Hello
I am looking for some help figuring out what is wrong with my printer. I have an Ender 3 Neo printer at home, and it’s probably 2.5 yrs old at this point. Last winter I started having issues with uneven layer lines and parts breaking in thin spots post-print.
My printer has one z-axis screw/motor and a Bowden extruder, and I have upgraded the hot end with a bimetal heat break. I have a glass print bed, which is working just fine from what I can tell.
Pic of the printer below.
Here are some recent prints that show the issue I’m talking about.
These are a Benchy I printed as a test with plain white PLA filament. The bottom half of the hull part of the boat is okay, but you can see some uneven lines as you go up. The worst is on the thin parts of the cabin, you can see how uneven the layers are.
This is a printer test thing I tried printing, this picture shows the “overhang test” part of the print. The issue is most visible here. My printer was able to finish the print without this overhang portion breaking off, but it’s jagged and uneven and there are gaps.
These are pictures of a Christmas ornament I have tried printing several times, and they all come out like this or worse. Compare them with the blue ornament below, it’s a different style of one but the layers and lines on it are much smoother.
Right now I think the cause of the issue is most likely the hot end or maybe the sensor controlling the hot end temp. During a print, whatever temp I set the bed and hot end to, the bed will go to that temp and stay there without changing, but the hot end temp will fluctuate +/- 5 deg or so from the number I have it set at. I don’t know if the hot end is fluctuating between those temps or if the sensor is faulty.
I recently tightened the various wheels and belts on the printer, but that didn’t help get any cleaner layer lines. I don’t think that was the issue.
If anybody has had an issue like this with their printer and has some suggestions, I’m all ears.
