Use this guide will help you identify and solve the most common issues that may occur while 3D printing.



When printing, unexpected challenges may arise that will need to be resolved in order to complete a successful print.  Often times, the appropriate response to a printing issue is not immediately apparent.  This guide outlines some of the most common issues faced by 3D printing practitioners and highlights steps that may be taken to resolve those issues.



3D Printing Troubleshooting



The guide is organized into a table with the following format.

Issue/Title - This highlights the action of a printer or print result that is not optimal or correct.  This is comparable to a medical examination where the doctor inquires about the symptoms or behavior the patient is exhibiting or experiencing while being ill.

Example Image/Graphic - This is an image or graphical representation of the issue.

Issue Details - This provides additional information on the issue from actions during printing or the results upon completion.

Cause and Suggested Solutions - This lists in order from highest to lowest probability the source or cause of the issue and suggested solutions to follow for issue resolution.



Table of Contents


  1. Not extruding at the start of the print
  2. Print not sticking to bed
  3. Jammed nozzle/clogged extruder
  4. Pillowing, e.g. incomplete top layer fills, top layer holes/gaps
  5. Smashed first layer, aka elephant’s foot; bulging first layer
  6. Warping or corner lifting
  7. Layer separation or warping within the part
  8. Shifted layers or leaning prints
  9. Stringing / hairy prints
  10. Overhangs or sagging sections in the print
  11. Support material difficult to remove
  12. Under extrusion, e.g. not extruding enough plastic or insufficient material
  13. Grinding filament and/or extruder motor skipping
  14. Z-wobble or lines on the side of the print
  15. Small features not printed
  16. Scars on top surface
  17. Blobs and/or pimples on exterior surface
  18. Weak infill
  19. Stops extruding in the middle of a print
  20. Infill showing on exterior of print


Troubleshooting Guide

Issue/Title
 Not extruding at the start of the print
Example Image / Graphic
 IMG_1691.png
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

  1. Prime extruder

  2. Adjust nozzle height

  3. Adjust first layer height

  4. Adjust filament extrusion width

  5. Babysteping; Z offset
Cause 2
 Clogged extruder/nozzle
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Hobbed gear

  2. Clear nozzle



Issue/Title
 Print not sticking to bed
Example Image / Graphic
 IMG_2080.jpg
Issue Details
 Insufficient bed adhesion
Cause 1
 Bed is not level
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Level bed

  2. Reduce print speed (first layer speed)
Cause 2
 Incorrect nozzle calibration/offset
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Adjust nozzle height

  2. 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

  1. Change bed surface (glass/tape/BuildTak)

  2. Use adhesives (tape/glue/hairspray)

  3. Adjust bed temperature (for some materials)

  4. Adjust extrusion temperature

  5. Pro Tip - Use raft and brim



Issue/Title
 Jammed nozzle/clogged extruder
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
 Extruder is unable to feed filament through nozzle and is often accompanied by a grinding or “clicking” sound from the feed motor
Cause 1
 Heat creep for PLA
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Manually push filament through extruder

  2. Reload filament

  3. Cool extruder and reheat
Cause 2
 Particle or carbonized filament blocking nozzle
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Clear with small diameter needle, e.g. acupuncture needle

  2. Nylon cold pull

  3. Disassemble extruder and nozzle



Issue/Title
 Pillowing, e.g. incomplete top layer fills, top layer holes/gaps
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
 Pillowing is usually PLA filament specific
Cause 1
 Layer cooling too fast for PLA
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Increase the number of top layers

  2. Increase infill density

  3. Lower speed for solid top layers



Issue/Title
 Smashed first layer, aka elephant’s foot; bulging first layer
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Level bed
Cause 2
 First layer height is too low
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Increase first layer height

  2. Balance height adjustment with first layer quality
Cause 3
 Extrusion rate for the first layer is greater than 100%
Suggested Solutions 3

  1. Adjust first layer extrusion rate

  2. Pro Tip - Design a chamfer into the part



Issue/Title
 Warping or corner lifting
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Level bed

  2. Use glues/adhesives on borosilicate glass

  3. For ABS, use BuildTak, WolfBite, or ABS “juice”

  4. Use baby-stepping to ensure proper first layer height

  5. Pro Tip - Use Enclosure for environmental control

  6. Pro Tip - Keep printer away from air vents
Cause 2
 Design of part has sharp corners or thin areas
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Level bed

