Underextrusion on first print
After putting my Prusa Mini+ kit together I ran a first print. It constantly underextrudes. I've tried pulling the filament, tightening the extrusion gear, purging, and setting the flow factor higher. Nothing seems to help except the flow factor to a small degree. I was able to get a test cube to print once by increasing the flow factor but anything printed with small features fails after 30 or so layers. Would adding the filament sensor help?
Best Answer by jkg0:
I finally solved it. When I first built the printer I had the extruder screw (the one with the spring) way too tight. This caused it to jam. The jam somehow pushed the small screw that holds the gear on the extruder motor shaft out. I think this was allowing the gear to slip when it changed directions. Since changing directions is more important on small features it was mostly affecting small details. After I took everything apart and cleaned the gears, tightened the shaft screw and put it all back together it is printing great!
RE: Underextrusion on first print
I finally solved it. When I first built the printer I had the extruder screw (the one with the spring) way too tight. This caused it to jam. The jam somehow pushed the small screw that holds the gear on the extruder motor shaft out. I think this was allowing the gear to slip when it changed directions. Since changing directions is more important on small features it was mostly affecting small details. After I took everything apart and cleaned the gears, tightened the shaft screw and put it all back together it is printing great!
RE: Underextrusion on first print
Glad you solved it. It's important to have the grub screw in the gear tightened on to the flat area of the stepper motor shaft. Otherwise you will find it loosening up again.