My PLA first layer looks fine on the left side of the plate but barely sticks on the right. Same model, same 0.2 mm first-layer height, same bed temperature. I cleaned the build surface and tried a small Z-offset adjustment, which improved one side while making the other too squashed. That makes me suspect mesh leveling or something mechanically out of alignment rather than filament moisture. What checks would you do before rebuilding the bed mesh again?
First-layer problems that only happen on one side of the bed
- 3d-printing
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4 replies
Before rebuilding the mesh, I’d check the obvious mechanical stuff: bed screws, gantry level, and whether the nozzle is a little too close o...
Before rebuilding the mesh, I’d check the obvious mechanical stuff: bed screws, gantry level, and whether the nozzle is a little too close on one side. A consistent left-right difference can be a physical tilt rather than a slicer problem.
I’d also look at motion. If the bed or the X carriage has play, the first layer can look fine in one zone and awful in another even though the mesh seems to ‘work.’
That’s what I was wondering about. I tightened one corner of the bed months ago, so I should probably recheck the whole frame instead of ass...
Another thing people skip is checking the nozzle itself. A partly dirty nozzle can make one side look underextruded and the other side look squished because the first layer is already running on the edge.
Good point. I’ve had a tiny blob on the nozzle tip create weird first-layer drama that looked far more serious than it was.