Layer shift on Y-axis I've noticed that on my of my prints now, i get shifts in the Y-axis . I have a prusa i3 and. I dont have the nuts on my Z-axis glued to the carriages, the the bit od slack be causing it, or some z-axis wobble of some kind? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,443693#msg-443693 Sun, 06 Sep 2026 22:37:08 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445745#msg-445745 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445745#msg-445745 I thought I would try posting on this thread instead of reposting a new question with the same info.

I have the same style Reprap machine - Prusa I3 Rework
and similar cheap-o chinese Ramps board and stepper drivers.
Machine has been running great for about 6 months and then it started stepping on the Y axis badly.
Not sure what that heck has happened. Changed the stepper driver and repeats the same problem.
The motor seems to run nice and cool or slightly warm.
I have a fan cooling the Ramps board and stepper drivers.
I have fried the Arduino - Mega 2650 - voltage regulator a couple times by accident before, but replaced them easily.

I'm wondering about 2 possibilities here but could use some fellow repapper's thoughts:
1 - Could it be a failing Ramps board? and if so, what part of the board is the culprit here?
2 - (Similar) Could the Arduino be a failing?
3 - Or - could it be Cura? Up till recently, it has performed wonderfully.

Addendum: As i write this - I decided to give one last idea a try. Try the default print settings - Fast, low quality print.
Sofar, 1/3 into the progress ......strangely, with no 'on-the-fly' speed adjustments - it seems to be great.
But the overall print speed is very fast. Like 60 - or 70 mm/sec fast (just a guess).
But no skips.
Any thoughts gents or ladies?

Thanks - JD


Software is Cura (latest version) using expert settings.
Heartbox model seems to be ok - from Thingiverse.

overall print speed: 30mm/sec
temp: 190c
layer height: .2 mm]]> jdmech Printing Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:45:55 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445302#msg-445302 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445302#msg-445302 Dreadnaught426 Printing Thu, 18 Dec 2014 16:24:02 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445171#msg-445171 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445171#msg-445171 50% and such dont mean anything without the actual 100% speed in mm/sec. You might just be going too fast.
Most of my prints are at 40mm/sec to 90mm/sec depending on the size and shape of the parts.]]> Floyd Printing Thu, 18 Dec 2014 11:10:29 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445142#msg-445142 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,445142#msg-445142 Dreadnaught426 Printing Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:40:58 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444902#msg-444902 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444902#msg-444902 Dreadnaught426 Printing Wed, 17 Dec 2014 14:14:51 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444896#msg-444896 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444896#msg-444896 Dreadnaught426 Printing Wed, 17 Dec 2014 13:59:29 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444684#msg-444684 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444684#msg-444684 It has nothing to do with speed I have tried slow printing and fast and still the same.

As for limit switch connections how can this possibly give the errors both me and dreadnaught are having !]]> kcnc Printing Wed, 17 Dec 2014 06:16:21 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444461#msg-444461 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444461#msg-444461
in my opinion: this is a really common problem in 3D printer community.

Please check this out:


1. what is your stepper motor driver's voltage? please measure each axis voltages.if you don't know how to measure, please google it or ask to someone to know.

2. What is your speeds? Sometimes high this problem occurs ( missing steps ) at high speeds.

3. please check your limit switch connections. maybe there is a loose contact in cable.

4. check your limit switch settings in firmware. especially ( true/false settings)



hopefully this advices help you to solve the problem :)]]> RDEng Printing Tue, 16 Dec 2014 15:19:47 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444441#msg-444441 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444441#msg-444441
Quote
roygpa
I solved a pesky Y axis shifting problem by aiming a fan at the Y-Axis (I hit all of them) stepper driver. No matter how I adjusted the driver, it still skipped randomly. After adding a fan to cool it (it was hot enough to burn your finger) it hasn't missed a step.
I'm thinking you should possibly look into adjusting the voltage / current to a motor that is running that hot. The fan is a decent temporary solution, but running the motor that hot can't be good for it in the long run.

There is a thread around here that goes into details of how to adjust stepper motor voltages to find their "sweet spot" and that may be what the OP needs as well.]]> dclarkm Printing Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:52:37 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444389#msg-444389 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444389#msg-444389
Quote
Dreadnaught426
I've noticed that on my of my prints now, i get shifts in the Y-axis . I have a prusa i3 and. I dont have the nuts on my Z-axis glued to the carriages, the the bit od slack be causing it, or some z-axis wobble of some kind?

Hi Dreadnaught,
I have this exact problem also and have been trying to solve the issue for weeks.
I have tried everything:
Stiffened my reprap so its now very rigid.
I have tried different slicers(Cura, Slic3r, Mattercontrol and Kisslicer)
Different belt tightness.
Endless firmware changes(Marlin)

The thing I'm looking at now is that maybe its either the Ramps1.4 board or stepper driver causing it. When I'm printing my prints are spot on but then all of a sudden I get the same issue(not always in the same place on the print) you are having and its not the stepper loosing steps. Its seems there may be some type of interference in the electronics or something similar.

Regards
Kevin]]> kcnc Printing Tue, 16 Dec 2014 13:08:17 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444287#msg-444287 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444287#msg-444287 roygpa Printing Tue, 16 Dec 2014 09:26:55 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444282#msg-444282 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444282#msg-444282 I've got the same problem, but much worse. I'm a new user of a printer and here in the forum. The offset is not the same, but up to 5mm per layer. A test cube of 10x10x10mm has got 10mm offset on the last layer. Does somebody have got an idea?
Thank you in advance for the answers.

kind regards Dirk]]> UAE_Dirk Printing Tue, 16 Dec 2014 09:15:41 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444084#msg-444084 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,444084#msg-444084 Dreadnaught426 Printing Mon, 15 Dec 2014 20:11:05 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,443937#msg-443937 Re: Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,443937#msg-443937 bryanandaimee Printing Mon, 15 Dec 2014 12:55:45 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,443693#msg-443693 Layer shift on Y-axis https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,443693,443693#msg-443693 Dreadnaught426 Printing Mon, 15 Dec 2014 01:26:07 -0500