I was recently noticing a significant problem occurring in my prints referred to by makers as 'backlash', where some plastic deformation (permanent damage) or slack in the timing belts driving either of the X and Y axes, can lead to the extruder or printbed stopping at a slightly different real location for the same instruction, depending on which direction it moves there from.
This can be more technically termed a physical 'steady-state offset' in the way the extruder head, or any robotic part experiencing friction or loose parts for that matter, comes to rest after a movement.
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| Early indication: Note the ridges out of line on the near-left face; structurally insignificant here, but quite visible. |
