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  1. #1
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    305

    Extruder Clicking (Again)

    So I have been having a lot of issues recently and trying to get my printer working again.

    I posted in the past that my extruder was clicking, well no matter what I do it is happening again. I have a Prusa IV3 12" with the following mods:


    • New Z mounts with Anti-Backlash
    • Gears on the X and Y Idler
    • Cooling fan for bridging
    • I am using the traditional Greg Wade extruder.
    • The cooling fan for the extruder is blowing away from the extruder.
    • Rumba
    • Graphical LCD


    I am slicing with Simplfy3D (3.0.1) and using the following retraction settings:


    • Retraction Distance 2.5mm
    • Retraction Speed 15 mm/s
    • Coasting Distance 0.1 mm


    I have tried to resolve it by dissembling the extruder and making sure the large gear is not loose and not tight. I have played with retraction settings by lower distance and speed. I purchased better filament directly from Makerfarm and measured it using digital calipers.

    Now what am I missing? Please help I am fed up with this printer, I have spent more time trying to get it to print than printing useful objects.
    Last edited by BLKKROW; 07-16-2015 at 09:28 PM.

  2. #2
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    305
    Bump for edit.

  3. #3
    I don't have a I3, but when my extruder was clicking, it's because my nozzle was jammed. It happen because I was printing over 240 deg C, the Teflon (PTFE) tube inside the extruder expanded. After 5 minutes of printing, the retracting distance pulled too much melted filament into the Teflon tube and jammed everything up. I replaced the Teflon tube and print at 240 deg C now; no problems.

  4. #4
    Engineer-in-Training
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    Jul 2014
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    My extruder is not clogged as I can push filament manually through the extruder with my hand.
    Last edited by BLKKROW; 07-17-2015 at 08:51 AM.

  5. #5
    When you say it is seizing, does that mean the extruder wheel gets so tight you can't turn it by hand?

  6. #6
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    305
    Quote Originally Posted by Clint_Stutts View Post
    When you say it is seizing, does that mean the extruder wheel gets so tight you can't turn it by hand?
    It was doing this originally but I think I fixed that issue, now that it is easy to turn by hand I am still getting the clicking.

  7. #7
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    So I think I resolved my issue after weeks of trial and error, it appears the way I was resting the filament on the mount was not allowing it to spin as easily as it should. this resulted in the filament getting stuck and not being fed to the extruder, which is when the clicking started.

    So right now I change my mount slightly so its usable now, but I need to print a few parts to get it working perfectly.

  8. #8
    Technologist MeoWorks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    173
    I get clicking on my i3v if the idler is too loose. It's probably a step you already took but it's often overlooked. I'm glad you've resolved it, though.

  9. #9
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    305
    Quote Originally Posted by MeoWorks View Post
    I get clicking on my i3v if the idler is too loose. It's probably a step you already took but it's often overlooked. I'm glad you've resolved it, though.
    That was one of the issue on my previous attempts to resolve so thank you!

  10. #10
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    305
    Well I can officially say I want to throw this printer out the window. The extruder keeps eating the filament no matter what I do, I have spent the last month trying to get this resolved so I can print some stuff I need at the end of the month. With no luck.

    At this point I am going to email Colin and if we cannot figure it out, I may have to purchase another printer.

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