[Closed] Extruder feed problem  

Re: Extruder feed problem

When this happens, did you try pushing filament through manually with the extruder open and notice any resistance?
Does this happen with presliced print from the SD-card as well?
Do you have a way to monitor nozzle temperatur? (Octoprint, Pronterface, etc)

Hmm, some things not on your list:

- Check if the hotend fan is working?
- does the filament roll rotate freely?
- does the filament unspool properly? (Snags, loops, fell off the roll, etc)
- did you check alignment of the drive gear to the ptfe tube leading into the hot end?
- did you try some cold pulls to see if you got a partial nozzle clog due to accumlated debris?
(- normally i'd ask if your prints need a boatload of retracts, but if i understand correctly, it's not just a few models that cause it)
- is the ptfe tube maybe deformed? (that one is a royal pain in the butt to check)

Re: Extruder feed problem

Hi Stephan,

Many thanks for the response. I have only been printing from my sd card. I will print from pronterface to monitor a bit closer what's going on.

I can't push through manually so this does suggest the nozzle is cooling. It would explain why the stepper is still working.

The list you gave all seem fine. I'll try cleaning of the nozzle again with a bit more rigor. A clean nozzle never hurts.

Once again thanks for the help!

Thanks
Martin

Re: Extruder feed problem

this happens to me frequently also, a few cold pulls does the trick for me

Re: Extruder feed problem

I've been having something similar happen. It either stops at some point in the print (all over the place) or I come back to see that it THINKS it's printing going back and forth etc near the top of where the model should be but it's empty air and nothing is extruding. I'm using SC card, sliced with Slic3r. I've checked it many times. Sometimes I try 'Load Filament' to see how well it comes out and nothing happens. Goes to 'Sleep..." mode then clears and stops. All fans working. I've just loosened the tension bolts and trying another print. At least there's filament coming out this time (last run it began and nothing came out even at the start). I just hopes it doesn't stop mid model like usual. One note, on the times it just seems to stop mid print, the hot end is sitting where it quit with a small dab of filament that has oozed out after it stopped. It's like something told the job to stop but it doesn't shut off the bed or hot end and the fans are still running when I show up/wake up hours later.

Re: Extruder feed problem

Hi Rorary, your second issue sound more like the G code didn't compile fully. You should look at the g code in a g code view to see if the model is complete.

Re: Extruder feed problem

This is happening to me as well. Printing with the same spool Prusa sent me, same temp as all other prints, the g.code is a prusa printer part, so I have no reason to believe it is the gcode. I have tried tightening and untightening the bearing that provides resistance to the filament. I have tried increasing/decreasing, cleaning inside the nozzle with cleaner filament and outside the nozzle with a metal brush. I don't understand why the filament seems to come through perfectly when I do some cold pulls as previous person suggests, but fails when printing. Same thing as others note: clicking noise, filament stops being pulled through partway into the print... I have had about 10 failed prints now...

Re: Extruder feed problem

Ok update. I did a load of cleans and it worked for a few prints. Then it stoped. I tried a few more atomic pulls but nothing.

These are the last few prints I have tried. I have printed these models before.

And the finished model should look like this.

Any ideas?

Re: Extruder feed problem

I'm having pretty much the same issue. Using original Prusa SD card prints, first 5 prints were perfect. Then 6th print filament stopped mid print. Now every print the filament stops flowing after about 10-20mins. I've cleaned, done some cold pulls, filament looks completely normal. Prints are start just fine. Sat and watched a print for a while and all fans spin properly. Somewhat at a loss on how to fix this, besides replacing parts.

Are there any recommended settings tweaks that could help?

Re: Extruder feed problem

Same problem here, tried already printing PLA (the original delivered by Prusa) at different Temps, 205, 210, 215 and 220°C, always the same error. Print looks very good for some time, but once there is no more material coming out of the nozzle.
The last print was succesful for more than 8h, now at 15h i had to stop it - it seems that it "printed" already several hours without material coming out of the nozzle.
Over 8h good printing and then suddenly not working anymore. There is enough material, the filament is free (not hooked anywhere). So the problem is either on the extruder or on the hotend/nozzle.
On the different tries, sometimes the problem occurd earlier (1-3h) but the time differs.

