Unresolved Z-axis drags across previous layer.

Hi! I've searched the forums and the internet to find a solution to this but I'm coming up empty handed. Sorry if I missed anything and this is a repost!

My extruder head drags along the previous layer when it's moving. I use Repetier and I have it set to move the z-axis upwards when retracting (which it should do each time it moves). This is fine sometimes but for some reason it doesn't retract on long movements, so the z-axis stays at the same level and drags across the print. I've watched the gears. They don't move at all on long movements.

Someone in a different thread has the same problem and said it was due to over-extruding. How would lowering the extrusion multiplier help if the z axis doesn't move? Surely it will still drag. If I lower the extrusion multiplier, not enough material is extruded for the first layer and the print doesn't stick to the bed.

 

are you using windows 8.1?

 

What's your z steps per mm in the eeprom settings

 

I am using Windows 8.1

 

2560 steps per mm. What I've done so far is have the printer raise the z-axis on each retraction. I then set the minimum travel distance for retraction to occur to 0mm. It's noisy as hell (constant z axis movement) but it works so far. Is there an alternative method?

 

I'm a bit confused. Any way we can see a video?

 

Slic3r has that option, I think it's on the tab with the perimeter and layer settings. If this is enabled in Slic3r it slices a lot slower, there's a tooltip that says so too. I have the option off for this reason and it's slicing speed is comparable to S3D.

 

I don't think I can get video footage of it at the moment. But I did take some pictures of the result if that's of any use (sorry for the potato-quality).

 

So that's what that does. I'm new to this. So ticking that box will make the print head circumnavigate the print rather than cross over it?

 

Enable lift on non printing movements.

 

That definitely sounds like the type of option I'm looking for. I'm not sure where to find it in the slic3r settings in Repetier though.