Extruding Problem

Hi All

I am a noob so bare with me.

I have been happy so far with the QIDI TECH 1 until i started printing with the filament supplied with the printer. My first print came off OK with some minor irregularities which i thought, as i am new and still getting the hang of it I put it down to user error, the second print i did with the filament supplied the job finished 33% the way through and with the nozzle stopped what looked mid print. nozzle was still to set temp as was the bed.

After i reset to zero position no filament came out so i tried to remove/change filament as per printer instructions which i found to be quite tough. Upon finally removing the filament i noticed the filament had jammed as it was a lot thicker and would not even go in to the feeder.


I then decided to change the filament to ABS to help clear the blockage and to do some prints that required it. I am now on my 5th print on ABS 3 where perfect but the last 2 failed stopping at 40% and the 65% through jobs as before with temperatures still set.


I have now unloaded the ABS and noticed teeth marks from the gears on the filament. I reloaded it back in to the print head as instructed and as it fed it through i could hear what sounds like a gear or motor slipping.


I have tried a print but the filament is being extruded inconsistently which coincides with the clicking noise, i have tried a number of prints and ones that where perfect previously and all are now being extruded incorrectly in time with the clicking.


Does anyone have any suggestions.

As I said i am a bit wet behind the ears with this so any help is much appreciated.

Welcome!

To start, we will want to know what filament you are using (make I'm assuming QIDI, but what color?) and what temperature you are extruding at.

I would recommend removing the nozzle from the extruder and cleaning it out if possible, it definitely sounds like there was some buildup. Might be an issue if you don't have a spare nozzle + PTFE tube to use, the nozzles PTFE tube had clogged/solidified on me one time and I fixed it easily by replacing the nozzle + tube.

Another thing to try is bumping up the temperature by 5 degrees C or less in increments to see if it's a temperature issue - the reading could be off for your sensor and there may also be a sensor problem which I haven't troubleshot on this machine. I wouldn't recommend going over 250c for ABS during testing.

Have you bought any of the PTFE tubing you see on Amazon and sites like that to use for replacements?
I have been looking at them I have not decided yet. The prices are great compared to buying them pre-cut.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cncartist

Welcome!

To start, we will want to know what filament you are using (make I'm assuming QIDI, but what color?) and what temperature you are extruding at.

I would recommend removing the nozzle from the extruder and cleaning it out if possible, it definitely sounds like there was some buildup. Might be an issue if you don't have a spare nozzle + PTFE tube to use, the nozzles PTFE tube had clogged/solidified on me one time and I fixed it easily by replacing the nozzle + tube.

Another thing to try is bumping up the temperature by 5 degrees C or less in increments to see if it's a temperature issue - the reading could be off for your sensor and there may also be a sensor problem which I haven't troubleshot on this machine. I wouldn't recommend going over 250c for ABS during testing.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Talon 3D

Have you bought any of the PTFE tubing you see on Amazon and sites like that to use for replacements?
I have been looking at them I have not decided yet. The prices are great compared to buying them pre-cut.

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Yes, I did purchase 6 feet but unfortunately it seemed to be ~0.1mm oversized. It was so slight that I could jam it into the feed tube and I wasn't fond of that technique. I put the cut pieces aside for now and will post process them in the near future (rainy day project).

I didn't want to mess around with yanking a seized PTFE tube out with pliers and chose to pickup the ~$20 QIDI 4 nozzle + 4 ptfe tube kit on ebay. Three of the nozzles and tubes have been utilized in the past 1200 hours of printing and I was fortunate to have my first nozzle last to over 1000 hours.

Cheers for the help

Right it was QIDI in luminous orange. The first print i did was at 200 deg bed 60, it had a random under extrusion 65% the way through but printed rest perfect. I did the same settings for the second print but stopped 30% through nozzle still on item and the filament had jammed as was too thick.

I then switched to Black ABS (4 3D brand) and did 3 perfect prints at 240 deg 110 bed then same settings on the 4th stopped again 40% ish i put it down to model/support error re loaded it went again with modification but it stopped again at about 65%.

I am now at a position after trying the suggested 5 degree increments to try cleaning it but now its just clicking and wont take the filament at all.

Also i do not at present have any spares :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cncartist

Welcome!

To start, we will want to know what filament you are using (make I'm assuming QIDI, but what color?) and what temperature you are extruding at.

I would recommend removing the nozzle from the extruder and cleaning it out if possible, it definitely sounds like there was some buildup. Might be an issue if you don't have a spare nozzle + PTFE tube to use, the nozzles PTFE tube had clogged/solidified on me one time and I fixed it easily by replacing the nozzle + tube.

Another thing to try is bumping up the temperature by 5 degrees C or less in increments to see if it's a temperature issue - the reading could be off for your sensor and there may also be a sensor problem which I haven't troubleshot on this machine. I wouldn't recommend going over 250c for ABS during testing.

