Does my TFM need replacing?

[ChrisRiddell 13]

Hello,

Having issues with the nozzles keep getting blocked can't do the atomic method to clear as it just snaps off half way through the TFM coupler.

every time I remove filament using the change menu it does not remove it all can clogs the nozzle.

on the printers stats menu it says printing: 388:00 for time.

is there any way of checking this with out having to take it out?

and if I do have to replace it where do you you get the "print head alignment aid" that it says you have to use in the Resources or does it come with the new part?

Edited December 30, 2016 by Guest

[neotko 1,417]

The spacer can be printed

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-printhead-spacer

Read the description @Sandervg left about size to double check before using it.

Well 388h print time seems low to damage the TFM, but depends on the temperatures used I suppose. Did you use very high temp materials? Maybe it needs more atomics or lowering/raising the temp 5-10C to pull the material since from brand to brand the temperature needed to atomic might change a bit.

[ChrisRiddell 13]

I can't print anything as the nozzle just clogs pretty much right away. (when loading the filament it will start to come out good then just slowly come to a stop and the feeder gear just eats the filament) with PLA and colorfabb nGEN, even removing the nozzle and cleaning it out putting it back in does not help.

the last couple weeks I have noticed when it does the purge less came out then normal and it curls up onto the nozzle.

but it all hit the fan 5 hours into a 10 hour print (using the 0.25mm nozzle) just stopped extruding now I can't get it to keep extruding now.

I have been printing mostly PLA at 205 and nGEN at 230c.

Edited December 30, 2016 by Guest

[neotko 1,417]

Can you try to do an atomic (as much as possible) then remove the nozzle and if the path is clean of filament try to check (while all is cold) if a peace of filament can go from below (without the nozzle) or if hits some pressure.

Basically after cleaning the area of filament, try yo see how well/bad the filament goes through from below without the nozzle.

[ChrisRiddell 13]

Okay,

I can pass filament through the hole with out the nozzle in with out any resistance.

I tried to do as many atomic pulls as I could and this is how it turns every time:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11UCNjzgbYWjl2kdHqYCLEF9nCzvfOcTMyA/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-8hDAHz8hMttqG2-1k9RpzhJNTquXxSIoQ/view

I got my heat gun out not sure how if it works the way I think but when the nozzle is at 235c the heat gun shows it at 50 when pointed at it.

I put the 0.8 nozzle on the filament comes out pretty good doing a print nozzle set to 235c using the heat gun on the first layer as soon as the nozzle is out of the way and it shows as 105c.

I cleaned the 0.25 nozzle out made it super clean made sure there was no filament suck in the TFM when loading it the filament gets into the nozzle area then you hear click click click from the feeder and nothing comes out.

then you select change it pulls the filament out but again its breaking and leaving the filament in the nozzle.

tried with colorfabb nGen and ultimaker PLA.

This is what it was printing 0.25 nozzle, 0.1 layer everything was going perfect now just cant get it to print.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fxhZgZ5rKwDE2TpdSbAILRwRJRnLzOkMNw/view

Edited December 30, 2016 by Guest

[IRobertI 521]

That's pretty weird. Looks like it has been doing just fine for quite a few hours (I'm assuming your print speed isn't super high?) before it starts failing rather abruptly. Is the small fan at the back of the print head spinning throughout the print?

I doubt it's the TFM, it should last longer than that. Have you tried a print with a 0.4 nozzle and trying to match the same speeds (as in volume/sec) as with your 0.25 nozzle?

By heat gun I'm guessing you mean an IR thermometer? Those are tricky to use on shiny metals, they aren't calibrated for those surfaces. To get a proper reading from the nozzle you would need to paint it black first. A simpler test would be to simply take a piece of filament and touch it to the nozzle while hot and see if it melts.

If the atomic isn't working as expected you should try adjusting your temperature. In your case I would drop the temperature of the pull by 5C or so and try again. You might also want to try a different filament, I've had a couple of cases where a particular filament didn't like performing Atomics very well.

[krys 206]

If the atomic isn't working as expected you should try adjusting your temperature. In your case I would drop the temperature of the pull by 5C or so and try again. You might also want to try a different filament, I've had a couple of cases where a particular filament didn't like performing Atomics very well.

 

Hi Skippy7,

I have had this too where some old/cheap/bad PLA was too brittle to use for atomic pulls. I have also had troubles with co-polyester filaments (T-Glase, XT) for atomic pulls. I suggest try pulling with whatever your newest high quality PLA filament is and see if that works better for your atomic pulls. Or nylon. Nylon works great! But play with the temperature. Too cold and lots of force will make any filament break. Too hot and it with stretch and be stringy and not do what you want.

Not saying that will fix your issue, mind you. Just commenting on some subtleties with atomic pulls.

Hope it helps. Good luck!

[valcrow 145]

This sounds like TFM death to me. Usually, if it pushes through ok, but snaps or really stretches out on an atomic pull there's a cavity in the TFM.

