LulzBot TAZ 5 - The Important First Layer

Slic3r
The Important First Layer
Before delving into producing the rst print it is worthwhile taking a little
detour to talk about the importance of getting the rst layer right. As
many have found through trial and error, if the rst layer is not the best it
can be then it can lead to complete failure, parts detaching, and warping.
There are several techniques and recommendations one can heed in order
to minimise the chance of this happening.
Level bed. Having a level bed is critical. If the distance between the
nozzle tip and the bed deviates by even a small amount it can result in
either the material not lying down on the bed (because the nozzle is too
close and scrapes the bed instead), or the material lying too high from the
bed and not adhering correctly.
Higher temperature. The extruder hot-end and bed, if it is heated,
can be made hotter for the rst layer, thus decreasing the viscosity of
the material being printed. As a rule of thumb, an additonal 5° is
recommended.
Lower speeds. Slowing down the extruder for the rst layer reduces the
forces applied to the molten material as it emerges, reducing the chances
of it being stretched too much and not adhering correctly. 30% or 50% of
the normal speed is recommended.
Correctly calibrated extrusion rates. If too much material is laid
down then the nozzle may drag through it on the second pass, causing it to
lift o the bed (particularly if the material has cooled). Too little material
may result in the rst layer coming loose later in the print, leading either
to detached objects or warping. For these reasons it is important to have
a well-calibrated extrusion rate as recommended in §2.3).
First layer height. A thicker layer height will provide more ow, and
consequently more heat, making the extrusion adhere to the bed more. It
also gives the benet of giving more tolerance for the levelness of the bed.
It is recommended to raise the rst layer height to match the diameter of
the nozzle, e.g. a rst layer height of 0.35mm for a 0.35mm nozzle. Note:
The rst layer height is set this way automatically in simple mode.
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