Seven 3D printing horror stories… and how to avoid them!

It’s Halloween! Thankfully, real terror doesn’t creep into the world of 3D printing too often. But when it does, it’s sure to give you plenty of sleepless nights. Here are the seven worst 3D printing tales of horror, and how to ensure you never experience them.

1. The house of horror 3D print experience

Let’s set the scene here. You’ve been printing a complex model for 30 hours solid. Suddenly, the power flickers and dies. Shock horror, your 3D print has stopped! And, if you’re not confident enough to do a custom workaround or advanced gcode voodoo, the only thing you can do is start again.

It’s enough to make you scream, right? However, there are steps you can take to avoid this terrifying scenario. For starters, make sure the power cord is plugged in correctly. It may sound obvious, but it’s an easy mistake to make. You can find out how in this handy guide. Secondly, if those are ghosts tugging at your cord, you probably need an exorcist to help you. Good luck with that.

2. Spaghetti monster from outer space

Your model was looking great, then a curse hits it. You watch with horror as it detaches from the build plate. The filament keeps extruding. And before you know it, it looks like an alien nest.

The solution lies in better build plate adhesion. Obviously, it depends on the material used and the nature of your model – but you could apply a thin layer or glue or adhesion sheets to the glass plate (make sure it’s clean), and double-check you’re using the correct settings per material in Cura. Here’s a guide to help you brush up on the basics.

3. Alien-abducted layers

Something’s not quite right here. Your material isn’t extruding correctly – and what’s this? Some of your layers have gone missing! Alien abduction? Perhaps. However, it’s more likely that your 3D printer settings need some attention.

Under-extrusion can be solved by checking that the material settings in your slicer software and 3D printer are aligned with the material in question. If that doesn’t work, the feeder might be grinding into the material, preventing it from moving forward. To find out more about extrusion problems, click here. If you’re still convinced it’s an alien abduction, you’re on your own.

4. Fearsome molten zombies

What’s that appearing on your smooth, perfect print? It’s an attack of the dreaded, misshapen molten monsters! You know what we’re talking about – those unsightly blobs that melt and deform your model, transforming it from a thing of beauty to a hideous monstrosity.

Unless you’re making props for The Walking Dead, this probably wasn’t the look you were going for. To avoid this apocalyptic error, make sure the print head fans are turning at full speed, and check your temperature settings carefully. Doing so may save you from producing these evil, unsightly models!

5. Witchy warping

Are the lower layers of your 3D print not sticking to the build plate properly? If so, you’ve been hit by the evil magic known as warping! This occurs when the plastic cools down too fast. The result – bending in the lower edges that’s more twisted than a witch’s nose. Ugh.

Expert bed leveling can solve this problem. Likewise, adding a thin layer of glue or adhesion sheet to the build plate can help. If not, try increasing the build plate temperature. Depending on the material you’re using, you could also use the door add-on from the Advanced 3D Printing Kit. Find out more here.

6. Sinister spider webs

It was all going so well, until those horrible lines of material started hanging in the air, creating a spidery, spiky mess inside the intricate parts of your print. Small drops of material ooze from the nozzle as it travels from one peak to the next, which creates web-like stringing that’s enough to give anyone a lifelong phobia.

The solution? Material retraction – which is the process through which the feeder retracts the material when the print head needs to travel in mid-air. This beautifully simple solution solves most of the issues involved with spooky stringing. You can learn more about it here.

7. Creepy cracks

These nightmarish cracks in your model are also known as delamination, and can ruin your 3D print. However, there are ways to deal with this sinister issue. Keep the 3D printer doors shut and don’t use too much cooling. Likewise, check your Cura settings, or use the door add-in from the Advanced 3D Printing Kit. And there you have it – be gone, foul cracks!

Tell us your darkest 3D printing fears…

We hope this frightful list hasn’t freaked you out too much. Do you think we’ve missed any terrifying 3D printing horrors? If so, fill us in on your worst nightmares. Happy Halloween, guys!