A screw that won't go in, a lid that's too tight, a part that measures less than the design.
It happens on any FDM printer. Setting names are Bambu Studio's: in Orca Slicer almost all have the same name, and PrusaSlicer or Cura usually have an equivalent.
Where do I start?
Two questions to sort out what to check. It's a guide, not a sure fix: every printer and every filament is different.
Check in this order
- The printerIf it printed fine yesterday and not today, it's almost never the profile. Check the plate, the nozzle and the room: printing at 15 °C is not the same as at 30 °C.
- The filamentA spool that has soaked up moisture gives strings, bubbles and brittle parts. Dry it before changing settings, and pick that filament's profile in the program.Filament pages
- The quick checksThe “First” list below: it's the fastest to check.Go to “First”
- The slicerOnly now, the settings below, in order. Change one thing, print a small test and compare. If you change three at once and it gets fixed, you won't know which one did it.Go to the settings
Check in this order
- The quick checksThe “First” list below: it's the fastest to check.Go to “First”
- The filamentA spool that has soaked up moisture gives strings, bubbles and brittle parts. Dry it before changing settings, and pick that filament's profile in the program.Filament pages
- The testsCalibrate your filament with these tests:6Tolerances2Flow
- The slicerOnly now, the settings below, in order. Change one thing, print a small test and compare. If you change three at once and it gets fixed, you won't know which one did it.Go to the settings
Check in this order
- The quick checksThe “First” list below: it's the fastest to check.Go to “First”
- The previewStep through the slicer preview layer by layer: that's where you spot missing supports and odd areas in this part.
- The slicerOnly now, the settings below, in order. Change one thing, print a small test and compare. If you change three at once and it gets fixed, you won't know which one did it.Go to the settings
First
- Before printing something big, print just the area that has to fit. In minutes you'll know whether it goes in.
- Rule out other causes: damp filament, too much plastic or a widened base (see “The base comes out wider than the rest”).
- The fit also depends on the design: two parts drawn to the exact same size, with no clearance, won't go together.
Then, in the slicer (in this order)
- Flow ratioFilament › FilamentIf everything comes out slightly big and lines pile up, there's too much plastic: calibrate flow.
- X-Y hole compensationProcess › QualityMakes holes bigger without touching the outline. Go up 0.05 mm at a time.
- X-Y contour compensationProcess › QualityShrinks or grows the outer edge without touching the holes.
- Elephant foot compensationProcess › QualityIf what doesn't fit is the base, the problem is the first layer.
- Precise wallProcess › QualityPuts the outer wall exactly on the model's edge. Only shown in developer mode.
- ShrinkageFilament › FilamentABS, ASA or nylon that always come out smaller: compensate for the shrinkage.
Fixed by calibrating:6Tolerances2Flow
If you painted the model in several colors, Bambu Studio doesn't apply X-Y compensation and warns you. For those parts, the clearance has to be in the design.
Tried everything and it's still the same? Calibrate your filament with the 8 tests, or write to us with a photo.