Many print failures look like "bad extrusion" but are actually thermal control problems. Elephant's foot, squished or gushing layers, and lifting corners all trace back to how heat flows through nozzle, bed and ambient air. Here is how to diagnose each one across PLA, PETG, ABS and TPU.
Defect-First Diagnosis
| Symptom | Likely cause | Quick fix |
|---|---|---|
| Elephant's foot (flared base) | Bed too hot / nozzle too close early | Lower bed 5 °C, reduce first-layer flow |
| Layer squish / gushing | Z-offset low or over-extrusion on hot nozzle | Set Z-offset, check flow %, lower temp |
| Corner warping / lifting | Draft, bed too cool, poor adhesion, ABS/TPU shrinkage | Enclose, raise bed, use brim |
| Stringing + blobs at speed | Temperature too high for the material | Drop nozzle temp, tune retraction |
Start With the Z-Offset and First Layer
- Print a single-layer test and look for a lightly squashed, fully fused ribbon — no ridges, no gaps.
- Elephant's foot is often Z-offset plus a hot bed: dial the bed down to the minimum that still sticks.
- For tall parts, ambient air matters more than many think. A mild enclosure stabilizes ABS and TPU warping.
Material-Specific Temperature Baseline
| Material | Nozzle | Bed | Hot issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA / PLA+ | 200–220 °C | 50–60 °C | Too hot → stringing, elephants foot |
| PETG | 230–250 °C | 70–80 °C | Wet → bubbles; too hot → oozing |
| ABS | 240–260 °C | 95–110 °C | Warping without enclosure |
| TPU | 220–245 °C | 30–50 °C | Slow down; low flow to avoid squish |
Match the Material to the Part
A thermal-defect diagnosis is only half the fix — starting with the right material avoids most of it. ANTINSKY PLA+ is forgiving and warp-resistant for everyday parts. ANTINSKY PETG handles toughness and heat a bit better. ANTINSKY ABS suits enclosures but demands heat management, and ANTINSKY TPU 85A gives flexible parts if you slow down and keep flow low.