Check that your back fan is running when your nozzle is at 100+ degrees. Not the side ones, the one blowing forward through the heatsink. If this guy isn't running it will also cause the issues you're seeing.

[ChrisRiddell 13]

This sounds like TFM death to me. Usually, if it pushes through ok, but snaps or really stretches out on an atomic pull there's a cavity in the TFM.

Check that your back fan is running when your nozzle is at 100+ degrees. Not the side ones, the one blowing forward through the heatsink. If this guy isn't running it will also cause the issues you're seeing.

thanks for the info the atomic pulls seems to stretch or just snaps even with just PLA,

the fan at the back of the heatsink starts when the nozzle temps go over 40c.

I put the bigger nozzle  0.6 in so far no clogs but the 0.25 and the 0.4 seem to just clog right away from just loading material in, you see the filament go into the black box and after a couple seconds the feeder start clicking and grinding the filament and nothing comes out the nozzle and from there its clogged and have to atomic pull to get the filament out of the TFM area and remove the nozzle to clear it.

Edited December 31, 2016 by Guest

[fbrc8-erin 302]

thanks for the info the atomic pulls seems to stretch or just snaps even with just PLA,

the fan at the back of the heatsink starts when the nozzle temps go over 40c.

I put the bigger nozzle  0.6 in so far no clogs but the 0.25 and the 0.4 seem to just clog right away from just loading material in, you see the filament go into the black box and after a couple seconds the feeder start clicking and grinding the filament and nothing comes out the nozzle and from there its clogged and have to atomic pull to get the filament out of the TFM area and remove the nozzle to clear it.

Is there any chance your bowden tube isn't being seated fully after the Atomic pulls? With the UM2 printhead, it was pretty easy to see whether it was seated, because you could look through the spring and see the tube. It's a little trickier with the UM2+ because there's a solid metal piece instead.

But if you look at your bowden tube above the printhead block when the tube is seated, you should be able to check and see whether there are any collet marks on it. If you can see collet marks on the tube when the bowden is seated...it's not seated where it was when it was initially built at the factory, and I'd go ahead and try removing it, straightening it out, and seating it again. If it puts up a fight, you can try loosening the thumbscrews a little; it can get caught on the metal plate sometimes.

[ChrisRiddell 13]

Thought I would update, so opened a brand new spool of PLA printing fine.

measured the old spool and turned out the sizes where all over the place 2.85 to 3.15mm, it also had kinks close to the end of the roll making it jam in the feeder.

[fbrc8-erin 302]

Thought I would update, so opened a brand new spool of PLA printing fine.

measured the old spool and turned out the sizes where all over the place 2.85 to 3.15mm, it also had kinks close to the end of the roll making it jam in the feeder.

 

Yikes! 3.15 definitely isn't going to make it through the bowden tube. I'm glad opening a new roll has solved the issue.

[ChrisRiddell 13]

The spacer can be printed

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-printhead-spacer

Read the description @Sandervg left about size to double check before using it.

Well 388h print time seems low to damage the TFM, but depends on the temperatures used I suppose. Did you use very high temp materials? Maybe it needs more atomics or lowering/raising the temp 5-10C to pull the material since from brand to brand the temperature needed to atomic might change a bit.

 

Sorry to bring the post back to life but thinking my TFM might be on its way out still as when it primes before a print it entrusts alot less then it did before and getting really weird issues with prints.

How long does a TFM normally last when printing in the 210-230c range I'm now in the 500 hours.

[neotko 1,417]

 

The spacer can be printed

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-printhead-spacer

Read the description @Sandervg left about size to double check before using it.

Well 388h print time seems low to damage the TFM, but depends on the temperatures used I suppose. Did you use very high temp materials? Maybe it needs more atomics or lowering/raising the temp 5-10C to pull the material since from brand to brand the temperature needed to atomic might change a bit.

 

Sorry to bring the post back to life but thinking my TFM might be on its way out still as when it primes before a print it entrusts alot less then it did before and getting really weird issues with prints.

How long does a TFM normally last when printing in the 210-230c range I'm now in the 500 hours.

 

Check this post and the next 3-4 post

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/35497-is-the-ruby-nozzle-for-the-olsson-block-for-sale?page=3#reply-172875

[ChrisRiddell 13]

 

 

The spacer can be printed

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-printhead-spacer

Read the description @Sandervg left about size to double check before using it.

Well 388h print time seems low to damage the TFM, but depends on the temperatures used I suppose. Did you use very high temp materials? Maybe it needs more atomics or lowering/raising the temp 5-10C to pull the material since from brand to brand the temperature needed to atomic might change a bit.

 

Sorry to bring the post back to life but thinking my TFM might be on its way out still as when it primes before a print it entrusts alot less then it did before and getting really weird issues with prints.

How long does a TFM normally last when printing in the 210-230c range I'm now in the 500 hours.

