I picked up a mini2 about two weeks ago, the 1st few test/play prints seemed to go fine then adhesion to the build plate started to have issues.
Looked around the net and was able to solve some of it by tweaking the z axis so it starts closer to the plate. However with prints larger than an inch or two the outer edges don’t adhere as well as the center. I contacted support and we were back and forth for a week or so then nothing. MatterHackers has not responded to 3 requests for help, hope I didnt make a bad choice there.
We were last checking for a warped build plate and tested pre-heating for 10+ min before printing. PLA naturally stays put much better than abs, but I got this to print ABS so that’s the end goal. I also noticed on a 3-4" reducer I got to print in PLA the sides are having weird step issue. This was built in fusion360 and printed with CURA. Even the 1st print octopus’s base dosnt look to adhere near as well as the test print they do.
I cant post files, here’s a gallery: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5UwLd7ySJiW8pfR78
Fusion model: https://a360.co/3nLl65a
Help.
ABS is a more difficult filament because it warps. It’s not the printer… it’s the filament.
Warping happens because the filament contracts as it cools. The bed warmer allows the bottom to stay somewhat warm, but the upper layers will cool more. Since they cool more, they contract more than the bottom and that results in warping.
To print ABS, you need an enclosure around the printer to keep the build chamber warm. Here’s an example:
There may be other filaments you can use that have properties you need without the warping issues … but this really depends on what you are printing and how you plan to use it.
Thanks Tim, but this isnt limited to the blue ABS. Its not filament related the bed is off. They have RMA’d the printer
In your question you mentioned that PLA works… but ABS doesn’t.
Without a build enclosure, ABS should and will be a problem. Scour the Internet and you’ll find the occasional person who claims they print ABS without an enclosure … that is the rare exception and not the norm. The problem is heat related and due to contraction of the filament as it cools. So depending on the environment (someone printing in a hot environment) they might get away with not having an enclosure. But you should generally view an enclosure as a requirement for printing ABS.
PLA is generally very easy to print. It isn’t that PLA can’t warp (it can) … but the warping is fairly weak so it typically doesn’t need much effort to make it stick to the bed. Usually a PEI bed is good enough … but occasionally some adhesive may be needed. If PLA doesn’t stick, make sure the bed is clean … use Isopropyl Alcohol to clean the bed surface. Occasionally a fine grit (e.g. 1500) sandpaper might be needed to help rough up the surface. PEI doesn’t last forever and … from time to time the bed surface needs to be refreshed with new PEI.
My main point is… you specifically mentioned that the PLA was good but ABS was not. This is as it should be (that information is not surprising… that’s what you should expect).
The PLA would stick but if you look at the bottom it was still off. One side had the little strings mushed down and across to the other they got lighter and not compressed to the plate. By the nature of PLA, it worked enough to get by.
Ill revisit after they RMA this thing