When you see ghosting on a 3D print, the wall carries a faint set of ripples right after a sharp corner or a hole, then goes smooth again. The print head shakes as it changes direction, and that vibration prints itself into the plastic. Prusa’s ghosting guide traces almost every case to speed and motion hardware, not the filament.
The ripple is shallow, so the part stays strong. It only matters on a flat wall with sharp details that need to look clean.
Because the printer, not the plastic, sets the ripple, PLA, PETG, and the rest ghost the same on a loose or fast machine.
Where the ripple comes from
| Likely cause | Fix | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Print speed or acceleration too high | Drop speed and acceleration and reprint the same sharp-corner part. | hi |
| Loose belts or pulleys | Tension the belts to a firm pluck and snug the pulley grub screws. | hi |
| Frame or components loose | Tighten the frame bolts and check the hot-end and shroud for play. | md |
| Resonance at a specific speed | Find the speed that rings worst and print just above or below it. | md |
| Heavy moving mass | Lighten the tool head or bed where you can. | lo |
First fixes to try
Print a part with a sharp notch, then work top to bottom and reprint after each step.
Slow the print
Lower speed and acceleration and reprint. Calmer motion fades most ripples.
Tension the belts
Set each belt to a firm pluck and tighten the pulley grub screws.
Tighten the frame
Snug the frame bolts and the hot-end mount, and fix any part that moves.
Avoid the ringing speed
Print a speed tower, note the layer that rings, and steer clear of that speed.
When quick fixes are not enough
When speed and belts do not quiet it, the resonance is the next thing to chase.
Reduce moving mass
Lighten the head or bed so the printer settles faster after a turn.
Run input shaping
On Klipper or firmware that supports it, input shaping cancels the resonant frequency.
Check the rods and wheels
Worn wheels or rods add play that reads as ripple, so replace what is loose.
Material differences
Ghosting does not depend on the filament. PLA, PETG, ABS, and TPU ripple the same on a given printer, because the head’s vibration sets the pattern. Keep the spool dry all the same, so you can read the surface clearly while you tune.
Habits that bring the ripple back
A few choices hide the cause or let the ripple return.
Avoiddo not
- Pushing speed back up the moment the ripple fades.
- Over-tensioning the belts, which can strain the motors and cause shifts.
- Leaving a loose hot-end or shroud and blaming the slicer.
- Changing speed, belts, and acceleration at once.
Key takeaways
- Ghosting on a 3D print is a ripple set by motion, not the filament.
- Lower speed and acceleration, then tension the belts.
- Find and avoid the exact speed that rings worst.
- Change one thing and reprint the same test.
For the full guide, the ghosting page covers the same fault in depth. For a related motion fault, the layer shift guide covers layers that print out of line, and the filament storage guide covers keeping spools dry.
Related guides
Related
More in this area
Cross-reference
Sources & methodology
2 citations · reviewed 2026-07-10- 01Prusa Knowledge Base: Ghosting (waves after sharp edges)accessed 2026-07-09Tier 1
- 02All3DP: Ringing and ghosting causes and fixesaccessed 2026-07-09Tier 2