 

Check this post and the next 3-4 post

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/35497-is-the-ruby-nozzle-for-the-olsson-block-for-sale?page=3#reply-172875

 

Thanks that helped alot removed the filament and took the nozzle off and slide filament goes in with almost no resistance but when pulling up there is alot of resistance and shining light down the hole and looking in you can see a little black brim between the TFM and the heater block (if thats what you call it?) so I'll give my ultimaker reseller a call tomorrow and hopefully have them in stock.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Guest

[ChrisRiddell 13]

Check this post and the next 3-4 post

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/35497-is-the-ruby-nozzle-for-the-olsson-block-for-sale?page=3#reply-172875

 

neotko does this look warn out as its not really burned but does have a very small brim.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iozqqDEbnamuB0tvheDLlhNBstWI8u4d1A

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zTqblpj-Z9vIHv68_xqoQPR27zecvXcUtg

[ChrisRiddell 13]

Okay looking down the hole it was nolonger round :/

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pMdKlk1wQMQRMWll5NMuQ4wR-uIUM3PdSQ

how would that of happened?

[neotko 1,417]

Okay looking down the hole it was nolonger round :/

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pMdKlk1wQMQRMWll5NMuQ4wR-uIUM3PdSQ

how would that of happened?

 

The erosion of the filament, or use. Or, when assembled the pressure was a bit more than needed, crushing the coupler a bit and making its life span shorter.

In theory the TFM last 500-2000 print hours. How many your has?

Edited March 1, 2017 by Guest

[ChrisRiddell 13]

 

Okay looking down the hole it was nolonger round :/

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pMdKlk1wQMQRMWll5NMuQ4wR-uIUM3PdSQ

how would that of happened?

 

The erosion of the filament, or use. Or, when assembled the pressure was a bit more than needed, crushing the coupler a bit and making its life span shorter.

In theory the TFM last 500-2000 print hours. How many your has?

 

483 hours (going by the status under the maintenance menu) with mostly PLA use with some colorfabb ngen.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Guest

[neotko 1,417]

483 hours (going by the status under the maintenance menu) with mostly PLA use with some colorfabb ngen.

 

Well it should have last longer but is around the time it can last. I think maybe the coupler was more tight that it should be and the pressure, since TFM is more flexible than the old PTFE (but OFC old PTFE Couplers only did last 50-200h, so 500h is a good improvement anyhow) if isn't perfectly install it has less life span. Did you use the printed spacer to install that TFM? Was it perfect on the spot?

[ChrisRiddell 13]

 

483 hours (going by the status under the maintenance menu) with mostly PLA use with some colorfabb ngen.

 

Well it should have last longer but is around the time it can last. I think maybe the coupler was more tight that it should be and the pressure, since TFM is more flexible than the old PTFE (but OFC old PTFE Couplers only did last 50-200h, so 500h is a good improvement anyhow) if isn't perfectly install it has less life span. Did you use the printed spacer to install that TFM? Was it perfect on the spot?

 

I printed the spacer and made sure it measured 16.8mm but with the new TFM in even the old one could not get it to tighten down to it but its snug and measures (the section the spacer sits in) with my calipers at 17.18mm

and a test print came out alot better then it did with the old ftm.

[neotko 1,417]

Weird the space isn't 16.8 Can you post a photo of your hotend? I just ask because if you ever got a leak between the steel coupler and olsson, filament can stay there on the threads, changing the distance. Dunno if you had the chance to check if everything was clean on the steel coupler. Ofc if it works it works. Just keep an eye for the first 1-2h prints to check if there's any leak.

[ChrisRiddell 13]

Weird the space isn't 16.8 Can you post a photo of your hotend? I just ask because if you ever got a leak between the steel coupler and olsson, filament can stay there on the threads, changing the distance. Dunno if you had the chance to check if everything was clean on the steel coupler. Ofc if it works it works. Just keep an eye for the first 1-2h prints to check if there's any leak.

 

I did not check if there was any leak between the steel coupler and olsson, here is a photo,

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KEjJlS15NGhhUVoiIqbPr3KpaopFI8g-KQ

Now I have pulled it apart and know how I can do it again if there is melted filament how do I clean that out?

[neotko 1,417]

Well, depends. I had a really hard time to clean mine because I was a new um2 user by then. I did clean with a very sharp needle file the screw part to remove the residue. In my case it was black and very carbonized because I used CF filament, it was quite a pain to remove it so the screw moved freely. Since yours, (if there's any) might be just pla/abs, you could just use a hairdryer pointed at the area with residue and pull it out with a sharp thing. I'm talking btw of residue inside the Steel Coupler.

If you have residue on the Olsson block, you can just set the temperature to 130 and with a peace of filament 'rub' the filament to pull out the material (at that temp PLA sticks to PLA and can be pushed out of the metal).

Can you make the photo to see if the steel coupler has a gab between the olsson or it sits on it?

BY THE WAY. Did you do an atomic pull before changing the Coupler?? Maybe when you installed it it just had filament there and it didn't allow you to install it correctly?

[ChrisRiddell 13]

I done an atomic pull and then took the TFM out and put it back in and it got closer right on 16.9 and the screws are tight.

and there is no leaks and filament seems to flow out nicely.