ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP hey everyone, I am new to this 3D printing community, i have made my first PLA 3d printer. I cant find my problem on the internet and its really weird. When i try to print a rectangle (or any shape for that matter), layers are getting shifted at periodic intervals. it's forming wavy structure when it should be straight!! I am using Repetier Host and Repetier Firmware. I directly print from the SD card on the Full graphic smart controller (reprap discount). NO sticking issues. And i dont think it can be a belt slipping problem, this is clear i guess from the pictures i have attached, the print is leaning to say left side for some layers and then leaning right for some layers, and the whole pattern is being repeated throughout the object height. All the objects have the same wavy feature. there is no such wavy feature in the stl file. I have printed a hollow calibration cube of 20mm [attachment 81572 CalibrationCube.jpg] but it has shown same wavy patterns at same height. PLEASE HELP! Thanks It was supposed to be rectangle of 25x15x30..: [attachment 81573 SupposedToBeRectangle.jpg] A spiro coaster i printed, since height of object is less, wavy nature is not prominent other than edges [attachment 81575 Spiro.jpg] [attachment 81574 EdgesShifted.jpg] https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690333#msg-690333 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:32:21 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,711635#msg-711635 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,711635#msg-711635
Well i am about to open a topic myself about something that looks like z wobble ;)]]> Govahnator Printing Tue, 04 Oct 2016 11:04:03 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,711573#msg-711573 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,711573#msg-711573 JamesK Printing Tue, 04 Oct 2016 06:56:31 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,711464#msg-711464 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,711464#msg-711464
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sigxcpu
I would build another printer and keep this one as is. Prints look amazing.


What in the world are you guys talking about when you say those are good print's?]]> Govahnator Printing Mon, 03 Oct 2016 22:29:43 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,696131#msg-696131 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,696131#msg-696131 JamesK Printing Sun, 07 Aug 2016 11:28:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,696109#msg-696109 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,696109#msg-696109 Omniaa Printing Sun, 07 Aug 2016 10:07:53 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,692040#msg-692040 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,692040#msg-692040
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Omniaa
I will fix the free ends and check if the problem is gone

Lead screws are for providing motion in the axial direction, they are not intended for constraining movement in the radial direction. You need to add some linear motion components to do that, either smooth rods or linear rails.]]> JamesK Printing Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:09:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,692029#msg-692029 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,692029#msg-692029 Omniaa Printing Wed, 27 Jul 2016 07:19:46 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,692019#msg-692019 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,692019#msg-692019
It bothers me to see tape wrapped around the extruder- it that all that's holding it in position?

The X axis belt looks quite loose.

When something prints with such large and obvious defects, the source of the problem should be visible if you watch the printer while it is running.]]> the_digital_dentist Printing Wed, 27 Jul 2016 06:51:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,691974#msg-691974 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,691974#msg-691974 i dont know why those waves are coming. after posting my problem here and tried to rebuild it, and the errors have reduced but are still at same height.. And here's the picture of my 3d printer, its what i have made at home, so looks a bit messy :D
[attachment 81884 3DPV2.jpg]

last week's print and this week, a bit improved.
[attachment 81883 IMG_6942.JPG]

@ggherbaz : i will try that. thankyou
@frankvdh : yaa the pulleys are all tight, infill is not set to zero. it prints external layers slowly and quite fine. I use slic3r. i havent tried other slicer but i will check.]]> Omniaa Printing Wed, 27 Jul 2016 03:58:50 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690748#msg-690748 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690748#msg-690748 sigxcpu Printing Thu, 21 Jul 2016 12:24:57 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690565#msg-690565 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690565#msg-690565 MechaBits Printing Thu, 21 Jul 2016 03:22:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690532#msg-690532 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690532#msg-690532 JamesK Printing Wed, 20 Jul 2016 21:04:38 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690530#msg-690530 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690530#msg-690530
But the period of the wave seems a bit long and regular for it to be mechanical. Also the waviness is on all sides of the object, not just 2, so it would have to be the fault in 2 axes. I wonder if this is somehow associated with infill? Maybe you've set the external perimeters to 0 in your slicer so you're only seeing infill?

Are you using automatic bed-levelling? If you are, then errors in the Z axis motion can result in X/Y errors in the output. But I wouldn't expect it to be as extreme as this.

What slicer are you using? Have tried a different one?

What type of printer is it? Cartesian? Delta?]]> frankvdh Printing Wed, 20 Jul 2016 20:24:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690527#msg-690527 Re: ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690527#msg-690527
Do a little test and increase non printing speed at 3600 to 4000 mm per min and move X and Y about 100mm on any direction, see if the stepper skips or if it makes any noises, check that it traveled the correct distance. One more thing that it can be is that your carriages are binding due to asymmetrical rods.]]> ggherbaz Printing Wed, 20 Jul 2016 20:09:42 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690333#msg-690333 ZIG ZAG PRINTS! HELP https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,690333,690333#msg-690333 I am new to this 3D printing community, i have made my first PLA 3d printer. I cant find my problem on the internet and its really weird. When i try to print a rectangle (or any shape for that matter), layers are getting shifted at periodic intervals. it's forming wavy structure when it should be straight!! I am using Repetier Host and Repetier Firmware. I directly print from the SD card on the Full graphic smart controller (reprap discount). NO sticking issues. And i dont think it can be a belt slipping problem, this is clear i guess from the pictures i have attached, the print is leaning to say left side for some layers and then leaning right for some layers, and the whole pattern is being repeated throughout the object height. All the objects have the same wavy feature. there is no such wavy feature in the stl file. I have printed a hollow calibration cube of 20mm [attachment 81572 CalibrationCube.jpg] but it has shown same wavy patterns at same height. PLEASE HELP! Thanks

It was supposed to be rectangle of 25x15x30..:
[attachment 81573 SupposedToBeRectangle.jpg]

A spiro coaster i printed, since height of object is less, wavy nature is not prominent other than edges
[attachment 81575 Spiro.jpg]
[attachment 81574 EdgesShifted.jpg]]]> Omniaa Printing Wed, 20 Jul 2016 08:25:18 -0400