It’s not always easy to get high-quality prints. To get to know your printer and the filament you want to use, you’ll need patience and some fine-tuning. When dealing with quality issues, we recommend looking at your setup and changing only one thing at a time before trying a fresh print. Then make a note of the modification and how it differs from the prior print. So, without further ado, here are some amazing tips for helping you improve your 3D print quality!
Level the Bed and Set the Z Offset
The most basic approach to increase the quality of a 3D print is to ensure that the bed is perfectly level and that the nozzle is positioned at the proper height above the bed (this is known as the Z offset). To manually level the bed, measure the distance between the nozzle and the bed at numerous spots across the bed with a sheet of paper or a feeler gauge. It’s a bit like Goldilocks when the (clean) nozzle is at the right distance from the bed. The paper or gauge will have minimum resistance when pulled free but easily go back underneath the nozzle without effort.
Test the Temperatures
The temperature of the nozzle—or nozzles, if there are several—directly impacts the finished print’s look. If the nozzle is excessively hot, it may leave filament threads between the pieces. When printing tall items, high temperatures or insufficient cooling might cause the previous layers to melt, causing the piece to deform. Controlling the temperature of the build plate, on the other hand, aids print adherence and prevents other problems. Warping could be an indication that the bed temperature is too low or that you need to check your bed adhesion.
Upgrade the Build Surface
The build plate is an important component of your printer that influences the materials you can print with and the surface of your created things. On the bottom of the print, different build plates provide distinct textures: Glass, PEI, or Kapton tape leaves a smooth finish on the bed, whereas glue-on polycarbonate sheets or painter’s tape leaves a matte finish. If you’re using a spray or glue to adhere the print to the surface, only use enough to adhere to the print. It’s also tough to remove the print if there’s too much glue or spray on it. Forcing it off could harm the print or, if applied with enough force, break or deform the plate.
We hope our tips for helping you improve your 3D print quality will help you make your creations better! While FDM printing is a tricky subject, knowing the basics can help you increase your print quality as well. Be sure to research different techniques used in FDM printing to ensure your prints turn out exactly how you envision them!
