extruder clicking / not extruding some lines.

[palawanisland]

this happen when i used a new filament batch.
symtoms :
see attach, skip lines, more skips on higher layers.
too much clicking, sometimes 2-3 every few seconds. sometimes 2-3 clicks every 10-15secs.
small / debris / grinds on extruder mount, some on platform.

what i have done :
adjust filament size, measured actual, set average diameter + 1mm
adjust temperature, increase to 240 from 225-230.
slowed speed. 65 mm/s to 40mm/s
change filament to older stock.
clean nozzle, #1, #2 using

tested load new filament for 20-30sec. filament come out. but its not perfectly round, its spiral / wriggly.

still clicking and skipping infill and outline.

what seems to be the problem?
2014-09-02_16-21-21_375.jpg

[helifrek]

the clicking sounds like your extruder gear is skipping. probably because it is clogged up. Very easy to fix and clean out but hard to explain, I just removed the extruder assembly then started taking it apart. remove the cooling fan and whatever else is back there then use an xacto knife and toothbrush to clean out the gear and reassemble it.
This video is not a FF but it kind shows what I am talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sClIa90_zLo

[jfkansas]

Generally your drive gear wont skip, as sharp as the teeth are even one slip will tear into the filament and cause it to stop feeding. A stepper motor clicks when it is overloaded. If your hot end temp is too low then the filament won't melt fast enough and this will overload the stepper. If your feed rate is too high the motor will try to cram too much filament into the extruder and will overload the stepper. You will need to increase the extruder temp if it is too low, or slow down the filament. There are a couple ways to slow down the filament. First is to tell the software that the filament is bigger than it actually is. This isn't the best way but does work. The best way is to measure the actual size of the filament, most 1.75mm filament is about 1.72ish. Measure several spots in the filament then take an average. If you use the exact filament size then you can use the extrusion multiplier to adjust the speed in Makerware using profitweak. A higher multiplier will simulate a larger size filament and therefore will slow down the feed rate.

[palawanisland]

look like its clog. damn filament.
i have clean gear. it does not skip. it grind filament is small debris.
clean nozzle. acetone bath, poke with needle.
increase filament size on software. (before i am using 1.73 without any problem, now iam using 1.77)
increase temperature. (before 225. now iam at 235-240)
i have ordered a new nozzle, will try if that work.

[joesow]

I have found two things that gave me the same problem:

My Filament varied in diameter throughout the reel which cause the Clicking at times and I forced it to pass through until the size stabilized. Secondly, The teflon sleeve tends to shrink with time. Also, I found that when I removed it to clean out a clogged nozzle I found that it is easy to get to not get the sleeve seated right against the bottom of the nozzle which causes filament to clog around the nozzle hole and stop working. Higher temp doesn't work then. I find filaments quality varies all over the place. I will get my Filament Extruder delivered tomorrow and hopefully my quality will be linear. I also have had my Exruder Nozzleblocks twist or turn and haven't found a way to tightened them without screwing up the wiring.

[palawanisland]

got my nozzle. printing better now. but black filament still has bubbles. i have added 2 filament filter, 1 at the back and 1 on top of the extruder.

[3DPBuser]

Filament Filter?

[palawanisland]

filament filter http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:471292
stuff the inside with foam

[3DPBuser]

Ah ok, foam to clean the filament.