Cura doesn't print the last part of the top layer? (Doesn't generate printing moves)

Hey guys, I got this weird error where Cura very consistently doesn't print the last small part of an object. It's completely weird, it does it with big prints as well as small prints, and it's even proportionally. So with a bigger print it will leave out a few complete lines of the top infill and on small prints it will just skip the last few small points it needs to put some material.

This is incredibly annoying and I'm wondering if there are others that have ever had this happening consistently (I assume it's a 'Cura' problem) and I hope there is someone that knows a fix

An example (and yes Cura also doesn't want to correctly print the top infill, Slic3r however has no problems with this using the exact same settings..?):




Just to make sure, the printer doesn't even make these print moves. It just does it's thing, stops, retracts, and everything moves neatly to the positions I tell it to in the last g-code part that I've added so Cura doesn't seem to create the last few printing moves!

looks to me like a retraction issue. i think the nozzle is not pressurized. likely this is where it first puts down the layer. i would slow down your retraction rate as i think it is causing slippage. this is a thing that would be easier to diagnose with a video of the last 2 layers of print.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2014 08:53PM by jamesdanielv.

Hi jamesdanielv, it is completely a Cura issue, the line is not drawn at the beginning of the layer sad enough. I've been watching all my prints and I've always been around to watch the beginning and the end, and a lot of in-between printing. This printer never prints alone (safety first!)

And it's surely not retraction, since I've had entire prints go completely right for 99.99%, even the insides, I've done extensive testing on retraction settings with multiple objects printed etcetera. The whole printer never makes these printer moves in the end, which is crazy.

It does show up as a printer move in the preview in Cura, but when it's printing, it never makes these moves. I've kept an eye on the infills of the prints too and it has never missed any part. The extruder is never slipping (Airtrippers extruder with MK8 drive gear and a tube and NOT springs ). There is no residu, and when the extruder is retracting and extruding again it never misses a step and never 'vibrates' as sometimes happens when someone has their extruder moving too fast.

There are now two problems I haven't been able to solve with Cura, other than just use Slic3r, but when I print with Slic3r, my prints looks worse in general, and they sometimes take 150% more time to print.

I am okay with the last parts missing, but would really like to solve this weird error. This is my second printer and it's completely self-printed and build, just like the first one, and I have to be able to solve all these small errors or I go crazy, crazee!

can you show a video of your last two layers? my cura prints work great but i have retraction speeds very modest

can you turn off retracts for 1 print, and show how that print looks? thanks. some one will help you out for sure.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2014 08:52PM by jamesdanielv.

Hey, I'm printing with a Bowden system, so without retracts it will be terrible However, before, when retraction wasn't calibrated too good it had the same issue. Tomorrow evening I'll make a vid, and try to prepare an object with a simple shape to keep the distractions down and the problem is most visible.

The length and amount of the last few lines not being printed scales with the size of the surface. So bigger surface, more unfinished lines, the smaller, the smaller it becomes, with 20x20mm items it isn't even visible, and with very thin object it's also not a problem/visible.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2014 06:25PM by Ohmarinus.

Can you see the missing line in a gcode viewer like Repetier host?

I just started using Cura (moving over from Slic3r) and have only printed a handful of items with it but have not seen this issue.

I had a very similar issue which was solved by adding M400 as the first entry in the end script, before telling it moving out of the way and turning off motors, temperatures etc. I believe it has something to do with the certain gcodes that execute before the buffer has fully emptied

OKay, I'm now trying to print with the M400 command at the beginning of my custom end gcode We'll see what happens!

M400: Wait for current moves to finish

Finishes all current moves and and thus clears the buffer. That's identical to G4 P0.

Example: M400



this is interesting. let us know if it works. this would likely change the way we handle end gcodes codes by default. if anything it cant hurt.

and........what happened?????

I have cura missing whole sections of a print, ie the base of a print so I am interested in how to solve the missing areas of print with cura.

Quote
happygoluckyaussie
and........what happened?????

I have cura missing whole sections of a print, ie the base of a print so I am interested in how to solve the missing areas of print with cura.

Hey I didn't have what you describe, but when I have that problem it's because of an issue with the STL. It usually happens when I scale down an object that is designed to be human-sized to about 1:10/1:20/1:25

The M400 command solved the above problem on some prints, but sometimes is still functions weirdly. Also changed from a J-Head to a Merlin hotend, which forced me to re-calibrate. It didn't change the finishing moves but I did manage to improve the infills on the top layer.

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http://www.marinusdebeer.nl/

I am finding way toooo many weird things with cura 14.07 and the previous version. It looks nice to use but the results and the wasted plastic on prints that just do not come out as shown on the screen is just getting too much.
I think I will be going back to using Slic3r until I can find something better.

Regards
Nige

Quote
happygoluckyaussie
I am finding way toooo many weird things with cura 14.07 and the previous version. It looks nice to use but the results and the wasted plastic on prints that just do not come out as shown on the screen is just getting too much.
I think I will be going back to using Slic3r until I can find something better.

Regards
Nige

Do you use the 'tool path' preview mode? Because Cura shows literally what it's doing. Essentially, if a print will fail, you can see it in this preview! I don't think you're using the correct preview mode for it will show what it will do before you start the print

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http://www.marinusdebeer.nl/

Hi Ohmarinus,
I assume the preview mode you are talking about is "layers" mode which is available from the icon in the top right corner???
I checked that mode and found that it does show that the bottom layer of my print job will not print correctly......no idea why, it is just a flat rectangle 3mm thick, can't get any simpler object than that!
I have attached the print job so anyone can throw their two cents worth in if they feel inclined to do so.

It looks like the setting "Spiralize the outer layer" is causing the problems. When I untick this, the layer view shows the model correctly and the infill returns as well. I will perform a print and see if what the previews are showing also is carried out in the print job itself. Get back to everyone soon.

Regards
Nige

Sounds good, however, if a file doesn't work for me in Cura, it's not because of the spiraling... And will show the same defect in both Cura and Slic3r/Repetier sadly.

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http://www.marinusdebeer.nl/

Ok ,I have reprinted my GPS cover without the Spiralize setting ticked and it prints as it should......well almost.....have some cracks/seperation issues on the larger prints still. I am now setting my printer up so that it is fully enclosed to see if this solves the cracking/ seperation problem.
get back to everyone soonish. :-)

Regards
Nige