PROBLEMS WITH FILAMENT
OK assembled printer and did a few prints.... Now I have encountered a problem and I do not know if it is the printer or the filament...
I have got a new roll of PLA and started printing... I guess I did 12 hrs of prints with no problem. All of a sudden, my prints started to print and during half of the print, the material would stop.
I dismatled the extruder and cleaned the nozzle thorougly by letting it cool a bit then pulling the material out. That would have extracted any blockage.
I would notice that at some point, my printer extruder wheel would star to tick tick tick tick..... And I noticed that the material is not being extruded.
Then try to unload and it does not unload. I notice that it looks as if the extruder found a piece of material which would not fuse... I would
pull it back gently with a plier and it sooks stuck but there is nothing...
After I pull it, I cut the filament and introduce another piece and I can push it with my hand and it will extrude very easily....... I am suspecting that the material might have some piece which will not melt.... That is my suspicion.
Now my next move is to load another roll from another brand.....
I dismanteld the extruder and there is really nowhere where the filament can stick.....
when it goes tick tick tick..... it looks like that the extruder is pulling back the material and trying to push it down again....
I am going mad! 😳
Any suggestions?
Thanks and regards,
Tonio
Re: PROBLEMS WITH FILAMENT
Extruder stops extruding filament. (Works for a while then stops)
Common causes:
1. Tension on the extruder springs is set wrong (see above).
2. Filament spool is not free to turn creating intermittent friction or binding. (Or filament is not wound well on the roll). Fix filament holder. Consider alternate designs on Thingiverse.
3. The extruder “Hobb-Goblin” pulley is dirty and debris is following the filament into the extruder.
4. The extruder “Hobb-Goblin” pulley is warn and is no longer grabbing the filament.
5. The extruder cooling fan (that cools the heat-break) is not keeping the heat-break below the filament melting temperature so it is melting and causing a clog. If in an enclosure, open the door. Verify the fan is running.
6. Intermittent (or broken) connection in the cable bundle for the extruder stepper (not stepping), cooling fan (not cool enough) or thermistor (causing the printer to think the temperature is cooler than it is, causing it to increase temperature beyond the range of the filament). Intermittent comes and goes as the cable flexes at different Z values.
7. Bad temperature for the filament.
8. Set screw on the extruder “Hobb-Goblin” pulley has come loose allowing the pulley to spin independently of the extruder stepper motor.
9. Set screw on the extruder thermistor is loose, creating a poor temperature reading of the heat block (see 6).
10. Poor quality on the filament diameter. Measure it with a caliper over a short span. Try a different spool.
Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage or loss. If you solve your problem, please post the solution…
Re: PROBLEMS WITH FILAMENT
Thanks for that, I have already took action to check most of the possible causes you indicated before posting but one particular point worth checking, is really a bit remote but happens and i noticed it. The filament I am using is neatly wound on the spool, but noticed that when it loosens when pulled by the extruder the layers in the spool overlap and I witnessed a situation when the filament is unable to pull from the spool and I believe that it was the cause. I have now sat next to it and loosening the filament by hand and it has not failed....
I think I saw on inverse something like a filament guide which will prevent the filament from going up and loosening the filament on the spool. very difficult to explain...
Re: PROBLEMS WITH FILAMENT
I am going mad with this....
The machine went well with half a spool, after assembly of the kit, then changed into a black PLA spool...
Then half way the problems I have encountered are undescribed.
The extruded material shows that the nozzle is blocked... the filament will feed then start to slip. everything is OK.
I remove the nozzle and extrude and the material still looks bad.
I think that the material is not so good.... I need to clean the nozzle up...
Any solvent cleans pla well?
The nozzle blocks immediatley on attempt and when nothing comes up the hobble wheel starts grinding the filament.
Anybody can suggest how is it possible to test the materials I have?
Re: PROBLEMS WITH FILAMENT
I am going mad with this....
The machine went well with half a spool, after assembly of the kit, then changed into a black PLA spool...
Then half way the problems I have encountered are undescribed.
The extruded material shows that the nozzle is blocked... the filament will feed then start to slip. everything is OK.
I remove the nozzle and extrude and the material still looks bad.
I think that the material is not so good.... I need to clean the nozzle up...
Any solvent cleans pla well?
The nozzle blocks immediatley on attempt and when nothing comes up the hobble wheel starts grinding the filament.
Anybody can suggest how is it possible to test the materials I have?
Hi Tonio,
Have you found a solution? I am having the same issue. The printer was working perfectly for 6 months then started to show the same symptom: It starts extruding and after a few minutes the extruder cannot push the filament through the hotend. I tried everything I even replaced the whole extruder/hotend/nozzle to a brand new. It is not stuck at all as when I load the filament it flows through seamlessly. I chanded filament to many different types, I changed slicer settings, added then released tension on the hobbed pulley but the issue is there. My last suspicion is the extruder motor or its cable. I am about to replace that, too but before I do that I would like to see if anybody found the root cause.
This is very annoying, I have an expensive printer I cannot use however I replaced almost every part...
Thanks for any feedback
Budapest, Hungary
Using Prusa MK2S
Re: PROBLEMS WITH FILAMENT
HI,
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PRINTER
you can keep in touch with me on [email protected]...
I am still at it....
The roll pla supplied with the printer, I printed off nearly half of it No problem
Then bought 30Kgs of filament from Poland, very good price... Branded PM and two or three other brands.
Put the first roll of PLA, worked ok, then after 10% of the roll, started to give me this problem
Then I found out that even if you undo the extruder springs and try to feed the filament by hand would not exrude.
my belief is that the filament is not uniform in quality !
Then bought a PRIMA roll and I extruded like hell- NO PROBLEMS
Put the PM roll again and the problems return...
Got another PM roll and same problems.
I increased the temperature by 10 degrees over the panel by TUNE menu and these two Rolls could use then.
Opened an unbranded roll of filament supplied by the same suppler.. The problme is really bad, as this would not even work with the 10 degree increase. I have contacted the manufacturer and dealing with them. Propably I will ask him to take everything back...
My suggestion to you- check the temeprature that the temeperature on the display corresonds with real temperature.
Dismantle the nozzle and cold pull the old materials. I think it is rubbish filament. I have put ABS produced by prima and works wonders.
Before buying materials which are cheap.... buy only in singles. Filament which snaps is expired.
send me your email. I have compiled a nice troubleshooting manual myself from the internet. I picked the stuff up and organized it in a word file easily printable. It is not my work but it is handy.
please let me know what you have done. This manual lists reasons for what we are experiencing.
if you started 3D printing like myself now and come to this, Its a pity!