Stringing between parts
Looks like: Thin hairs of plastic connecting separate features, like a spider web.
Likely cause: The nozzle oozes plastic while moving. Usually too-high temperature or insufficient retraction.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Lower nozzle temperature by 5°C (PLA: try 210°C instead of 215°C).
Learn more:
nozzle temperature
- 2 Increase retraction distance by 0.5 mm in the slicer.
Learn more:
retraction
- 3 If strings persist after two adjustments, dry the filament — wet PLA oozes more.
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
Top half misaligned
Looks like: Layers suddenly offset horizontally partway up the print.
Likely cause: The print head slipped on its axis. Loose belts, a collision, or speed too high.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Check belt tension — belts should twang like a guitar string when plucked.
Learn more:
layer shifting
- 2 Lower print speed to ~50 mm/s.
Learn more:
print speed
- 3 Check for collisions with warped corners or blobs of plastic on the print.
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
Corners curl off the bed
Looks like: Outer edges of the print lift away from the build plate.
Likely cause: Edges cool and contract faster than the interior. The tension peels the print off.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Re-level the bed and wipe it with IPA — bad adhesion is the most common root cause.
Learn more:
bed adhesion, PEI sheet
- 2 Raise bed temperature by 5°C (65°C for PLA, 80°C for PETG).
Learn more:
bed temperature
- 3 Add a 5–10 mm brim in the slicer.
Learn more:
brim
- 4 If the filament is ABS, no setting fixes this — you need an enclosed printer.
Learn more:
ABS
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
Base wider than the rest
Looks like: First few layers flare outward — the print has a slightly flared base.
Likely cause: First layer over-squished (Z offset too low), or bed too hot for too long.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Raise the Z offset in 0.05 mm increments. The first layer should be squished, not pancaked.
Learn more:
elephant's foot, first layer
- 2 Lower bed temperature by 5°C if the flare extends more than 2-3 layers up.
Learn more:
bed temperature
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
Gaps or missing layers
Looks like: Holes in walls, weak layers, a rough or porous texture.
Likely cause: The printer is depositing less plastic than the gcode asks for. Partial clog, wrong temperature, low flow rate, or extruder slipping.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Check the nozzle is at the right temperature for your filament — even 5°C low matters.
Learn more:
nozzle temperature
- 2 Cold pull: heat the nozzle, push filament through, cool to 90°C, pull firmly. Removes partial clogs.
Learn more:
extruder
- 3 Increase flow rate (extrusion multiplier) by 5% in the slicer.
- 4 If the extruder clicks or grinds, the nozzle is fully clogged — see "no plastic coming out" below.
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
Overhangs droop / fine details melt
Looks like: Fine features look saggy or melted; overhangs droop where nothing supports them.
Likely cause: Part cooling fan not working, or speed too high on small features (not enough time to cool before the next layer lands).
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Confirm the part cooling fan is running during the print. Check the wire and test via the printer menu.
Learn more:
part cooling fan
- 2 Enable "minimum layer time" in the slicer — forces a slow-down on small cross-section layers.
Learn more:
overhang
- 3 Lower nozzle temperature by 5°C — cooler plastic solidifies faster.
Learn more:
nozzle temperature
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
Horizontal repeating bands
Looks like: Bands or ripples around the outside of the print at a regular vertical interval.
Likely cause: The Z lead screw wobbles or its motor coupling is loose. Each full screw rotation produces one band.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Check the lead screw coupling — it should be tight, centred, and not wobble.
- 2 Lubricate the lead screw with PTFE-based grease (SuperLube or similar).
- 3 If your firmware exposes it, reduce Z acceleration in the slicer machine settings.
Learn more:
G-code
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
No plastic coming out
Looks like: Extruder running but no plastic at the nozzle. Often the extruder clicks.
Likely cause: Debris or carbonised filament blocking the nozzle bore.
Fixes — try in order
- 1 Cold pull: heat to 200°C, push filament through, drop to 90°C while holding pressure, then pull firmly. The plug comes out shaped to the nozzle interior.
Learn more:
hot end, extruder
- 2 Repeat 2–3 times until the pulled plug is clean.
- 3 If cold pulls don't clear it, replace the nozzle — they're cheap and wear out anyway.
Read the long-form section in the common-failures guide →
None of these match? Search a photo + your printer model on Reddit or the
manufacturer's forum — the community has seen everything.