Frequently Asked Questions

(3) First layer is printed too fast
As you extrude the first layer of filament on top of the build
platform, you want to make sure that filament can properly bond
to the surface before starting the next layer. If you print the first
layer too fast, the filament may not have time to bond to the build
platform. For this reason, it is typically very useful to print the first
layer at a slower speed so that the filament has time to bond to the
bed.
Cura provides a setting for this exact feature. If you click on
“Edit Process Settings” and go to the Layer tab, you will see a
setting labeled “First Layer Speed”. For example, if you set a first
layer speed of 50%, it means that your first layer will print 50%
slower than the rest of your part. If you feel that your printer is
moving too fast on the first layer, try reducing this setting.
(4) Temperature or cooling settings
Filament tends to shrink as it cools from a warm temperature
to a cool temperature. To provide a useful example, imagine a
100mm wide part that is being printed with ABS filament. If the
nozzle was printing this filament at 230 degrees Celsius, but it was
being deposited onto a cold build platform, it is likely that the
filament would quickly cool down after leaving the hot nozzle.
Some printers also include cooling fans that speed up this
cooling process when they are being used. If this ABS part cooled
down to a room temperature of 30℃, the 100mm wide part would
shrink by almost 1.5mm! Unfortunately, the build platform on
your printer is not going to shrink this much, since it is typically
kept at a fairly constant temperature. Because of this fact, the