Common Print Problems & Fixes

Diagnose and solve the most common 3D printing issues

15 min read Beginner
Contents
Stringing / Oozing Warping / Curling Layer Separation / Splitting Under-Extrusion Over-Extrusion Z-Banding / Lines Elephant's Foot

Stringing / Oozing

Symptoms: Fine threads of plastic between parts of the print.

Causes:
- Temperature too high
- Insufficient retraction
- Wet filament

Fixes:
1. Lower nozzle temperature by 5-10C
2. Increase retraction distance
3. Increase retraction speed
4. Enable "Combing" or "Avoid crossing perimeters"
5. Dry your filament
6. Print a retraction tower to find optimal settings

Warping / Curling

Symptoms: Corners lifting off the bed, model curving upward.

Causes:
- Bed not hot enough
- Poor first layer adhesion
- Drafts cooling the print unevenly
- Material prone to warping (ABS, Nylon)

Fixes:
1. Level the bed properly
2. Increase bed temperature
3. Use adhesion helper (glue, hairspray)
4. Add brim in slicer
5. Use an enclosure
6. Reduce print speed for first layers
7. Ensure no drafts (AC, windows)

Layer Separation / Splitting

Symptoms: Layers visibly separating, cracks between layers.

Causes:
- Nozzle temperature too low
- Cooling too aggressive
- Wet filament
- Print too fast

Fixes:
1. Increase nozzle temperature by 5-10C
2. Reduce fan speed (especially for ABS/PETG)
3. Dry your filament
4. Slow down print speed
5. Increase layer height slightly
6. Check for partial clog

Under-Extrusion

Symptoms: Gaps in layers, thin/missing lines, weak parts.

Causes:
- Partial nozzle clog
- Incorrect flow rate
- Extruder slipping
- Filament tangle
- Temperature too low

Fixes:
1. Do a cold pull to clear nozzle
2. Calibrate e-steps
3. Check extruder gear tension
4. Increase temperature
5. Check for filament tangles
6. Replace worn nozzle

Over-Extrusion

Symptoms: Blobs, rough surfaces, dimensional inaccuracy.

Causes:
- Flow rate too high
- Temperature too high
- Incorrect filament diameter

Fixes:
1. Calibrate flow rate (print a cube)
2. Lower nozzle temperature
3. Measure and set correct filament diameter
4. Reduce flow/extrusion multiplier by 2-5%

Z-Banding / Lines

Symptoms: Horizontal lines/ridges at regular intervals.

Causes:
- Z-axis binding or inconsistency
- Temperature fluctuations
- Filament diameter variation
- Vibration

Fixes:
1. Clean and lubricate Z-axis lead screw
2. Check Z-axis coupler tightness
3. Enable PID tuning for hotend
4. Check for loose belts
5. Ensure printer is on stable surface

Elephant's Foot

Symptoms: First layer spreads out wider than it should.

Causes:
- Nozzle too close to bed
- Bed temperature too high
- Too much first layer squish

Fixes:
1. Raise nozzle slightly (Z offset)
2. Lower bed temperature after first layer
3. Reduce first layer flow rate
4. Use elephant's foot compensation in slicer