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Why do horizontal layer lines appear on 3D prints

1. What’s Causing Issues with My 3D Print?

The problem is characterised by horizontal lines appearing on the surface of your prints. In the following sections of this article, we will explore the reasons behind this issue and how to fix it.

2. What Leads to Printing Problems?

When a single layer fails to print correctly, it results in a noticeable horizontal line on the 3D print. If this issue recurs, additional layer lines will emerge. This problem can often be confused with layer shifting, pixel lines, or stepper lines, but each has distinct underlying causes.
 
Layer lines are typically attributed to one or more of the following factors:

 

Resin profile settings

  • Incorrect normal layer exposure time
  • Insufficient lift height
  • Inadequate rest time or light-off delay

Other printer settings

  • Printer interruption during a print
  • Weak support structures
  • Incorrect setup for hollow prints
  • Need for FEP film replacement

3. Troubleshooting the Printing Issue

 

Resolving this problem requires adjusting several settings as well as redialling your resin before adjusting the supports. The following steps are organised in order of likelihood to identify and resolve the printing issue:

 

Adjusting the resin profile settings

  • Check out our Official Resin Profile and make sure you have dialled in the correct exposure time and sufficient lift height
  • Make sure rest time is correct (for light-off delay time, please use this Auto Calculator)

Adjusting other settings

  • Increase support density and upper diameter (for detailed suggestions, please refer to this article
  • If models are hollow, make sure wall thickness should be at least 1.5 mm (2 mm for large models). Also, add at least 2 drain holes that are at least 3 mm wide to the bottom of the models
  • Inspect the status of your Film and replace it if necessary

Suggestion

If you are using a third-party resin or cannot find your resin on our resin profile page, please use a Resin Exposure Finder to dial in your settings. Light-off delay time is essential in resin 3D printing. With the correct settings, each layer will be printed in a much more stable manner, resulting in better quality 3D prints.


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