I’m trying to print a lithograph-type thin PLA plate. I’m using a 0.2 nozzle and smooth plate on my A1.
I’ve cleaned the plate over and over many times. Cleaned the hot plate underneath. Dried my filament for a 3rd time. Performed full calibration. Manual calibration flow rate and dynamics. Tried changing various wall/layer amounts.
The only thing that helped a little was to raise the nozzle height in the gcode.
My only other guess is that it might be something with the belts or vibrations?
I would say it is little inconsistencies in the flow, what filament is this?
I refer you to my reply on another thread. Check your hotend screws and find the best initial layer flow rate (ILFR) for your filament.
I would try reducing flow by 3% and trying again. The edges curling over in “smaller paths” while looking flat when there’s plenty of space to push extra into tell me flow
Re some of those patterns NOT near walls on smaller zones… here comes some imperfect advice. I think at 0.2mm, presumably a 0.10mm first layer and on a smooth plate, is getting very close to the edges of the machine’s capability - specifically mesh leveling. Textured plate hides and absorbs a LOT of inconsistencies. You can do heat soaks on the bed for 15m before print, and it might give you the best chance of bed leveling to final precision. It might be more tactical to lean past ideal and into underflow on the first layer so that you just kind of “get past the physical reality of first layer” and start solving more interesting problems in layer 2+. You can up adherance with glue if needed. Is the build-plate side the visual people will be looking at? If not, yeah, just make sure it sticks and keep going.
maybe try ironing it? that helps make it smoother.
Ironing only really works on the upper and top layers, not the bottom first layer. Even then you need to get the speed and flow right for the material.
