The technological advancement of the world in the last decade has been remarkable. Such things have been invented and put to practice which were previously only in the imagination of science fiction authors. 3D printer is one such invention and it has been used successfully for many years now. The utility of this magic device is unquestionable, but what the problem often seems to be is the fact that there are some technical glitches faced by the users. So in this article we decided to come to your rescue and tell you about the most common 3D Printer problems and also a brief narrative on how to fix them.
 Some of the most common 3D printer problems and their solution
- The printer works but nothing is being printed:
There will be times when you will be faced with this situation. You will see that no matter your efforts, nothing is being printed from your printer. The cause for this uncommon behavior is that the printer has run out of filament. Now it will be fairly easy for you to spot when you have a device with the visible filament reel. But the reason why this is among the first layer problems is that there are some devices where it is not exposed.
Solution: The solution to the problem though is pretty simple as you just have to refill the filament reel for continued and uninterrupted service from your gadget. If you have a 3D printer, keep this important tip in mind.
- The nozzle can be too close to the print bed causing glitches: This easily stands as the most common 3D printer problems. In this scenario you will see that even after you have reloaded the filament reel nothing is printing The worst case scenario will make you meet a situation where you will have melted filament blocking your gadget and affecting its functionality. If you are wondering how to fix them the answer is easy.
Solution: You can simply lower the printer bed to sort out this issue. This however is not permitted in all such printers and thus there is an outside chance that you will not be able to do it. Apart from this you can also raising the nozzle a bit following the Z-axis offset method. You can thus easily avoid such 3D printing errors by just these simple steps.
- The problem of over extrusion:
This easily finds mention among the most common 3D printer problems. In this particular instance the printer ends up producing the units using more of the material than it is supposed to use. So what happens is a not so perfect work which appears raw and stringy. The problem is a common one and is often faced by the 3D printer users.
Solution: The solution however is fairly simple. Your printer basically has a flow setting that is much higher than normal which is leading to such problems. As a solution for these most common 3D printer problems you just need to access your slicer software and adjust your settings once again. You can then enjoy yet again the uninterrupted service of your 3D printer.
- Messy and incomplete infill: This is among the more serious problems among the most common 3D printer problems. Here you will end up having a situation where the internal parts of your print would be broken. The cause could be a variety of things. It could be simply a broken or missing part of the problem. It can also be a problem in the settings.
Solution: To solve this issue you need to open the slicer software again and check the infill settings. Ideally it should be no more than 20% so you can readjust it. If however the problem is more serious in nature and you seem to find no solution the best thing to do may be to consult a professional.
- Warping or bending:
Since the alignment with the print platform is flawed the printed material tends to bend upwards in this particular problem. This is one of the most common 3D printer problems after a few years of usage. The cause is simple a nature of plastic and the fact that it contracts when the filament is cooling down. While you cannot really avoid the problem you do have an easy solution.
Solution: you just have to ensure that the alignment with the nozzle is perfect. The other way out is to use a heated platform and adjust the temperature such that it suits the needs of the device.
- The outward bulge at the base of the model: This technical glitch in the 3D printers is known as the Elephant’s foot. In this case the print tends to bow out or curve a bit towards the bottom and is quite a problem for all 3D printer users. The problem occurs because here the weight of the model is exerting a lot of pressure on the base even before it gets the chance to cool down.
Solution: Another settings setup can help you get rid of the problem. Just ensure that the base layer can support and cooperate with the top layer through sufficient cooling procedures.
- Deformed and melted print:
This is one of the most common 3D printer problems and here you are faced with a situation where the print is all deformed and molted. The cause usually is a lot of overheating occurring in your device.
Solution: To address this issue you need to check the settings yet again and set the hot end temperature to its usual mark.Â
Final words
These are some of the first layer problems that are usually faced by the users. Now that you are equipped with the knowledge of it all, we hope that you will find it easier to sort out such issues in case you are faced with one. 3D printing errors do occur often but with this knowledge you can resolve any issues comfortably and use this magical gadget with utmost ease.
