Hi Everyone,
My name is matt, I’m from Cleveland, Ohio, and I recently purchased a FlashForge Creator Pro 3D printer.
I completed my first print last night, and I’m wondering if you can assist me with tweaks necessary to achieve better results. I’ve attached some pictures. One, the gray one, is the model I printed with the FlashForge Creator Pro. The other, the white one, is a print I had done at my library with a Makerbot Replicator 2. As you can see, they’re noticeably different in terms of quality.
I’ve read online posts in which details of tweaked settings and such were explained, in order to achieve optimal results. Basically, my problems with the FlashForge print are as follows:
1) There are parts of the model that simply didn’t print - they look as though they were “eaten away” from the final product. I’ve tried to take close ups of said areas for reference. In addition, there are parts of the figure that seem to have accumulated excess bits of filament. Again, I’ve shown photos for reference. How to I keep this from happening, to create a smoother result?
2) I’m unhappy with the banding, compared to the MakerBot print - what I mean by that is that the “lines” of printed filament are very, very obvious in the FlashForge print. On the MakerBot print, they seem to be more smoothed out and compacted. They’re still somewhat visible but certainly not to the degree of the print from the FlashForge.
Help! Haha.
I’d love to know how I can remedy these problems. I really want to stick with the FlashForge Creator Pro - I’ve heard great things about it and, up until the actual print, I was very happy with it. Any advice you can share would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
matt
8 Likes
Which software are you using?
Simplify 3D is really good investment from my perspective. I tried many freeware program and decided to buy simplify3d and print quality had a sharp increase.
Matt,
Can you tell us about the slicer and slicer settings you used for both prints?
Anthony
Right now I’m using the Sailfish Replicator G software that came on the SD card included with the printer.
I also printed via USB connection, as opposed to the SD card. I’m wondering if that would make a difference…?
Hey Matt,
your biggest problem, the “banding” is simply a matter of increasing the resolution, aka. layer height. Your flashforge print looks to be on the order of 0.3, while the makerbot print is probably 0.2 or slightly less. You should EASILY be able to change this in your slicer.
The parts that “simply didn’t print” can be a result specific to the slicer you are using. It is a little hard to tell ffrom the pictures, which features you exactly mean, but I myself had embossed text disappear between one and another slicer. I don’t know what flashforge recommends for their printers, but you could try Cura for comparison, it’s free.
For a cleaner, stringy-free print, try lowering the print temperature slightly (in 5°C increments). Additionally you can increase the retraction distance by a bit (I’d suggest 0.5mm increments). If you go too far with the retraction you risk a hard to clean hotend clog, so be careful.
Hope this helps,
Jonas
I tried that with my mac and it was really trouble for me. Therefore, I decided to have an alternative.
I am using PLA more since the results are better, no bending layers. 180 C for nozzle and 60 C for the bed. Layer thickness is 0.2 - 0.5 depending on the fast. Software-wise and easy to use, I really recommend people around me to invest a bit on software side. Flash forge is not the most expensive 3d printer but with some software steroids.
Matt,
Printing over USB might make a difference, but I bet it is your slicer and slicer settings. Try printing from the SD card to make sure it is not a USB data transfer rate problem.
You should download the newest version of the makerbot software. MakerBot CloudPrint: 3D Printing Software | MakerBot. It will work with your flashforge.
You could try slic3r or cura we well. These guides can help.
I would recommend the simplify3d software as well. I think it is a good investment.
Anthony
Hey Anthony,
Thanks for the reply! I’m away from the printer right now (I’m at work, it’s at home), so I’m unable to check the slicer settings. But, I can tell you that I didn’t change ANYTHING from what would’ve been the “factory settings” it came with.
This might be a dumb question, but what’s the difference between the “slicer” and the “slicer settings”? I’m still a bit new to 3D printing.
Thanks for the help!
matt
Hey, thanks Jonas.
I’ll definitely experiment with that stuff tonight. Is CURA another software to generate the necessary GCode?
Right now I’m using Sailfish / ReplicatorG, which came with the printer.
Thanks!
matt
Hey Matt,
yes, Cura is another GCode-generating software, also known as Slicer (because it “slices” the object into the separate layers… *badum-tiss*). I think one of the other commenters had a link to a guide on how to set it up for your printer.
Sincerely,
Jonas
When I use Simplify 3D on my 2015 FF Creator Pro I seem to never get a correctly started print, such as the raft never seems to stick and when I use MakerBot Desktop or Replicator G the raft always sticks…
Hey Jonas,
In researching CURA, it looks great. However, I’m told it only produces .gcode files. The FlashForge Creator Pro only uses x3g files. As I’ve mentioned, I’m pretty new to 3D printing, so I have no idea what this means. Does it mean that I can’t use CURA with my FlashForge Pro? Is there a way to convert the .gcode files into x3g before I save them?
Any information you could offer would be extremely helpful.
Thank you!
matt
Hi I have the same flashforge creator pro I’ve been printing with it for about 10 months and I have noticed that a few models come out like that I would recommend printing a model that has no overhang like a cylinder as I found this printed perfectly
Also try changing to 0.1mm
Hey Matt,
I’ve always used makerbot desktop, previously makerware, on my flash forge and I hardly ever get bad prints with settings that I’ve found on an Amazon review a little over a year ago, this are custom settings and you must edit them using text editor in makerbot desktop, with such settings you’ll probably get an error message before the slicing is done and I believe is the “doDynamicSpeedInteriorShells” so leave that as false instead of true, apart from that works fine, tinker with layer height and platform temp depending on the model you want to print…
Install latest Sailfish firmware, use Makerbot slicer or even better Simplify 3D plus check all belts to be tight and all pulleys to be firmly screwed.
Don’t expect wonders but you should be able to reach the same results as the white print.
Your layer height is too thick causing adhesion and resolution issues. For best results don’t print thicker than 50% of the nozzle diameter.
Hey Matt,
Since all of my printers use exlusively .gcode files, I’ve never had to fiddle with any conversion. So I can’t give you any input on that. What I do know is, that there are plugins for Cura, that should allow you to output .x3g files. The Ultimaker forums (makers of Cura) or just Google in general should be a good source for this. The plugins are also really easy to install, once you have Cura running. Just be sure to use Cura versions 15.4 or earlier, the 15.6 versions and up are only for the Ultimaker 2 family of printers right now.
Sincerely,
Jonas
The thing that I have found makes the most difference is your speed. My default settings in Replicator G were way too fast. On difficult prints, like spheres, I’ll slow it down to 24mm/sec and a travel speed of 30mm/sec. Simpler shapes can go faster, but I rarely go any faster 48 & 60 mm/sec
You should never print with a layer height that is more than 80% of the nozzle width, otherwise your interlayer bonding will be seriously compromised. The largest practicle layer height for a FFCP with the stock 0.4mm nozzle is 0.3mm.
If you try to print with say 0.4mm layer height, you will have virtualy no contact between the two layers, its like two 0.4mm cylinders laying ontop of each other, there is only a very thin strip of contact where the circumference of the plastic that makes up the layer touches each other, printing at say 0.3mm means that each layer is pushed 0.1mm into the layer below it, which flattens the bottom of that cylinder, and significantly increases bonding. If you tried to print at say 0.5mm with a 0.4mm nozzle the layers would theoreticaly not be touching each other and the print would fall apart.
