things were looking great, but for some inexplicable reason, the print has failed. It didn’t stick to the bed, or the filament just stopped extruding — regardless, this type of 3D printing problem could be one of many things

• Extrusion Stopped Mid-Print:

  • What’s the 3D Printing Problem?

    Sometimes, for any of a number of reasons, the hot end will stop extruding molten filament.

  • What’s Causing this 3D Printing Problem?

    Typically this 3D printing problem is attributable to two parts of the printing process — either something is wrong with your filament supply, or there’s a problem with the hot end/nozzle itself. It could be as simple a case as your filament has run out. Some printers obscure the spool, so you never know! Or it could be too tight of an idler on your extruder resulting in stripped filament that isn’t being fed into the hot end.

    Alternatively, you could have a blockage in your hot end, preventing any further filament from being extruded.

  • Do the Below:

    •  CHECK YOU HAVE ENOUGH FILAMENT: A little obvious, but even the best of us have momentary lapses in concentration. Many slicers now give a material estimation for your prints, and judging that against the weight of your spool of filament and how much is left on it can give you a feeling for if there’s enough filament to complete your print.

    • CHECK FOR STRIPPED FILAMENT: Stripped filament can be responsible for a print failing mid-way through, and can be caused by a myriad of issues. Check out our dedicated 3D printing troubleshooting tip on how to deal with stripped filament

    • CHECK FOR A CLOGGED NOZZLE: A nozzle caked in old burnt filament can cause a few different print issues, one of which is blocking any new extrusions from being laid down. Check out our dedicated 3D printing troubleshooting tip on how to deal with a clogged nozzle.

    • CHECK FOR SNAPPED FILAMENT: An issue that mainly affects Bowden style extruder setups, snapped filament can cause a disjoin between the extruder and hot end. Thankfully, it’s easy to diagnose and fix, but it may be a sign that your filament is past its best. Check out our dedicated 3D printing troubleshooting tip on how to deal with snapped filament.

Extrusion Stopped Mid-Print checklist:

• Check You Have Enough Filament

• Check for Stripped Filament

• Check for Clogged Nozzle

• Check for Snapped Filament

• Print Doesn't Stick to Print Bed:

  • What’s the 3D Printing Problem?

    Losing a print due to it not sticking to the print platform is a common issue and one that’s usually relatively easy to resolve.

    Unfortunately, a 3D print can break free at almost any time, from the first layer through to the last, which is especially infuriating.

    Of course it’s not always the printer’s fault and if you’ve tried to print a model that only has a small amount of contact with the platform then undoubtedly that’s going to be the issue. Imagine you’re trying to print a plane and the only contact the model has with the print platform is the wheels. It’s therefore unlikely to print without some type of build plate adhesion and brim, and that’s before you even start to look at supports.

    Luckily because this problem is so common there are many easy ways to solve it.

  • What’s Causing this 3D Printing Problem?

    The most common cause is simply that the print just doesn’t bond to the surface of the print platform. The filament needs a textured base in order to adhere, so to solve the issue you’ll need to create a better bonding surface.

    An unlevel print platform can be another major issue. If the platform is uneven then for some parts of the print the nozzle won’t be close enough to the platform to correctly extrude and bond the first layer.

    Calibration can also be a major issue, over time the distance between the nozzle and platform can increase to the point where the initial layer is dragged rather than pushed into the print platform.

    In all cases you’re likely to see a spaghetti of filament appear above your half formed model, just filament spaghetti or parts of your model dotted around the print platform.

  • Do the Below:

    •  ADD TEXTURE: To increase the chances that filament will bond to the platform you need to add another material to add texture. The most common solution is to apply a thin layer of stick glue to the print platform, which can then be easily washed away with hot water. Another alternative for PLA is to add decorators tape. For filaments that require a heated platform of 40º and above, there are a variety of special tapes now available which are a little more heat resistant.

    • LEVEL THE PRINT BED: Every printer has a different process for print platform leveling, some like the latest Prusa models utilize an extremely reliable auto leveling system, others such as the Ultimaker have a handy step-by-step approach that guides you through the adjustment process. Refer to your printer’s manual for how to level your print bed.

    • ADJUST THE NOZZLE HEIGHT: If the nozzle is too high then the filament won’t stick to the platform, too low and the nozzle will actually start to scrape the print off. Find the Z-axis offset option in your printer’s settings and make small adjustments — into the positive to raise the nozzle away from the bed, and negative to lower it closer.

    • CLEAN THE PRINT PLATFORM: If you’re printing on a material such as glass, every so often it’s a good idea to give it a good clean, especially if you frequently apply glue. The grease from your fingerprints and the excessive build up of glue deposits can all contribute to the non-stickiness of the print platform.

