Skip to Main Content

Makerspace Staff Guide: Equipment Maintenance

Covers routine maintenance for makerspace equipment.

Issues with the Printer

It is always recommended to double check the Print Settings section of PrusaSlicer if there is an issue with a 3D print


First Layer Too Squished or Not Adhering

If the first layer of the print is either starting too close to the bed (layer will look very thin and squished) or too high from the bed (may not be adhering to bed at all) you will want to stop the print immediately.

Usually, all that is needed is to restart the print so that it can run through the auto-leveling sequence again.

If restarting does not fix the issue, please notify staff.

 Image courtesy of Prusa

 


Corners Warping / Curling

Photo courtesy of Simplify 3D

Warping occurs on prints because plastic, shrinks as it cools. For more details, check out this page from Simplify 3D. This is especially noticeable for larger prints. It is recommended to turn on Brim in PrusaSlicer to help increase the surface area of the print which in turns helps hold it to the bed. Residue on the 3D printer bed can also contribute to warping, so it is important to make sure the bed is cleaned regularly.


Print Coming Off Bed

A similar issue is prints coming unstuck from the printer bed completely during printing as seen in the photo below.

This is more common when trying to print multiple pieces or tall, narrow objects. Like warping, making sure the 3D printer bed is clean and using a brim during printing may help prevent this from occurring.