So much layer shift I’m losing my mind

[broken plank]

Been trying to stop this for a while now just lost on what to do

I’ve tried my make my belts tighter
Tightening and losing my y axis
Bed is level
Update the firm ware

I’m really tempted to through this out the window any help is amazing

[restive girder]

Hey @broken plank, thank you for contributing to this forum.
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[broken plank]

Video in case it helps

[rustic agate]

You sure its layer line shifting? It kinda looks like the layers are squishing down hard on each other,. which could point to a z step issue/not set correctly or failure somewhere in the z drive (a bearing not tight or motor drift)

if its truly shifting you would also need to ensure that the frame and gantry and square to the plate and no wiggle/drift is occurring.

prob best to try a xyz cal square or a benchy as well

[broken plank]

ill give them ago any suggestions on where to get them

[broken plank]

what speed should i put them on

[rustic agate]

Benchy and XYZ cubes are pretty much on any 3d file site: thingiverse, maker, printables etc...just search for it

[broken plank]

ahh ok ill run a xyz cube and show

[rustic agate]

Whatever settings you have tuned for the system? There are guides for different brand printers to calibrate your z steps

[broken plank]

none as i have yet to see an issue with those areas in recent times

had some before but reset them to fix other things worked for a bit and bang a new issue

[rustic agate]

I mean, if you are reseting things, did you ever retune? Stock settings are nice, but may be something to redo.

If you are slowly descending into more issues it may be best to start with the basics and recheck your steps, check gantry leveling + perpendicularity, e steps etc..cause it sounds like the stock settings are not cutting it

[broken plank]

ill give it ago any good vids to watch for it last time it caused me soo much stress as i was doing it step by step when the issues came

[rustic agate]

I cant say I have any for that model since I personally dont have one. The basic premise is the same across almost all printers, but you may have to just poke around youtube for one you can follow for the brand type for specifics.
Its mostly just the idea of starting from the basics and working back up, especially if you reset everything back to stock.

Also ensure that your slicer settings are not in a weird state as well, IE: pushing speeds or such that your printer can not handle

[broken plank]

is there a way i can reset them just in case

on cura

@rustic agate (sorry for long) did the cube this how it came out

Recon I could be my z is off the higher it goes or the part I was trying to print didn’t have enough support making it wobble as the mask was only about 12mm thick

[rustic agate]

Yea that cube looks pretty solid considering the issues, though maybe some defecting along Y. You can measure the sides to see if the dimensions match expected (to see if e steps are correct)

but yea, if only going by the original pic + model that is a very small support base for something that is top heavy on a bed slinger

[broken plank]

well i just looked at the x side looks a little rugh but still way better

whatt your saying on the y spreads across all 4 sides

im now really confused

some people have said the issues is the part first layer isn't connceted enough do the cube 90% gone and a buddy of mine says i need to just graese my z rod

[broken plank]

what is e step?

[rustic agate]

The calibrated "steps" a motor takes to get from point a to b.
Its a setting generally in the.firmware of your printer that can be adjusted.
So if you measured your.cube and lets say its only 90mm instead of 100mm in the y axis, then your y esteps are off, as it is only going 90mm vs the 100 it thinks it is

[broken plank]

right ok ill give it ago tommorw

[broken plank]

so just checked the cube x is 19mm y is 19mm and z is 19.5mm

but not sure where to go from there as the vids arent clear

[rustic agate]

That would mean the z steps are off. You can generally do some minor calculation to convert what it needs to be based on that measurement and adjust in the settings on the mchine itself
What model machine is it?

[broken plank]

its a neptune 3 plus

and the cal cube says its a 20mm,

[rustic agate]

Oh, then yea you have a bit off on all axis, though at least x and y are in alignment with each other.

[broken plank]

should they all be in at 20mm?

[rustic agate]

Yup, ideally

[broken plank]

ahh ok so

i need to do (20/19) x by current number is my new estep number?

ok it a little late for me to test print the e steps you alright if i ask you for any more help tommorw plz?

