Brand new a1 mini using bambu pla matte Had good luck with the first few prints, then started getting adhesion issues on first layer. I clean with IPA between prints. Using the textured PEI plate it came with. Temp tower showed 210 was best for nozzle temp so that’s what I stuck with. Bed temp is 60-65.
I realized I started printing models that have 0.2mm layer height instead of 0.4. I slowed the initial layer speed way down to 15-20mm/s and infill rate to 50-75mm/s. This fixed most of it but occasionally still get a sharp corner or small radius curve not stick.
Found the setting to change initial layer heigh tto 0.4mm - with the slow speeds this seems like its done it (until my next bout of bad luck!). Does this sound normal/right? Maybe 0.2mm layer height is best with a smaller nozzle?
Also on initial layer with bigger infills (say more then 1-2 sq inch) it’s very apparent that the infill is not smooth. It looks like random ripples or waves. Most of the time the second layer covers it but sometimes it takes more. Once the ripple was big enough that the nozzle scraped it.
Mostly useable now that I went back to 0.4mm initial layer height but still annoying. Probably a setting I’m glossing over as a rookie… any input appreciated.
Can I ask why you want to print at a .4mm layer height? That is unusual tall.
Don’t use IPA to clean the bed. Dish Soap (Dawn) and hot water will yield much better results. Make sure not to touch the build surface with the fingers after washing it as the oil from your fingers causes the majority of adhesion issues.
If you clean plates with IPA you need to use medical or similar grade that has no additives and you need to flood the plate to wash off anything the IPA picks up off the plate like pingerprint oils. If the “dirty” IPA is allowed to evaporate on the plate, all you do is redistribute the contaminates.
Also, like Jon said, most recommend dish soap and a good rinse instead of IPA. Dish soap works great for me. And if textured PEI gets sticky, there’s ways to use glue stick and liquid glue to get easier model release from PEI if that gets to be a problem. You can also put the plate/model in the freezer to get them unstuck in a hard case.
I was using a paper towel to wipe the plate down when it was still warm. IPA was anhydrous (99%+) left over from making hand sanitizer during Covid.
Why 0.4? I think it was one of the boat projects that was set that way. No idea why…. Just went along with it until I knew better.
So 0.2 initial layer and solid infill should stick? Ok then I must be doing something wrong. I’ll try soap and water then glue. I thought glue was a no-no on textured plate. Maybe it’s pla matte specific.
Even with the ripply initial infill texture once it’s down it sticks fine - I have to flex the plate for the piece to pop off.
Oh - the paper towel could be an issue then too. If those carry any softeners or oils? But the used/contaminated alcohol needs to be flooded off the plate. If it evaporates on the plate while still carrying oils, they just redeposit.
I haven’t used glue on the textured plates but there does seem to be a method. You apply some glue and spread it around. I’ve seen mentions of some heat also but look for the other threads if you are going to try glue on a textured plate. What they do is simple but you’ll want to follow best practices.
Solid/100% infill can also be problematic. It tends to cause parts to warp which can cause early release issues. And there was a post here recently that indicated there could be a bug in how the slicer handles 100% infill. If you print with lower infill do you get better results?
Just a plain cheap paper towel, no lotions or anything.
The ripple texture is strictly first layer. First few layer infill is always solid isn’t it? Second-third layer solid infill is great, no texture other then what telegraphed through from initial layer.
Ah - yes, the top and bottom layers are generally solid. I had thought of some kind of box or something where you made the walls 100% infill since that kind of thing can cause lifting.
The part about realizing your layer height changed sounds like Bambu Studio might have overwritten some of the defaults you started with when you first installed the software. All it takes is opening someone else’s 3mf and accidentally saying to save the new values as defaults because it does prompt you. I wish it wouldn’t since the settings are captured in the 3mf.
Since things used to work but now they don’t, something changed and the trick is to find what. You could try moving all your settings files (probably in a Documents folder but I’m not certain) to a holding place and seeing if Studio will regenerate the proper defaults again. Worst case is you move off your current settings and remove/reinstall Studio if it doesn’t regenerate the files. If it works ok with new settings files, unless you want to keep the old ones, just delete them since they have trouble embedded in them.
Or it’s something else. But in reading your posts it does sound like settings got changed somehow maybe?
Good call on the settings but don’t think that’s it. 0.4 has always worked. When I started having issues was when I was using models with 0.2 unbeknownst to me. When I realized what happened switching back to 0.4 provided acceptable results again.
I can set initial layer to 0.4 and continue the rest of the print with 0.2 and be done with it but it’d be nice to get it sorted.