Free checklist

3D print failure troubleshooting checklist

A practical checklist for moving from failed print to likely cause without changing every slicer setting at once.

Download Markdown checklist

Symptom Capture

Photograph the failure from the side, top, and first-layer angle.
Write the exact symptom: stringing, warping, layer shift, clog, poor first layer, blobs, or weak extrusion.
Record whether the issue appears on every print, one model, one material, or one area of the bed.
Keep the failed part until the next successful comparison print is done.

Material And Hardware

Record filament brand, material, color, age, drying state, and storage method.
Check nozzle size, nozzle material, visible wear, and last replacement date.
Clean the build plate using the method recommended for that surface.
Inspect belt tension, pulleys, extruder gears, filament path, and obvious debris.

Slicer And Firmware

Save the current profile before changing flow, temperature, pressure advance, speed, or retraction.
Change one variable at a time and write the before and after values.
For Klipper issues, collect the exact error, printer.cfg context, recent changes, and relevant logs.
Keep material-specific profiles separate by brand, color, nozzle, and build plate.

Verification

Reprint the smallest test that reproduces the issue.
Compare before and after photos under the same lighting.
Run a second representative print before declaring the profile fixed.
Only buy parts after repeated tests point to wear, incompatibility, or a missing capability.

Related Pages

3D Print Stringing Fix Separate moisture, temperature, retraction, and pressure causes. Poor First Layer Fix Check plate, Z offset, mesh, material, and first-layer settings. OrcaSlicer Flow Rate Calibration Save material-specific flow values instead of overwriting every profile. Klipper MCU Shutdown Fix Collect logs, config, host, power, and communication context.