Printer randomly stops extruding only over USB
I just got a MK3S+ and finally got it printing yesterday. I have all the calibration dialed in perfectly and everything I print from the SD card looks amazing! However, when I try to print over USB, the print job runs for a while but by the middle of layer 1 or 2 it stops extruding and keeps printing with no plastic.
I've tried downloading an STL file, slicing it in PrusaSlicer, loading it in Pronterface and printing from there, and this issue occurs.
I've tried the same thing using Octoprint instead of Pronterface, same issue occurs.
Immediately after a print fails, I can print something from SD right away (with NO changes to the printer) and its perfectly fine!
It might have something to do with getting a 'echo:busy: processing' message. I suspect that after that message, the printer waits, and when it resumes, there is no extrusion - but I'm not certain.
Currently I am printing that file that I downloaded and sliced after copying it to the SD card and it is printing just fine from SD!
Does anyone have any experience with this?
I am using the 3.11.0 firmware.
Best Answer by madoxlabs:
This problem seems to have gone away ever since I hooked up the MMU2...
RE:
You did quite some troubleshooting already, obviously the problem is not caused by the printer or the gcode (since it worked from SD) and is not caused by the gcode serving software on your computer (since it fails with ponterface and octoprint) that leaves your computer as source of the problem. What computer do you use? Does it do anything else while printing, are there any power save settings putting stuff to sleep, is your printer connected directly or via a USB hub, is there other USB equipment also using the bus? All in all 3D printers are quite sensitive to interruptions of the gcode flow from time to time… It is a bit strange that it continues printing without extruding though…
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RE: Printer randomly stops extruding only over USB
Thanks for the reply! It is on a USB hub. I will try removing the hub from the equation, but that wouldn't explain octoprint failing as well. I'll try a new USB cord and also try rolling back to an older firmware as well. Maybe the USB port on the printer board is bad?
RE: Printer randomly stops extruding only over USB
Update : Extruder says +inf ??
I noticed this while printing from Octoprint. During the print, on layer 1, I paused the printer, raised the nozzle and extruded using the Settings > Move axis > extruder. The extruder worked fine. After resuming, a little while later, the printer stopped extruding and I paused it, again going to Settings > Move axis > extruder. This time it said "Extruder: +inf"
Is this part of the problem? What does this mean?
RE: Printer randomly stops extruding only over USB
Irrespective as to how you use a direct PC connection, be it Pronterface or IIRC Cura, any interruption hibernate, hickup whatever by the PC will ruin your print. If you want to avoid sneakernet and the dreaded SD card you need some intermediary like Octoprint, Repetier, Klipper etc. etc.
RE: Printer randomly stops extruding only over USB
Thanks for the reply! Yes, I am using octoprint currently. Thats when the problem with extruding occurs. Printing from SD card works fine.
RE: Printer randomly stops extruding only over USB
This problem seems to have gone away ever since I hooked up the MMU2...