3DPrinting

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What is the deal with all this first layer fixation? (programming.dev)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/3dprinting

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It seems like over the last couple months/half year there's been this new fixation with printing a huge perfect single layer of plastic all cross the entire bed of one's printer. I see lots of folks asking about calibration issues when they are trying to do this. It seems like it's sorta become a standard of sorts.

I just ask why?

It seems to use a huge amount of plastic and honestly I don't think it probably effects real world results that much.

I feel like the 3d printing community has a lot of shilling going on for companies and the information you get might not be entirely reliable. Look into the issues with this FLSUN S1 if you want to know what I mean.

But anyway, I have never had an impulse or see the need to print a single layer across the entire build surface of my printer. because I feel like that's a huge waste and doesn't actually matter when it comes to real world results.

Am I missing something? I kinda wonder if this kinda test is being pushed by the folks selling us filament, to sell us more filament. Is there a good reason to actually do this?

Please enlighten me!

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[–] sylver_dragon 6 points 1 day ago

I think it depends on what you want to print. Personally, most of my prints fit within a much smaller footprint. So, I don't usually need my first layer to be perfect across the full bed. However, when trying to print something larger, I can absolutely tell how terrible my first layer is. It sucks to end up reprinting the first layer half a dozen times, because one small area keeps failing to adhere.

A large part of my issue is the printer I have just isn't all that good. And, when I get less lazy, I'm going to just build a Voron. At that point, I'll probably be one of those folks tweaking it until I get a perfect first layer. Because I want to be able to start a print and not spend the next hour fighting first layer problems.