Bad stringing

[Lez0]

Hi all
I get bad stinging on my models from time to time. The last print was very bad.
I am using Cura 4.11 but I don't think it's a version issue.
I have retraction on and set to 8.0 distance and 45.0 speed.

Also supports don't get printed properly

Any ideas on what I can do?

Thanks

[Roberts_Clif]

Lez what material are you 3D Printing ???

When I look over your photos, it appears that they do not have square bottoms.
This tells me that the bottom layer is not sticking in in all areas and causes the the upper layers not to have any material to adhere too.

Could you post a time lapsed video so we could watch where print looses adhesion and the stringing begins.

[Lez0]

Hi Roberts_Clif.
Thanks for the reply.
Material Sunlu PLA.
Yes I can see there is an area where there are no supports. This is just a functional print and that area is not important, I knew is would be a bit rough. It's the other areas where the stringing is bad, there should be not reason for it in the top photo. Also the round support above, bottom photo, has ended up being printed like a spiral, I am surprised it didn't colapse during printing. The same support on the other side printed OK.
The print was well stuck to the table, It took a lot of effort to free it.
The print is more or less a good strong print after I have cleaned it up.
I don't have a video of the print, sorry.
Lez

[LePaul]

I know you're very good with printing so I know you've probably covered a lot of the basics

Perhaps dry the material?

I've been amazed how even new, vacuum packed materials need to be dried....so now my workflow is anything I am going to print goes into the dryer for 4-5 hours prior.

[Lez0]

Hi Paul
I wouldn't say I was very good, I'm more an intermediate learner
It was a newly opened roll, so it should be dry.
The funny thing is it only occurs on one side of a symmetrical part.
Lez

[LePaul]

I dry them all, maybe give that a try?

[leonardo.amg3d]

Yes, one of the biggest points for fixing stringing is to dry the spools and keep them in a dry place.
We like the polybox but you can use anything similar!
As long as it works it's good.

[Lez0]

But do I need to dry filament that is opened for the first time, shouldn't it be dry already?

[Roberts_Clif]

But do I need to dry filament that is opened for the first time, shouldn't it be dry already?

Well this is a good question!
An from what I have seen from many across 3D Printer forum's is that the answer could very well be a giant YES...
Personally I have not experienced this need, though I am a firm believer in using Moisture Eliminator with Charcoal.
I purchase this from my local dollar store and replace when needed once, twice maybe even three times a year.

Now this is a cheap way to help keep my several hundred dollars worth of filament dry an it has worked for me.
Have never had to dry any of my filament sense there purchase, some filament is nearly 4 years old.
I have removed Moisture Eliminator containers nearly 1/3 full of liquid from storage tubs containing my filament.

I am still 3D Printing great looking models.

[LePaul]

I used to wonder the same...it came packed, why is it printing weird?

I know some materials I would buy came very well sealed (ColorFabb, Ultimaker, etc) and some were in a bag but not well sealed (Matterhackers Pro series, Hatchbox, etc)

At work, our large scale machines use pellets and those are move into DryAir filament dryers for many hours before use. Then, from within that chamber, they are pulled in (via vacuum hoses) into the extruder for printing. The smaller pellet printer we have (GigabotX) had some really odd print issues and since it didn't have a filament drying system, we learned we had to bake the material for several hours before loading it into the hopper for use.

So my experience at work got me thinking....maybe I should be drying my filament before use.

I did some research and learned that you can fill a box full of desiccant, toss in rolls of filament and nothing would happen. It would remove any moisture in the air but not the filament. So, active heating is needed.

As I've posted previously, I love the PrintDry Pro. I've seen a few spool holders that have heaters in them. I haven't tested them out but I really prefer drying the material, then having it within a drybox spool holder (Polymaker makes a PolyBox which works very well https://amzn.to/3bTIEA4 )

(I also like the idea of using a bit less power ... but I'd like to be fair and try a heated spool holder too!)

I also connect the dry box via Capricorn tubing into the printer enclosure. (I've become a real fan of enclosing the printer for several reasons; safely dealing with the offgassing/fumes/vocs with air filtration system and stable printing temps. This results in much improved prints when compared to my non-enclosed printer )

[Roberts_Clif]

I should keep that in mind, never hurts to have more than one Plan.

I live in the Channeled Scablands of Washington state, which in itself use to be quite dry.
With the introduction of more and more agricultural farming to Washington, humidity levels are in a constant state of changing.
I remember when is was much dryer than today maybe the time to invest in a filament dryer has arrived.

[LePaul]

I've been told that PLA itself isn't very hygroscopic but the additives they add to it can be

[Lez0]

The SunLU filament is always well packaged, shrunk-wrapped even, so no moisture can get in.
The stringing I can live with, it's the bad layers I'm more concerned about.
Look at this support, the bottom half has ended up as a spiral, but only on one side.
Any ideas?

[LePaul]

Your overhang is looking a bit rough too

[Lez0]

Yes the overhang is not an important feature, I know it would be a bit rough, it actuality wasn't too bad after I cleaned the print up. I am just surprised the round support managed to survive as it printed really badly.
This was quite a big print 300mm x 200mm x 128mm high. Almost a whole roll of filament.