Extruding Problems with the Ultimaker Original

[keira 0]

Hi!

I'm having a problem with my Ultimaker Original, which has been working fine for 2+ years until now. Whenever I try to print I end up with either no extrusion or varied extrusion of PLA (i.e. extrudes well in some places, extrudes very little in other places, or no extrusion at all), even though I've check that the print bed is level. I've noticed that the Bowden tube is also jumping and separating from the hot end isolator coupler. I've an extrusion clip on both the hot end and the motor end of the Bowden tube which have worked well up until now. There are some 'bite' marks on the Bowden tube at the hot end and I'm unsure how they would have got there as my prints have not been getting worse over time (until today). There is no blockage of the nozzle as I've removed it and clean it completely and the printer can extrude when idle (i.e. when hot but not set to print). What can I do??? Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks!

 

[tinkergnome 846]

...

I've noticed that the Bowden tube is also jumping and separating from the hot end isolator coupler.

...

 

This should definitely not happen and is an explanation for the extrusion problems...

You can try to cut off a few millimeters of the bowden tube (with a sharp knife) - so that the bite marks 'move' to another position.

The bowden tube has to be firmly attached before you go on with further investigations... (IMHO)

 

[keira 0]

Thank you. I've tried that and it's stopped the bowden tube jumping now but no plastic is being extruded when set to print????

 

[keira 0]

 

I have the printer extruding now but I'm getting really bad prints. The first couple of layers no PLA is extruded and then when it does start to extrude, there are small holes in the latices of each layer when set to 100% fill (which I need to print water-tight chambers). I've tried adjusting the z stepper and balancing the print bed but I just end up with the same problem. Can anyone suggest anything???

 

[zoev89 73]

Just some thoughts:

What is the status of your teflon part. Is the bowden tube clean.

Can you by hand extrude and how easy is that. Is there a indication on the filament that it is grinding. Or do you need to tune the pressure on the filament at the extruder. Is the extruder wheel clean.

 

[keira 0]

Thanks!

The bowden tube is clean and so is the extruder wheel. It is easy to manually extrude (like normal). There is no idication of grinding on the filament.

 

[zoev89 73]

What speed and layer height are you printing?

 

[keira 0]

I've tried printing at 0.06mm, 0.08mm, and 0.1mm layer heights and I've set the speed at 50mm/sec.

 

[zoev89 73]

I have been printing with 0.1 at 50mm/s without issues. Although later I had to lower it to 40mm/s due to a deformed teflon part (have been printing ABS as well which causes your teflon part to deform in the end).

So it beats me why you have such large holes in the print.

 

[peter1996 0]

well,i also have the same question.I still can not slove it.

 

[gr5 1,555]

Peter please do a few things for us:

Please post a picture of your issue - all underextrusion issues are not the same. So please post a picture of the part that you are having trouble with - or at least the first layer which has special case issues (if there is a problem there).

Also please report to us:

1) Type of printer you are using

2) Slicer (cura?)

3) temperature, layer height, print speed. These 3 parameters work together to give you either underextrusion or not:

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/4127-um2-extrusion-rates-revisited/