Home » 3D printing news » NEWS » How to avoid 3D printing errors?3D printing can be used in many different ways, opening up previously impossible possibilities, especially in terms of design.However, these possibilities can only be fully exploited if 3D printing works the way you want.Unfortunately, this is not always the case, so even the simplest models sometimes won't print correctly.But why this 3D printing problem?Where is he from ?We have therefore looked at the various errors or defects that a user may encounter as well as the associated solutions.These errors concern here only the FDM technology based on filaments.There are of course others when it comes to other processes and materials.The current list is not exhaustive, we have grouped the main challenges that users generally face.The first layers of a print are crucial: as they form the base of the model, it is essential that they adhere to the printing plate.If this is not the case, the 3D printing may have some defects.First of all, it is important to thoroughly clean the bed and the nozzle of the 3D printer because material residues can affect the print and therefore the adhesion.Also note that not all trays have the same type of surface which may affect your impression: thermoplastics will not adhere to them in the same way.For example, a Build-Tak surface is particularly suitable for printing PLA.Warping can lead to part detachmentA first 3D printing problem concerns this phenomenon of warping or warping, linked to insufficient adhesion to the plate: the corners of the printed part bulge upwards, sometimes causing it to completely detach from the plate.It is especially common when printing large or long parts with materials such as ABS, Nylon, PEEK, etc.This is because plastic parts often still shrink after printing when they cool down.For example, if you print ABS at 230°C and then let it cool to room temperature, it will shrink by almost 1.5%.Using a heating plate is therefore strongly recommended, allowing the filament to be maintained at the glass transition temperature and reducing contraction.The optimal build bed temperature can usually be found on the filament packaging.Also be aware that print speed is of great importance, especially for the first layer.A solution could therefore be to reduce this speed in order to give the material sufficient time to adhere to the surface of the construction platform.Conversely, it may happen that the piece sticks too well to the plate so that it is difficult to remove it.As it is absolutely necessary that the model is completely cooled, you can put the tray – with the part on it – in the freezer.If it still does not lose its grip, you can try to remove it with a spatula.However, it must be done with the utmost caution, otherwise the model will be damaged or the board scratched.You can remove the piece with a spatulaAnother solution to counter this 3D printing problem is to put the bed and the part in a hot water bath.The glass transition temperature must not be exceeded, otherwise the model may deform.In addition, it is possible to modify its membership parameters in the software.Deselecting the additional adhesion parameters, such as Edge or Raft, should make detaching the model even easier.The second flaw in 3D printing is so-called elephant feet or blisters: the bottom layers bulge outward.This 3D printing problem occurs when the lower layers have not cooled enough, but the weight of the rest of the part is acting on them, pushing them outwards.The first solution may be to adjust the print bed.You have to make sure it is level, otherwise there will be different distances between the tray and the nozzle.Another way to eliminate the defect could be to reduce the temperature of the print bed.It is important to cool the lower layers sufficiently, but not too quickly, otherwise the warping problem mentioned above will occur.You can opt for a cooling system or put more parts on the plate: the printer will take longer to design the different models, which will leave more time for cooling.The first layer is more puffy than the othersThe third 3D printing problem is under-extrusion.This means that not enough material is coming out of the nozzle.It is noticeable by the empty spaces between the layers, that is, they are not properly joined.Under-extrusion is caused by less material coming out of the nozzle than the software expects, because 3D printers don't yet provide this kind of information.There are several reasons for this phenomenon.The problem may be related to the diameter of the filament: it must be well specified in the software.If the filament diameters match, but the problem of under-extrusion remains, the amount of extruded material needs to be changed.This is done with the extrusion multiplier: by increasing it, more material is extruded.It may be advisable to do this in 5% increments and print a test build after each increment to ensure the correct amount of material is extruded.Under-extrusion can also be related to a clogged nozzle or blocked filament upstream of the extruder.Some layers are missing, resulting in holes in the partThe counterpart of under-extrusion is over-extrusion.As you can already imagine, this 3D printing issue is all about excess extruded material.This has a negative effect on the outer dimensions and the print quality.Basically the same solutions are available here as for under-extrusion, except in this case the extrusion multiplier should be reduced in