Extruder/Nozzle Creates Strings that Damage Prints
I recently had some trouble with the gears in the extruder, such that they were not pulling filament into the hot end. I have resolved that, but have run into another problem.
When the nozzle stops laying down filament (such as when it finishes printing the purge line), some really thin strings of melted filament get stuck and follow around the nozzle throughout the print. These strings end up leading to some deformed prints.
I am away from the machine so I was not able to get a clear print to show what was happening, but the attached picture points out these thin strings. What is causing it and how can I fix it?
RE: Extruder/Nozzle Creates Strings that Damage Prints
Either there's moisture in your filament (search here on how to dry it) or the filament is being printed too hot (try dialling back the print temp in 5 degree steps to see if it improves/goes away).
Some filaments (PETG) are naturally more stringy than others - just something to be aware of if you're comparing across filament types.
RE: Extruder/Nozzle Creates Strings that Damage Prints
Doesn't help avoid the presence of stringing, but I use one of the E3D silicon socks around my hotend and nozzle and its much easier to clean than the nozzle, Ive also found that it helps balance heat measured by the thermocouple to the effective heat in a hardened steel nozzle. You can buy them in multipacks and as long as you make sure to hot tighten your hotend assembly during any rebuilds/cleanings (if you do it cold and have gaps the sock turns into an injection mold) the sock does a great job.