<\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOne of the most common and unnoticed factors that can cause your 3D printer to print wavy walls is vibration in the 3D printer due to the environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
When the 3D printer vibrates during the printing process, the nozzle can’t perform stable movements and ends up wobbling all over the model, which ends up with the walls becoming wavy instead of smooth.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf printer vibration is indeed the issue, you should also observe the effects of ringing all over the model due to the nozzle’s erratic movements.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nYou can quickly tell if the 3D printer is vibrating by observing the printing process, as the vibration is often pretty apparent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/span>Mechanical & Electrical Issues Related to 3D Printer<\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA pretty sizeable topic of its own, mechanical and electrical issues related to the 3D printer can easily be the cause behind the appearance of vertical ripples.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Here are some of the mechanical and electrical issues that can cause the problem of wavy walls:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n- Belts that are too tight or too loose<\/strong><\/li>\r\n
- Issues with stepper current<\/strong><\/li>\r\n
- Bent lead screws (Z Wobble)<\/strong><\/li>\r\n
- Issues with Z-axis couplers<\/strong><\/li>\r\n
- Loose grub screws<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
All of the issues above can contribute to the appearance of wavy walls by introducing a level of instability to the printhead or the build plate, meaning that you would most likely also observe the waviness (ringing) on other parts of the model.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSince there is no easy way of telling what the problem is – going through each factor is the best course of action to find the solution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/span>Misconfigured Jerk & Acceleration Settings<\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOften overlooked, misconfiguration of jerk and acceleration settings can also be the reason behind the appearance of wavy walls on your print.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
When the jerk and acceleration settings are misconfigured, the sudden directional changes the extruder performs causes vibrations, contributing to the problem of your 3D printer printing wavy walls.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the case of misconfigured jerk and acceleration settings, you are most likely to observe the wavy patterns near the sharp corners of the model, where the extruder needs to perform quick directional changes.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAlongside the wavy walls, you can also observe rough print surfaces, layer skips, the vibration of the printer, and issues with overall print quality when these settings are not optimal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/span>Inconsistent Extrusion<\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAlongside causing a wide array of serious issues, the effects of inconsistent extrusion (both under-extrusion and over-extrusion) also extend to the problem of wavy walls on prints.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
When the extrusion is inconsistent, whether it’s under-extrusion or over-extrusion, wavy patterns can appear on the walls due to the unevenness of the plastic.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn the case of inconsistent extrusion, you may also face irregularities on the walls alongside the wavy patterns.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf inconsistent extrusion is the problem, you may observe many significant issues ranging from stringing and blobbing (over-extrusion) to holes and gaps (under-extrusion) on the print.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n