Printing Issue  

Re: Printing Issue

Hi Matthew

This would appear to be one of two issues:

1. Print temperature not high enough
2. Clogged nozzle/barrel due to temps being too high and burning the plastic.

Check the first but bringing the nozzle up to temperature, increase by 5 degrees or so and try to manually feed some plastic. If that doesn't work, then you will have to change/clean the nozzle and probably dismantle the hot end and clean out the barrel.

Personally, I keep a good supply of nozzles; I find it quicker and easier to swap them out rather than to clean (and possibly damage) them.

Peter

Re: Printing Issue

Matthew

P.S. PLA degrades over time; it soaks up moisture from the air and becomes more difficult to print. I keep my PLA in a sealed box with packs of colour-indicating silica gel.

Peter

Re: Printing Issue

Cheers PJR,
I have started storing my PLA accordingly.

Is there anyway to check the thermistor/hot end temperature.

Also i am now experiencing y axis drift and have checked the belt and the pulley does not appear to be slipping.
All of my problems occurred after the y axis limit switch failed to activate and the y axis was rammed into the frame.

Re: Printing Issue

Hi Mathew

For checking hot end temperature, I use an IR thermometer designed for remote control cars with glow-plug engines. It's not easy to do, but it can give a good indication of the temperature.

I was starting to get drift on my printer so yesterday evening, I dismantled it and replaced the bearings on both X and Y axis. The X axis bearings had never been changed and were in a very poor state.

When you get the bearings out, it's pretty easy to tell which need replacing; run them along one of the bars and angle them slightly. Any lumpiness indicates replacement necessary.

However, this may not be the cause of your drift problem. Check the tightness of your belts, check the belt paths (they may be rubbing somewhere), and check the bearing at the opposite end to the motors. Examine the belts to make sure there are no teeth missing. You may want to replace the belts just to make sure.

I have a quick test for axis drift, but it only works at the home position.

Connect with Pronterface and home all. then each axis in turn, move away 2mm. Move back 1mm and then move back in 0.1 steps whilst counting the steps. You should hear the end stop "click" on the tenth 0.1mm movement. If not then you have a problem with the belts.

Hope this helps.

Peter