M3D Printer PLA Headache

[Joshuasphilosophy]

Hey Friends,

I have a M3D printer and when I try to use PLA ink, I'll get just one layer printed before the ink stops coming out, almost as if it dries out in the nozzle. I've tried various temperatures, the fan is working fine, and I know it's not a clog because I put in flex ink and it prints just fine. When I insert the ink (and I always do it externally) it extrudes just fine. It's just during print that it stops. I've tried four different colors of PLA and it all has the same result.

Any advice?

[3dex ltd]

Sounds like a clog. What temperatures do you run the nozzle at for the PLA?

It could be something inside the nozzle (some debris) or (most likely) as you stated, the PLA drying on the nozzle. We've had similar issues and I found that disabling the cooling fan worked perfectly. However, we don't have an M3D so your printer might not fair so well without a fan running

[Joshuasphilosophy]

I've been printing all day with a flexible ink and it works fine with that. Could it still be a clog? I might try disabling the fan, thanks for the advice.

[Alibert]

What is your retraction setting?

[3dex ltd]

Yes I still think it is a clog. As the flexible filament is different to the PLA it isn't clogging like the PLA. Disable the fan and see what happens. What is your nozzle temperature. You might want to try something like 210 for PLA

[Joshuasphilosophy]

Baaaaaaah. I took it apart and thoroughly cleaned the nozzle, and I've tried prints on multiple temps between 215-240 with the fan on and off. Still no dice.

[Alibert]

Again, how many mm retraction do you have in the settings?

[LambdaFF]

Again, how many mm retraction do you have in the settings?

+1 : you should answer that

[Joshuasphilosophy]

Again, how many mm retraction do you have in the settings?

There's no place on the M3D where you can adjust retraction.

[Alibert]

Strange, you have no settings in the slicer software to adjust this?

As your problem is with the PLA only, my guess is that the slicer is retracting it too far so that soft rubbery PLA cools off higher in the heatbreak and jams there. This is quite common with PLA and metal heatbreaks (with no ptfe liner inside).

I had a similar problem some time ago when I used PLA in an all-metal hotend. It jammed after the first few layers. After exchanging the heatbreak for a ptfe lined one, the problem was solved.

When you took the extruder apart, was there a ptfe tube in the heatbreak or was it all metal? If the latter, you can try exchanging he heatbreak for a electrolytically polished one (or just another one) and hope you get lucky as to the jamming issue.

Researching other slicer options which allow you to adjust retraction settings is also an option.