<p>This is an issue that can be caused by a nozzle that is too close to the bed or you are over-extruding in the first layer. Basically, there is too much material in the space that is appointed for it, after a few layers this usually levels out.</p>
<p>The initial distance between the nozzle and the bed usually is calibrated with the paper sheet method. If the gap is too small, the paper drags considerable, you should change the bed screws to give a little more space that the paper drags less. Alternatively use feeler gauges.</p>
<p>If the nozzle is too close (if it touches the bed the filament flow will be hindered and you will hear a thumping noise) the filament flow may be too big so that the filament is thrusted upwards beside the nozzle (structure on the build late looks like a ploughed field). Filament is always over-extruded by the firmware in most slicers (Slic3r, on which PrusaSlicer is based, and e,g Cura do that), there are settings to reduce that, but these shouldn't be changed. You can look into increasing the first layer height a little, lift the whole print up (e.g. in Cura there is a plugin called <code>Z Offset Setting</code> by developer fieldOfView available in the marketplace), or redefine the height of the first layer in your start G-code.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-22T13:59:14.650Z
Hey, thanks for your answer. Yes, I do normally do the paper sheet method to level. After this I print the test with big circles, so I can see where the filaments stick enough. With this method I make the z offset as war away as possible. I will also test the z offset by software, but I think there is no difference. Maybe my filament has a bad quality, it was cheap, but higher layers print fine.
risiko24
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-21T12:56:14.387Z
2022-07-21T12:56:14.387Z
0scar
<p>I've been searching for hours for the reason why my Ender 3 Pro, after a perfect first layer, is scratching on the second layer and so on the next few, after that it normalizes and then prints normally.</p>
<p>I reduced the first layer height, but this gives other issues, changed bad and nozzle temperature.</p>
<p>Is there any possibility in PrusaSlicer to command the Z-stepper to go a little bit higher after the first layer?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-21T12:35:01.977Z
What do you mean by scratching on the second layer?
Kilisi
<creality-ender-3><print-quality><prusaslicer>
Nozzle scratching on second layer
risiko24
# Nozzle scratching on second layer

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-21)

I've been searching for hours for the reason why my Ender 3 Pro, after a perfect first layer, is scratching on the second layer and so on the next few, after that it normalizes and then prints normally.

I reduced the first layer height, but this gives other issues, changed bad and nozzle temperature.

Is there any possibility in PrusaSlicer to command the Z-stepper to go a little bit higher after the first layer?

**Tags:** creality-ender-3, print-quality, prusaslicer

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What do you mean by scratching on the second layer?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-07-21. Score: 1

This is an issue that can be caused by a nozzle that is too close to the bed or you are over-extruding in the first layer. Basically, there is too much material in the space that is appointed for it, after a few layers this usually levels out.

The initial distance between the nozzle and the bed usually is calibrated with the paper sheet method. If the gap is too small, the paper drags considerable, you should change the bed screws to give a little more space that the paper drags less. Alternatively use feeler gauges.

If the nozzle is too close (if it touches the bed the filament flow will be hindered and you will hear a thumping noise) the filament flow may be too big so that the filament is thrusted upwards beside the nozzle (structure on the build late looks like a ploughed field). Filament is always over-extruded by the firmware in most slicers (Slic3r, on which PrusaSlicer is based, and e,g Cura do that), there are settings to reduce that, but these shouldn't be changed. You can look into increasing the first layer height a little, lift the whole print up (e.g. in Cura there is a plugin called `Z Offset Setting` by developer fieldOfView available in the marketplace), or redefine the height of the first layer in your start G-code.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Hey, thanks for your answer. Yes, I do normally do the paper sheet method to level. After this I print the test with big circles, so I can see where the filaments stick enough. With this method I make the z offset as war away as possible. I will also test the z offset by software, but I think there is no difference. Maybe my filament has a bad quality, it was cheap, but higher layers print fine.  

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