Poor quality on top+bottom of prints

[bonkersthough]

Hi all, copying my text from my reddit post. Any help is appreciated:

I recently purchased Simplify3D and started using it exclusively, in the past I have always used Cura. I am having issues getting my print quality where I want it though.

It seems like the top and bottom layers are spaced too far apart, causing a structurally sound but rough looking surface. I never had this problem with Cura.
Here is an album of what I am talking about: http://imgur.com/a/aiyx4

I am using a Folgertech 2020 i3 with auto bed leveling, aluminum heated build plate. My extruder has been calibrated and the width of my filament measured and accounted for in Simplify3D. Some of my settings are in the album as well.

My question is: why are my top and bottom layers coming out like this? It looks like they are spaced too far apart. The issue is most visible in my last picture of the bottom of the TPU cube.

I've spent the last week or so running hundreds of test prints calibrating my printer in various ways. It is printing great except for this one last issue. Can anybody help me out?

[brian442]

Well, there's a few things it could be. For starters, you may be under-extruding everywhere, which will affect all the layers. I recommend reading this link for a way to accurately check this:
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/prin ... gh-plastic

Once you know you have that right based on their perimeter test, then you should check the first layer. If the lines on the first layer look like they are too spaced, but they start to look better after another 10-20 layers, then that probably means your first layer position is too far away from the bed. Use the global z-axis offset to move it closer (enter -0.1mm to move it 0.1mm closer)

Then hopefully all you're left with are the top layers. If those still look bad, I would read this page:
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/prin ... top-layers

Thankfully there are a lot of useful links on this site

[arhi]

that top layer that is "rough", can't say for sure from the pics but the black one looks overextruded ..
the bottom, dunno what to say, I'm having issues with bottoms with s3d since day one, never found the way to solve it so I accept it as is ..

[MHC]

I agree that it looks like over extrusion on the top layer.

For the bottom layer, I notice your 1st layer width is 150%. Is that deliberate, and have you tried 100%?