order to extrude less materialOnce 3D printing is complete, holes in the top layer can form if the filament has cooled poorly or if the manufacturing parameters are not correct.This 3D printing problem is often due to the part design, when it is hollow or with a honeycomb structure.The solution seems obvious: the temperature must be adjusted;however, solutions can also be found on the print settings side.The first thing to check is if you have enough top layers.If the inside is hollow and you try to print a 100% solid layer on it, it's likely to fall or sink into the empty spaces.To avoid this, several solid layers are needed on top of the model.We advise you to have a thickness of 0.5 mm on the upper edge.Surface quality improves with each additional coat.Another solution could be to increase the filling inside.The higher the filling density, the smaller the distances between the individual filling walls.Several solutions make it possible to avoid these holes in the upper layersThe phenomenon of "stringing", or cordage in French, corresponds to fine threads of material left between the sections of a 3D printed part.Typically, this 3D printing problem is related to the material continuing to come out of the nozzle as it moves from point to point when it shouldn't.Normally, the 3D printer is able to prevent the nozzle from extruding the filament through retraction.If this parameter is not set correctly, it is possible that these threads appear.A solution to this problem could be to change the retract settings.You can modify the retraction distance but also its speed.The optimal value for the retraction speed of the filament varies, but as a guide, you can set a value between 20 to 100 mm per second.Another solution is to reduce the extrusion temperature: if it is too high, the plastic is more liquid than it should be.In addition, a fan will no longer be able to properly cool the filament and it will flow out of the nozzle more easily or in an uncontrolled manner.The last thing you can do is shorten movement distances and/or increase movement speed.Wires appear between the different partsIf the different extruded layers are not well welded together, a separation will be observed between some.A solution to this 3D printing problem may be reducing the layer height.Generally, it is said that the height should not exceed 80% of the outlet diameter of the nozzle.If the layer height is greater than this limit, the layers will only be applied loosely and therefore will not bond with the previous layer.If the layer height has already been optimized, another solution may be to increase the print temperature.This makes sense, because hot plastic sticks better than cold plastic.The processing temperature is indicated on the packaging of each filament.This is the only way to ensure optimum adhesion of the layers.Separations may appear between some layersAs 3D printing is currently used to exploit design possibilities, it is important to obtain fine and precise details.However, FDM technology has its limitations and if you try to print areas thinner than the nozzle diameter, you will have problems.So the most obvious solution is to use a smaller diameter nozzle, if possible.Certain settings in your software will also allow you to print finer areas with specific profiles.Also, choosing a high quality filament can make the difference.However, if all that doesn't help, all that remains is to redraw the part with thicker features.Slicing software such as Cura, Z-Suite, or Simplify3D can help with this, as they check that your 3D model does not contain components that are too thinly walled.Finer details can cause 3D printing issuesAs you will have understood, a 3D printing problem quickly arrived and there are many.Finding its cause does not always seem easy, which makes its correction even more difficult.However, some manufacturers have embarked on the development of 3D software capable of identifying printing defects and correcting them directly.In any case, we encourage you to test different parameters of your machine to see what works or not.Don't get discouraged, practice is key!Do not hesitate to tell us about your 3D printing problem in the comments of the article or with the members of the 3Dnatives forum.Find all our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!Join the discussion and leave your comment.I have the same problem as your first image at the very top of the page.what do you call this problem, that is to say that there are wires that do not stick to the object.It sounds like "stringing" but that's not exactly what's happening.I try to find the problem but I can't find anyone who talks about it.Please enlighten me and help me.Thank you for this excellent article.It's very clear, and it helps to better control our printers!Your email address will not be published.Mandatory fields are marked with *Last name *E-mail *WebsiteBy subscribing, you authorize 3Dnatives to register your e-mail address for the purpose of sending you information.You will be able to unsubscribe at any time.3Dnatives is the world's leading online magazine about 3D printing and its applications.With in-depth daily market analysis, the site is followed by more than one million unique visitors per month.Available in English, French, Spanish, German and Italian, 3Dnatives covers news from the main players in the additive manufacturing market and offers a variety of services: 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