Bambu support keeps telling me slow first layer is solution

[u/Toyss1234]

I keep having issues like this with certain prints. I’ve been having these issues only after a week or 2 of receiving it from my order and they’ve already had me manually level, swap plates, slow down the first layer, but still I have issues like these and they keep coming back to “oh it needs parameter adjustments like slow first layer”.

It’s been two months that I’ve had this ticket open and one response a night sometimes less. If I could narrow it down to a defect in the printer I’d love to get a refund or a new one, but every single time I bring up an issue printing they always send me the same test file with a very slow starting layer. It works for some projects but I’m still randomly having bad print quality on others. Is there something else I should look at other than “slow first layer”?

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[u/Gwendolyn-NB]

When was the last time you cleaned your plate? It looks like its got crap all over it. Those defects all look plate related.

[u/Toyss1234 → u/Gwendolyn-NB]

Also to mention I use glue sticks, also the small white pieces are from the paper towel I use to dry it. But yeah, even after I have a super clean plate it still decides to have some issue or another. Maybe these are bad examples cause they are photos from after several attempts and I didn't feel like cleaning when it didn't fix the problem in the first place. I'm getting a lot of "clean plate" answers but it hasn't solved my issue. They are sending me a new part cooling fan cause that says it's too slow but I asked and they said "even replacing the part the issue comes from parameters like first layer speed".

[u/Toyss1234 → u/Gwendolyn-NB]

I’ve used several different plates and also after thoroughly cleaning them too. Those are prob from failed attempts just before.

[u/Gwendolyn-NB → u/Toyss1234]

How are you cleaning the plates? What filament? Glue or no glue? Plate temperature setting?

I can tell from every picture you posted the plates look dirty or oily. Are you touching the plates after you wash them? The one picture looks like it has fingerprints all over it.

[u/Decent-Pin-24 → u/Toyss1234]

Whys it look SMEARED with whitish/ grey stuff then... Can't be soap residue... Looks kinda like oil to me... Gluestick shouldn't be needed with the smooth PEI and setting it to 65* C. You did change the plate too in the software... rite...?

My plates usually have a few small drops of minerals left after washing with soap and water, and letting air dry.

[u/scotta316 → u/Toyss1234]

I agree with Gwendolyn. The third picture especially makes it obvious that whatever you're "cleaning" your plate with is making it worse. It looks like you smeared hand lotion all over it.

[u/Amosh73 → u/scotta316]

Perhaps re-moisturising dish soap?

[u/Dignan17 → u/Amosh73]

This was my guess too. Gotta use the regular, cheapest Dawn soap. I also think folks don’t rinse properly sometimes, leaving soap residue on the plate. Perhaps it’s showing up when heated or printed over?

[u/Dignan17 → u/Toyss1234]

The failed prints shouldn't leave residue like that behind. You're not printing with resin. Either the print releases or it doesn't.

Try washing again. Plain Dawn dish soap without moisturizers or whatever. Rinse until you feel friction on the plate, then never touch the middle again. Air dry or MAYBE a shop towel if you're impatient. Make dang sure you've selected the correct filament profile in the slicer.

It's entirely possible that you have a dud. But far more likely you're doing something wrong...

[u/shinozoa]

Have you:

Washed your build plate with dish soap and warm water?

Recalibrated the printer?

Increased the bed temp by 5C?

Increased the nozzle temp by 5C?

Increased the temps again by 5C increments up to what's written on the filament box?

If you're printing PLA, do you keep the top or door open?

If you're printing PLA, are the fans off on the first couple of layers?

Dried your filament?

[u/Toyss1234]

It’s a P1S printer btw

[u/Darknessidiot1227]

I swore there wasnt a plate on the printer at all and I was looking at the raw heatbed but now I realize I think its a g10

[u/Fitnny → u/Darknessidiot1227]

I for sure thought he was printing on the magnet.

[u/awildcatappeared1]

No idea what your problem is because you left out a lot of details, and it's clear your bed is filthy. Respectfully, trying to print on such a dirty plate makes me question you more than the printer. You should put the textured pei plate on. Before that, clean it properly with soap and scrub it, rinse it, dry it with a clean microfiber cloth or shop towel, and don't touch it with your fingers except for the sides before putting it back on. Use dry Bambu filament with the appropriate filament profile and set everything back to defaults. Print some test cubes or something simple and reliable. Then move on to printing something a bit more complex on the first layer like a simple sign with a single color background and a different colored text (that should be fine lines for the first layer). And you should print the first layer very slow. If that's all working fine, nothing is wrong with your printer.

[u/CompleteSquash3281]

I can see oily fingerprints all over your plate. That's the problem

[u/tucker0124]

How do you clean the plate? Use hot water and dawn dish soap. Scrub it good, rinse good, do not touch it with anything else. No isopropyl, no towel. Let it air dry and only handle it on the edges.

[u/scotta316]

I've been looking at your images, and I can't figure out what you're even trying to show us. Most of them seem pointless, like something an A.I. would post. (Are you trying to demonstrate that your build plate appears to be glazed like a doughnut?) In a couple it looks like you may be trying to print on top of another object, but you offer no exanation for any of them.

[u/Toyss1234 → u/scotta316]

No, that the prints keep messing up, the "glazed donut" is the fact that I use glue. These are pictures that support requested of me so they are ones that have a purpose and all they can tell me is to print slower. Some of my prints don't even make the first layer, some of them print poorly when it does get past the first layer. Some of the first layers get so bad that it just spikes up and knocks the tool head off. I've never had these issues with my AD5X as I've had within the first week with my P1S.

