You’re here because you’ve either just had a complete 3D print failure, or your prints aren’t quite perfect. We don’t settle for less than perfect, so we don’t expect you to either.
Wondering why did my 3D print fail?
Rest assured the problems and solutions to 3D printing issues you could experience are explained in this tips & fixes-packed guide to 3D printing.
Hopefully this guide saves you hours of frustration - if you still need help, please feel free to contact us.
Troubleshooting Guide
| Issue/Title |
The Printer Doesn't Move |
| Cause 1 |
The connector of the X,Y, or Z axis getting loose. |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
Press the home key and see the bed will move or not. Check the connector of the X,Y and Z axis and make sure they are all connected. Re-connect it if the connector don't connect. |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Cause 2 |
The filament didn't get into the nozzle. |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
Press the "+" key, after some fast flashing it will flashes slowly. Press the filament into the nozzle, and you can see the filament will come out from the nozzle. |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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Cause 3
|
After press the play key, it will flashes for about 1 minute and then it will start to move. If the green light doesn't flashes, the files in the SD card may not recognized by the printer. |
Suggested Solutions 3
|
1. Check the files are printable for this printer (printing size). 2. 2. Check the files in the SD card are in GCODE file and doesn't have any special characters. 3. Format the SD card into FAT32 and copy the files into the SD card again. 4. You can use the default file "rocket" to test if it is files issue or not. |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue/Title |
Not extruding at the start of the print |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Print grooves left in bed with no filament and/or flaky or intermittent lines of filament on the first and subsequent layers |
| Cause 1 |
Incorrect extruder calibration/offset |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Prime extruder
- Adjust nozzle height
- Adjust first layer height
- Adjust filament extrusion width
- Babysteping; Z offset
|
| Cause 2 |
Clogged extruder/nozzle |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Hobbed gear
- Clear nozzle
|
| Issue/Title |
Print not sticking to bed |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Insufficient bed adhesion |
| Cause 1 |
Bed is not level |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Level bed
- Reduce print speed (first layer speed)
|
| Cause 2 |
Incorrect nozzle calibration/offset |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Adjust nozzle height
- Adjust first layer height (Use baby-stepping to ensure proper first layer height)
|
| Cause 3 |
Improper bed surface or settings for filament |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Change bed surface (glass/tape/BuildTak)
- Use adhesives (tape/glue/hairspray)
- Adjust bed temperature (for some materials)
- Adjust extrusion temperature
- Pro Tip - Use raft and brim
|
| Issue/Title |
Pillowing, e.g. incomplete top layer fills, top layer holes/gaps |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Pillowing is usually PLA filament specific |
| Cause 1 |
Layer cooling too fast for PLA |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Increase the number of top layers
- Increase infill density
- Lower speed for solid top layers
|
| Issue/Title |
Smashed first layer, aka elephant’s foot; bulging first layer |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Side profile of the printed part shows a bow near the bottom or next to the surface that was adjacent to the print bed |
| Cause 1 |
Bed is not level |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Level bed
|
| Cause 2 |
First layer height is too low |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Increase first layer height
- Balance height adjustment with first layer quality
|
| Cause 3 |
Extrusion rate for the first layer is greater than 100% |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Adjust first layer extrusion rate
- Pro Tip - Design a chamfer into the part
|
| Issue/Title |
Warping or corner lifting |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Edge near the bottom of the print or surface adjacent to the print bed is not level or flat |
| Cause 1 |
Materials, e.g. ABS and Nylon may shrink upon cooling and/or curing
|
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Level bed
- Use glues/adhesives on borosilicate glass
- For ABS, use BuildTak, WolfBite, or ABS “juice”
- Use baby-stepping to ensure proper first layer height
- Pro Tip - Use Enclosure for environmental control
- Pro Tip - Keep printer away from air vents
|
| Cause 2 |
Design of part has sharp corners or thin areas |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Level bed
- Use baby-stepping to ensure proper first layer height
- Design “lily pads” for suspected problem areas and integrate into the model
|
| Issue/Title |
Layer separation or warping within the part |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Layers do not adhere to previously printed layers and pulls from print bed |
| Cause 1 |
Print temperature is set too low |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Adjust print temperature higher
|
| Cause 2 |
Too much layer cooling during and after deposition |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Disable layer cooling
|
| Cause 3 |
Ambient air temperature is too cold and uneven |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Use an enclosure, e.g. cardboard box or shower curtain to control environment
|
| Cause 4 |
Printer is printing too fast |
| Suggested Solutions 4 |
- Decrease print speed
|
| Issue/Title |
Shifted layers or leaning prints |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Layers shift in the z-direction as print progresses |
| Cause 1 |
Printer is printing too fast |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Lower printing speed
