Layers Peeling Apart in ABS

[magicwiser]

I have been printing for about 6 months now and I am just starting to print larger objects. I figured I would start with something simple like this container but during printing, the layers started peeling away from each other. I was expecting to have problems with it peeling away from the build plate but that didn't happen. Thus, I am not quite sure how to prevent this type of warping in the future. Normally I just play around with different settings until I find a fix but seeing how its a 5 hour print, I figure its better to ask for advice. I have attached some pictures as well as the factory file.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[tenaja]

Do you have a heated chamber? ABS is nearly useless without it.

[magicwiser]

Yes, I am using a FlashForge Creator (which has a heated bed but open sides) but it is inside a glass case to hold in the heat. It generally stays closed during the entire process (from preheat to finish) so the heat stays contained pretty nicely.

[jimc]

your printing too low temp. run abs 255-265 and it will layer bond better. abs is what it is though. you cant stop mother nature. plastic shrinks as it cools and something has to give so either the layers peel apart like that or the part warps and pulls up from the bed.

[CompoundCarl]

Make sure you aren't using a really high layer height too. For example, if you print with 0.35mm thick layers with a 0.4mm nozzle, the layers aren't squished together enough, so they will surely split apart. I like to use a layer height that is at least half as large as my nozzle diameter to make sure the layers bond together really well.

And as jimc said - check the temperature too

[tenaja]

Yes, I am using a FlashForge Creator (which has a heated bed but open sides) but it is inside a glass case to hold in the heat. It generally stays closed during the entire process (from preheat to finish) so the heat stays contained pretty nicely.

Without an air heater, it is not a heated chamber...just a chamber that stops bed heat from escaping. Your bed isn't going to produce enough heat to keep the surrounding air warm.

If you want simple, get a heat gun (industrial strength hair dryer). It makes a world of difference.

[magicwiser]

Yes, I am using a FlashForge Creator (which has a heated bed but open sides) but it is inside a glass case to hold in the heat. It generally stays closed during the entire process (from preheat to finish) so the heat stays contained pretty nicely.

Without an air heater, it is not a heated chamber...just a chamber that stops bed heat from escaping. Your bed isn't going to produce enough heat to keep the surrounding air warm.

If you want simple, get a heat gun (industrial strength hair dryer). It makes a world of difference.

Thats a good idea. I am a high school science teacher so I could easily throw a hot plate in there with it to provide heat. Is there any worry of it getting too warm in there?

[dkightley]

I would go with jimc's recommendations. 220 degrees is the sort of temperature for PLA, not for ABS, which everyone says should be higher as the melting point is greater.

I might even be tempted to increase the outline perimeter to 2 and reduce the infill to compensate. This may then give a greater area for bonding.

[billyd]

Yup 240 c is the minimum to use for ABS imo. But if you go really high, like 250+ you can sometimes alter the color of the filament quite a bit. So watch for that too. Especially white or any light colors.

[KC_703]

Agree with increasing extrusion temps. Turn cooling to a minimum with ABS also... Start with 0 on the first few layers, then to 30% and maybe 50%.

I find a little cooling is necessary, otherwise too high an extrusion temp and no cooling will cause deformity in the object (circular openings in the z-axis turn into ovals).