Printing Off-Center

I’ve been working on a growth chart for my kids. It’s going to be about 7 feet long (four pieces of PG 12x20 thick maple plywood) using the Pro Passthrough. Everything is going really well EXCEPT it’s printing almost an inch to the left even though in on the screen everything is centered. On something like this, it’s VERY noticeably off-center. Any thoughts on what might be causing this?

(I’ve ruined two boards trying to fix it and now I don’t have enough to do the job. And, of course, those boards are sold out in the shop.)

An inch off center is way out of the norm. Are you experiencing this misalignment on other projects as well? Can you share a screenshot?

I’m so sorry to hear that you’re running into trouble, but I’d be more than happy to assist.

When you are noticing alignment trouble, is it only occuring when utilizing the Passthrough function, or even when printing inside of the bed normally?

I’d like to have you perform a specific test print so that we can ensure your Glowforge is performing within specification.

We’d like to have you try a few troubleshooting steps for us:

  1. Turn off your Glowforge.
  2. Check for small pieces of debris or dust.
  • Check the lower door to make sure it closes all the way. It may require some force to open, but open it, wipe any dust off the edges, and close it all the way.
  • Remove the tray and clean any dust or debris from the surface underneath. Pay careful attention to remove all debris from the four dimples where the tray rests.
  • Check the lid to make sure it closes all the way. Small particles of material, such as dust or debris, can prevent it from closing completely.
  1. Check the surface your Glowforge is on to make sure it’s flat. Ensure it is not twisted slightly and that there is no debris propping up one side of the machine.
  2. Turn your Glowforge back on.
  3. Place Proofgrade material in the part of the of the bed that you are having the most trouble and print the Gift of Good Measure using the default settings.
  4. When the print finishes, leave the lid closed and wait until the fans stop and the picture updates. Without moving your artwork or your material, take a screenshot of the Workspace to show us the difference between the artwork placement and the actual print placement. Make sure to include the rulers in your screenshot and show as much of the bed as possible.
  • Mac: Press Shift-Command-4 and click and drag a box around your image. You’ll find the screenshot file saved on your desktop.
  • Windows: Click on the Start Menu and type “snipping tool”. Open the Snipping Tool > New then click and drag a box around your image. Click the Save icon and name and save your file.
  1. Send us the screenshot along with the date and time of the print, and we’ll investigate.

Once the print completes, and we can review the screenshots you’ve provided, we’ll send over the next best steps.

Hello @mmbarnes9, its been a little while since we heard from your, so I wanted to check in. Are you still having alignment trouble with your Glowforge? If so, were you able to follow the steps my colleague Marc suggested?

It’s been a little while since I’ve seen any replies on this thread so I’m going to close it. If you still need help with this please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com.