Started getting z layer lines / poor quality walls when printing with my 2.4, running out of ideas and things to test

[Poisson]

I have Voron 2.4 with TAP, a lgx lite extruder and Dragon HF hotdend. Been running great that this started happening.

I started using this white KVP ABS filament and thought something was wrong with it, or it needed some more specific tuning but eventually found that even my trusty blue KVP ABS is doing the same thing. I am getting z layer lines and I just can't figure out what is causing it. Here's what I've tried:

Drying the filament

Different nozzle

Checking X - Y belt tension

Re-running input shaper and pressure advance

Running a bunch of cleaning filament through the hotend

Lowering acceleration

Flow calibration, as low as 90%

Temperature tower

Fan tower

It seems like nothing actually seems to make a difference, none of these adjustments noticeably affect the z layer lines.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm starting to run out of things to try short of dissembling the entire toolhead to see if something wonkly is going on with it.

[Buurman]

Yeah, these are hard to solve, used to have them in the past, so.. hope it helps on how I solved.

On my first few Vorons I didnt pay enough attention on how the gantry is put together, I mean, I paid attention, but this is by far the most important part of your printer.

Take off the AB belts so you can move the X /Y axis freely, and make sure, it runs really, really smooth! 

If its somehow pinching on one of the ends, or just not certain, loosen all screws a bit that hold the gantry and if needed, create some extra space on the back part, this is often too tight/short.

Tighten everything if it runs smooth, check every time when tightened something if its still running smooth, put the belts in again at the end.

Since you are using the LGX Lite, I dont expect it, but otherwise I would say its your extruder maybe even before the gantry. OFten CW2's are put together with clone gears, and they also look like this after a while...  original Bondtech is worth it.

I didnt like the LGX lite too much, more me it sounded like the gears were loose on every retraction.. I think the Orbiter is a better choice, or build a CW2 well.

I think a LGX may shine more with Flex.. the bigger wheels may help..

But this can be inconsistent extrusion...

It never easy to solve, I can be very wrong here... its so hard to troubleshoot sometimes. 

[claudermilk]

Check every bolt on the gantry. I've learned to make this the first thing to check when I start seeing this. Then check your belts.

[mvdveer]

What @claudermilk says. And then try and do this once a month if you print a lot

[Poisson]

So here's what I've done since my initial post:

I took the belts off the hotend and verified the gantry would move freely. Discovered a small mount of racking had developed and deracked. Tightened all the bolts on the gantry.

Reattached the belts and also verified no racking with the belts attached.

I tried reducing my A-B motors and Z motor run_current from 1.2A to 1.0A.

Reran input shaper, pressure advance.

Still no change

The only thing I noticed is when I manually moved the gantry back and forth with the belts attached there occasionally feels like some slight friction / hesitation. It's not all the time, so at this point if anything I am suspecting something with the belts. I didn't completely remove the belts to inspect them, but from what I could see they didn't seem to have any teeth missing. I ordered new belts just in case and I am waiting for them to get here and I will re run them and test again.

I even tried removing the back panel just in case it was bowing in and the belts were rubbing on it (I have cheap Formbot acrylic panels) but that didn't make a difference either.

We shall see if new belts solve it.

[Buurman]

13 hours ago, Poisson said:

there occasionally feels like some slight friction / hesitation. It's not all the time, so at this point if anything I am suspecting something with the belts

No, dont worry, this is ok, this feeling changes when you take the pugs out of the motors, and I advise to do that, since otherwise you can kill something on your board. When you move the motors with the wires attached, you generate voltage, and you push that back to your board, so even see the leds lighting up if you move them.

So try it without the plugs in your motor, then im curious if the tension is gone...

[Buurman]

Next step would be taking apart the Stealthburner, nad check all bolts, heat inserts, and check your Gears in the LGX, because I think this could still be the issue...

I hope you find something....

[Poisson]

2 hours ago, Buurman said:

Next step would be taking apart the Stealthburner, nad check all bolts, heat inserts, and check your Gears in the LGX, because I think this could still be the issue...

I hope you find something....

I forgot to mention, I did dissemble the hotend including taking apart the the LGxlite as much as I could and everything seemed pretty normal with it. Some very slight amount of plastic in the gears as well as in the gear from the extruder motor which I removed, but that did not help.

[Poisson]

7 hours ago, Buurman said:

Next step would be taking apart the Stealthburner, nad check all bolts, heat inserts, and check your Gears in the LGX, because I think this could still be the issue...

I hope you find something....

I do have all my old parts for CW2, so I could technically put that back on and see what happens to prove or disprove the lgx lite being involved. LGX lite is built like a tank compared to CW2 though, so it feels less likely to be the culprit to me but I suppose it is is possible.

Edited May 10, 2023 by Poisson

[Poisson]

It may be hard to see in the picture as I was having a hard time getting a good shot, but with external perimeters first the z banding is significantly improved. Left side is original, right side is external perimeters first.

I've read that one generally shouldn't run external perimeters first for ABS though as it can cause problems with overhangs?

[Buurman]

in general, not just ABS, you simply have on steep overhangs nothing to cling on to for the first perimeter.

So yes, its a nice setting, when you are sure you dont have to steep overhangs, otherwise its printing in the air.

[Poisson]

With a further tuning of settings since the retightening of the bolts / etc I was able to reduce the z banding a little bit, but not much. I think I'm at the point where I am willing to deal with it for now and I started printing out my Salad Fork parts again for my upcoming Salad Fork build.

So, issue not resolved but I'm still making not terrible parts and I'm just going to deal with it for now. You really have to look at the part in bad lighting or at bad angles to notice the bad z banding so much anyway. It's also much, much more visible with white filament which is unfortunately the majority of this build I am doing.

[Buurman]

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AgHUzkcoP_wBhs42uWnKkOWWnRz-kw?e=aL02sp

Feel free to download a profile for SS here... that I used/tuned. maybe it helps, no idea.

 

WHITE is the most difficult color to get right... currently printing white and its not perfect either, but a lot better... and this is a 0.6 nozzle, so quality is a little less anyhow.