¶ Symptoms
The following issues may occur during printing:
- Inconsistent extrusion
- Uneven surface quality on printed models
- Extruder slipping or abnormal noise
- Filament unable to pass smoothly through the feed tube or extruder
- Localized under-extrusion, bulging, or abnormal layer lines
¶ Possible Causes
- Filament quality issue — excessive diameter variation
- Filament quality issue — non-circular cross-section
¶ Tools and Materials
- Digital caliper
- Wire cutters
- A roll of known-good filament
- Lint-free cloth
¶ Digital Caliper Usage Guide
¶ How to Calibrate
- Loosen the locking screw.
- Use a lint-free cloth to clean the measuring jaws and the surface of the measured object to prevent measurement errors caused by dust.
- Close the external measuring jaws and ensure there is no gap between the jaws.
- Press the power button to turn on the digital caliper.
- If the displayed value is not 0.00 after turning on the digital caliper, recalibration is required.
- Close the jaws again and ensure there is no gap between them.
- Press the ZERO button to complete calibration.
¶ How to Measure
- Move the slider to open the jaws slightly wider than the measured object, then place the object between the jaws.
- Slowly close the jaws until they gently contact the object.
Note: Keep the caliper perpendicular or parallel to the measured surface to avoid inaccurate readings caused by tilting.
¶ Filament Tolerance Range
The normal diameter tolerance range for ELEGOO PLA and ELEGOO PETG is typically ±0.02 mm.
¶ Troubleshooting Steps
¶ 1. Remove and Mark the Filament
Pull out approximately 1 meter of filament from the spool.
Mark 5–6 measurement points on the filament surface (approximately every 15–20 cm).
¶ 2. Measure Marked Points Using a Digital Caliper
Use the digital caliper to measure each marked point one by one.
Note:
Each point must be measured twice. After the first measurement, rotate the filament by 90° and measure again to check whether the filament diameter is oversized, undersized, or whether the cross-section is oval-shaped.
¶ 3. Record Measurement Results
It is recommended to record the data for each measurement point:
| Measurement Point | First Measurement | Second Measurement (90° Rotation) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | |||
| Point 2 | |||
| Point 3 | |||
| Point 4 | |||
| Point 5 | |||
| Point 6 |
¶ Conclusion
Process the filament based on the measurement results:
-
If only a small section of filament exceeds the acceptable tolerance range, use wire cutters to remove the abnormal section and continue monitoring the remaining filament.
-
If multiple points exceed the acceptable tolerance range, pull out another 1–2 meters of filament and repeat the measurement.
-
If multiple sections of the filament show significant diameter variation, stop using this roll of filament.
-
If the measurement values at the same point differ significantly after rotating the filament by 90°, the filament cross-section may be oval-shaped. Measure additional points for confirmation.
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If all measurement results are within the normal range, but issues such as extruder slipping, inconsistent extrusion, or filament feeding problems still occur, the printer may be the cause of the issue. Please refer to this page for further troubleshooting.
Note:
If filament diameter varies randomly at different positions, adjusting the filament diameter setting or flow ratio in the slicer cannot accurately compensate for random diameter variation.