3D Printing Toolkit › Troubleshooting › Under-extrusion

Under-extrusion

Gaps, thin or inconsistent walls, and missing sections of a layer.

Likely causes, most likely first

  1. Partial nozzle clog
  2. Temperature too low for the speed
  3. Wrong E-steps / flow or filament diameter
  4. Extruder grinding (idler tension)
  5. Print speed beyond the hot end's flow limit

Fixes to try

Where to buy

Replacement nozzlesA partly blocked or worn nozzle starves the extruder.Shop ↗Filament dryerThis filament absorbs moisture and prints badly once it has.Shop ↗

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Filaments this hits hardest

PLA

The default. Easiest material to print, stiff but brittle, and it softens in a hot car.

PLA+ / Tough PLA

PLA with a toughening additive. Prints nearly like PLA but survives a drop.

PLA + carbon fibre

PLA with chopped carbon fibre. Much stiffer and more dimensionally stable, with a matte finish — and it will destroy a brass nozzle.

Nylon + carbon fibre

Nylon with chopped carbon fibre: stiffer, far more dimensionally stable, and it destroys brass nozzles.

Other print defects

Stringing & oozingWarping & adhesionLayer shiftingElephant's footZ-bandingBlobs & zitsGhosting / ringingOver-extrusionTop pillowingPoor bridging

Every number on this page is in the app too — next to the calculators that use it, working offline at the printer.

Get it onGoogle Play