Poor adhesion only for first couple of inches I have a QIDI Tech 1. It has a heated bed, and a cooling fan attachment. Whenever I print without a raft, the first inch or two of material laid down does not adhere to the bed, but the rest of the first layer is flawless.

I have tried speeding up and slowing down the first layer walls, but the problem remains. It also seemed to get a little worse when slower. I also tried not turning on the cooling fan for a bit to see if maybe the material was cooling too quickly, but that had zero effect on it.

I'd like to avoid using tape and other methods since the rest of the print is perfect, and the bed already has a material on it to aid adhesion.

What else can I try to prevent the dragging for the start of the print?
I'd recommend using the "skirt" function if you're not already.  

The idea is to print a few perimeter layers around where your part will be, but not actually touching your part.  

Most slicers support this and you can choose how much skirt you want to print.  This addresses the issue you mention, and it purges old filament that has spent too much time in the nozzle.  As an added bonus, it gives you a good indication that your print location, print height, and first layer adhesion are all good.