Swap filament

[Nicolinux 288]

Hi,

I want to swap filament but I am unable to do so right now. I thought that I could simply cut the old filament under the extruder, then extrude manually and push the new filament into the feeder. This was a bad idea because the new filament seems to get stuck when entering the quick fit coupling. I see that it pushes the coupling up when I force the new filament in, but the old filament inside the bowden tube doesen't move a bit (temperature is at 220).

What are my options right now with the least amount of dissasembling?

Thanks,

Stefan

 

[Nicolinux 288]

Alright, never mind. I "fixed" it. I had to take apart the entire material feeder though. Talk about the good first time experience. I think filament swapping needs to be documented better.

 

[kolia 31]

Do you mean swapping filament during a same print?

I think the feeder has simply not being designed for swapping during a print so I don't know what kind of documentation you can expect...

Do you want to do it if you are out of filament? Or to change color in the middle?

If it is to change color, I think people doing it pause the print, remove the current filament, feed the new one and prime it manually a little and then resume the print. The trick being to get back to the good position of printing.

Seems there is also this plugin: http://wiki.ultimaker.com/CuraPlugin:_ChangeFilamentAtZ

Also, it looks like a new option is being tested in the dev version of Marlin, especially to make it easier: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/ultimaker/AeI1B2YWGr8

I'm curious of the feedback if you give it a try!

 

[viralata 78]

I agree with you that this part is not well documented. I figured it out while searching for cogged nozzle. So here is how I proceed (hoping there is nothing wrong):

 

• [*]I launch a print and during the heating time I pause it: the only thing not paused is the heater, so it will reach the 220°C or whatever temperature you choose.

[*]Once it reached it I pull out the filament (and then cut the partly melted down end ) and I introduce the new one, first with the extruder plastic part that pressure the filament on the metal rod removed then at the end I put it back and use the extruder gear.

[*]If you want to be sure to have no old filament left, with the gear you can push out the filament until you see the new color (but in some case it's nice to have one face of the object with an other color)

[*]Then you can resume the print (or cancel it)

 

 

[kolia 31]

@Viralata: If your point is just to swap the filament, why do you even launch a print? Assuming you have the Ulticontroller, then just increase the temperature and that's it? For the rest I do exactly the same as you.

 

[SandervG 1,521]

If you are having a hard time feeding in new filament, your filament is probably bent.

Due to the angle it is most likely pushing up against the edge of the quickfit coupling.

You should straighten the filament, this can be done by just bending it the other way with your fingers, and then push it up again. Please watch this video for instructions:

Instead of launching a print, a faster and easier method would be to go to UltiController > Prepare > Preheat PLA.

This will only activate your heater, heating your hot end to 180°C

 

[Nicolinux 288]

Hi,

I tried to straighten the filament and also tried to cut it to form a pointy tip in order to avoid hitting the quick fit coupling. It didn't work though and I feared that leaving the nozzle at 210° for too long would jam it.

I really think that the documentation should be fixed/enhanced. I am a new user and after building the Ultimaker you are left alone as what to do next. The wiki just points to the Cura documentation page. I did run the first run wizard but there is nowhere a hint as how the filament feeder works best. The video you mentioned didn't help because by the time I watched it, I had already cut the filament past the hobbed bolt and the old filament was stuck inside the bowden tube.

I figured it out now but I am sure many other noobs will have the same problem.

 

[aaron 2]

I found this a little bit of an issue as well. I found that there are guides for after-assembly located in the main page of the Ultimaker Wiki.

Also, for those who are new to 3D printing do not have an Ulticontrolller, a way to heat the nozzle in order to remove/change filament is to open Cura and set tempurature to 0, open a window for a print but don't initiate it, and use the temperature control to bring the nozzle to temp.

 

[dree 0]

Hi,

My problem is/was that after a month at sea the filament that was in my machine had become brittle and broke of inside the tube. I also can imagine such a situation when running out of filament.

How do you retrieve the filament inside the tube?

I dismantled the extrusion head, quit a task….

Groet Dree

 

[Nicolinux 288]

This happened to mee too albeit a bit different. I pulled out the filament and it left behind a thin strand of filament. When I inserted the new filament, it squashed the remaining strands and jammed the head. I resolved this matter by removing the bowden tube from the head and using needle-nose pliers to grab the surpluss material. Way easier than taking the head apart. But you are right, I don't know how to store the UM if it is not used for a longer period.

 

[dree 0]

I know now that I have to remove the filament from the UM if I go sailing again...

Dree

 

[gr5 2,268]

You can get the filament out in seconds if you remove the bowden from the print head. Unlock the feeder (if the filament is in there). Remove the blue clip on print head that holds the ring up. Push down on the ring with one hand and then firmly pull up on the bowden with the other hand. Don't lose the tiny blue clip.

 

[dree 0]

Thanks, I will try that next time.

Dree

 

[LePaul 354]

I didn't see much info on how to remove filament so I heat (Ulticontroller) to 190, open the extruder clamp ,pull the filment all the way out...then insert the new filament I wish to use. I press it all the way in then close the extruder. I gently rotate the extruder manually until I see the color of the new filament appear.

I hope I'm doing it right

 

[Nicolinux 288]

You are doing it exactly right. Before you close the extruder, you could push the filament with your hand a bit to have stick into the melting zone. Then you can safely close the extruder and use the gear to rotate until the new color comes out.

 

[LePaul 354]

I push it as far as it'll go...so I imagine its getting in there before I manually crank the extruder.

However it does take a bit to force thru the previous filament that was in there~ Sometimes, as the two mix, you get some neat colors (silver-ish blue is neat!)

 

[gr5 2,268]

you get some neat colors (silver-ish blue is neat!)

 

Yes! Sometimes I try to print before the color changes - I like those mixed colors. But they usually get lost in the skirt or bottom layer.

 

[LePaul 354]

That's why I am so, so curious to see what others are printing with the dual extruder option!

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/3072-dual-is-out-lets-see-it-in-action/