Stratifications around prints.

I am a beginner to the world of 3D printing. I have a cheap DIY Reprap Prusa I3 made with a wooden frame. I use Slic3r as my slicing software. I have tried Cura, but it has a tendency to terminate my print prematurely.

My problem is that when I try to print, my prints have stratifications all around them. This makes my prints look ugly and reduces the detail on the prints. Attached is a photograph of a print I made (see attached file “DSC_0423.jpg”). This was a test print of Alien Chestburster Halloween prop by Geoffro, published Oct 14, 2014 on Thingiverse (see attached “Alien Chestburster Halloween prop.jpg“). I had the same problem with some parts I printed and put together where the walls were slightly too wide and the holes were slightly too small. I guess that my problem is that I am over-extruding, but I cannot figure out how to fix this with Slic3r. Can somebody please give me some help with this?

Thanx,

Stuart

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2016 12:59AM by Lymphomaniac1.

Looks like a cyclic error on your extruder. Possibly the drive gear is slipping in certain parts of the model, or the gear is not concentric with the shaft.

Looks like Z wobble, possibly combined with over extrusion, to me. Lemme guess, Prusa I3?

See: [www.evernote.com]

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Quote
the_digital_dentist
Looks like Z wobble, possibly combined with over extrusion, to me. Lemme guess, Prusa I3?

See: [www.evernote.com]

On second examination, it really does look like Z-wobble. The wobble follows a helical path as it goes up the body of the print. Well spotted.

I know this doesnt really help your current problem, but prusa i3's out of the box are crap, trust me I know! But with some additional printed parts and upgrades from thingiverse (or other sites im sure) they can be beautiful machines. With standard pieces you will end up spending 85% of the time with your printer, calibrating or adjusting this or that (sometimes the wrong thing) trying to troubleshoot a problem. Specifically, I would print adjustable belt tensioners, a new extruder with a better hot end (e3d v6 or similar), adjustable mounts for the end stops, and something to relieve the X axis belt tension from the Z axis threaded rods. Good luck!

Thank you everyone. Looks like everyone is right. This POS needs a lot of rework. First of all the wooden frame is very flimsy. I am replacing it with a P3STEEL galvanized steel frame. The z-axis threaded rods do not lay perfectly concentric in the flex coupler between the z-axis rods and the motor. I am going to have to put in some type of filler (tape around the rods, plastic spacer or something) to fill in the gap between the rod and the coupler so that the set screw in the coupler does not push the rod to the opposite side of the coupler hole. The holes in the frame at the top of z-axis threaded rods provide for a lot of play for the rods and are probably growing in size as the steel threads grind the soft plywood of the frame. I found some bearing holders on Thingiverse that I can modify for my needs that will fit better around the z-axis rods and hold the z-axis rods in place and provide little to no play. The z-axis rods also might have a little bend in them (or it might be just the way they sit in the coupler). If necessary, I might need to replace the z-axis rods.

You don't want to use bearings on your threaded z-rods on the ends opposite the motors. It is better to let the end of the rods wobble freely so that less wobble is forced into the xy carriage.

Quote
Dirty Steve
You don't want to use bearings on your threaded z-rods on the ends opposite the motors. It is better to let the end of the rods wobble freely so that less wobble is forced into the xy carriage.

Now you know at least one thing to avoid in your next 3D printer...

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]