3D Printing First Layer Problems – How To Fix Them

Do you 3D print something but you spend a lot of time trying to make the object stick to the bed? Or does the edges start warping or it suddenly comes off the bed in mid-print? Well, today we will analyze 3 good strategies to fix this first layer problem.

Object Not Sticking To The Plate

1.Heated bed.
Does your printer have a heated bed? A heated bed is a must have if you have to avoid issues like this.

2.Borosilicate glass bed.
If your printer bed is not glass, then you might have trouble making objects stick to it. It’s better to purchase a Borosilicate glass bed and clean it with alcohol before every print. This will ensure the surface is clean enough and the filament will stick to it quite well.

3. The temperature is not high enough.
A trick I learned when 3D printing is to always print the first 3 layers slower and with a higher temperature than the rest. Having a higher temperature will make the filament stick better to the plate and a slower movement will also help.

4. Filament has moisture or it’s too old.
If you’re printing with an old filament, it’s most likely to contain moisture and this can alter how the filament is extruded and the melting temperature. It’s best to always keep the filament in a box with a moisture sucking device to prevent damage.

The Object is Warping On The Edges

This can happen quite often especially with ABS filament. This usually happens when the filament starts to cool off, and it starts to shrink. You can avoid this by having an enclose printer frame and don’t use the cooling fan at maximum speed. Having a cooling fan at high speed can cool the edges and make the filament shrink, so try to reduce it to avoid this issue.

Common Questions

1. Can I use glue to secure the first layer?
I don’t recommend glue at all. I know that a lot of people just use glue, but it starts to release harmful chemicals when heated and can be really messy to clean after.

2.What about masking tape in the metal?
Nothing is better than glass. The glass can be really sticky if you clean it with alcohol before every print. It will also make the bottom of your objects very shiny and beautiful.