Feeder Motor Melting PLA

[area0404 0]

Took me a while to find the problem. The plastic near the feeder motor.

At first I thought it may be my feeder's pressure being too high. Then I realized that it was the heat produced by my constant extrusion & retraction melting the plastic itself.

And I am currently printing the feeder upgrader... Talking about luck...

Anyway gonna do without retracting but with pure combing, hoping the result won't be too bad.

 

[area0404 0]

One very obvious sign of this is that your print always start to go from normal printing to SEVERELY under-extruding in a few layers. Between the feeder able to grab onto the material and not being able to, there is a threshold. Hope this helps some ppl.

From my research (currently test printing too) the only solution is "Retraction While Combing".

 

[pm_dude 27]

You can try putting a fan to project a good air flow directly toward the feeder. It was mentioned that some motors can take more heat than others. You might contact support if it persist.

 

[IRobertI 520]

Just out curiousity, how hot is it where you're printing. As in ambient temperature

[Daid 306]

From my research (currently test printing too) the only solution is "Retraction While Combing".

 

How does more retraction help?

 

[area0404 0]

@pm_dude Yep, doing that while printing a more open feeder, hope it will help with the issue. Though with the addon set with retraction only on top-most flag layer, it is currently printing alright in most cases.

@lRobertl I live in Singapore. According to a weather record, it is 33 to 26 celsius. It is seating in a shaded, well-ventilated area of my house so I think it is lower than that.

@Daid No, that addon reduces the amount of retraction as I was able to use combing in most cases and retraction only on the top most layer to reduce lines across the surface. Though the lines still exists :/

 

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

@Daid No, that addon reduces the amount of retraction as I was able to use combing in most cases and retraction only on the top most layer to reduce lines across the surface. Though the lines still exists :/

 

Did you try the z-hop feature? And you might also try to increase travel speed up to 250mm/s.

 

[mnis 11]

Hi area0404

Maybe your extruder stepper motor has an unusual problem, and perhaps solves a replacement engine the existing Problem.

But:

In my long experiments with different stepper motors on Ultimaker 2, grew very quickly the need for engine cooling. A motor which required much lower phase currents in contrast to the original motor tended to overheat. At the time I did not know about customization of the extruder motor current, for example, directly in the G-Code.

Here, the heat loss has extended up to the knurled wheel so that filament was softened and the deformations caused additional problems. And so I was looking for good opportunities all motors and electronics to cool.

A quick but terribly ugly solution is to omit the engine covers. However, it must be turned out only two screws.

At some point I prepared the engine covers, including the cover for the system board, it worked well with temperature regulated 40mm fans, but somehow the whole thing was too ugly for me.

Later I asked here in the forum for help. Takai and IRobertI immediately gave me support, and finally designed IRobertl great engine covers which I used for a long period.

And now I have even designed engine covers, these are of course available for free on YouMagine.

Equipped with good silent fans the standard engines can operate with almost 20 degrees lower temperature. In Europe, it may seem pointless, but during hot summer months and in much warmer areas it gets very great importance, I think.

My main argument for engine and system covers with additional fans:

I hate it when electronics and machine parts have to work near their temperature limits. Even if the machine manufacturer exclude the possibility of technical problems due to overheating when the machine is operated according to their specifications, so it gives me a secure feeling when I create some space.

Markus

 

[area0404 0]

@Dim3nsioneer Hahahaha, I've heard bad things about travelling at 250mm/s. That on some machines, it may cause skipping. Currently travelling at 200mm/s. Though the lines can't be felt through touch (you will feel it if you scratch with fingernails though), it is visible. Not a problem now, but I foresee problems when I start printing product models which is what this machine is bought for. Z-hopping is something I wish to try but currently can't. The printer is situated in a room next to my parents and the raising and lowering of the platform to initial print position has waken my mother from sleep before (I usually do long prints at night). Z-hopping may be a little too noisy for my parents' liking.

@mnis Currently printing Rober's feeder! Hoping it would alleviate the problem. Maybe I'll add a fan in in future as well if problem persist.

 

[mnis 11]

I am satisfied with a travel speed of max. 175mm/s.

Did you set the machine on soft feet? ...This should reduce the noise and vibrations something.

Markus

 

[area0404 0]

Hmmm... I don't see how a soft feet would help. But well, never hurt to try. Off to the furniture shops!

 

[mnis 11]

The soft machine feet should allow your parents more calm while sleeping. :lol:

With respect to soften the filament by the knurled wheel:

Maybe a normal ambient ventilator is sufficient if it is positioned near the Ultimaker 2 rear panel towards the material Feeder.

Markus

 

[eldrick 65]

You would get more motor cooling by simply drilling some holes in the back side of the machine into the "engine covers" area, to let convection create cooling airflow.

 

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

The printer is situated in a room next to my parents and the raising and lowering of the platform to initial print position has waken my mother from sleep before (I usually do long prints at night). Z-hopping may be a little too noisy for my parents' liking.

 

The z axis of the UM2 can be silenced massively. There is a jumper on the Ultiboard2 for switching from 1/8 steps to 1/16 steps on the z axis. Close this jumper, adjust the steps per mm settings in the firmware and enjoy the lower sound level...

 

[eldrick 65]

Could you please show an image of the jumper in question?

 

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

It's JP3 right at the center of the board (well one or two cm to the right...). You can easily find it in https://github.com/Ultimaker/Ultimaker2/blob/master/1091_Main_board_v2.1.1_(x1)/Main%20Board%20V2.1.1.pdf?raw=true on page 5.

 

[area0404 0]

Did some long and retraction-rich prints after changing into "https://www.youmagine.com/designs/alternative-um2-feeder-version-two"

, everything's okay now on the loosest setting without the material falling out of the feeder. There is still deep marks in places where UM2 retract on the same spot without reason (forgot to set min extrusion before retraction for that print), but no issue on feeding. Everything's running well now!