Failure Analysis¶

Understand why prints fail by analyzing patterns and correlating failures with environmental conditions, materials, and settings.

Failure Dashboard¶

The Failure Analysis widget on the Statistics page shows:

Failure Rate¶

Overall success vs failure percentage:

Success: 89%  |  Failed: 8%  |  Stopped: 3%

Failure Trend¶

Track if failure rate is:

• Improving - Fewer failures over time
• Stable - Consistent rate
• Worsening - More failures recently

Correlation Analysis¶

Identify what's causing failures by analyzing correlations:

By Material¶

Spot materials that need attention.

By Printer¶

Identify problematic machines.

By Time of Day¶

Environmental factors may affect overnight prints.

By Duration¶

Longer prints have more opportunities to fail.

Environmental Factors¶

If you have environmental data:

Temperature Correlation¶

Humidity Correlation¶

High humidity affects filament quality.

Common Failure Modes¶

Adhesion Failures¶

Symptoms:

• Print detaches from bed
• Warping corners
• First layer issues

Correlations to check:

• Bed temperature settings
• Bed cleanliness (time since last clean)
• Material type (ABS/PETG more prone)
• Room temperature changes

Layer Adhesion¶

Symptoms:

• Delamination between layers
• Weak parts
• Cracks along layer lines

Correlations to check:

• Nozzle temperature
• Print speed
• Cooling fan settings
• Humidity (wet filament)

Stringing/Oozing¶

Symptoms:

• Strings between parts
• Blobs on surface

Correlations to check:

• Retraction settings
• Temperature (too high)
• Travel speed

Spaghetti¶

Symptoms:

• Tangled mess of filament
• Print knocked off bed

Correlations to check:

• Adhesion (root cause)
• AI detection (was it enabled?)
• Print complexity

Investigating Failures¶

Step 1: Filter Failed Prints¶

1. Go to Archives
2. Filter by Status: Failed
3. Review the list

Step 2: Look for Patterns¶

Check what failed prints have in common:

• Same printer?
• Same material?
• Same time period?
• Similar settings?

Step 3: Compare with Success¶

Use Archive Comparison to compare a failed print with a successful one:

1. Select a failed print and similar successful print
2. Right-click > Compare
3. Look for setting differences

Step 4: Document Findings¶

Add notes to failed archives:

• What you observed
• Suspected cause
• Changes made

Failure Tags¶

Tag failed prints for easier analysis:

Filter by tags to see specific failure types.

Photo Documentation¶

Add photos to failed prints:

1. Open the failed archive
2. Click Add Photo
3. Upload images of the failure

Visual documentation helps:

• Remember what went wrong
• Share with others for help
• Track if fixes work

Improving Success Rate¶

Quick Wins¶

1. Dry your filament - Wet filament causes many failures
2. Clean your bed - Regular cleaning improves adhesion
3. Level your bed - Run auto-leveling regularly
4. Control temperature - Avoid drafts and temp swings

Medium-term Fixes¶

1. Tune materials - Create profiles for each material
2. Calibrate flow - Ensure correct extrusion
3. Check hardware - Worn nozzles, loose belts

Long-term Solutions¶

1. Track patterns - Use failure analysis regularly
2. Document changes - Note what worked
3. Preventive maintenance - Follow maintenance schedules

Tips¶