  2. Use baby-stepping to ensure proper first layer height

  3. Design “lily pads” for suspected problem areas and integrate into the model



Issue/Title
 Layer separation or warping within the part
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Adjust print temperature higher
Cause 2
 Too much layer cooling during and after deposition
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Disable layer cooling
Cause 3
 Ambient air temperature is too cold and uneven
Suggested Solutions 3

  1. Use an enclosure, e.g. cardboard box or shower curtain to control environment
Cause 4
 Printer is printing too fast
Suggested Solutions 4

  1. Decrease print speed



Issue/Title
 Shifted layers or leaning prints
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
 Layers shift in the z-direction as print progresses
Cause 1
 Printer is printing too fast
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Lower printing speed
Cause 2
 There are loose pulleys on the x-axis and/or y-axis
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Make sure there is no “play” in the pulleys and tighten

  2. Check to see if there is friction on the pulleys and adjust

  3. http://forums.matterhackers.com/topic/76/how-to-fix-shifting-layers
Cause 3
 Belts are skipping teeth on the x-axis and/or y-axis
Suggested Solutions 3

  1. Check for friction along the entire axis

  2. Check that belts are tight and adjust tension screw

  3. http://forums.matterhackers.com/topic/76/how-to-fix-shifting-layers



Issue/Title
 Stringing / hairy prints
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Retraction calibration

  2. Increase extruder speed on non-printing movements

  3. Retraction: Just say "No" to oozing

  4. Retraction Cubes download
Cause 2
 Length of filament retraction is too short
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Retraction calibration

  2. Increase length of filament retraction

  3. Retraction: Just say "No" to oozing

  4. Retraction Cubes download
Cause 3
 You are printing with PET
Suggested Solutions 3

  1. Use dry filament

  2. Adjust extruder temperature
Cause 4
 Printer crosses gaps when moving from one place to another
Suggested Solutions 4

  1. Turn on avoid crossing perimeters



Issue/Title
 Overhangs or sagging sections in the print
Example Image / Graphic
 IMG_0816.jpg
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

  1. Add supports

  2. Reduce layer heights

  3. Slow speed

  4. Reposition model for better printing

  5. Keep overhangs typically at a 45 degree angle or less



Issue/Title
 Support material difficult to remove
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Increase air gap

  2. Increase the pattern spacing

  3. Decrease the support percentage

  4. Turn off create perimeter



Issue/Title
 Under extrusion, e.g. not extruding enough plastic or insufficient material
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Measure filament diameter

    1. Change filament extrusion multiplier to compensate on the fly

    2. 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

  1. Increase extruder temperature
Cause 3
 Nozzle or extruder may be clogged or not properly calibrated
Suggested Solutions 3

  1. Check that the filament path is clear

  2. Clear nozzle and/or extruder

  3. Calibrate your extruder


Issue/Title
 Grinding filament and/or extruder motor skipping
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
 Noise from the feed motor makes a grinding or clicking sound
Cause 1
 Heat creep from the extruder that creates a “bulb” at the end of the filament between the gear and the extruder
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Check that filament is extruding

  2. Increase extruder temperature

  3. Clear nozzle jam

  4. Check extruder motor and hobbed gear for filament residue


Issue/Title
 Z-wobble or lines on the side of the print
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Check Z axis for foreign matter or slop

  2. Tighten belts on the x and y axes
Cause 2
 Replace or reprint faulty components
Suggested Solutions 2

  1. Replace screw(s), ballscrew(s)

  2. Visualization of threaded rod

  3. Pro Tip: Conduct laser pen test


Issue/Title
 Small features not printed
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
  
Cause 1
  
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Slicing threshold for detection related to nozzle diameter


Issue/Title
 Scars on top surface
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Increase z- lift


Issue/Title
 Blobs and/or pimples on exterior surface
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
  
Cause 1
  
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Clean nozzle

  2. Check connection (USB)

  3. Pauses, try printing from SD


Issue/Title
 Weak infill
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
  
Cause 1
  
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Change infill pattern

  2. Lower print speed

  3. Increase infill extrusion width


Issue/Title
 Stops extruding in the middle of a print
Example Image / Graphic
Issue Details
  
Cause 1
  
Suggested Solutions 1

  1. Out of filament

  2. Filament tangle before extruder

  3. Stripped filament

  4. Nozzle jam

  5. Heat creep


Issue/Title
 Infill showing on exterior of print
Example Image / Graphic
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

  1. Increase number of surface layers

  2. 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

  1. Increase number of perimeters

  2. Decrease infill overlap