooting still yet to do.
If it is not fixed, I’d check to make sure you are not causing a hot-end clog. Printing PLA for extended periods of time requires cooling and ventilation. Make sure you are printing with the top off or door open.
Glad you find this helpful 