|
| Cause 2 |
There are loose pulleys on the x-axis and/or y-axis |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Make sure there is no “play” in the pulleys and tighten
- Check to see if there is friction on the pulleys and adjust
|
| Cause 3 |
Belts are skipping teeth on the x-axis and/or y-axis |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Check for friction along the entire axis
- Check that belts are tight and adjust tension screw
|
| Issue/Title |
Stringing / hairy prints |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Filament in the hot end of the extruder continues to ooze out of the nozzle during non-print moves |
| Cause 1 |
Slow extruder movement between sections of a part or more than one part |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Retraction calibration
- Increase extruder speed on non-printing movements
|
| Cause 2 |
Length of filament retraction is too short |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Retraction calibration
- Increase length of filament retraction
|
| Cause 3 |
You are printing with PET |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Use dry filament
- Adjust extruder temperature
|
| Cause 4 |
Printer crosses gaps when moving from one place to another |
| Suggested Solutions 4 |
-
Turn on avoid crossing perimeters
|
| Issue/Title |
Overhangs or sagging sections in the print |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Unsupported or protruding part faces may not print properly or not print at all |
| Cause 1 |
Design of model or positioning of part |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Add supports
- Reduce layer heights
- Slow speed
- Reposition model for better printing
- Keep overhangs typically at a 45 degree angle or less
|
| Issue/Title |
Support material difficult to remove |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Removing supports is difficult due to fused support material with the initial part layers and often results in pitted initial layers once supports are removed |
| Cause 1 |
No gap or layer height offset between support layer and initial part layer |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Increase air gap
- Increase the pattern spacing
- Decrease the support percentage
- Turn off create perimeter
|
| Issue/Title |
Under extrusion, e.g. not extruding enough plastic or insufficient material |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Under extrusion is identified by “silky” residue or gaps between extrusion lines or layers |
| Cause 1 |
Printer settings for filament size is incorrect |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Measure filament diameter
- Change filament extrusion multiplier to compensate on the fly
- Some machines require 2.85 mm filament instead of 3.00 mm filament (Airwolf, Ultimaker).
|
| Cause 2 |
Filament extrusion temperature is too low |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Increase extruder temperature
|
| Cause 3 |
Nozzle or extruder may be clogged or not properly calibrated |
| Suggested Solutions 3 |
- Check that the filament path is clear
- Clear nozzle and/or extruder
|
| Issue/Title |
Z-wobble or lines on the side of the print |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Most often a mechanical issue due to poorly fabricated, loosely fitted/assembled and/or worn components; Check extrusion speed first |
| Cause 1 |
Check for loose or damaged mechanical components |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Check Z axis for foreign matter or slop
- Tighten belts on the x and y axes
|
| Cause 2 |
Replace or reprint faulty components |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
- Replace screw(s), ballscrew(s)
- Visualization of threaded rod
- Pro Tip: Conduct laser pen test
|
| Issue/Title |
Small features not printed |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
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| Cause 1 |
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| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Slicing threshold for detection related to nozzle diameter
|
| Issue/Title |
Scars on top surface |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Filament residue is “leaked” upon the top of the print surface |
| Cause 1 |
Lack of z-lift or retraction between moves |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Increase z- lift
|
| Issue/Title |
Blobs and/or pimples on exterior surface |
| Example Image / Graphic |
 
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| Issue Details |
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| Cause 1 |
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| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Clean nozzle
- Check connection (USB)
- Pauses, try printing from SD
|
| Issue/Title |
Weak infill |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
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| Cause 1 |
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| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Change infill pattern
- Lower print speed
- Increase infill extrusion width
|
| Issue/Title |
Stops extruding in the middle of a print |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
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| Cause 1 |
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| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Out of filament
- Filament tangle before extruder
- Stripped filament
- Nozzle jam
- Heat creep
|
| Issue/Title |
Infill showing on exterior of print |
| Example Image / Graphic |
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| Issue Details |
Infill structure is visible on the top, bottom or sides of a printed part |
| Cause 1 |
Infill shows on top or bottom surfaces due to insufficient number of top/solid bottom layers or wrong layer speeds |
| Suggested Solutions 1 |
- Increase number of surface layers
-
Decrease top solid infill speed
|
| Cause 2 |
Infill shows on side surfaces due to insufficient number of perimeters or too much infill overlap |
| Suggested Solutions 2 |
-
Increase number of perimeters
-
Decrease infill overlap
|
