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3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints  

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Scott W1BIC
(@scott-w1bic)
New Member
3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints

I have done multiple full calibrations and countless first layer calibrations my z is currently set to -1.503

 

Posted : 05/05/2020 3:37 pm
matthewm1970
(@matthewm1970)
Active Member
RE: 3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints

Scott, first let me share that I'm far from an expert at this.  I apologize in advance if I'm going over troubleshooting you already completed.

However, it looks to me like your first layer is attaching well except in the front right corner.  Is that consistent on all your prints?  If so, it looks like you may have a bed leveling problem.  Are you using the 9-point or 49-point bed leveling check?  If using the 9-point, I recommend switching to the 49-point as it will give the printer much more information about how to adjust if the bed is slightly out of level.  This is in the Settings menu on your Prusa.  

Are the first layer calibrations you've done the ones in the firmware, with the zig-zag followed by the small square in the front-left?  If you haven't followed the process in this (long) thread, I recommend it - it helped me retune my printer after moving it, far more than the built-in process.  Essentially, you print a large (about 100mm x 100mm) square at just one layer (0.2mm) and use it to live-adjust the Z height while it's printing.  I recommend reading the first couple pages and the last 3 (they're 33, 34 and 35 as I write this) - this should give you a good idea of how that process works and what folks are noticing and adjusting as a result of it.

Finally, -1.503 sounds like a really big Z adjust to me; most of what I've read indicates that something between -0.3 and -0.6 is reasonable.  You may want to look at re-setting your PINDA probe height, if you go through the calibration listed in the thread I linked and end up in the same ballpark of Z height adjustment.  

Posted : 07/05/2020 8:17 am
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
RE: 3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints

What has likely changed is contamination of your PEI textured print surface, whether from touching or environmental dust & build-up. The PEI surface can be very susceptible to any grease. Try giving the sheet a wash under the kitchen sink with hot water and plain Dawn dish soap or your local equivalent. Use a clean plain paper towel to scrub it, and another to dry it. Do NOTHING ELSE to the sheet. Then do a Live-Z calibration.

If you have not already done so, try using Jeff Jordan's "Life Adjust" procedure for calibrating your Live-Z setting. It is much easier to use and understand than the on-board routine and much easier to make mid-print adjustments accurately with. In general, start high (less negative) and work lower (more negative) in large increments (e.g. 0.1mm) until the filament starts to stick on its own. When you've got your Live-Z setting adjusted properly, you should be able to gently rub the extruded lines on the PEI surface without dislodging them.  Then start lowering (more negative) the level until there are no gaps between layers. You should not be able to peel the lines apart after printing, but the top should be regular. 
My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 07/05/2020 3:55 pm
Jerry
(@jerry)
Estimable Member
RE: 3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints

Is it a three-year-old nozzle

Posted : 09/05/2020 2:04 am
bobstro
(@bobstro)
Illustrious Member
RE: 3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints
Posted by: @jerry-s3

Is it a three-year-old nozzle

How much actual printing? A nozzle shouldn't "expire" sitting unused. They are cheap and replacement can't hurt, but a worn nozzle won't usually be the culprit of what's shown in your pics. And of course, you need to redo Live-Z when swapping nozzles, so you're back to that in the end. 

My notes and disclaimers on 3D printing

and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Posted : 09/05/2020 2:28 am
its3415
(@its3415)
Active Member
RE: 3+ Years of GREAT Printing now nothing prints

This may or may not help, but I very recently had a problem with nothing sticking very well. It looks like my live Z was wrong after being OK for many hours of printing, which puzzled me for a while. I believe my Pinda probe had drooped by a very small amount, less than 0.1 mm, due to repeatedly keeping printing the same stl that kept the extruder within a few mm of the bed, keeping it very warm. (I use an enclosure). Adjusting the live Z sorted it out, but just in case I'm right about the cause, and it gets worse, I've printed a new extruder body ready to swap in... 

Posted : 12/05/2020 11:08 am
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