[rustic agate]

I can try when free tomorrow for sure

also:
https://www.elegoo.com/blogs/3d-printer-user-guide/faqs-for-neptune3-pro-plus-max

Has segments for XY axis motor step tuning and the extruder e step calcs

From some other posts for that model it seems most people end up increasing the extruder steps from stock 380 to around the 420 ish mark (but you would need to test and confirm that it works for you)

[broken plank]

ehh thanks ill read throught it and try them out hopefully it starts too work

[broken plank]

@rustic agate just got round too adjusting the e step seems to have worked really well

[rustic agate]

Looks good 😁

[broken plank]

doing another test print of a tall falt wall hopefulyy everything works

[broken plank]

Just did this walk test piece not sure if my settings are still off but when the light catches it on the right angel it looks rough like in the right one but keeping it flat seems to be ok

I also checked my extruder speed it’s seems high after doing some googling should I lower it

here is my cura ones too

i am also just thinking of using bambu studio looks simpler and just bettrer to tweek

[rustic agate]

Is it relatively smooth? Or are the defects in the right pic actually voids/peaks?
Guessing its pla as well?

[broken plank]

it is pla also when i run my finger over it i can fell that its not really one level

[rustic agate]

Hmmm still makes me.think you have something up with your z axis.
Is the frame square?
Lead screw straight +easy to move without any binding or grinding noises?
Screws generally tight on the z axis components?

[broken plank]

lead screws are stright so is frame

not sure how lose these need to be

im just getting really confused what is wrong with this dam printer

[rustic agate]

What temp are you running the test print at?
Same settings as the cube? Or a different profile?

[broken plank]

same settings as the cube at 210 temp

[broken plank]

also elegoo pla

[rustic agate]

Should be ok, temp wise, though could test a bit cooler around the 205 mark. Any drafts/temp shifts in the room?

I really do still think it is more so in the z axi s hardware...either binding somewhere along Z or something is not tightend/too tight along the system.
If you spin the z rods by hand from bottom up does it move smoothly?

[broken plank]

no room stays same temp
ill try the z rod thing and send a vid

[rustic agate]

To also answer this, it does need a degree of looseness for the lead screw itself (need to allow for some wobble/float)
If its has none, it will likely bind

[broken plank]

Here is my moving the z motor @rustic agate

I

Ok just bambu studio all default set the slice to be 0.24mm at these speeds

[rustic agate]

Have you run any tests for extrusion values?
Wondering if you may just be over extruding..though the cube looks solid by comparison to that

[broken plank]

Also the infill for the bambu studio

[broken plank]

Ran them once before but I’m don’t seem to be missing any layer or parts of them just don’t feel the same level like some come out a little further I also sent stuff of the bambu studio stuff print felt smoother

Also in the vids is both my z axis points ok

[rustic agate]

If they move that smoothly all the way up, then yea

[rustic agate]

Missing would be underextruding, but if you are overextruding you may have excess filament causing those peaks

[broken plank]

should i do that manually or use the motor to help

[broken plank]

ahh ok how do i test for over extruding

[broken plank]

just test it manually nice a smooth all the way up

[rustic agate]

https://all3dp.com/2/extruder-calibration-calibrate-e-steps/

Its mostly just telling to "extrude" a set amount cold without the hot end and see if the extruded amount matches the expected

[broken plank]

I’ll give it ago

@rustic agate you ok if we could hop in a vc for this im a bit confused and stuck

[rustic agate]

Uh for a bit perhaps, might be a bit loud on my end

[broken plank]

thats allright as long as your confortable with it

where should we go?

can't unmute

fixedit its on push too talk

[broken plank]

@rustic agate issue is still there

[rustic agate]

Oof 😓

Reading more into the neptune, this seems to be a stupidly common trend.
All seems to always go back to the Z hardware

[broken plank]

is it the motor at this point not moving in sync?

[rustic agate]

Can do the test I mentioned to tram the gantry (measure set distance and see does it move that distance correctly and each end.
But apart from that not sure beyond swapping some of the z hardware parts (couplers/ screws/nut etc)

[broken plank]

ill give it ago tommorw getting a little too late for me to mess around hopefully this works

just a thought i have never greased the lead screws in the few years of owning the printer could that be th casue

[rustic agate]

I thought you had said that was one of the things you did?
I mean yes, it could help

[broken plank]

Not if I did is there a specific kind of grease I need for it

[rustic agate]

I generally use super lube grease for my lead screws (for all my machines)

but generally any synthetic PTFE grease should work

[broken plank]

Thanks I’ll order some
Do I need to clean the lead screws first if so how?
And applying the lube just my finger the move the z axis up and down

[stray cedar]

Not sure if anyone has said this yet because there's a lot of comments to read, but your original pic... It's too thin of a part and it's on supports making it wobble as it prints...

