So my abs keeps delaminating between the layers,

3D Printing
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1

So my abs keeps delaminating between the layers, and I’m having a hard time finding out why. We purchased a brand new spool of natural ABS and just did our first print and it literally came apart at the seams. The layers just aren’t bonding.

Settings are:
Print speed: 10mm/s
Layer height: 0.1mm
Cooling fan turned off
Bed temp: 90c
Hotend temp: 250c

The entire printer is in an enclosure that’s keeping it warm.
I’m wondering if in my attempts to prevent the layer splitting I made it worse? Like the depolymerization of the abs because of the longer soak time and higher temps.

2

Try baking the filament first. And it sounds like temp. Have you checked temp accuracy w thermocouple? Also speed could have an effect. Maybe try slower.
Brook

3

@Brook_Drumm I agree with all that except speed, slower than 10 mm/s doesn’t sound appropriate assuming you’re using a nozzle with a relatively size normal bore.

4

How big are you trying to print? 10mm/s could actually be too slow. You want to get the layer down before the previous one has fully cooled. This will mean that the bonding temperature will be higher and you’ll have less differential contraction as they cool.

5

Yeah, not going to go slower than 10mm/s. It took 9 hours to print a small object.

I was thinking about baking, though the extrusion doesn’t show any signs of moisture.

I’ll double check with a thermocouple.

6

Wrong filament multiplier. It is delaminating from not enough material to squeeze the layers together. ABS is typically about 10 to 15% under extruded versus PLA on most printers I have used.

7

Buying a thermometer is a tough way to go.

I tend to try and print as fast as possible with abs (want me to send to you some unopened spools?)

When I raise to .300 mm the previous layers are much warmer. However, I determined that made the parts curl and pull off from the plate. (I could be wrong.)

Next, I would bake AFTER printing. I preheat an oven or boiling water and insert or dip, or use a furniture stripper hot air blow dryer. This is Only good for non calibrated objects.

Many times reworking the piece saves reprinting (But I update the designs and don’t reprint until needed)

I’m talking about pieces such as artificial gloves, fingers, etc where the objects were scanned (usually not openscad objects)

But, just opinions. I really suggest switching to PC polycarbonate. It isn’t as scary as abs (fumes)

8

i think @Joseph_Chiu is right - you will get proper easy delamination if layer height vs extruded width is too high. you will not get enough bonding if the extrusion is too thin. have you done an extrusion multiplier calibration?

9

My normal settings for ABS are:
60mm/s
0.2mm layer @ 0.4mm nozzle
110c bed
225c hot end

Strength is fairly good.

10

Oh, I should add that I like to run hot for ABS. 120C platform and 260C hot end.

11

So I measured with a thermocouple shoved in the nozzle tip, at 260c software, it reads 235c at the thermocouple.
I did the same with the bed, and at 90c the bed reads 98c with a thermocouple.

12

Just be careful that the temperature you are measuring with an external TC is often lower than the internal temperature of the hot-end, as the external TC will be exposed to outside cooling.

13

At 120c for the bottom, aren’t you worried that the lower layers stay too hot, and thus soft and more prone to warping?

14

So I tried 120c for the bottom heater, the bottom layers of the part was droopy and weird.
I think that 260c is doing better, and I upped the speed to 30mm/s. We’ll see when it finishes.

15

For cheaper hotends (not what you may have since you designed your printer) if there is a sleeve and not an all metal type above 250 destroys the sleeve quickly.

Of course you know all this.