Hi all, I just got my first ASA spool and started a print for my telescope. I know ABS/ASA has a smell to it but I wasn’t expecting it to be so apparent with the X1C as I thought it had a carbon filter built into it? Was I supposed to do something before hand or is that just how it is? It almost smells like burnt hair. It’s in a little utility closet I have off my garage and I opened a window. Any concerns?
Unfortunately there will be a bit of a smell. This is just part of printing ABS/ASA. Some brands are better than others.
Yes the printer has a carbon filter but there are several issues.
A. It isn’t enabled by default.
Once enabled you can adjust its operation in Filament Settings
B. Enabling the “Exhaust” fan during printing of ABS/ASA will decrease the camber temperature as it draws in cooler outside air. The problem with this is that it can cause part warping and adhesion issues.
If the smell really bothers you can print/buy a “BentoBox” which is a similar carbon filter but it recirculates the air inside the chamber instead of exhausting it.
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I have a HEPA air purifier next to my printer. It’s typically on medium day and night. The filters have been lasting about 6-7 months (mostly fill up with dust). At the time I bought the purifier, I bought extra filter elements since I didn’t know how long they’d last. If you run it just during the day, the filters will probably last a year. A light comes on when the filter capacity is reduced. I do not smell any odors while printing ABS.
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Great info. Is the smell the only issue? Is it damaging or just annoying? Will the carboh filter make a difference without exhaust?
My first print failed. Spaghetti. Something I did wrong or just bad luck?
It isn’t damaging to the printer. There will be an oily film on the glass/camera’s that you will need to clean off periodically. Some people are more sensitive to the smell. A BentoBox will help or a stand alone air cleaner as @Ken-N-Texas suggested. You could also just exhaust the air from your the utility closet have outside.
The failed part looks like it lost adhesion as part of it has moved off of the bed. Things I would do to avoid this failure are first to clean the plate with dish soap and hot water. Preheat the chamber to 50ish c. If you still have adhesion issues I would up the bed temp 5-10c and add a brim with 0 brim-object gap.
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I have textured pei, I hate doing it but should I grab a glue stick?
Personally I don’t ever use glue and I print mostly ABS. Hot water and dish soap always works for me.
Also, don’t touch the face of the plate after it’s clean. Handle it by the edges or the very front label area while installing or removing from the printer. A single fingerprint can cause a print to fail. And they can typically be seen on the first layer.
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Ok good to know. Brim.is set to auto but has never printed so will change that when I try again.
This is a bit off topic but good time to ask. Do people really use razer blades on their bed? I am just using the printable scraper without the blade that came with it. I’m afraid of scratching the pei plate.
From your pic that does seem to be an adhesion issue, it looks to me the same issue quite a few of us are trying to figure out-
The nozzle starts to drag the print after X number of layers, eventually causing XY to lose steps and spaghetti. Looks like it- from the rough texture/tearing of the last layer where the nozzle was rubbing in your pic.
2 things to try-
1.- Try your print in PLA/PETG and see if it completes without issue. I have been able to use PETG profile, and edit temps to run ASA, and it prints without issue. This has not worked for others as of yet.
2.- Read the thread here ABS always failing at same height - #35 by Barryg41
Sounds like a few have had success with editing the G29.1 offset in the gcode settings mentioned in that thread, I have not tried it yet.
Goodluck, let us know if either of these work for you.
@user_3987609260
I don’t use metal on my plates. I use a plastic scraper I printed when I first got the printer. I’ve sharpened it a few times with a fingernail file since then, but it works and I haven’t scratched any of my plates. Another point to remember with PEI plates is to let them cool to cold. You can place it on clean, cool surface for not much more than a minute. The model will practically jump off and no scrapper is required. Flexing the plate will also pop them off. The only time I use my scrapper is on the calibration lines.
This what some of us use. It doesn’t tear your build plate.
Oh damn, that got more complicated than I thought. I already printed this with pla so sounds like an asa problem. There is an update today I will upload and try again with other changes first and if fails again try your suggestion.
Hate to say it, but I never print ASA/ABS without glue stick. Too much of a 50/50 gamble, for no good reason. Glue stick goes on quick and really makes adhesion a non-issue.
I’m not opposed to using glue, other than the annoying cleanup, but I just didn’t have any and didn’t feel like going back out, but so far 3 prints and with a inside/outside brim with no gap it seems to be working.
so I got my prints to finish and it just slides off like you said so I haven’t even been taking the plate out. Just using the plastic scraper to get the prime lines off so the plate doesn’t get dirty by me touching it. Using inside/outside brim with no gap and making sure the plate is clean seems to have worked. Trying my fourth print now, this one is a lot taller so we shall see.
Just out of curiosity, why ABS and not ASA? ASA just seem superior in every way, so I assume you just don’t need the things that make it superior and perhaps cost?
I just added the inside/outside brim with 0 gap and thoroughly cleaned the plate. Seems to have worked.
It’s cheaper, wider colour range and not everything needs UV protection.
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