totalitarian
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 1:42 am

Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

OK so I have a new Da Vinci Printer where I can't get the first layer to stick down. I have tried glue and blue painters tape. I've also tried levelling the x-axis, setting the z-axis nozzle height to 2 sheets of paper and cleaned the nozzle and filament gears. Why oh why won't it stick???
Attachments
20161228_153312.jpg
wirlybird
Posts: 1374
Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2016 1:32 pm

Re: Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

First check out the S3D print trouble shooting guide.

What is the material and temps? Speed?

Try leveling with one sheet of paper. You may just be a bit high.
totalitarian
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 1:42 am

Re: Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

Hi I've tried the guide but things get worse. The temps are controlled automatically by the printer. If I lower the nozzle the extruder starts clicking quite bad.
greybeard
Posts: 178
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 1:23 pm

Re: Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

I suggest this...

20 bond paper is 0.004" thick. You're using two sheets, thus, nozzle height is 0.008" (=0.203mm). So, if your print height is 0.2mm, you're not squishing the first layer enough. Certainly not enough to stick.

I strongly suggest using one sheet of Cigarette rolling paper (Zig-Zag or Rizila, or other made from corn silk). Don't use Top (it's as thick as 20 bond paper).

I print PLA directly onto glass without glue. Just printed 10 each fine tooth gears (module 0.793mm) without glue and without problems....
3D Print Parts
https://www.thingiverse.com/Still_Breathing/designs
JoeyJojoJr
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:22 pm

Re: Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

totalitarian wrote:OK so I have a new Da Vinci Printer where I can't get the first layer to stick down. I have tried glue and blue painters tape. I've also tried levelling the x-axis, setting the z-axis nozzle height to 2 sheets of paper and cleaned the nozzle and filament gears. Why oh why won't it stick???
I was having a similar issue, but once I changed the setpoint temp in process settings to 200C, everything has has been adhering very well. For whatever reason Simplify3D wont prime the filament as quickly as the xyzware, so I also adjust my raft offset to 10mm and increase the number of outlines depending on the size of the part
ssimak
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:05 pm

Re: Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

Hi,

I have a da Vinci Mini w (with Wi Fi) and had similar problems at first. I use the blue painter's tape and glue stick as well. A previous post mentioned adjusting the temperature. I did this and it helped. I noticed in the XYZWare that the extruder temperature was 204 degrees. However, in S3D, the temperature in the profile was 190. I went to FFF Profile -> Temperature -> and adjusted the temperature for layer 1 (bottom right).

But what also really helped was adjusting the settings for the first layer. I noticed that my default settings were off from other da Vinci entry level printers. I slowed down the first layer and increased the layer height & width. Go to:

FFF Profile -> Layer -> First Layer Settings (top right). I use:
First Layer Height: 150
First Layer Width: 150
First Layer Speed: 30

Save the profile as a New Profile so the original remains untouched. I found these settings greatly improved my first layer. Give it a shot.

Also, I also noticed that the extruder moves slower on the rest of the layers when using the XYZWare as opposed to S3D. I am looking to adjust the extruder speed settings for the entire print. Does anyone know any recommended speed settings for the da Vinci Mini printers? Thanks!

Hope this helps,

Best,

Steve
Lindharin
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2018 5:01 am

Re: Da Vinci Jr. Can't get the first layer down

Steve, the settings for the first layer height, width and speed really helped me with my new Da Viinci Jr. I couldn't get my first layer to stick at all with Simplify3D, even with tape, etc., but I had noticed that the initial lines were noticeably thinner than the lines printed when I was using XYZWare, which always stuck to the bed on the first try. The change the first layer width and height were the answer.

My one remaining issue is that when I use Simplify3D, my nozzle leaks a significant amount of filament while the extruder is heating up. In XYZWare, a tiny amount of filament may leak out - maybe an 1/8th of an inch. But using the same temperatures and filament, when I use Simplify3D I get anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of dangling filament that leaks out in the few seconds between 175 and 205 degrees. The extruder is down in the home position at that point, and there are only a few seconds before it starts printing, which makes it awkward to try to manually clean it before the print head starts moving. And then once it is printing, it takes a noticeable amount of time and distance, maybe 50 to 100 mm before it actually starts laying down a line of filament. Between the two, that makes the start of the print job still somewhat iffy.

I am using skirts, which helps address the delay before the filament starts flowing properly, but it really doesn't help clear out any dangling filament that was already hanging from the extruder. The skirts are still fairly localized to the actual printing area, so most of the time when the dangling filament is scraped off it is going to lay within the print zone and end up messing up the first layer anyway.

What I'm looking for is a way to draw a 50 to 100 mm single or double line down one edge of my print bed prior to starting the skirt / brim. I've seen the instructions on the Simplify3D site about how to print multiple objects sequentially, so one approach would be to find a simple object that I can use for this priming activity first before going on to my real activity. I haven't found a suitable model yet, so I may look into just making one myself.

The alternative would be to use G-Codes to draw the line, which would be simpler to use since I could just add it to the scripts block in my default process, but I'm not familiar enough with them yet to know how to write it. Does anyone else use something like this?

Thanks,
Jim

Return to “General Discussion and Tips”