Overview

If printed lines appear wavy or distorted, the cause is usually related to tracker stability, control quality, or floor conditions. This is rarely caused by a FieldPrinter malfunction.

Wavy lines most commonly occur when:

• The tracker shifts during printing
• The slab surface is uneven
• Line of sight between the tracker and robot is interrupted

By checking setup and surface conditions, most waviness issues can be corrected quickly.

How to Troubleshoot Wavy Lines

Check the floor surface

Uneven slabs or high spots can create wavy lines because the FieldPrinter follows the physical contour of the concrete.

• Inspect the printed area for ridges, dips, humps, or patchwork.
• If the printed line follows a visible slope or irregularity, the issue is surface-related.
• If floor variation appears out of tolerance, notify the GC or layout lead.

Verify tracker and tripod stability

A loose tripod or unstable setup is the most common cause of waviness not related to slab conditions.

• Confirm tripod legs are firmly planted.
• Center the bubble level.
• Avoid vibration sources such as lifts, compressors, or heavy foot traffic.
• Run Verify Stationing before continuing.

If verification fails:

• Re-station using control points in a more stable area.

Review control point quality

Misaligned or inconsistent control points can introduce distortion.

• Confirm control points are within tolerance in the Station tab.
• If any points show warnings, re-record them.
• Avoid mixing control points from different elevations or different phases of the pour.

Inspect the robot wheels and slab surface

Wheel slippage can create inconsistent motion and distort line quality.

• Remove dust and debris from the FieldPrinter drive wheels.
• Print only on clean, dry surfaces.
• Run a short test print (about 3 feet) to confirm line quality before resuming.

Check environmental conditions

Environmental factors can affect tracker stability and robot traction.

• Avoid printing in strong wind or near high vibration.
• Use sandbags on the tripod outdoors.
• Avoid printing if the slab is wet or excessively dusty.

When to Reprint

Once the root cause has been corrected:

• Reprint only the affected lines.
• Select the same layout layers in the Dusty App.
• Run Verify Stationing before printing.

The system retains print history, so reprinting overlapping areas is supported.