Unresolved First layer Wavy

Hey guys - Printer is printing no problem, but I continue to experience, a wavy first layer. By the time the printer finishes the first layer, it is flat and pressed down, but you can see a pattern in it that is not the lines like it should be.

I have watched the nozzle laying down the filament and it is almost as if the edge is curling as it goes down, and then on the pass next to it, gets further pushed down, etc. Wondering what the issue could be. It sticks just fine and it doesn't come up. I am printing PLA using 190/55. I am also using AquaNet as an adhesive. I'll try and take a picture and post it, but the finished products come out nice, but if I turn them over, they are smooth, but you can see the pattern in them. Thanks for the help as always.

 

Here is a video I was able to get. Some times the line is smooth and flat, and others the extruded line, while still straight, is not smooth and flat. Any thoughts as to cause?



The extruder has been calibrated and the bed is level. This is ABS at 230/80, but it does the same thing with PLA. I have also seasoned the hot end two or three times.

 

Thanks Mark - happens more than not actually. What's more is that it is not consistent from side to side of the bed. As if the bed were not level or even. In other words, on one side, the lines might be smooth and flat, but on the other side of the bed they don't look nearly as smooth. The problem is that I have removed and set the bed in place numerous times and even used a level to ensure it is in place correctly. Is it normal that these beds are not necessarily flat. am assuming I need to add some offset to bring the nozzle down some -correct?

One problem I do have is that I have one magnet on the bed that I can't push down into the base magnet hole (if that's what it's called) without pushing another one up. It's as if it needs to be shimmed.

 

So have you found that most of these beds need some kind of shimming? Also, what is the best way to ensure level from one side to the other? Since it auto levels, how do I change how it is leveled? I understand I can stick washers or something under the magnets to shim one side or the other. Is that what you mean? What do I do for a measurement then? With other printers you use the paper under the extruder measurement. But they don't have auto leveling.

 

Thanks Mark. I assume I do this with the z axis homed?

 

Ok - my bed is way off. The method I used to measure was to put a piece of paper on the bed and then manually go to all four corners within the white printed square. Yes I know the square means nothing, but it allowed me to have four points, one at each corner to compare. I lowered the extruder along the z axis manually until I was able to pull with slight difficulty the paper from under the extruder. I then read the location as it appears in matter control on the controls page. For those that don't use MC, right below the manual controls for moving the extruder and bed, there is a readout that shows x:, y:, and z: This is a readout of where the printer says the extruder is. My results were:
Front Left: .5
Front Right: 1.80
Rear Left: .3
Rear Right: 2.0

As you can see, the left is considerably lower than the right. My question is - how do I fix it? Since I can't remove anything on the right side, I assume I need to add shims to the left side (and right front as well) to make them all the same number. Once I do that, what do I do then? Print as normal and just add offset to get the print quality I want? Because the printer is still going to auto level. I assume if I shimmed it correctly, it will autolevel - to my manually leveled - bed and be accurate. Does that make sense and is it correct?

Also, when I home all axis - the z goes to -.7. Why? X shows 0, y shows 0, but z goes to -.7. Anyone know why?

 

Now after it's shimmed it is:
Front Left: 2.4
Front Right: 2.1
Rear Left: 2.5
Rear Right: 2.2

Still not completely level but I don't have shims with differing thicknesses. What's an acceptable margin for "level"? Also, still not sure what this means and how it relates to the auto level process. Does that change at all?

 

So if I just print like normal, I shouldn't ruin the bed because of that .7 - correct?

 

From those readings, all you had to do was grab the right Threaded Rod and turn the left Threaded Rod clockwise, I think, which ever direction raises the left side. No need to shim to level the X-Axis only the Y-Axis.

 

Ryan - not sure I follow. Do you mean I need to hold the right one in place while moving the left one so only the left threaded rod actually moved? And if so, would it stay that way or would it go away during auto leveling? In other words, if I manually adjust the rods so that both sides are as they should be, will it keep those changes?

 

Yep that is exactly right. It should keep the adjustment, because when a print is being created the (2) Z Steppers are synchronized/parallel. This is what you achieve when doing the Paper Level test.

 

Thanks. So I should remove the shims and adjust the threaded rod manually - correct? Also, I do have an issue where my magnets don't/won't line up. I can get three of the four in the recess with the magnet, but the fourth won't go int without popping another side out...

I assume that WILL have to be shimmed - correct?

 

You may still need some shims, but if you only have shims installed on one side to level the X-axis then you can remove those and adjust the Lead Screws accordingly. But you will still need to use shims to level Y-axis and possibly X-axis if its way off (meaning the auto-level will not work after paper leveling).

After installing my replacement Y-Axis smooth rods, I have a similar issue but if I push the end caps together I can get all 4 seated.

 

Ok - a little confused. Paper leveling will level the z axis - up and down - correct? So how do I level the x and y axes?