My prints started printing like this…in that…nothing would print right. I could only get some minor small prints to work, everything else failed miserably. And if I am being honest, most of the small prints failed too.
I began researching my issue, which was a nightmare, but found some folks talking about running a First Layer Test, in order to determine if there are adhesion problems with your plate. If layer 1 can’t adhere, layer 2 won’t either, and so on. I figured a few grams and twenty minutes would be a worthy test.
I went to Makerworld.com, and grabbed the First Layer Test that felt right. I have no idea what that means, but I chose this one created for the Bambu A1, by @zlajoni81.
https://makerworld.com/en/models/141133-first-layer-test-for-a1-scaled-to-fit-a1#profileId-153797
I ran this test on both sides of my build plate. The results are below. In these pictures, I turned structure way up and highlighted areas with a pencil.
This is side one, with an arrow indicating the back right corner of the print bed. You can see some very distinct failure areas on the edges.
In this next image, you can see the same failure areas in similar spots. I found this to be curious. The same spots? On both sides? In the same places? That didn’t make sense to me at first, until I recognized the pattern.
Every large failure in all areas is where I handle the plate, every time I touch it with my apparently…filthy hands. I don’t think I realized how dirty the plate can get, and the impact it will have on your prints.
The moral of the story: Wash your build plate. Run a First Layer Test.