    • APPLY BUILD PLATE ADHESION: Some models will print fine without a brim, but smaller items and those with only a small footprint in contact with the platform will require some type of Build Plate Adhesion. These can be added in your slicer software- — look for “Brim” and “Raft”.

      Brim will add a single layer of a specified number of perimeter lines radiating out from where your print makes contact with the print bed; it’s the least wasteful of the two, and in our experience is the better option, provided you don’t mind taking a knife to your print to trim the brim away.

      Raft adds just that to your print. Depending on the parameters you specify, you will get a shadow of your print’s footprint, printed in thicker, better adhering layer. Your print is then printed as usual on top of this. Rafts tend to create a rough, unpleasant surface where it touches your print, and uses up more material than a brim. The benefit of a raft though, lies in being able to simply snap the part off.

    • APPLY BUILD PLATE ADHESION: As well as adding build plate adhesion, if your model has complex overhangs or extremities be sure to add supports to hold the print together during the process.

Print Doesn’t Stick to Print Bed:

• Add Texture

• Level the Print Bed

• Adjust the Nozzle Height

• Clean the Print Platform

• Apply Build Plate Adhesion

• Add Supports

• Supports Fell Apart:

  • What’s the 3D Printing Problem?

    Printing complex models will require a support or two, and whilst supports can be pain to remove, they’re unfortunately an essential part of modelling.

    The job of a support is simple, it supports, but on occasion they fail leaving your model unsupported.

    You’ll notice that as your print is extruded parts of the support structure will look uneven, cracks may appear or they’ll just start to look stingy.

    Not only are the supports failing but the additional filament is ruining your model rather than ensuring it prints correctly.

  • What’s Causing this 3D Printing Problem?

    Support structures are complex things and most slicer applications will provide you with several options. It’s all too easy to stick with the default settings, but this doesn’t guarantee success with your 3D printed overhangs. An important consideration is the  type of support that will keep your model steady and supported throughout the print.

    Lines and zig zags are generally easy to remove after the print has finished, but offer less rigidity during the print process. Triangles and grids offer more support but can be a pain to remove.

    Take a simple bridge structure with thin uprights and then think about the supports. They will have a great deal of work to do keeping the model rigid, if you’ve opted for lines or zig zags then the likelihood is the model will move during the print process, breaking the delicate supports as it goes.

    A rigid structure like a grid would be a better option.

    Some slicing software enables you to print supports without platform adhesion. If this is the case then the small footprint of the support will struggle to bond directly with the print platform.

    Often with tall models the length of the supports can be excessive and the thin structure is simply pushed to the limit. In these cases it’s important that you look at creating a physical support such as block. Under large overhangs, these can add robust support.

    Supports can be a real hassle to remove so there is a tendency to reduce the density to as low as it will go. This can of course cause issues, if supports are load bearing you will need to increase the Support Density.

    Old or cheap filament can be another issue, if the filament is past it’s best then when it’s extruded you may find that the filament may not sufficiently bond layer on layer, or the extrusion is untidy and cracked, leading to broken supports.

    Finally watch your printer print. If the printer is moving or vibrating more than it normally does then check the nuts and bolts and just ensure that everything is tight. Once you’ve run through all the usual checks make sure to rerun the calibration process.

  • Do the Below:

    •  SELECT THE CORRECT SUPPORTS: Look at the type of model you’re about to print. If there are large overhangs that connect sections of the model and these have good contact with the platform, try using lines or zig zag supports. If the model has less bed contact or needs much stronger supports, use grid or triangle supports.

    • ADD PLATFORM ADHESION Make sure you have added some type of platform adhesion, such as a brim, so that the mounts have plenty of foundation to bond to.

    • INCREASE THE SUPPORT DENSITY: Try this as a last resort. Increasing the support density will offer your model a denser structure to rest on and will be less affected by any model movement, but will be much tougher to remove.

    • CREATE IN-MODEL SUPPORTS: Supports that are overly tall can be susceptible to  weakness. By adding a tall block as part of your print that ends just below where the supports are required, this can give the supports a solid base without the need to print tall and weak.

    • CHANGE FILAMENT: Filament can become brittle as it reaches the end of its usable life span, and this usually shows in the quality of the supports. Swap the filament for a fresh reel and see if the problem improves

    • CHECK EVERYTHING IS TIGHT: Printer shakes and wobble can be a real issue. Give your machine the once over and make sure that everything is tight and re-calibrate if needed.

Supports Fall Apart Checklist:

• Use Correct Support Type

• Add Platform Adhesion

• Increase Support Density

• Create In-Model supports

• Use New Filament

• Check everything is tight