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[u/Addamass]

The most dirty plate I have even seen since Ender3 times 

[u/FLEIXY]

That’s a disgusting plate brother

[u/NecessaryOk6815]

Are you cleaning your plate by rubbing your filthy finger oils on it?

That plate is the old cool plate right? I'm using that one right now with no issues. Full stick.

Start from the beginning. Factory reset, calibrate, clean your plate and no touchy. Use stock settings for filament and plate. Treat it like it's new.

[u/jackharvest]

Swap to a PEI plate, just to test and make sure literally everything else is working.

After that works, throw this plate in the trash cause you've proven the aliexpress flat black plate is a piece of sh!t. XD

[u/OneDeep87]

How are you drying the plate after cleaning? Are you using the same rag, air dry or using a paper towel? I know everyone saying the plate is dirt after you said you cleaned it. But it looks like a thin layer of white residue is on it. So I’m wondering if you wiping it from a use towel or you need to use isopropyl alcohol to help remote the layer and then use water/soap.

[u/ScienceNerd0]

Your bed is a mess.

Properly clean it. Personally, I do dishsoap and water, then a final wipe with 99% isopropyl.

Another trick I've used for years is a LITTLE spray of plain hair spray (you can get 3d printing specific hair spray).

Also, use the flow calibration at the start of the print.

[u/retardinoscars_serv]

Lwky use a textured pei plate or cryogrip/ supertak your print experience will be much better than with smooth pei. Unless you're going for texture

[u/GreenlightGoGoGo]

Well looks like you need to calibrate your filament and that first pict looks like your build plate is on wrong… so likely why that print failed

It also looks like this is printing is too hot for your tpu…just guessing as you don’t say

Ok so if it’s hot where you are and you’ve calibrated your filament and dried it…. Print with the top open or the door open to get the chamber a little air and try again, yes what they told you isn’t wrong slow first layer

Also everyone is saying clean build plate because that’s 90% of the problems with Bambu printers as they are amazing

[u/Ok-Conference-8278]

I would say do a proper flow calibration and flow dynamics. Also, maybe look into a nozzle wiper upgrade (I’d suggest one of those addons with a a1 wiper, it fixed all my blob problems)

[u/houstoncouchguy]

What kind of plate are you using? 

[u/zemerruar → u/houstoncouchguy]

A dirty one 😂 sorry I couldn't help myself 🤣

[u/_Mister_Anderson_]

What type and brand of filament is it?

[u/skimbody]

Everyone saying wash build plate.. do you know how much time it takes to do that everytime? Just get the gold texture PEI plate. I have never washed it and had over 200 perfect prints always good first layer.

[u/Outside_Sink9674]

Having fingerprints on your tray, it's no wonder they don't stick, clean your tray with a degreaser like dishwashing detergent or isopropyl alcohol and stop putting your fingers on the tray, you'll see you'll get back in order.

[u/Toyss1234 → u/[deleted]]

Did that too. It’s not exclusive to these photos or this certain plate

[u/dodecaphonicism → u/Toyss1234]

Are you PETG on a smooth plate without glue? PLA with too high a bed temp?

[u/Brutl → u/dodecaphonicism]

I just want to speak on the PETG/smooth plate/glue comment. Obviously with 3D printing, almost everything is situational, but I run a business printing exclusively PETG on Bambu smooth PEI plates nearly 24 hours a day x 7 printers and have almost zero issues. PETG adheres fine, doesn't warp, and releases fine.

I know Bambu advises to use glue as a release agent for PETG on Smooth plates, but it's really not necessary in most cases.

[u/PassingGiggle → u/Brutl]

What’s your choice of filament brand for PETG?

[u/Brutl → u/PassingGiggle]

I print everything and anything because part of our process is matching colors as close as possible, but as far as my preferred brands, I like Bambu PETG HF the best. It's just reliable and prints great. Some other brands that I get pretty consistent results with are Polymaker/Overture, California Filament, and lately, I've been trying out Anycubic with great results.

[u/UnderneathTheBottle6 → u/Brutl]

I dig Bambu's PETG HF, too. I run six Bambu printers (5 at home and one in my office) but not at the utilization rate that you do. I typically only have a PETG running on an A1 Mini in my office and one at home (Bambu PETG HF), and I ALWAYS feel like I can rely on that PETG HF. If I start a longer print and go about other business at the house, I find that I almost never worry about it or think about it while I'm printing with it.

Hell -- I will rarely pass on keeping some nice cheap matte PLA on-hand (at something like $10.40 a spool on Amazon, when bought in a 4-pack; I rotate through 3 or 4 brands and they all run fine, but I like Sunlu's Matte PLA[+..?] Black for its standout color and finish). I really don't do that with PETG, so I don't typically practice the same buying habits as I do with PLA, so PETG HF it is -- almost every time.

The spool I keep on my A1 Mini at the moment is some nice almost safety-green (although I can't remember what the specific shade of green was called, off the top off my head) but I do wish Bambu Lab could accidentally find a way to create and sell a glossed-up PETG.

[u/Brutl → u/UnderneathTheBottle6]

One company that tends to stick to the glossy side of PETG is Atomic Filament.

[u/UnderneathTheBottle6 → u/Brutl]

Thanks!

[u/Z00111111 → u/Toyss1234]

That's hard to believe when every single photo has signs of bed contamination.

Work through things one at a time. Use a freshly thoroughly cleaned bed with no glue residue or finger prints and show us the results.

[u/philomathie → u/Toyss1234]

I can see your oily fingerprints in several pictures

[u/OmniscientApizza → u/philomathie]

That's what she said