Avoid these 3 mistakes during your 3D printing

Why do these 3D printing problems occur? Where do they come from?

In the fascinating world of 3D printing we face various problems and challenges.
Whether in our first steps as beginners or even after accumulating practice, there are many reasons why our prototypes can go wrong: excessive temperature, poor leveling, stuck extruder, warping problems, etc.
On this occasion, we will remove the veils surrounding three common 3D printing problems: warping, cracking and Z wobble ⛔

3D printing problems: most common failures

Warping

It occurs when the piece comes off the printing surface.
This is due to the contraction of the material caused by the difference in temperature between the nozzle and the printing bed. It occurs, above all, in the corners and in larger pieces. Follow these tips to avoid it:

Tips to avoid this 3D printing problem:
Always use a heated bed, even with filaments that do not need it such as PLA ​​➡️​ (≈60ºC).
It is essential that the printer is well calibrated: level surface and extruder at the precise distance.
In the lamination program, set an adhesion surface, as a “raft” to optimize adhesion.
Use covers for 3D printers in order to stabilize the temperature inside. This improves not only the adhesion of the piece but also the quality when printing complex elements.
Apply a quality adhesive that helps keep the piece firmly adhered to the heated bed.

Cracking

It is the separation between intermediate layers due to poor adhesion between them.
It is caused by a difference in temperature between layers, caused by air currents or fans. Other factors that can cause delamination between layers are: high humidity in the material, incorrect printing parameters or the presence of complex geometries in the parts.
This usually occurs in more technical materials such as ABS, ASA, etc. Here are some recommendations to prevent it:
Isolate your 3D printer from cold environments ❄️ or exposed to air currents.
Minimize air currents or turn off the fans.
Use a heated bed ♨️​ and use adhesive products as support.

Z Wobble

It is a misalignment of the belts and the lead screw, generating waves along the Z axis of the piece.
Diagnosing this problem is complicated, it usually occurs due to the looseness or misalignment of the lead screw or one of the belts. The threaded rods tend to oscillate when turning, transmitting this movement to the base and printing on the piece that pattern known as “waves”.
Since it is a mechanical problem, it is difficult to diagnose, therefore we recommend carefully checking the 3D printer’s lead screws and belts.
We trust that these tips will be useful to avoid future 3D printing problems and that, together with our Winkle filament, they can make a difference in the quality of your prints. Don’t miss our YouTube video ​ ​ with a visual explanation of these errors.