{"id":164683,"date":"2022-04-27T17:06:52","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T09:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&#038;p=164683"},"modified":"2022-08-12T11:37:11","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T03:37:11","slug":"3d-printing-first-layer-problems-how-to-make-it-perfect","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/3d-printing-first-layer-problems-how-to-make-it-perfect","title":{"rendered":"3D Printing First Layer Problems: How to Make It Perfect"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"container container--l container--space\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<p class=\"paragraph paragraph--emphasized\">The first layer plays a huge role in a print&#8217;s success. Read on for some tips and tricks and say goodbye to 3D printing first layer problems!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>3D printing the first layer is essential for every\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/fused-deposition-modeling-fdm-3d-printing-simply-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FDM<\/a>\u00a03D print, as it forms the foundation on which more plastic is to be laid. If the first layer\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printer-bed-adhesion-all-you-need-to-know\/\">adheres poorly<\/a>\u00a0to the print surface, the print may dislodge before it\u2019s completed, leading to a failure. Over-adhesion should also be avoided, as prints will become difficult to remove. Every first layer is about striking the balance between print stability and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/how-to-remove-3d-print-from-bed-3d-print-stuck-to-bed\/\">ease of removal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>To start off, level your print surface properly. Many newer printers have automatic leveling, so if this is you, just make sure that you\u2019ve run the leveling sequence already. For 3D printers without automatic leveling, we have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printer-bed-leveling-step-by-step-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">handy guide on how to get your bed level<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019re done leveling, follow along to find some excellent tips\u00a0for addressing 3D printing first layer problems!<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"headline headline--xl\">Tip #1: Set First Layer Settings<\/h3>\n<figure style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/05\/13\/59d75601847ec5db.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"562\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A poor first layer can be avoided with the correct settings (Source: Luke Jones via Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The key step in guaranteeing a successful first layer is to optimize your print settings. By tuning the first layer settings in your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/what-is-a-3d-slicer-simply-explained\/\">slicer<\/a>, you can ensure that the first layer succeeds without changing how the rest of the print will look. Here are some of the most useful settings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>First layer print and bed temperature<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0These settings change the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/the-best-printing-temperature-for-different-filaments\/\">temperature<\/a>\u00a0at which your 3D printer prints the first layer. A higher temperature will allow the plastic to melt better and adhere to the bed, so try bumping up the nozzle and bed temperatures by around 5 \u00b0C each.<\/li>\n<li><strong>First layer line width:<\/strong>\u00a0This setting changes the width of the lines extruded from your 3D printer. A higher line width setting will allow your layers to squish into the bed and get a nice hold, decreasing the odds of failure. You can typically push this setting to twice your 3D printer\u2019s nozzle bore size (which is usually 0.4 mm).<\/li>\n<li><strong>First layer height:<\/strong>\u00a0This setting changes the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printer-layer-height-how-much-does-it-matter\/\">height<\/a>\u00a0of your first layer. A higher value here will mitigate the effects of slight errors in leveling, effectively increasing reliability. You can typically go up to around 0.3 mm with a standard 0.4 mm nozzle.<\/li>\n<li><strong>First layer print speed:<\/strong>\u00a0This setting changes the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printing-speed-optimal-settings\/\">speed<\/a>\u00a0at which the first layer is extruded. Printing slower will allow more time for the plastic to melt, having an effect similar to raising the print temperature. You may want to try this if you\u2019ve increased the layer height or line width.<\/li>\n<li><strong>First layer helpers:<\/strong>\u00a0These include\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printing-raft-brim-and-skirt-all-you-need-to-know\/\">rafts, skirts, and brims<\/a>, and help with adhesion by priming the nozzle to ensure a smooth flow of plastic. In the case of rafts and brims, they also provide a larger surface area for better adhesion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With that, your first layer settings should be ready to go! Next, we\u2019ll dive into maintaining the print surface.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"headline headline--xl\">Tip #2: Clean Your Print Surface<\/h3>\n<figure style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/05\/13\/eaa51966968a9caf.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"634\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A clean print bed can make all the difference (Source: Tom\u00e1\u0161 Chvalina via PrusaPrinters Blog)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If your print surface is dirty and greasy, your freshly-tuned first layer settings won\u2019t do much. The first layer will most likely fail to adhere, and your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/epic-3d-printing-fails-and-why-they-failed\/\">print will fail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid this, wipe down your print bed before every print, or at least between every few. This can be done with isopropyl alcohol (normal rubbing alcohol, or IPA) and a paper towel. It only takes a couple of seconds, but it will prove to be a great print-saver.<\/p>\n<p>You can also use IPA for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/cleaning-3d-prints-post-processing\/\">cleaning your prints<\/a>\u00a0when they\u2019re completed, so it may be helpful to keep a bottle stored nearby.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"headline headline--xl\">Tip #3: Consider the Materials<\/h3>\n<figure style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.facfox.com\/imgs\/2022\/05\/13\/00c9bb4e13f4104a.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Just don&#8217;t be too heavy-handed with the adhesive! (Source: pagonda via Reddit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Finally, make sure that you consider the materials at hand. This goes for both the filament you\u2019re printing with, as well as your printer\u2019s print surface. Try following these tips to avoid mishaps.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Apply an adhesion helper to the bed:<\/strong>\u00a0This includes\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printer-bed-adhesion-how-to-make-prints-stick\/\">hairspray, blue painter\u2019s tape, and standard household glue stick<\/a>. These will help stubborn materials stick, and will also serve as release agents for materials that stick too well, preventing damage to your print surface. A thin layer should do the trick.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid printing directly onto the bed with TPE and PETG:<\/strong>\u00a0This goes with the previous tip but deserves its own mention.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/tpe-filament-explained-and-compared\/\">TPE<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/1\/petg-filament-3d-printing\/\">PETG<\/a>\u00a0are notorious for sticking too well to print surfaces, and will quite possibly tear out pieces of any surface you have, including\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/pei-sheet-as-a-3d-printer-print-bed-sheet-a-guide\/\">PEI<\/a>, Kapton tape, and even\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printer-glass-bed-what-to-consider-which-to-buy\/\">glass<\/a>. Always use a release agent for these materials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And with that, you\u2019re ready to tackle the first layer for a wider range of materials!<\/p>\n<div class=\"aside-layout\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printing-first-layer-problems-how-to-make-it-perfect\/\">https:\/\/all3dp.com\/2\/3d-printing-first-layer-problems-how-to-make-it-perfect\/<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first layer plays a huge role in a print&#8217;s success. Read on for some tips and tricks and say goodbye to 3D printing first layer problems! 3D printing the first layer is essential for every\u00a0FDM\u00a03D print, as it forms the foundation on which more plastic is to be laid. If the first layer\u00a0adheres poorly\u00a0to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"kbtopic":[137],"kbtag":[126,80,203],"class_list":["post-164683","kb","type-kb","status-publish","hentry","kbtopic-case","kbtag-3d-printing","kbtag-fdm","kbtag-solution"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>3D Printing First Layer Problems: How to Make It Perfect - FacFox Docs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The first layer plays a huge role in a print&#039;s success. Read on for some tips and tricks and say goodbye to 3D printing first layer problems! 3D printing The first layer plays a huge role in a print&#039;s success. 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