# Apparent layer shifting but...strange

**URL:** <https://forum.formlabs.com/t/apparent-layer-shifting-but-strange/34488>\
**Category:** Form 3/3+\
**Created:** [August 1, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/apparent-layer-shifting-but-strange/34488 "2022-08-01T15:48:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![Gringotuerto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f19dbf/32.png) [@Gringotuerto](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Gringotuerto)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:38am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/apparent-layer-shifting-but-strange/34488/4 "2022-08-09T00:38:05Z")

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All,  
I think the problem has been resolved, so I wanted to report back. I did file a support ticket, and Formlabs quickly helped out. After some diagnosis, I was basically advised to take two steps, clean the optical window and clean/lube x-axis:

> **[Formlabs Customer Support](https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Cleaning-the-Glass-Optical-Window-Form3?language=en_US)**
>
> Submit a support ticket or use our self-service application

> **[Formlabs Customer Support](https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Maintaining-the-X-and-Z-axis-screws-Form-3L-Form-3BL?language=en_US)**
>
> Submit a support ticket or use our self-service application

When I went to clean/lube the x-axis rod, I was surprised to find very visible contamination. In retrospect, I should have just opened the printer and looked around with a flashlight, it would have been obvious something there was abnormal. Attached are a few pictures showing segments of the x-axis with what little “shavings” of black junk that have fallen on the floor of the printer under the x-axis rod (see arrows pointing to specific location in the photos). I could even see some accumulating around the hole where the x-axis enters the LPU.

So I just vacuumed out the shavings, cleaned the rod with a clean rag, and applied some white lithium lubricant. I have white lithium grease that I use on all my printers…FDM, SLA, SLS, etc. they all have positioning rods. After that you just move the x-axis back and forth a few times to spread it around. I also cleaned the top of the optical glass per the instructions above (PEC PADs).

Next three prints were all successful, no problems. Given that I had about 5 failed attempts in a row before that, I think it is safe to say that cleaning the x-axis rod really helped. Since I cleaned the optics at the same time as the rod, I cannot say with certainty which made the difference; but given the visible evidence of problems with the x-axis, I’m going to speculate that was the key issue.

Anyway, if anybody else has this problem, I would advise: (1) remove the tank and look around with a flashlight. Do you see this kind of junk under and on the x-axis? (2) If so, remove it and grease the rod. It took about 2 minutes of work.

 ![20220806_101426crpar](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/0/8/087e96543f600c50b07fdf2f001898d464c9bace.jpeg)  
 ![20220806_101431crpar](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/e/7/e741e0b5081e932a79b595121469190229fbe60b.jpeg)  
 ![20220806_101440crpar](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/1/9/191a6ef106c776a2b57c5e78bc3780d64ae4ecd1.jpeg)

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