Tonight I had my first experience with the Snapmaker and although I’m not very very new to 3Dprinting, it’s new for me to do some coding before the printing ! I would like to use the usb stick sometimes, but I experienced there’s a default setup of 200dgerees for the nozzle and 50degrees for the heated bed. Resulting in printing with pla that it won’t stick to the bed… I presume the bed isn’t hot enough.
What are the steps in gcode (after exporting it from snapmaker3D) to generate a better printing profile with better stickyness on the bed ?
Or is there another and better way to export gcode in Snapmaker3D (or Cura) for better prints ?
I have printed several items in PLA with the heated bed ranging from somewhat small to so large I had to rotate it 45 degrees to fit it in the build envelope. None of them have had any adhesion problems.
I did start one print without any kind of adhesion help (raft / skirt / brim etc) and I didn’t like the first lines laid down so much that I cancelled the print, added a raft and re-exported the gcode file. That one turned out beautifully with the raft. The 2 times I’ve tried brim, I don’t like what it does to the surface finish. The rafts have been perfect if not a little more time / material consuming.
I am using the USB memory key / gcode files / heated bed / PLA combo and have loved it so far. My only complaint is that I can’t “eject” the memory key in between prints without turning the printer off.
I am using the fresh PLA that was vacuum sealed with desiccant that came with the printer. I’ll be using some other PLA eventually and will have to compare old vs. new. I’ve read how PLA absorbs moisture and becomes more brittle. We’ll see.
The reason the print is not sticking to the bed is most likely due to the Z Offset calibration not fine tuned. @jstncrft provided a good link on that above. Once you got the calibration dialed in, you’ll be printing non-stop.
As far as using the USB to print, that’s how I print all the time. Some might see it as a hassle, but you don’t have to worry about the print stopping if your computer loses connection to the 3d printer.
You can turn off the heated bed in Snapmaker3D as part of your gcode settings. I suggest starting from a preset (i like fast print). I just usually tweak the infill, and I’ve had no issues with any of my prints.
I agree with @kelvin8r . Once I nailed down the bed level and proper distance from the print head, I haven’t had adhesion issues.
As far as setting the nozzle and bed temp, you could do it in the gcode, but you can also set it in the app. The little up-carat/arrow above the ‘fast print’ and ‘normal quality’ buttons will let you adjust these values and generate the proper gcode. There isn’t anything about the usb stick that modifies the gcode.
When I calibrated mine, I left it set where the nozzle keeps the paper from moving with light pressure. When I move 0.05mm up, the paper comes loose, so I move it back down 0.05mm and use that as my calibration point. Does that sound similar to what you are using?
My first layer is coming out about 0.9mm. That is on the raft, though. When I try to print without a raft I don’t get very good adhesion. The first layer is loose. Something about starting with a raft or brim has been key, for me.
Also, I recalibrate if I haven’t printed for a while. Usually 1 or 2 out of the 4 calibration locations ends up being 0.05mm different from the previous time I ran it. That’s still very good repeat-ability.
I did my first print ( the filament guide offered elsewhere on this forum (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2737847) by kelvin8r) and it worked perfectly! I tried a larger test (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2596157) by Cynnewulf, using my new filament guide, and I got about 20% through (2 hours) before the jaw lifted and got thrown on the floor. Without any place for the new jaw filament to go, I ended up with quite a rats nest of material on the bed. What makes the project lift suddenly after seemingly sticking for so long? Will glue stick on the bed without tape work?
Is there any sign of the print nozzle striking the part? With some people reporting that their Z-axis is dropping I just wonder if that is happening and then the nozzle strikes the part. I guess if the part does come unstuck from the base that it could lift up and then the nozzle could make contact.
No, I think I’m good there. I used the glue stick on the bed and re ran the same part. So far, I am way past where we had the mess up. I think the surface of the bed was just too slick. Hopefully, I will have a good part this time.
You might also try raising the bed temperature. I stopped using the default 50C and have been using 60C. It has helped keeping my prints on the bed. Most of the time I can get away with just using a skirt for my prints.