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I'm risking appearing insulting but I have had a devil of a time with the QIDI filament, both ABS and PLA, tangling on the spool during use. I've lost a number of lengthy prints when this happens. All kinds of rage does that engender. So... have you ever peeked over the back when this happens to check the condition of the spool feed. I've had mine also on occasion spring off the spool and wind around the spool post. That grinds everything to a halt QUICKLY. The QIDI filament is very poorly wound on the spools. You've probably already checked this and it also wouldn't explain why the jobs stop at the exact point each time but... I'm just sayin'. I've never had this occur with the Hatchbox filament that I also use. I don't plan on ordering QIDI filament when what I have now is gone.

I have not had the issue with the QIDI filament but I've had it happen on a different one.
I only used the supplied filament a couple times so I might not have gotten far enough to get that issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JensC

I'm risking appearing insulting but I have had a devil of a time with the QIDI filament, both ABS and PLA, tangling on the spool during use. I've lost a number of lengthy prints when this happens. All kinds of rage does that engender. So... have you ever peeked over the back when this happens to check the condition of the spool feed. I've had mine also on occasion spring off the spool and wind around the spool post. That grinds everything to a halt QUICKLY. The QIDI filament is very poorly wound on the spools. You've probably already checked this and it also wouldn't explain why the jobs stop at the exact point each time but... I'm just sayin'. I've never had this occur with the Hatchbox filament that I also use. I don't plan on ordering QIDI filament when what I have now is gone.

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Most likely a clogged nozzle. I never bother with cleaning nozzles, I just throw them away and use a new one as I buy them wholesale from Aliexpress at dirt cheap prices. No rocket science there, just a piece of machined brass or steel.

Another more difficult problem can be the thermistor which is used to measure and regulate the hot end temperature. I serviced a printer once which also had these weird problems. It turned out that the thermistor leads were making contact at certain movements of the extruder head. This results in a short which appears as the maximum temperature to the motherboard (300 C in this case). The motherboard then stops heating the hotend in order to cool of. However, as the hotend was the correct 230 C at that point, it cooled down and the plastic solidified in the nozzle. After tweaking things around, the short would disappear and the printer would work normally again, until the next times the leads shorted again, etc.

I finally found that one by monitoring the temperature in the control software, and jiggling the lead of the thermistor around. I could then see the temperature 'jumping up' to 300C at certain movements. Replaced the leads and problem solved.

Cheers guys

So far i have found the following:-

A nozzle clog
A tube clog
AND a gear clog ( fillament jammed in the motor cog)

I have cleared all these but am still getting the pulsing.

I have tried the filaments i have i know are good in both extruders but this left one still a no go.

Does anyone know if one of the screws behind the heat sink is a tensioner

I will try the thermistor thing and try and get some new nozzles.

Qidi have advised to replace the motor line which i thought was pointless???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alibert

Most likely a clogged nozzle. I never bother with cleaning nozzles, I just throw them away and use a new one as I buy them wholesale from Aliexpress at dirt cheap prices. No rocket science there, just a piece of machined brass or steel.

Another more difficult problem can be the thermistor which is used to measure and regulate the hot end temperature. I serviced a printer once which also had these weird problems. It turned out that the thermistor leads were making contact at certain movements of the extruder head. This results in a short which appears as the maximum temperature to the motherboard (300 C in this case). The motherboard then stops heating the hotend in order to cool of. However, as the hotend was the correct 230 C at that point, it cooled down and the plastic solidified in the nozzle. After tweaking things around, the short would disappear and the printer would work normally again, until the next times the leads shorted again, etc.

I finally found that one by monitoring the temperature in the control software, and jiggling the lead of the thermistor around. I could then see the temperature 'jumping up' to 300C at certain movements. Replaced the leads and problem solved.

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It sounds like the filament feed process is getting hung up somehow. The common causes already mentioned include tangled/criss-crossed filament, jammed nozzle due to shmutz or too low a temperature.

I would like to add another one: Misalignment in the filament feed path. Check that the hole in the manifold plate on top of the extruder is actually lined up with the filament feed hole in the top of the extruder carriage release lever.

You might also check that the aforementioned manifold plate is not being pulled down by its forward mounting screw such that it depresses the filament release lever. Stress there can cause the lever to release the filament. I put a spacer on the top of the fan heatsinks to give the manifold plate something to be drawn down against, and shifted the mechanism downward when tightening the two fan / heatsink bolts that hold it in place.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelador

Cheers guys

So far i have found the following:-

A nozzle clog
A tube clog
AND a gear clog ( fillament jammed in the motor cog)

I have cleared all these but am still getting the pulsing.

I have tried the filaments i have i know are good in both extruders but this left one still a no go.

Does anyone know if one of the screws behind the heat sink is a tensioner

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Sorry, no tension adjustments on the stock QiDi extruders .

Soooooooooooooo I have narrowed it down to a faulty nozzle. How I don't know as it looks clean as a whistle. I swapped the nozzles over, low and behold swapped the issue over with it.

QIDI's Excellent customer service are sending 2 new nozzles.

