UM2 Printhead Clogged

[stuartwood 0]

Hi

 

Last night, during an overnight print my UM2 seemed to get material caught up in the head assembly which it then proceeded to fill the print head enclosre with black PLA.

 

I have stripped the print head unit down as far as i am able to but need to get some advise on how to remove the large PLA Blob, which has moulded itself to the hotend and cables.

 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

 

[illuminarti 18]

Yikes! I'm not sure there's any great way to clean that up... you may end up just having to start over with a new assembly.

But, to try and clean it up, i'd recommend trying to heat it gradually, using the heater, assuming it still works, and then remove the lump as the innermost part begins to liquify, but while the outer part is still somewhat solid. Maybe use a soldering iron or something to cut through the plastic first, down to the block, so that you can then have a starting to point to work from trying to peel off the plastic as the inner part begins to melt from the heater. But be careful, as the plastic is going to be hot, and sticky - as is the block. Even then, I'm not sure how well it's going to clean up. Maybe well enough to be useable... but I imagine there's going to be plenty you can't get off cleanly - e.g., on the cables.

 

[aaronalai 2]

Wow! I've never seen a clog like that before. Did your fan shroud fill up with plastic?

 

[illuminarti 18]

Was this a result of part of the print getting loose and getting mashed into the head - or did it leak plastic from inside the print head itself - or can't you tell?

 

[ian 32]

woww... how that happen ?

as said before.. you probably can melt it off the metal parts... but good luck with getting it off the cables..

let us know how things progress.. !

Ian :-)

 

[stuartwood 0]

Dear all.

 

Before I read your posts I had thought to myself......"Heat it up, see what happens....can't get any worse !"

 

I plugged the heater power and temp sensor into the mainboard, swiched on...without issue, set the hot end to heat up to 220, then 230, then 240 degrees, and as you can see from the photos I have got the vast majority of the PLA off....phew.

 

 

And yes the fan shroud pan did fill up with plastic.

 

Now for re-assembly.....wish me luck.

 

I'll let you know how i get on.

 

Thanks guys

 

[stuartwood 0]

It worked, everything is as normal again !

Thanks for your responses, the moral support is appreciated.

I'm sure the problem was as identified by Illuminarti in that the part became loose and got mashed into the head.

Thanks for your help.

 

[aaronalai 2]

Great to hear! that hot end looks clean as a whistle.

 

[nak1017 0]

I have a similar problem without the dramatic result; an ultimaker 2 with what seems to be a clogged nozzle. Any ideas on how to get everything out?

 

[gr5 2,167]

what seems to be a clogged nozzle. Any ideas on how to get everything out?

 

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/4118-blocked-nozzle/?p=33691