Nozzle clogging

Hi,I am an amateur with not a great knowledge but I am eager to learn. I have BCN3D Sigma 3D and everything was alright until last night when the printhead clogged and made it impossible for the filament to flow freely from the nozzles. More so, the material started leaking all around. I quickly turned the machine off, cleaned but to be honest I am little concerned to turn it back on. Is there anything I should check? Did I screw something up or is it something that can happen?



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I have a BCN3D Sigma R16 and am not familiar with the model you note, but it's possible there are similarities between your machine and mine.

From what point of the hot end does the material "leak?" The heater block and nozzle and heat break and heat sink are all one piece in the Sigma line of printers. I can't picture any location which could leak. Have you previously had good results with printing?

I recently had a nozzle clog which resulted in carbonization of the filament in the hot end. I attempted the nylon cleaning sequence, a very useful built-in program on the Sigma, but it would not clear the nozzle. I had to take a 2.5 mm drill bit and push it into the heat sink, turn a bit and pull it out. Each time I did this the drill bit got hot enough to burn fingers, but it removed the clog a tiny bit at a time. Eventually, I was able to push nylon through the nozzle and get it cleaned out. It took four cleaning passes to get the nozzle completely clean.

If you have photos, that would be helpful too.