Possible clog while printing  

RE: Possible clog while printing

You could maybe try raising the nozzle temp a bit.

I don't know how confident you are WRT pausing the print and troubleshooting a possible clog and then resuming.

RE: Possible clog while printing

@jsw

Thanks you your reply, I tried uping the temperature, it worked for a while then started clicking again. So I paused the print, heated the nozzle, used the needle and tried again, but was unsuccesful.

I have now stopped the print because the clog caused damage, so the parts can't be used anyway.

This has happened to me twice not a the same layer height, I don0t know if its just a because the print is long or if there is another issue...

RE: Possible clog while printing

I do not use ASA, but I print a lot with ABS, which is the same approximate temp range, and I've never had that type of clog.  I've done some multi-hour prints without issues.

Are you sure that your Bondtech gears are tensioned properly with the screw on the left of the extruder?  That could be another cause for the clicking.

RE: Possible clog while printing

That sucks to lose a print that has run most of the way to completion!  Fortunately I have never had a several-hour print fail on the Prusa (yet?).

When you probed the nozzle with the needle did you feel resistance, like you had a clog?

Do you have any cleaning filament?  Not that long ago I did what they call a cold pull and yes, I got a small but obvious flake of crud out of the nozzle by doing that.

RE: Possible clog while printing

@jsw

I am printing 60 small parts at a time, so I think that the constant retractions of filament between parts could be what causes the problem. 

When using the needle there was no resistance, I don't have cleaning filament but I did just do two cold pulls with the filament I had setup already with no noticable clogs...

I have done cold pulls before and have been able to see the clog, so I don't know this time.

The printer is running again (with less parts) so I will see if it works this time

RE: Possible clog while printing

I don't like to do large batches of smaller parts.  I do a lot of window frames and window panes for model railroad buildings and I will usually do those 4 or 6 at a time.  I figure that the risk of losing the entire batch is more significant the more you try.

RE: Possible clog while printing

Depending on how small the parts are (especially in the Z) you could try using the complete individual items option which lessens the risks of losing the whole batch.

RE: Possible clog while printing

@neophyl

The parts are 70 mm high, if I printed them individually I could only fit around 10 parts on the bed at a time.

RE: Possible clog while printing

@emily

Yeah when that high its not really a great option.  Great when printing a sheets worth of buttons though 🙂  

Have you considered adding cooling to the extruder motor ?  Through either heatsinks (passive) or an extra fan (active).  That can help with heat creep related problems with lower temp filaments but I wouldn't have expected the higher temp ones to suffer from that.

RE: Possible clog while printing

@emily

When you see this type of clog, unload the filament and examine the tip. If you see any stub that is fat, measure it. If it is 2.20 mm, there is a known issue that can be solved.