More troubleshooting on the new build

[Dionysus480]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to figure out how to improve my prints. Here is a picture.

The lines on this layer are regularly uneven. Thick line (shown by solid line) then thin line, then thick, etc. The second issue is that the lines leave gaps near the perimeter (oval).

Questions:
What is the proper term for these lines on the top and bottom solid layers? Are these considered some form of infill?
What ideas should I consider for the alternating thick-thin lines.
What ideas for the gaps?

I think there is slight overextrusion still occurring. I was conservative when I was following the E-steps Fine Tuning guide. I don' t think I dialed it back enough, I had reduced it from 92.65 to 89.89 during the tuning. I decided at that point to go with it for a bit and retune later.

Please go ahead and offer any guidance, even for problems I may not have spotted.

(edit) Details I should have included initially:

• Midnight Black SeeMeCNC ABS 1.75 with actual measurement of 1.67 mm
  
  Heated bed to 70C with Fablam surface
  
  Extruder temp 228C (stock hotend). I performed the cylinder pull apart test and settled back on 228. 235 didn't improve things and I got a few more pops. 225 made the pull apart easy. I was happy with the strength during the PEEK and Layer Fan prints in the assembly manual, so I went back to 228.
  
  This is the bottom surface, so we're looking at the first layer.
  
  I have not performed the gross extrusion tests to 100mm. This is part of the reason I decided to stop with the e-steps fine tuning. I will install belt tensioners this weekend, retension everything and recalibrate. I will start gain on the extruder calibration as well and start with the 100mm test first. (However, I get the tiniest of ridges on the top and bottom surfaces, and "think" I see gaps in the infil when set to 95% - so I think its at least close.)
  
  I calibrated according to the Assembly Manual, but used a dial indicator when running the Tower Cal script. I got the 3 towers within 1/1000 of an inch (shrug - I prefer metric but I had an SAE dial), then adjusted the horizontal radius until the center was also within 1/1000th. However, Z-axis height remains something I can't really figure out how to dial in as close. I still use the paper pull technique.
  
  I have stuck with Mattercontrol and the Matterslice engine. I have purchased Simplify 3D, but haven't started using it (but its available as an option.) I thought troubleshooting might be better done before I start switching up the software.

"By the way" I guess this bit might be useful. When printing the skirt, there are ALWAYS several centimeters where there is no filament deposited. However, once the skirt starts printing, it prints pretty perfectly from that point. I've been meaning to print one of those large phantoms to check the layer height over the entire bed.

Thanks again for any help. Its funny to start into something where even the terminology is foreign to me. I'm trying to learn the proper terms so that I can ask more intelligent questions without miscommunicating.

[Ail]

I'm still a newb but have been working on calibrating my max v2 for a bit now.

First, depending on the slicer the top/bottom/outside layers can be called different things. (Shells, outer surface, or combos of multiple terms for sides/top bottom etc.) infill is specifically for the pattern and density of the lines on the inside of the part (your triangles,honeycomb or other pattern)

Question for you, is the picture of the top or bottom layer? There is a setting for overlap when filling but not sure that's your problem here. Also which slicer are you using? I have found Slic3r to leave some gaps around curved sections like that.

Back to the issue, I don't know how much calibration you have done to this point but will start with e steps since you mentioned it. Did you calibrate by extruding into the air? I found that to be quick and easy. Retract your filament up the Bowden a little, pull the Bowden off the hot end, trim the filament square at the end of the tube and then extrude 100mm. Measure from the end of the tube to the tip of the filament (should be 100mm) if not
New Steps/mm = (Old/Current steps/mm) x [100 / (measured distance filament traveled)]
(Link to the guide I used https://www.matterhackers.com/articles/ ... r-extruder
Also if you don't have a mm ruler you can find printable ones online, that is what I used just make sure it's scaled correctly when printing.

Once you get 100mm consistent you can rule out over extrusion because of e steps and move on to calibrating your extrusion width. It looks like the width is not consistent but I don't know if it's because of overextrusion or possibly z height issue on fist layer depending on what side is showing in the pic.

Sorry if this has all been done already, I have had to start over a few times to get everything right so just starting with the basics

[Dionysus480]

Thanks very much for the reply. I'm hoping to install belt tensioners this weekend and recalibrate. I will start over and try to repeat all of the calibration steps, to see if I get some ideas of how to improve things.

I hadn't thought about trying different slicers as it impacts that first layer pattern. Guess I'll have to set up Simplify 3D, and maybe Cura or KISSlicer or Slic3r.

The top layer looks similarly. I have a calibration cube I've been printing. It looks great on the sides, but the top shows the same gaps and pattern. The picture above is from a different print, because the black shows the problems much better.

[Ail]

I just switched to kisslicer and my first layer improved significantly. Getting your extrusion multiplier for the filament you are using dialed in makes a big difference. If you are using the stock hot end a single wall (or loop depending on the slicer) should be ~0.55mm. There are plenty of posts about dialing in the extrusion width to check out. Just a lot of measuring of little cubes and slicing to get it right. Once you have that dialed in this issue may be gone completely or if it is still there you will know it's not because of over/under extrusion.

EDIT
Just noticed your edit. Belt tension is a bit of a mystery to me still. I know I had a slight issue with my z tower but it was obvious when wiggling an arm or the carriage on that tower. Really the only reference point you have is the other towers but if you do some wiggling and watch the nozzle it should be apparent if you have too much give. Again it's pretty much black magic but if you have sat there enough setting the Z height with the dial, you will have a feel for what seems to be to much play.

As for Z height, it was a bit tough to do the paper thing for me, I just didn't know what was enough grab. I ended up using an old Heath insurance card (any random card will do). I measured it's thickness (was just over .2). I then modified the calibration macro to use .2 for the height. I would then try to slide the card under the nozzle at each point and adjust end stops from there. Check center again, adjust z height, run macro, turn screws, and again and again :p. I found it easier to check for level against the card thickness rather than arbitrary amount of grab on the single piece of paper. I then had a copy of the macro with .1 layer height for the final test and just constantly tried to move the paper back and fourth under the nozzle as the script ran to make sure it wasn't binding up or getting to close anywhere along the path. Again I'm a newb so probably not proper but worked for me ;P