3D Printing for Beginners: 9 Common 3D Printing Mistakes

In a new YouTube video, the 3D Printer Academy channel highlights the nine most common mistakes in 3D printing. With some tips and tricks, you can avoid the mistakes and reduce problems in 3D printing.

We summarize the mistakes in this article. To go along with the tips, we recently published an article about a comprehensive online course for beginners.

1. Touching the 3D printer build plate: touching the build plate with greasy and dirty hands can affect adhesion. It is recommended to use a part removal tool and not touch the build plate. If dirty, the plate can be cleaned with warm soapy water.
2. Improperly leveled 3D printer bed: An improperly leveled bed is a common problem, especially in printers without automatic bed leveling.
3. Printing too fast: Printing too fast can affect the quality. It is recommended to start with the default speed and slowly increase it.
4. Printing with the wrong media settings: Printing with the wrong settings can cause problems. It is important to check the recommended settings on the filament package.
5. Failure to consider print orientation: The correct orientation of an object in the slicer can affect print strength and quality.
6. Not storing 3D printer filament properly: A tangled filament strand can cause problems. It is important to store the filament correctly.
7. Adjusting the infill percentage instead of the wall thickness: To increase the strength of a print, it is better to increase the wall thickness instead of increasing the infill percentage.
8. Cleaning the 3D printer build plate with isopropyl alcohol: It is recommended to use warm soapy water instead of isopropyl alcohol as it is more effective in removing dirt and oil.
9. 3D printing outdoor parts from PLA: PLA can warp in hot environments. Materials such as ASA are more suitable for outdoor use.

The video with all the tips and tricks can be viewed here: