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A5S Adhesion issue - Can't figure out what is wrong [SOLVED]

Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well.
I am quite new to the 3D printing space and my first printer is the A5S. However, I want to stress out that I am quite good with tech so I have done loads of homework and research in order to understand what the issue I am experiencing is, but I simply cannot figure it out, even though I have gone through a loooot of posts in this forum, so any advice you would give it could be life (or print) saving.
I am looking to print out a chassis that will be the enclosure for one of my university projects so I am looking to solve this out asap.
Facts:
- I have been using Fusion 360 to model and output the STL files I want to print
- I have been using Cura 4.8 to slice the models and generate the gcode. I have tried Cura presets, and also fiddled with some settings (mainly for the support)
- I am using the filament that was provided with the printer
- Some of my prints resulted in the nozzle being covered in PLA (hence the dirtiness).
- Because of the above point I have taken apart the nozzle and heat block. Cleaned everything with a cleaning kit and tried printing again. Extruding drips down and doesn't curl around the nozzle.
- I have also replaced the nozzle and tried printing. As above extruding drips down and doesn't curl around the nozzle.
- I also tried different temperature combinations. Bed between 55 and 65, Nozzle between 200 and 220. The print on the attached image was at 55/210.
- I have tried reducing the speed of the printer for the first layer too to 30% and 50% - No improvement
- As a precaution, I am leveling the bed every time I have a failed print and I am about to begin a new print. I use the A4 sheet leveling technique shown at the JGAurora video here >>
I am not sure this is a full list of all the troubleshooting I've done as I have spent so much time trying to fix this that I might be forgetting to mention something. Maybe it's worth mentioning that the sample gcode file that came with the printer was my first ever print and that came out fine. My first Fusion 360 STL/Gcode, which was supposed to be for testing, also came out fine, but the next parts have this issue you can see in the picture below.
I think I am losing my mind here!
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated!
Thank you all in advance, and I hope you are having a great weekend
I hope you are all well.
I am quite new to the 3D printing space and my first printer is the A5S. However, I want to stress out that I am quite good with tech so I have done loads of homework and research in order to understand what the issue I am experiencing is, but I simply cannot figure it out, even though I have gone through a loooot of posts in this forum, so any advice you would give it could be life (or print) saving.
I am looking to print out a chassis that will be the enclosure for one of my university projects so I am looking to solve this out asap.
Facts:
- I have been using Fusion 360 to model and output the STL files I want to print
- I have been using Cura 4.8 to slice the models and generate the gcode. I have tried Cura presets, and also fiddled with some settings (mainly for the support)
- I am using the filament that was provided with the printer
- Some of my prints resulted in the nozzle being covered in PLA (hence the dirtiness).
- Because of the above point I have taken apart the nozzle and heat block. Cleaned everything with a cleaning kit and tried printing again. Extruding drips down and doesn't curl around the nozzle.
- I have also replaced the nozzle and tried printing. As above extruding drips down and doesn't curl around the nozzle.
- I also tried different temperature combinations. Bed between 55 and 65, Nozzle between 200 and 220. The print on the attached image was at 55/210.
- I have tried reducing the speed of the printer for the first layer too to 30% and 50% - No improvement
- As a precaution, I am leveling the bed every time I have a failed print and I am about to begin a new print. I use the A4 sheet leveling technique shown at the JGAurora video here >>

I am not sure this is a full list of all the troubleshooting I've done as I have spent so much time trying to fix this that I might be forgetting to mention something. Maybe it's worth mentioning that the sample gcode file that came with the printer was my first ever print and that came out fine. My first Fusion 360 STL/Gcode, which was supposed to be for testing, also came out fine, but the next parts have this issue you can see in the picture below.
I think I am losing my mind here!

Any suggestions will be highly appreciated!
Thank you all in advance, and I hope you are having a great weekend


Post edited by soundegg on
Comments
Thank you for your recommendations! I will try these over the next few days and I will get back to you!
Much appreciated!
Thank you so much for all the tips!
My first attempt was unsuccessful but then I managed to make it work and I tried 3 long prints since I figured it out and have all come out successfully!
Just in case this helps anyone else, a lot of the suggestions seemed to be already set by default by Cura 4.8.
I initially changed a few settings at the first attempt.
15mm/s as the first layer speed was already set by Cura but hadn't noticed - when I was setting my A5S to 30% manually that meant about 4.3mm/s really! So I left it at 15 this time.
The print temperature in the room is between 20-22 degrees Celcius usually - no open windows or anything else that could cause a sudden change.
I was cleaning the bed with water mostly, I have used isopropyl alcohol this time to ensure it's clean and passed it over twice.
I again used the yellow filament - which seemed to be fine when I figured them out but then it ran out in the middle of the first of my successful prints and continued with a black one. Indeed that black filament appeared to be better in quality.
Then by looking at your guide:
1. I again used the A4 technique to level the bed again and see how it goes
2. Cleaned the bed as advised above
3. Slow printing on the first layer as advised above
4. Preheat - This might have been one of the catalysts in getting successful prints - although the first attempt failed I think preheating had nothing to do with that.
5. Initial layer height - This is probably what saved the game for me. I began testing with the two boundaries you mention in the guide, 0.1mm and 0.15mm. The first attempt with the 0.1mm was a failure. It looked as if the nozzle would not have enough space to move vertically and with its movements was interfering with the layer that was already on the bed knocking it out of its way, creating a mess! Seeing this, for my second attempt, I just changed this setting to 0.15mm and magically everything worked!
6. The fan speed was off for the first couple of layers by Cura already
Many thanks again for your tips! Saved me a long hustle and frustration!
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