3D Printing Forum

Need Help finding the right settings to print ASA on my Qidi Tech X-Plus. I have been printing PLA for about two years but I have not had to really mess with the settings to get decent prints so I am essentially green. This is my first time printing something other than PLA. I switched to the high temp print head and I am still using Qidi Slicer software, I have not been able to get Cura to work quite yet.

I have tried printing several Benchy's with varying levels of failure. so I decided to just try a Temp Tower and go from there and they are even worse than Benchy. As you can see from the pictures I don't have even one successful bridge. I tried to approach this from what I think is a logical direction but at this point I think I am just spinning my wheels and wasting filament. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

I have added the pictures and the g-code files I used.

Filament Recommendations:
Print Speed:30-53 mm/s
Print Temp: 240-260C
Bed Temp: 75-95C
Fan: Off

Print Settings: #1
Temp Settings by layer height (The Temps are not as shown on the print)
Layer: 1 38 72 106 140 174 208 242 276
Temp: 263 261 258 255 252 249 246 243 240
Layer Height: 0.2mm
Infill Density: 20%
Print Speed: 40 mm/s
Travel Speed: 50 mm/s
Min Layer TIme: 20s
Fan Speed: 20%
Bed Temp: 84C
Initial Bed Temp: 86C

For the following prints I will only list the changed settings.

Print Settings: #2 ............ Print Settings: #3 ...................Print Settings:#4
Fan Speed: Fan OFF.............Print Speed: 30mm/s................Print Speed: 40mm/s
....................................Travel Speed: 40mm/s..............Travel Speed: 50mm/s
....................................Min Layer Time: 26s.................Min Layer Time: 26s
....................................Fan Speed: Fan OFF..................Fan Speed: Fan OFF
.............................................................................Retraction: OFF

Print Settings: #5.................... Print Settings: #6
Print Speed: 30mm/s..................Print Speed: 50mm/s
Travel Speed: 30mm/s................Travel Speed: 60mm/s
Min Layer Time: 30s...................Min Layer Time: 17s
Fan Speed: Fan OFF...................Fan Speed: Fan OFF
Retraction: OFF........................Retraction: OFF

from what i have read it is similar to ABS but it supposed to be more forgiving......unfortunately not in my case so far.

I went from ABS to PETG, as it's easier to print and quite strong.

Lez0 wrote: ↑July 9th, 2021, 2:01 am I went from ABS to PETG, as it's easier to print and quite strong.

I considered ABS and PETG for my project but I need the heat and UV qualities of ASA for long term survival of the end item. Thank you though

So I'm going to go for #7 using #4 as the base it seemed to have to most attempts at a bridge. I think I might have made too many changes but if it works I figure I can walk some things back to see what it was.

Print Settings: #7
Print Speed: 40mm/s
Travel Speed: 50mm/s
Min Layer Time: 26s
Minimum Speed: 30s
Fan Speed: Fan OFF
Retraction: OFF
Wall Line Count: 6 was 4
Top Layers: 6 was 4
Bottom Layers: 6 was 4
Optimize Wall Printer Order: On
Outer Before Inner Walls: On
Enable Bridge Settings: On
Minimum Bridge Wall Length: 5mm
Bridge Wall Coasting: 80%
Bridge Wall Speed: 35mm/s
Bridge Wall Flow: 95%

The Results for Print Settings #7....I have a couple of others I will Do them in a separate post to hopefully limit confusion.

Settings and Pictures for Temp Towers 8 to 10............So far 7 is the best result, obviously I don't know how to interpret what I am seeing. I don't know if its a print speed, flow, nozzle, cooling fan, print temp issue or all of the above. Any one have any advice on settings to try.

Print Settings: #8
Minimum Bridge Wall Length: 5mm
Bridge Wall Coasting: 75%
Bridge Wall Speed: 32mm/s
Bridge Wall Flow: 85%

Print Settings: #9
Fan Speed: 10%
Minimum Bridge Wall Length: 5mm
Bridge Wall Coasting: 80%
Bridge Wall Speed: 35mm/s
Bridge Wall Flow: 90%

Print Settings: #10
Minimum Bridge Wall Length: 5mm
Bridge Wall Coasting: 75%
Bridge Wall Speed: 35mm/s
Bridge Wall Flow: 95%
Fan Speed: Fan OFF

Boy that stuff really doesnt want to bridge nicely for you

Is retraction still off in your latter tests?

LePaul wrote: ↑July 13th, 2021, 1:00 pm Boy that stuff really doesnt want to bridge nicely for you

Is retraction still off in your latter tests?

yes

Try increasing print speed to at least 50mm/s

• Extruder Temperature: 250-260C

• Printing Speed: 50-80 mm/s

• Bed Temperature: 90-130C

Roberts_Clif wrote: ↑July 13th, 2021, 7:05 pm Try increasing print speed to at least 50mm/s

• Extruder Temperature: 250-260C

• Printing Speed: 50-80 mm/s

• Bed Temperature: 90-130C

Ill give it a shot with the other current settings, but I did print at 50mm/s on attempt #6.

The Filament recommendations on my spool are a little different.

Print Speed:30-53 mm/s
Print Temp: 240-260C
Bed Temp: 75-95C
Fan: Off

From what I see you are almost there.

Another suggestion when I was using ABS they told me not to use a model cooling fan.
Though found when I did have a slight breeze the bridging came out much cleaner.

Take into consideration my 3D Printers area in enclosed case i am blowing warmer air 37.78 C from the chamber onto the models.

Print #11 with faster print speeds is a little worse that Print #7

Roberts_Clif wrote: ↑July 14th, 2021, 7:54 am From what I see you are almost there.

Another suggestion when I was using ABS they told me not to use a model cooling fan.
Though found when I did have a slight breeze the bridging came out much cleaner.

Take into consideration my 3D Printers area in enclosed case i am blowing warmer air 37.78 C from the chamber onto the models.

I tried the fan on earlier and it got worse but I think that was before I had the bridge settings on, maybe Ill go back to print #7 settings for speed but turn the fan on maybe about 40%

Print Settings: #11
Print Speed: 50mm/s
Travel Speed: 60mm/s
Min Layer Time: 24s
Minimum Speed: 30mm/s
Fan Speed: Fan OFF
Retraction: OFF
Wall Line Count: 6 was 4
Top Layers: 6 was 4
Bottom Layers: 6 was 4
Optimize Wall Printer Order: On
Outer Before Inner Walls: On
Enable Bridge Settings: On
Minimum Bridge Wall Lenght: 5mm
Bridge Wall Coasting: 80%
Bridge Wall Speed: 35mm/s
Bridge Wall Flow: 95%

What is your current layer height .

Roberts_Clif wrote: ↑July 14th, 2021, 10:13 pm What is your current layer height .

Layer Height: 0.2mm