Any suggestions? It makes me really angry printing several hours for scrap - time and money-wasting.

Re: Extruder feed problem

I was printing a Hairy Lion recently (2 colour; black body and white mane) with black (from local supplier) printing at 200 degrees and white (PR PLA) at 210 degrees.

Half way through the mane the white started to fail with the extruder clicking.

I then started to increase the temperature of the white and found that I needed 230 degrees for it to print.

Very strange, because the first half of the spool printed fine at 205/210, although I had noticed that the winding on the spool was not good, with the filament having a kink every 50cm and being wound under other filament.

For me it may be a case of a bad spool of filament where the manufacturer was switching over to another material.

Peter

Re: Extruder feed problem

When examined the state after the stopped print (see pics) my result is following:
*the nozzle was cloged
* the extruder is to weak to loosen/tackle this clog

(State as it was after the stopped print) I heated up the extruder to PLA-Temp., "Load filament" and the extruder was clicking as described before (see also first post from PJR). With additional force by hand the extruder managed to loosen the clog. Afterwards it worked again as it should be.

It can be discussed why the nozzle is clogging, but in addition it seems the extruder is to weak to tackle such clogs (which of course shouldn't occur).

After solving the problem i started the same print again, the first two layers were OK but the same problem occured while printing the 3rd layer. So definitely not a G-code problem as the used file printed already good for more than 8h. Printing temp was 220°C for the first layer and 215°C for the rest.

Re: Extruder feed problem

Your extruder tension adjustment appears to be screwed in much further than mine. Is it possible you have to much tension on there causing resistance.

Re: Extruder feed problem

Looks tighter than mine as well.
Think the handbook recommend 14mm from memory. For the most part (Flexible notwithstanding) I've pretty much used that as the default for all other filaments.

Re: Extruder feed problem

Hi,

mybe my extruder is adjusted tighter than yours, i fastened by hand - so the force is not so big. Anyway, this would not be a clarification for problems after around 10h printing.
In the meantime i started the print again with using a towel soaked in oil (rape oil as used for cooking) and put it around the filament (above the hole of the extruder). I read somewhere that this helped some people to prevent the nozzle to be clogged. At least for this print it worked also for me - 25h without extruder problems (tightened as on the picture).
Hmm, why does the nozzle get clogged (without oil)? PLA delivered by Prusa. Filament-quality? Other things i don't see?

Re: Extruder feed problem

I have the same problem from time to time, but it appears to be more common with certain rolls of filament. I have had zero issues with clogs on the Prusa PLA, Green Hatchbox PLA, and Red Hatchbox ABS. I have had jams with two other filament manufacturers. After removing the hot end nozzle and cleaning it with a blowtorch, everything is back to normal.

Re: Extruder feed problem

I have the same issue, tried cleaning, tried changing filament, raising heat...

First 5-6 prints where fine, then it stops mid print feeding, clicking sound....

Anyone contacted prusa for tips? Brand new machine, using prusa delivered filament.....

Re: Extruder feed problem

I cleaned the whole extruder again yesterday, no success there....

I found out that my printer extrudes 94mm instead of 100mm of prusas silver PLA, so tonight im testing adjusting the extruder feed ratio in slic3r maby that could have some inpact.

Im not sure why extruding less would clogg it tough? Anyone else got any success getting rid of this issue?

Re: Extruder feed problem

Problem is that if the feed tension is too tight, it does damage the filament which then can have issues feeding through the PTFE tube.

You need to have the tension set as loose as possible whilst still being able to feed properly.

Peter

Re: Extruder feed problem

Hello,

I am having the same issue with original Prusa Silver PLA I got with the printer.
I printed like 20 tiles of catan board game ( http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1238980 ) without any issues (plus different little stuff), then it began to fail.

It fails directly on the first layer so I can quickly see the issue.

I place 4 tiles on the same print. The first one prints OK (front left when facing the printer), then some times the second is OK (back left) then the third fails everytime (back right) and the last I don't know, I cancelk the print before.

I don't seem to have issues when printing only one tile in the center. Although I did already print 4 to 5 tiles at the same time already several times with success.

When loading filament through the printer menu or using Octoprint, it feeds properly.

I tried to change spring tension, with no luck.

any thoughts ?

regards,
Julien