7 Ways How to Fix Rough Edges/Corners on Your 3D Prints

Some people have experienced rough edges or corners on their 3D prints which ruin the print quality.

You should increase your print temperature, slow down your print

There are some effective ways to fix this issue which will be described in detail within this article so keep on reading to get the solution fixed once and for all.

Why Do My 3D Prints Have Rough Edges/Corners?

The problem of having rough corners is so frustrating because it can occur at any time during the print and when you will get your finished print it will not be of the quality you expected.

This problem can be so bad sometimes that you will not have any other options except to end up your prints into the trash.

Most of the time this issue is caused because of the overheat and the type of filament you are using because some of the filaments are good in order to stick to the bed and cool down quickly.

It is necessary to take a clear look at the problem because without a deep understanding of the problem you will not be able to fix this problem efficiently.

There are many reasons that cause this problem to occur but you don’t have to worry because you can fix this problem by taking care of some factors.

The major reasons behind the 3D prints having rough edges or corners include:

• Printing at High Temperatures
• Printing the Object too Fast
• Z Offset and Print Bed is Not Adjusted Accurately
• Printing Very Thin Objects
• Using a Filament that is More Prone to this Problem
• Inefficient Cooling of Material
• Inconsistent Operating Temperature

How to Fix Rough Edges/Corners on 3D Prints?

With the increasing popularity of 3D printing, the manufacturers are improving their products and technologies to provide their customers with the best printing experience.

To have a better experience, experts have suggested some tips to avoid the rough edges problem and also some solutions that can help you get rid of the problem completely.

It is recommended to take the necessary steps to avoid this problem before printing an object because in this way you will be able to prevent your prints from rough edges.

If you are still getting prints with rough edges even if you think you are doing your best then you should consider the following solutions to get the best of 3D printings.

Let’s talk about the most common and the easiest solutions that can help you out from the problem.

1. Consider Printing at Lower Temperature

Overheating is one of the most common causes behind the 3D prints with rough edges. This is the first thing you should consider whenever you face such a problem.

When the print is being heated at a high temperature constantly, there are huge changes that the corners of the object will meltdown and the resultant print will have rough or lifted edges.

• The first thing you should do is to lower down the printing temperature to avoid this problem.
• It is recommended to lower down the temperature step by step and set the temperature where you see that the 3D printer is printing objects with perfect corners.
• Lower down the temperature within the range that it is enough for the filament to melt because too low heat will make it difficult for the filament to extrude from the nozzle.

2. Decrease Printing Speed

Printing at a high speed can cause the problem of rough edges and corners just because the new heated filament layer on the previous layer will be extruded in very little time.

The previous layer will not have the required time to cool down properly because the new heated filament will be extruded on it.

This fact will cause the layer to remain soft and with the increasing layers, it will begin to bend creating rough edges and corners.

This can also ruin the whole print if the layers in the bottom of the print slip off completely.

• Decrease the speed of the printing at which the nozzle is moving because it will help the layers to cool down and become solid before the next layer.
• It is recommended to print at a slightly slower speed at initiation because the bottom should be solid enough to bear the weight of the object.

3. Make Sure the Print Bed and Z-Offset is Well Scaled

This could be one of the basic reasons for rough edges. The wrong or imperfect calibration of the z offset and print bed cause major printing issues and the rough edges is one of them.

If they are not calibrated correctly the layers will not be aligned and a bit of difference will lead to the prints of poor quality especially in terms of clearness and sharp edges.

• Make sure that the print bed is leveled perfectly and adjust the z offset at the right height.
• The height of the nozzle should be adjusted in a way that it cannot collide with the print and it should not be too high from the object being printed.

4. Try to Print Thicker Objects

There are some prints that have very thin parts such as the legs of a little chair, these thin parts can become a reason for rough edges to occur because they are more prone to rough edges.

• Try to print the parts thick enough that they can be printed efficiently without ruining the edges.
• If you have to print thin objects then you should provide them enough time so that they become totally solid.
• There are also amazing features in most of the printers that automatically slow down the speed when you are printing thin or small objects.

5. Use Filaments That are Not Very Prone to this Problem

The type of filament you are using also can contribute to the reason for having a print with rough edges.

Filament such as ABS are more prone to have rough edges or corners as compared to PLA filament.

Using ABS filament will require a high temperature because it requires higher heat to melt and extrude. That’s why you hear that ABS is a lot harder to print than PLA, because it gives temperature-related problems, which cause warping or curling.

Those print imperfections contribute to those rough corners and edges that you see in 3D prints.

• Try to use filament material that is less prone to the problem and can work properly even at low temperatures.
• Use a material that has better sticking properties.
• Use filaments that can cool down and become solid quickly.

6. Implementing a Better Cooling System

When your parts aren’t cooling down properly, they are still in that liquid-type of form which isn’t good for creating smooth prints.

After the next layer gets extruded, it won’t properly adhere to the previous layer and can easily displace the material. When this happens, you get those rough corners/edges as a result, so we need to cool our prints better.

In order to get better cooling we should:

• Use a fan duct which directs cool air towards the 3D print
• Get a stronger fan which is proven to produce great cooling
• Increase your fan speed in your slicer settings

7. Use an Enclosure to Control Operating Temperature

Related to many points above, this is mainly a temperature issue, so you want to control the operating and printing temperature as much as possible to correct this.

• Get yourself an after-market enclosure or build a DIY one
• Make sure it keeps the heat in by keeping it airtight and using a thermometer

How to Fix Bulging Corners on 3D Prints

To fix bulging corners on your 3D prints, you want to try reducing your Wall Speed in your slicer, since when corners are printed, the rate of extrusion is increased due to your printer slowing down on these sections. 30-40mm/s is a safe speed to fix bulging corners. 

This is mostly to do with the build up of pressure in the nozzle while using higher speeds.

There is a consistent flow rate that is happening with longer lines of extrusion, so when the print head gets to the corner, the slowdown in speed doesn’t provide a slowdown in the level of pressure in the nozzle, leading to more material extruded in the corners.

You can get the best dimensional accuracy for your 3D prints by reducing your print speed.