The issue i now have if anyone can help. On the left nozzle I have printed 10 things 2 PLA in QIDI FILAMENT and 8 in ABS of 4 USE 3D filament.
Of the 2 PLA 1 failed and 1 had an odd discrepancy part way through
Of the ABS 3 are perfect but since the clicking 5 have stopped part way through. Same settings on heat and bed as the 3 perfect ones

Could it be a filament quality issue or a fan cooling issue. I have a piece that i printed 3 times, twice stopped in same place the third time i upped the temp and it printed a bit more but after where it had stopped previous but consistency was different and then still stopped

Thanks for that Dave. It explains why i cant find details in that then hahaha

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DaveB

Sorry, no tension adjustments on the stock QiDi extruders .

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You really don't need the fan for ABS, I don't use it.

If the extruder is clicking then it seems it can't feed at the rate being asked for. Could be printing to fast, temp to low, some kind of obstruction or a problem with the filament. Some thoughts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelador

Soooooooooooooo I have narrowed it down to a faulty nozzle. How I don't know as it looks clean as a whistle. I swapped the nozzles over, low and behold swapped the issue over with it.

QIDI's Excellent customer service are sending 2 new nozzles.

The issue i now have if anyone can help. On the left nozzle I have printed 10 things 2 PLA in QIDI FILAMENT and 8 in ABS of 4 USE 3D filament.
Of the 2 PLA 1 failed and 1 had an odd discrepancy part way through
Of the ABS 3 are perfect but since the clicking 5 have stopped part way through. Same settings on heat and bed as the 3 perfect ones

Could it be a filament quality issue or a fan cooling issue. I have a piece that i printed 3 times, twice stopped in same place the third time i upped the temp and it printed a bit more but after where it had stopped previous but consistency was different and then still stopped

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Cheers wirlybird

Im using S3D and im sure fan is set to zero. I have sorted clicking its faulty nozzle. but now no clicking just ghost printing at part way through. Very odd.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wirlybird

You really don't need the fan for ABS, I don't use it.

If the extruder is clicking then it seems it can't feed at the rate being asked for. Could be printing to fast, temp to low, some kind of obstruction or a problem with the filament. Some thoughts.

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Yea, S3D should zero the fan for ABS.

I wonder if the PTFE tube has a crimp in it that is hindering the movement of the filament? I wonder if it just takes that amount of time for it to back up?

Maybe slow the print speed way down and see if it gets any farther in the print. Just kind of guessing at this point.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelador

Cheers wirlybird

Im using S3D and im sure fan is set to zero. I have sorted clicking its faulty nozzle. but now no clicking just ghost printing at part way through. Very odd.

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Cheers for that I have bought some more filament just in case but i hate chucking things away so i will endeavour with what i have till it arrives. So we will see. I will post my results.

Have you ever seen a filament change colour part way through by the way

No but I think someone else here did.

I always save "bad" filament for those test projects or simple prints.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelador

Cheers for that I have bought some more filament just in case but i hate chucking things away so i will endeavour with what i have till it arrives. So we will see. I will post my results.

Have you ever seen a filament change colour part way through by the way

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Fingers crossed my new hatchbox filament works out ok. Seen some good reviews of which im going to go see if i can get a refund on this other one as im sure its that.

I have used Hatchbox yellow PLA and it was nice.

Just now trying the first Hatchbox ABS. Not bad so far.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelador

Fingers crossed my new hatchbox filament works out ok. Seen some good reviews of which im going to go see if i can get a refund on this other one as im sure its that.

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Hope it turns up soon got a part im desperate to print for a project. Have you tried any woodfill yet????????

I have some but have not tried it yet. Maybe this weekend but I keep saying that!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kelador

Hope it turns up soon got a part im desperate to print for a project. Have you tried any woodfill yet????????

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Soooooooo I have replacement nozzles and cleaned the old ones out all hunky dory. So far so good got some good prints done. I have now got rid of the clicking problem. The miscellaneous pausing during printing on the other hand did return but i think i know why.

During an 8 hour print I had it pause 1/4 of the way through . I put this down to a partial lift of the print and maybe a jammed nozzle. Same as before it had stopped as if was finished but nozzle was still in position still hot but not extruding.
So I checked my levels blockages all was fine so i applied more glue and tried a reprint. The same again exact same spot same layer to the millimetre.

I then went back to S3D and noticed an error box which i vaguely remember seeing before say something about the gcode. So i re sliced the model and saved to hard drive had some food then transferred to sd card and started the print for a third time. This time it worked pretty much to a tee aside from some weird curl/separation issues on some thin edges which i think is due to print speed??? and some odd under extrusion in small areas which i think is retraction issue. But as im so fresh at this im still working that out. Just happy it printed regardless of some faults.

So in conclusion I have found clicking motor is a jam in my case caused i believe by bad filament and maybe a miss formed nozzle. But the printer pausing part way through print i believe was caused when saving straight to memory card being too eager and removing too soon even though it looked like it was finished. So as a precaution I save to hard drive now first then save to memory card then click to eject the memory card just to make sure it is all done.

I hope this helps others as every one i have spoken too so far has been very helpful. :cool:

Thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear you were able to figure out a lot of the issues! :)