Try a different orientation that's more secure to the bed.

Try a different print, like a large hollow cube that goes as tall as the print you're trying to do is. (So like a 100 x 100 x 200 cube that's maybe a millimeter thick walls)

If you get the same bad layers at the same height that you're getting bad layers on this first print, then it's something in your Z axis.

Also make sure the hotend on your machine isn't wobbling up and down.

Tighten the eccentric nut on it if it is.

(Neptune 3 Max owner × 2 here, just for reference)

[broken plank]

Hot end is nice a tight first thing I checked the z wobble still happens even on small items it happened in a cube that is 20mm

I starting to thinking it’s my leads screws being dirty and no longer haveing grease as I have never done it before and it’s over a year old and elegoo sites says do clean it and re grease every 3 months

[broken plank]

@rustic agate so i just ordered some super lube to alplay was thinging of cleaning the lead screws soe poeple say to print this clamp some with a cloth inside the clamp for them and others use a toothbrush was wondering how you did yours

[rustic agate]

I just run a clean rag or lint free shop towel along the screws...unless its really gunked up or the old grease has contaminations (IE mixed with a ton of sawdust or such that its actually clogging along) you dont have to be super crazy over the top in cleaning them off

[broken plank]

Ahh ok so just a clean rag will a micro fiber cloth be ok?

[rustic agate]

I mean..yes it will work, just kinda a pain to clean the cloth after.

[broken plank]

Ahh ok

Maybe stupid question but when you say rag like an old towel, dish rag?

Also do I need to use isopropyl to clean the lead screws first seen some people use and and some don’t

[rustic agate]

Old rag, like a torn/ripped up shirt or old dish towel yea

And no, I generally dont use isoproyl on the screws unless something got REALLY fcked up

Its just grease, it either just starts to dry/thin out due to excessive age + use/heat, or it clumps due to general dust. 🤷‍♂️

Just dont put on a super excessive amount

since that will just speed up the clumping+clogging process

[broken plank]

Ahh ok Awsome. Thank you I’ll give it a go tomorrow when the grease comes and do a test print

Hopefully it works

[rustic agate]

🤞

[broken plank]

@rustic agate so I applied the lube I had to use paper towel to clean it as I had no lint free cloth around and could find any at the store (also saw some saying to use a paper towel to clean lead screws)

It just came out worse then before with the first layer not even being attached and popping off with a handful of dents in the one side but it’s not a shift as they don’t match on the other side

Not sure why it did that maybe the bed level readings in the printer screwed up might not of cleaned it correctly and caused it to clump up any remaining lube

I’m just not sure if I know have done something or the lube hasn’t worked

Just as a thought this is the inside where the first layer came off took no effect just push my nail in a it came off.

Sorry know it’s a lot too read

[broken plank]

I think this maybe one of the things that affected it print and the fact that something heavy stoped the bed from tracking its fall distance

[broken plank]

right i just leveled my bed just to be sure nothing in the way of print bed doing another benchy lets see

[broken plank]

@rustic agate (sorry for ping) but greasing seemed to help would you agree?

I’m not sure if u greased the lead screws enough but not sure if I cleaned it right had to use a paper towel had a few people say that works but not sure if it got everything and if I left any paper be hide

[rustic agate]

Oof yea that first print def was something with bed ahesion/level

Second round looks better...but still has some prominent banding/lines

[broken plank]

Might be hard too see but the brass bracket part is that meant to be lose

[broken plank]

@rustic agate I’ve manged to lower it a little further the z banding that is but still got it seems any idea on what else I can do recon it could be the wheels on my printer bed?

[broken plank]

So done another print tightened the bed belt itself seemed to help the right side(left pic) but not really on the right side

[rustic agate]

Def seems better than before, but starting to wonder of there simply is hardware that has to be replaced at this point.

[broken plank]

what you recon i need to replace

[broken plank]

i have noticed that my z axis belt on the top of the neptune 3 is really loise but can't tightenm it