Need help with first layer, been trying for a month

[TonyPizza]

I have been trying to trouble shoot this issue for over a month, I have read other posts, watched youtube tuts, facebook groups, chatgpt…

My first layer is horrible. The first layer leaves lines on the bottom surface the rest of the print is generally fine. I have raised z axis by 0.01, i have changed flow rates, infill, temp, dried my filament, retightened the screws on the hotend and i cannot figure this out.

This was not a problem up until a month ago, I am using PLA filament

I am just looking to be pointed in a direction of the possible fix

[eried]

have you tried with a new sealed roll of PLA?

[Dulphy]

have you ever gotten a good first layer from this machine? I have an A1 and it pretty much takes care of itself in terms of first layer.
Maybe something with flow rate calibration? Is it on set to auto?

[TonyPizza]

yes i have, sealed and dried both do this

[TonyPizza]

yeah it was fine up until about a month ago, i didn’t change anything in that time. i did a flow rate calibration a couple days ago and still it persists

[MZip]

@eried

have you tried with a new sealed roll of PLA?

On the surface that sounds like a good idea and for some it may help. The problem is that new spools are an unknown and in spite of being sealed with desiccant, can be loaded up with too much water to print well.

The bags are semi-permeable to water vapor. That’s why the desiccant is in there - to scavenge the water that leaks in. If they have been stored for any length of time they can still have picked up significant water and aren’t guaranteed to print well straight from the bag.

[Blaster]

you probably messed with filament’s settings and that seems over extrusion…

[TonyPizza]

everything was default until this happened, flow rate is default ‘1’ and ive gone down to .90 and still get this. the flow rate in these pics is .95

[trilerian]

This is something I have been dealing with for a long time. But since I print on textured plates you really have to examine the part to see the problem. I am following in hopes that there will be a solution that I can use.

For info, I really don’t have any. Prints straight out of sealed bags or dried in one my dryers doesn’t matter. I will say I notice the issue a bit more on PLA CF vs PLA.

Generally speaking I use default settings and let the machine do its thing. I have tried doing flow calibrations, but it didn’t help.

This does seem to affect 2 of my machines more than others.

[GM_3D_Print]

Try this, go to the custom G code and edit you z offset numer, set it to positive if it looks like your first layer is smushing and negative if its under extruded, that might help.

it could be that your flow ratio is fine and its a z offset issue

[TonyPizza]

I contacted support and they had be tighten some screws in the hotend, ensure the clasp was seated correctly and do a calibration.

that almost got the lines out, i then raised the z in the gcode by .01 which has the bottom smooth now. just need to work out the ridges on top

[trilerian]

How did you raise the z height in the gcode?

[TonyPizza]

to raise it increase the value in the highlighted row. default is 0.02mm and i raised it by 0.01

[trilerian]

Thank you, I will give that a try.

[Ben_sForge]

I also have some questions

[Ben_sForge]

I have been trying to do this large ISH flat print, but the first layer has not been printing well and I don’t know if it is an issue with the filament or maybe it’s not sticking