Possible Underextrusion & How to Fix

[LEGO_Fett 0]

Hey Guys,

First post here. I am working with a a new Ultimaker 2. Prints were going fine for a while, but I am thinking I now have a problem with under-extrusion. See below:

Settings Were:

Layer Height: 0.08 mm

Shell Thickness: 0.8 mm

Enable Retraction: Checked

Bottom/Top Thickness: 0.08 mm

Fill Density: 24%

Print Speed: 20 mm/s

Support Type: Touching Build-plate

Nozzle Size: 0.4 mm

Support Settings:

Structure Type: Grid

Overhang Angle for support: 60 degrees

Fill Amount: 27%

Distance X/Y: 0.95 mm

Distance Z: 0.15 mm

Can you guys confirm that this is an under-extrusion issue, and what I might be able to do to combat it? I have tried the Atomic Pull Cleaning Method several times recently after a bunch of stuff got melted to the nozzle and I was coming out clean. I have printed a number of times since then, but the under-extrusion seems to have started around that time, and slowly gotten worse. I tried another version of the print with thinner layers and 100% fill. That came out OK, but one corner curled up a lot and the overhang for the cavity in the middle on the underside was pretty rough.

Any help or insight you can provide would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

-Dan

[valcrow 145]

-What temperature are you printing at? (if default 210, try 225)

-When printing, does your extruder motor 'click'? If you watch it, it'll slowly turn (extrude) and then skip back every once in a while. This will be a tell tail sign that it's under exutrding.

-Lastly, check your speed settings in the advance menu. Make sure your infill speed is, top/bottom speed, inner shell speed is set to 0. Outer speed could be a bit slower than your basic setting speed.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Guest

[LEGO_Fett 0]

-I forgot to mention I am printing with the Silver Ultimaker PLA that came with the machine. I haven't changed the temperature setting so that should be the default of 210. I will give 225 a try.

-I will also listen and watch for clicking. I haven't noticed anything yet, so I think this is OK.

-If I go to the Advanced Settings, they are still on the defaults so the speed settings are (in mm/s):

Infill speed: 80

Top/Bottom speed: 15

Inner Shell speed: 60

So these should all be set to 0 to so they use the same speed as the general print?

Outer Shell speed: 30

So that could be set to less than the basic print speed (so set to 10 or 15 since basic print speed is 20)?

Thank you for your help.

-Dan

[valcrow 145]

-I forgot to mention I am printing with the Silver Ultimaker PLA that came with the machine. I haven't changed the temperature setting so that should be the default of 210. I will give 225 a try.

-I will also listen and watch for clicking. I haven't noticed anything yet, so I think this is OK.

-If I go to the Advanced Settings, they are still on the defaults so the speed settings are (in mm/s):

Infill speed: 80

Top/Bottom speed: 15

Inner Shell speed: 60

So these should all be set to 0 to so they use the same speed as the general print?

Outer Shell speed: 30

So that could be set to less than the basic print speed (so set to 10 or 15 since basic print speed is 20)?

Thank you for your help.

-Dan

Yeah the new defaults are kinda weird, the massive difference between the print speed and the infill speed will make the printing a bit unpredictable. setting them to 0 will make it use your print speed in the basic tab.

The speed in the advance tab will override your basic speed settings. setting them to 0 will make them use the basic speed, it won't actually be 0. I often keep all the speeds relatively similar (within 5-10mm/s) to avoid weird, unpredictable nozzle pressure spikes.

Try the following settings:

Speed (basic) 50 mm/s

infill speed 0

top/bottom 0

outer shell 40

Inner shell 0

Edited April 22, 2015 by Guest

[swordriff 119]

I advice Atomic pulls using another colour, blue, red etc.. so you can see carboized black or grey filament sticking to the pull.

If your machine was not new, I would have said that high temperature over time(260) has caused the lower end of the Teflon coupler to collapse..

When doing Atomic, the filament goes easily down? if not then teflon grabs the filament; replace!

Possibly the nozzle exit itself is jammed?

Agree, use standard settings. try PlA at 220.

Speed 30mm/s. Work up from there!

Listen for the skipping...If you have that then:

clogged bowden tube (filament parts coming from extruder)

clogged hot end

square filament

too low temperature

too high speed