3D Printing Ripples: Causes, Correctifs, and Quality Improvement Tips

Have you ever finished a 3D print only to find wavy, uneven textures ruining its surface? These frustrating flaws—known as 3D printing ripples—are one of the most common issues for hobbyists and professionals alike. Ce guide explique exactement pourquoi ils se produisent, comment les réparer, et quand ils comptent le plus, vous aider à atteindre en douceur, imprimés de haute qualité à chaque fois.

1. Que sont les ondulations de l'impression 3D, et quand sont-ils importants?

3D printing ripples (également appelé « sonnerie » ou « image fantôme ») are repetitive wavy patterns that appear on the outer layers of printed parts. They form when the printer’s moving parts vibrate during direction changes, leaving uneven plastic deposition.

Whether ripples are a problem depends entirely on your use case. The table below clarifies their impact across different applications:

Par exemple, a 3D-printed phone case (an aesthetic part) with ripples will look unprofessional and fail to impress customers. But a simple storage bin (Une partie fonctionnelle) with minor ripples will still work perfectly well.

2. Haut 3 Causes des ondulations de l’impression 3D (et comment ils conduisent à des défauts)

3D printing ripples don’t happen by accident—they’re almost always caused by three controllable issues. Each cause creates a clear 因果链 (chaîne de cause à effet) that leads to surface flaws:

2.1 Vitesse d'impression trop rapide

When the printer’s nozzle moves faster than its mechanical parts can handle, sudden direction changes (Par exemple, from horizontal to vertical movement) generate inertial forces. These forces make the printer vibrate, and the nozzle “wiggles” as it deposits plastic—creating ripples.

• Exemple: Printing a 200mm-tall vase at 100mm/s (faster than the recommended 30-80mm/s range) will almost always leave visible ripples on the curved sides. Slowing to 50mm/s eliminates the excess vibration.

2.2 Paramètres d'accélération/secousse du micrologiciel trop élevés

Most 3D printers use firmware (Par exemple, Marlin, Klipper) to control speed changes. “Acceleration” sets how quickly the nozzle speeds up; “Jerk” sets how abruptly it changes direction. If these values are too high, the printer’s motors “jerk” instead of moving smoothly—sending vibrations through the frame and causing ripples.

• Risque: Cranking Jerk to 20mm/s (instead of the safe 5-10mm/s) might save 5 minutes on a print, but it will leave ghostly ripples that are hard to fix.

2.3 Pannes mécaniques

Loose screws, broken brackets, or unlubricated rails let the printer’s moving parts shift during operation. Even a 0.5mm wiggle in the X-axis rail can translate to noticeable ripples on the print’s surface.

• Common Culprit: A loose lead screw (the rod that moves the Z-axis up/down) is a top cause of vertical ripples. Checking and tightening it takes 2 minutes but fixes 30% of ripple issues.

3. Solutions étape par étape pour corriger les ondulations de l'impression 3D

Suivez ce linéaire, 4-step process to diagnose and eliminate ripples. Each step builds on the last, ensuring you don’t waste time on unnecessary fixes:

1. Test and Adjust Printing Speed

• Start by printing a small test piece (Par exemple, un cube de 50 mm) à 3 different speeds: 40mm / s, 60mm / s, and 80mm/s.
• Compare the results: If ripples get worse as speed increases, slow down to the fastest speed with no visible flaws.
• Pour la pointe: Pour PLA (le matériau le plus courant), stick to 40-60mm/s for best results.

2. Tweak Firmware Acceleration/Jerk

• Access your printer’s firmware settings (via the control screen or software like OctoPrint).
• Reduce Acceleration from the default (often 3000mm/s²) to 1500-2000mm/s².
• Lower Jerk from 15mm/s to 5-10mm/s.
• Avertissement: Modifying firmware carries small risks (Par exemple, printer crashes). Follow your printer manufacturer’s guide, or use pre-configured profiles for safety.

3. Inspect and Maintain Mechanical Parts

• Turn off the printer and check:
• Are all frame screws tight? (Use a small hex key to tighten loose ones.)
• Do the X/Y/Z rails move smoothly? (Lubricate them with PTFE oil if they feel sticky.)
• Are any brackets cracked or broken? (Replace damaged parts—cheap plastic brackets cost \(5-\)10.)

4. Run a Final Test Print

• Print the same test piece again with your new settings.
• If ripples are gone: Super! Sinon, repeat Step 3—you might have missed a loose part.

4. Le point de vue de Yigu Technology sur les ondulations de l’impression 3D

À la technologie Yigu, Nous voyons 3D printing ripples as a “preventable flaw,” not a unavoidable one. Our customers—from hobbyists to small manufacturers—often fix ripples by combining speed adjustments with our high-stability 3D printer frames (which reduce vibration by 40% contre. standard frames). We recommend pairing frame upgrades with our pre-tuned firmware profiles: they set safe Acceleration/Jerk values, so even new users avoid ripples without complex tweaks. For high-aesthetic prints, our dual-rail X-axis design further minimizes movement errors—ensuring smooth surfaces every time.

FAQ sur les ondulations de l’impression 3D

1. Q: Will using a different filament (Par exemple, PETG instead of PLA) stop ripples?

UN: No—ripples are caused by printer movement, not filament type. But PETG is stiffer than PLA, so ripples on PETG prints may be more visible. Stick to fixing speed/mechanical issues first.

2. Q: Do expensive 3D printers never get ripples?

UN: Even high-end printers can have ripples if settings are wrong. But they often have better frames (Par exemple, Aluminium vs. plastique) that reduce vibration, making ripples easier to fix.

3. Q: Can I sand away ripples after printing?

UN: Yes—light sanding with 200-400 grit sandpaper works for PLA/PETG. But it’s better to fix ripples during printing: sanding takes time and can smooth fine details you want to keep.