Ripples or echoes after corners and features (ghosting or ringing)

Symptom

Behind corners, lettering, holes or other features, repeated ripples appear on the surface, like an echo of the detail. They are usually more visible in one direction (X or Y axis) and at high speeds.

Likely causes, from most to least likely

1. Vibrations from speed or acceleration too high for the printer's rigidity.
2. X or Y belts loose or wrongly tensioned.
3. Frame with loose screws, worn bearings or heavy moving parts.
4. Printer standing on an unstable surface.
5. Resonance compensation (input shaping) disabled, badly calibrated or not recalibrated after changes to the machine.

Checks to tell which one it is

• Look at which faces show it: if it only appears on faces parallel to one axis, the problem is in that axis.
• Print a test part slower or with lower acceleration: if the ripples shrink, they are vibrations.
• Check belt tension against the manufacturer's spec, the frame screws, and whether the table moves.
• Check whether your firmware has input shaping active: on Marlin, M593 with no parameters shows the settings; on Klipper, look for the [input_shaper] section in the configuration.

Before you start

Before taking anything apart, cleaning or adjusting it, switch the printer off and unplug it, unless a step says otherwise, and do not touch the nozzle, the heater block or the bed until they have cooled down. If in any doubt about electricity, heat or moving parts, stop and ask a professional.

Step-by-step fix

1. Put the printer on a firm base

   Place it on a solid table that doesn't move or vibrate.

   Check: The ripples are reduced on the next test.

   If that does not fix it: Tension the belts and tighten the frame.

2. Tension the belts and tighten the frame

   With the printer off, set the X and Y belt tension as the manufacturer says, tighten the frame screws and check bearings and rods. The Klipper documentation advises fixing mechanical issues first.

   Check: The belts are at the specified tension and the frame has no play.

   If that does not fix it: Lower speed and acceleration.

3. Lower speed and acceleration

   Reduce speed and, above all, the acceleration of external perimeters in the slicer or the firmware.

   Check: The ripples fade.

   If that does not fix it: Calibrate input shaping.

4. Calibrate input shaping on Klipper

   If your printer has an accelerometer, use its automatic calibration. Without one, print the ringing_tower with TUNING_TOWER varying acceleration, measure the distance D covered by N ripples and calculate the frequency as V × N / D (V is the perimeter speed). Put the value in shaper_freq_x or shaper_freq_y under [input_shaper]; for most printers the documentation recommends MZV or EI.

   Check: The ripples almost disappear on the test tower.

   If that does not fix it: Lower the maximum acceleration if details come out rounded.

5. Calibrate input shaping on Marlin

   If your Marlin has input shaping enabled, measure the frequency with Marlin's calibration tool or tower and set it per axis with M593 (for example, M593 X F followed by the frequency in Hz). M593 F0 turns it off.

   Check: The ripples are reduced on X and Y.

   If that does not fix it: Recalibrate what depends on input shaping.

6. Recalibrate what depends on input shaping

   After tuning input shaping, recalibrate linear advance or pressure advance and don't raise the maximum acceleration to the point where details come out rounded.

   Check: Sharp corners with no ripples.

   If that does not fix it: If irregular ripples with no pattern remain, the cause is mechanical: check the machine with the manufacturer's guide or ask for technical support.

Prevention

• Check belt tension and frame screws from time to time.
• Measure resonance again after changing the extruder, belts or bed.
• Keep the printer on a stable surface.

Still not fixed?

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Printers it applies to

Any FDM (filament) 3D printer, from any brand.

Official sources

This guide summarises the official documentation linked here:

• Ghosting · Prusa Research
• Input Shaper (CORE One, MK4/S, MK3.9/S, MK3.5/S, XL, MINI/+) · Prusa Research
• Resonance Compensation · Klipper
• M593 - ZV Input Shaping · Marlin