Have you ever 3D printed something and noticed the base of your print looks slightly squished or expanded outwards? This common issue is known as “elephant’s foot,” and it ruins the appearance and functionality of your prints.
Elephant’s foot is a common issue in 3D printing, where the first layer or layers of your print look wider than the rest. This print defect gives your object a bulged look.
The nickname, elephant’s foot, comes from its resemblance to a real elephant’s foot.
You can fix 3D printing Elephant’s foot by lowering the bed temperature, calibrating the Z-offset, or adjusting the initial layer settings. These adjustments ensure your prints have a solid foundation without noticeable issues with the first layers.
How to Fix 3D Printing Elephant’s Foot
1. Reduce the Bed Temperature
One of the easiest ways to fix elephant’s foot is to lower the print bed temperature. A high bed temperature softens the bottom layer of your 3D print, causing it to expand and flatten.
Additionally, the weight of subsequent layers on larger prints causes the hot first layers to bulge outwards.
Start by checking the manufacturer’s bed temperature recommendation for your filament located on the side of the filament spool.
If you’re unsure of the recommended bet temperature, try lowering it in 5-10 degrees increments. A cooler bed lets the first layer solidify faster, preventing it from spreading out too much.
2. Calibrate the Z-Offset
The Z-offset is important because it controls the distance between the nozzle and the print bed during the initial printing layer. If this distance is too small, the filament will be pressed into the bed and spread out more than intended, resulting in the formation of an ‘elephant’s foot’.”
There are three ways to adjust the Z-offset, but I prefer using the printer’s display.
Before calibrating the Z-offset, ensure the bed is perfectly level. Slide a sheet of paper under the nozzle to check the gap with the bed. There should be slight resistance when you move the paper.
Adjust the Z-offset up or down until you feel only a slight friction when you move the paper.
A too-close nozzle causes the first layer to squish, creating an elephant’s foot. On the other hand, if the nozzle is too far, your print you’ll have issues with bed adhesion. So, adjust carefully.
3. Adjust Initial Layer Horizontal Expansion
Cura’s Initial Layer Horizontal Expansion setting helps you control how much the first layer spreads. The setting can be found under Cura’s Walls menu.
Entering a negative value tells the software to reduce the width of the first layer, preventing it from being wider than the rest of the print.
This setting is a simple fix for elephant’s foot, but it’s not our preferred method.
The slicer setting corrects the horizontal expansion of the first layer but doesn’t correct the source of the issue. That’s why we recommend first adjusting the bed temperature and calibrating the Z-offset before trying to fix elephant’s foot with slicer settings.
4. Print With a Raft
A raft is a flat, removable base printed beneath your object. Rafts are typically used to provide better bed adhesion. But as the raft is printed first, any issues with elephant foot appear in the raft, not your 3D print.
You can enable rafts in Cura under the “Build Plate Adhesion” section.
Remember to remove the raft carefully after printing. Sometimes, the rafts stick too well and require effort to pull off. Use a scraper or pliers if needed, but be gentle to avoid damaging your print.
Unfortunately, rafts often damage the underside of your object, creating a rough texture after removal. Don’t use this solution if you require a smooth base.
5. Use Elephant Foot Compensation (PrusaSlicer)
PrusaSlicer offers a feature called Elephant Foot Compensation, which shrinks the first layer to compensate for expansion. This feature is similar to Cura’s Initial Layer Horizontal Expansion and allows you to adjust the shrinkage in 0.1mm increments.
You can find this feature in Advanced > Slicing > Elephant Foot Compensation.
Post Processing Solutions
Eliminating elephant’s foot is always best, but you can remove the unsightly bulge by post-processing your prints. Smoothing the bottom of your prints makes removing the elephant’s foot from your 3D prints make your models look much better.
- Deburring Tools: My favorite way to remove elephants foot is by using a deburing tool. The tool trims away excess material around the edges without impacting the rest of your model. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always create a straight line and often looks chamfered.
- Sanding: Using fine-grit sandpaper, gently remove the excess filament around the bottom layers. Be careful not to over-sand, as it can damage your model.
- Hobby Knife: You can use a hobby knife for more delicate prints. Lightly scrape off the unwanted bulges without applying too much pressure. For the best results, this requires patience and a steady hand.
