# Weird artifacts on flat print **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2021, 6:45pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878 "2021-08-05T18:45:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 6:45pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/1 "2021-08-05T18:45:40Z")
So let’s see your first layers! Here’s my latest… not perfect yet but is getting closer… ![image](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/e/e33df889f0e7d539489e680509e5b7aace64ee9b.jpeg) EDIT: I originally wanted this to be a thread to show off our first layers but have since noticed some issues I could use help with. See below. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/2 "2021-08-05T20:30:02Z")
Actually… could use some advice. What could be causing these artifacts?? ![image](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/c/c821e94b3613850d4004bd78836dd1b98fd76e69.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Glenn](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/glenn/32/728_2.png) [@Glenn](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Glenn)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/3 "2021-08-05T20:48:23Z")
I can’t tell if those are voids or wrinkles. if they are voids then I suspect it’s under extruding slightly. if they are more like wrinkles then maybe the bed has some contamination or other schmutz on it causing small adhesion problems. I had that happen myself and cleaning the gunk off the bed really well solved it ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/4 "2021-08-05T20:56:08Z")
Looked more like wrinkles. I ran my fingernail over them slightly when it was printing and couldn’t really feel anything but they’re clearly visible. I’d be surprised if it was a dirty bed just given the repeating pattern but I suppose it’s possible. The interesting part was that the second picture was I think 3 layers in. The first one was the first layer and didn’t show those wrinkles (just looked like I might need to adjust my z offset a little bit). ---
**Author:** ![kitedemon](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@kitedemon](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/kitedemon)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 11:08pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/5 "2021-08-05T23:08:10Z")
That looks like the z height is too close. It creates odd ripples, like ripples in beach sand. Likely just adjust (baby step) it up a bit and try a first layer of a large something, and slowly adjust it until it clears up. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/6 "2021-08-05T23:36:03Z")
Could be. I actually nudged it down a bit trying to get my first layer to squish nicer (see the first image for how it was). Maybe I nudged too much? ---
**Author:** ![kitedemon](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@kitedemon](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/kitedemon)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 11:49pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/7 "2021-08-05T23:49:40Z")
That would be my guess. My sidewinder is a nightmare it is very fussy it has adhesion issues or ripples with very little distance between them. ---
**Author:** ![Rotorfreak](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@Rotorfreak](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Rotorfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 12:46pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/8 "2021-08-06T12:46:45Z")
I have exactly the same problem. Bed is very level and I use a BLtouch along with a MS direct drive extruder. ![1st & 2nd layer](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/5/53bafa0cdb9843c36816c276174afdfd57b3c34a.jpeg) ![3rd layer #1](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/5/5399951414160b94bb55b6cc181f204997a26709.jpeg) ![3rd layer #2](https://storage.3dprintingspace.com/original/2X/7/70c675e629d6f8fa78df5ae1c36d78a66d9fee6e.jpeg). In pic 1st&2nd layer the 1st layer is on the left side of the pic. The artifacts are like ‘waves’ which change direction when printing a new layer. What’s amazing is how smooth some sections are then out of the blue…waves? The most interesting part was when the print was completed. It was absolutely beautiful (looked like it was injection molded). No defects or artifacts visible at all!? I’m still trying to figure out the cause which looks bad but doesn’t seem to affect anything. I’m wondering if it has something to do with the ‘z’ hopping when it shouldn’t be? ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/9 "2021-08-06T13:53:29Z")
That’s exactly my setup too. BLTouch, MS direct drive & all metal hot end. What firmware are you running? ---
**Author:** ![Jason](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/jason/32/6148_2.png) [@Jason](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Jason)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/10 "2021-08-06T14:14:07Z")
I agree with Kite I think nozzle is a touch close. As long as you have good adherence to the bed and the second layer is covering the imperfection I would prolly let it go. I will always opt for good bed adhesion over the look of the first layer as in most cases its hidden by the second. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 2:42pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/11 "2021-08-06T14:42:55Z")
The problem was that in my case the first layer was fine. The ripples didn’t show up until the second and subsequent layer ---
**Author:** ![Jason](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/jason/32/6148_2.png) [@Jason](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Jason)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/12 "2021-08-06T14:48:24Z")
That is strange, when I first looked at it I would have sworn that was first layer, Sorry my bad. Does the fan come on with your second layer? Just looking for a difference between the 2 layers and identify the cause. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/13 "2021-08-06T15:51:07Z")
No my Cura settings say that initial fan speed is 0% and regular fan speed is at layer 4 ---
**Author:** ![Rotorfreak](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@Rotorfreak](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/Rotorfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/14 "2021-08-06T20:07:28Z")
Marlin 2.0.8.1 which seems to work very well. ---
**Author:** ![kitedemon](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@kitedemon](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/kitedemon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 5:28am UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/15 "2021-08-07T05:28:45Z")
It is compounded by the first layer. I have seen ripples form on 2-5 layers but it remains a first layer issue. The imperfections just compound. Its like a speed wobble, it starts small and gets worse and worse. In my experience it will sometimes clear up as you lay down more and more layers but the bottom layer when removed is a mess. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/16 "2021-08-09T17:36:15Z")
Hmm… perhaps. The first layer is actually quite nice in the finished piece. I’ll have to model up a test piece that I know is completely flat (the model I was printing is not guaranteed to be so) so I can test it. ---
**Author:** ![PJprincefpv](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/pjprincefpv/32/262_2.png) [@PJprincefpv](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/PJprincefpv)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 2:13pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/17 "2021-08-10T14:13:15Z")
Bed surface maybe or to hot ---
**Author:** ![percar](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@percar](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/percar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/18 "2021-08-10T15:09:24Z")
I have had this issue in the past and it was basically the nozzle was too close or it is over extruding. If the nozzle is too close the ripples will disappear the more layers you print…if it is over extrusion then the ripples will get worse to the point that you will start getting blobs and or the nozzle is dragging along the last layer. I generally tend to under extrude slightly and I also try to print the first layer at .3mm where possible. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceMoose](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/3dprintingspace.com/spacemoose/32/951_2.png) [@SpaceMoose](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/SpaceMoose)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/19 "2021-08-10T15:28:56Z")
It’s gotta be the nozzle being slightly too close then since as the print went on it got better. I’ll have to do some testing again to try and dial things in even tighter. ---
**Author:** ![brendand](https://3dps-assets.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@brendand](https://3dprintingspace.com/u/brendand)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://3dprintingspace.com/t/weird-artifacts-on-flat-print/2878/21 "2023-09-15T17:56:27Z")
Hi SpaceMoose, Had the same issue with my CR10 Smart Pro, turned out disabling and bypassing the runout sensor solved this issue for me.