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Unload filament at the end of printing  

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steve.a
(@steve-a)
Eminent Member
Unload filament at the end of printing

After a successful print completes I want to unload the filament and shutdown.

Unless I sit and wait until it has just completed printing, the extruder cools down and I have to preheat it again before selecting the Unload filament option. Is there something I am missing? It seems a bit odd I can't do this automatically. Can I do this with slic3r?

Cheers,
Steve

Posted : 19/04/2016 12:28 pm
PJR
 PJR
(@pjr)
Antient Member Moderator
Re: Unload filament at the end of printing

Hi Steve

This is possible by inserted a line of GCode at the end of the print, maybe something along the lines:

G1 E-100 F200

This would feed 100mm in reverse at 200mm/minute.

Peter

Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. 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…

Posted : 19/04/2016 12:43 pm
steve.a
(@steve-a)
Eminent Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Unload filament at the end of printing

Thanks Peter.

Er where abouts do I do this? By editing the gcode file itself or in slic3r?

Cheers,
Steve

Posted : 19/04/2016 3:29 pm
PJR
 PJR
(@pjr)
Antient Member Moderator
Re: Unload filament at the end of printing

Steve

I don't know Slic3r, but most other slicers have the facility to add start and end GCode. This needs to be inserted in the slicer so it happens every time, just before the heaters are turned off (M104/M140 instructions).

Peter

Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. 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…

Posted : 19/04/2016 3:33 pm
christophe.p
(@christophe-p)
Member Moderator
Re: Unload filament at the end of printing

In Slic3r, it's in "Printer Settings" Tab, then Custom G-code section, and in the "End G-code" area.

With the settings configured in the version provided by Prusa research, there is already these codes:

M104 S0 ; turn off temperature
M140 S0 ; turn off heatbed
G28 X0 ; home X axis
M84 ; disable motors

Like Peter said, it's better to unload your filament before turning off the temperature, even if G28 X0 shouldn't take too much time.

However, I would like to know: Why unloading the filament after each print ? You'll need to heat it up to load filament again next time, so just curious.

I'm like Jon Snow, I know nothing.

Posted : 19/04/2016 3:43 pm
steve.a
(@steve-a)
Eminent Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Unload filament at the end of printing

Peter/Christophe

Ah awesome thanks for the advice! I've only being printing for a couple of weeks and have only just started to explore the possibilities.

The reason I ask is that I *thought* I read that I shouldn't leave the filament loaded and let the extruder cool down. At the moment I'm only printing one item at a time. Is that not the case then?

Cheers,
Steve

Posted : 19/04/2016 10:30 pm
PJR
 PJR
(@pjr)
Antient Member Moderator
Re: Unload filament at the end of printing

Steve

That is not the case. There is no need to remove the filament unless you are not going to be printing for a few weeks.

Over time, filament will soak up moisture from the atmosphere, hence why it is delivered vacuum-packed with silica gel.

It does depend on your environment, but leaving it out in the open for a month or so can cause printing problems when you next use it.

Having said all that, I am not aware that I have ever had such a problem.

Peter

Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. 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…

Posted : 19/04/2016 10:34 pm
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