What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
Hi,
so the filament sensors on my Mk2.5 and Mk3S never really worked for me.
Whenever I ran out of filament, it meant I had to disassemble the extruder because the filament would get drawn in so far that I wasn't able to unload properly or pull it out with pliers.
What happens on an XL in case of a run-out?
How easy is it to extract the rest of the filament?
Is there a way to load multiple toolheads with filament and have it switch to the next tool, once it detects a run-out?
I preordered a single-head kit, so I'm still waiting. I also didn't have any luck digging through the forum and the first reviews. The official blurb on the product page is also sparse in this regard. Fingers crossed it will be able to do a reliable switchover.
Thanks and have a great day!
RE: What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
I think, you can ask on this YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@tada3dprinting
She is testing things answering user questions.
RE: What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
Hey there! Sorry to hear that the filament sensors on your Mk2.5 and Mk3S haven't been working well for you. I can understand how frustrating it can be to have to disassemble the extruder every time you run out of filament. Hopefully, the XL will offer a better experience for you.
From what I've heard, the XL is designed to detect when filament runs out and pause the print so that you can reload it. It also has a feature that allows you to recover a failed print if the filament runs out mid-print. As for extracting the rest of the filament, I'm not exactly sure how easy or difficult it would be on the XL, but I'm sure there are ways to do it.
In terms of loading multiple toolheads with filament and having it switch to the next tool when a run-out is detected, I believe that is possible with the XL. However, I'm not 100% sure on the specifics of how to set it up. It might be worth checking out the XL's user manual or reaching out to the manufacturer for more information.
RE: What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
I just received my XL last week. I ran into my filament breaking. The sensor on the feed side tripped which paused the print and it tried to eject the filament. There wasn't enough to be able to pull it back out from the feed side. I had to open the idler and back it out. Once I did that I was able to resume.
RE: What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
the biggest issue with filament sensors is 'bent' filament at the very end of the roll
Some filament manufacturers tuck the end of the filament through a hole in the spool when they begin winding the filament on. this can put a sharp bend in the end of the filament. when the spool ends, this bend can:-
stop the filament detatching from the spool -- which will cause under extrusion and not activate the filament sensor. or
the end can be drawn into the filament sensor, trigger the sensor, as expected but deflect when being ejected and jam inside the extruder...
I believe Prusa have changed the way they initiate filament winding on more recent rolls of filament, to prevent this issue.
3DQF (www.3dqf.co.uk) have a filament spool where you can see the filament at the hub of the spool, and pre cut the filament to prevent the end causing issues.
when I get near the end of a spool, I try to cut the filament free from the hub, to reduce the chances of failed filament out, ejection.
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
RE: What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
Thanks everybody, great feedback! I'm actually super happy with my two i3s. The Mk2 in particular has been running like a champ for six years now. I did ask Tada on youtube and she asserted that run outs happened, were correctly detected and recoverable with a filament change. Looking forward to my XL, and the Mk3 will get an upgrade once I recover from the XL purchase. Extruder construction and cabling are currently my major gripes with the i3s, but manageable with a little care. Excited to see the Nextruder in action! Have a great day!
RE: What happens when filament runs out? How easy is extraction of leftovers? Can you change to another toolhead?
the biggest issue with filament sensors is 'bent' filament at the very end of the roll
Some filament manufacturers tuck the end of the filament through a hole in the spool when they begin winding the filament on. this can put a sharp bend in the end of the filament. when the spool ends, this bend can:-
stop the filament detatching from the spool -- which will cause under extrusion and not activate the filament sensor. or
the end can be drawn into the filament sensor, trigger the sensor, as expected but deflect when being ejected and jam inside the extruder...
You explained this SO PRECISELY !
"One of these filament manufacturers" was Prusa themselves.
The bending at the end of the filament was in such a short distance, that when trying to unload the last piece of filament, the end collided with the edge of the extruder cover.
Then i asked myself: Do they never run their own 1KG spools on their printers? Somebody at Prusa should have recognized this much earlier than me...
Automatic change when filament roll gets empty is advertised as one feature for the MMU...
I hope they have corrected this meanwhile.