Learn to Control Failures!
3D printing can be incredibly exciting, but also incredibly frustrating when things don’t go as expected! 😤
To avoid repeated mistakes and unnecessary delays, let’s explore how to properly manage errors and improve our efficiency! 🚀
🔍 Why Is Error Management Important?
🛑 Errors aren’t just about printing. They reflect our mindset toward problem-solving.
✅ A small mistake can cost time, money, and patience
✅ A structured approach helps us learn from failures
✅ We avoid the "hit restart and hope for the best" approach 🤞
If you keep making the same mistake, it’s not an error anymore… it’s a lesson you didn’t learn! 🎓🔥
🛠️ Types of Errors
1️⃣ Random Errors 🎲
🔹 What they are: They occur unpredictably, without a clear pattern.
🔹 Example: The print stops due to a sudden power outage.
🔹 How to manage them:
✅ Reprint to check if the issue happens again
✅ If it doesn’t, it was a random event—no need to worry
2️⃣ Systematic Errors 🔄
🔹 What they are: They happen consistently in the same way.
🔹 Example: Layer shifting always at the same height.
🔹 How to manage them:
✅ Identify the pattern (height, temperature, speed)
✅ Change one variable at a time (e.g., reduce speed)
✅ Keep track of changes to determine what fixed the problem
🔍 Error Identification Process
📌 How to Recognize an Error
✅ Observe or record the printing process 🎥
✅ Note when the issue occurs (time, layer height, etc.)
✅ Classify the error:
- Happened once → Probably random
- Happens repeatedly → Systematic
⚠️ WRONG CLASSIFICATION = WASTED TIME!
If a systematic error is mistaken for a random one, you’ll keep printing failed objects. 😵💫
🔧 Error Resolution Process
🟢 Dealing with Random Errors
🔹 Reprint – if it doesn’t happen again, ignore it
🔹 Log the event for future reference
🟠 Dealing with Systematic Errors
🔹 Change only one parameter at a time! 🔑
🔹 Track what you change and its results
🔹 Test different settings gradually
🔄 Error Management Process
✅ 1. Change Only One Parameter
🛑 Never change multiple settings at once!
If you modify two things at the same time (e.g., temperature + speed), you won’t know which change actually fixed (or worsened) the issue.
📝 Example: If your print is detaching from the bed:
🔹 Test one adjustment at a time: change adhesion settings
🔹 Test another: modify print speed
🔹 Test another: switch filament
🎯 One change at a time—otherwise, it gets confusing!
✅ 2. Start with the Easy Fixes
Don’t mess with complex settings right away!
Begin with the simplest and most cost-effective solutions:
🔹 Change the filament – it may be faulty
🔹 Check the print surface – a quick cleanup might solve the issue
🔹 Reduce print speed – less pressure on the machine
🚫 Avoid modifying machine parts unless all other options fail!
✅ 3. Keep a Log
📅 Always write down what you change and when!
- Record the date & time
- Document which parameter was adjusted
- Note the outcome
📌 This helps you track exactly what fixed (or caused) the issue!
🌀 Advanced Testing with Error Spread
If you need to print multiple identical objects, make small variations to find the best settings faster!
✅ Try different orientations (some upright, some sideways)
✅ Adjust speeds & temperatures for each test
✅ Test different materials or slicer settings
👉 This way, you quickly identify what works best! 🎯
🧠 Mindset: Psychology & Methodology
🔥 Anger won’t solve problems. Logic will.
👀 Instead of asking, "Why isn’t this working?!", ask:
✅ "Where exactly does it fail?"
✅ "What do all failed prints have in common?"
✅ "What can I change?"
📌 The correct approach to errors follows a cycle:
1️⃣ Identify: What is happening?
2️⃣ Analyze: Why is it happening?
3️⃣ Test solutions: Change one variable
4️⃣ Repeat: If unresolved, return to step 1
🚀 Conclusion
✅ Error management is not just about the printer—it’s about our mindset!
✅ Every error is either random or systematic – identifying the type makes all the difference!
✅ Successful prints are the result of observation, recognition, and the right reaction!
🎯 Every failure is a step toward success – if we know how to analyze it correctly! 🚀💡
