Getting More Consistent First Layer and Z Tilt Issue Related?
I'm having trouble getting a consistent first layer. I've had this problem before, I do the first layer leveling and get the z offset and I get a good first layer with the test print. But then when I go to print something the first layer is always bad and I get bad adhesion making the print fail usually. Sometimes it is so solid I can't get the print off and other times I just tap it and it'll pop right off. I keep lowering z offset as a result, but then the first layer becomes too or squishes too much leading to a non-flat layer. So then I increase the z offset to give it more room. It really is a pain, and then first layer height seems to impact it as well so I've started just using the same first layer height to try to make it more consistent.
One thing I tried is I thought maybe there's a problem with the z-tilt so I checked all the motors and they corresponded correctly to the expected stepper drivers. I tried lowering the tolerance for z-tilt to 0.01mm instead of 0.02mm, but as a result it seems to fail multiple times with the reason that z-tilt is increasing after 4 tries or so. After a few tries it ends up with a tolerance of like 0.004mm and then it starts to print. So I don't know if that's indicative of a problem or what is going on and why it would be increasing.
The pictures are from what I am getting now and what I was getting before, the blue is the more recent one. I tried multiple nozzles, I don't think it is clogged.
4 Replies
I didn't really have this problem with a tolerance of 0.02mm, as on the second retry it probably would have started printing there instead of trying for a better tolerance.
Increasing Z-tilt could mean that your motors are not connected as expected, did you verify? Though if you do not have this issue on 0.02 then it's probably not an issue but rather sensor noise.
Still, check if the Z motors are connected as shown in the image (assuming you have an octopus)
Also - do you run a bed mesh and have you checked that this mesh is actually being applied while you are printing?
I have a spider, I did double check the motors were connected correctly, they are all in the right spot and the stepper name corresponds to the motor being moved. I've switched it back to 0.02mm tolerance and I do get the same issue now. Turning it off and back on usually fixes it and then starts printing, sometimes it doesnt though. I usually check the bedmesh to see if it is still good, it does create a new one every new print and it is selected under the heightmap.