MakerBot Replicator 2 Filament Guide Tube Issue

15 Feb
2015

replicator-2-teflon-filament-guide-tube-problem

Last week we were having a weird issue with our MakerBot 2 Replicator 3D printer that was stopping to extrude filament properly ater 5 to 10 millimeters from the height of a print is normally printed, resulting in a failed attempt to print the object. The filament was just stopping to extrude properly or completely and we’ve had to unload and load it again to resume normal operation. It was not like a standard filament jam that requires the disassembly of the extruder to clean a filament jam. We have started to check the usual suspects that might be a cause of filament jams such as improper leveling of the build plate, problems with the heating temperature of the extruder, worn off nozzle, the filament guide mechanism and motor and so on. None of this however made any difference and we were still having failed prints regardless if it was a simple or more complex model, we have even tried using various filaments to exclude a possible issue with the PLA filament we’ve been using from MakerBot.

Changing the filament did not help at first as we were changing complete spools, but once we’ve tried a few short samples of various filaments that were 10-15 meters and not on spool we got a hint of another unexpected possible issue. Using a shorter filament wrap for a test print we did not get it through the teflon filament guide tube that we use normally with the filament spools and surprisingly we’ve had no trouble with the filament stopping to extrude properly anymore and no failed prints. But bringing back a spool with filament that goes through the filament tube and the prints started failing again, so apparently the Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) guide tube was causing the problems with the print. We did not expect that to be the cause as there were no visual or any other kind of signs that something is wrong with the filament guide tube. After all the idea of this filament guide tube is to make the feeding of filament easier and more problem free, but apparently it also can wear off over the course of few months of usage and starting to cause issues. Since we did not expect the tube to be the cause of the problem we were having it took us some time to rule out every other possibility that we considered first, but if you are having a similar issue you might want to temporary remove the teflon filament guide tube to see if it might turn out to be the culprit in your case.

Next time we’ll have another new thing to consider when we start having issues with failing prints, and we are already waiting to get a replacement PTFE filament guide tube to see how long will the new one work without starting to cause troubles like the original tube. We are also going to be looking out for some alternative ways for improving the filament guide on the MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer to make printing less problem free.

MakerBot Replicator 2 Extruder Thermal Image

13 Feb
2015

makerbot-replicator-2-3d-printer-extruder-thermal-image

If you have wondered how the extruder of a 3D printer looks like in terms of operating temperature this thermal image can give you some idea about that. It is of the extruder of MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer, but the situation is similar with other devices that are based on the same technology using thermoplastic material. Pretty much the heating block is the hottest thing and the rest of the extruder remains with a relatively low temperature, but if you have trouble with the extruder working properly one of the things that may be causing this is other components getting hotter than they should be.

– For more information about the temperature of a 3D printer extruder in operation…

Various Things That Can Cause Filament Jams

10 Feb
2015

replicator-extruder-replace-insulation

One of the most annoying issues with 3D printers that extrude thermoplastic materials is when the filament jams inside the extruder causing a failed print and if the problem persists you need to figure out what is causing it. The problem is that there could be numerous thing that are causing the filament to jam and stop extruding from the nozzle and you need to check them one by one until you resolve the issue and are able to continue printing again. One of the most common causes, the one you should start with, is to check the build plate and try to level it again as often after a few prints the position of the build plate may change a bit along the Z axis and this may cause trouble for the filament to either stick properly or to come out normally from the nozzle.

If it the filament happens again after a bit of normal operation after you have realigned the build plate and you are sure that it is not the cause, then you might want to check the thermal insulation of the heated block of the extruder. Usually, as is the case with MakerBot Replicator 2, the heated block to which the nozzle is attached is insulated with special kind of insulation material that is taped with Kapton tape. If the insulation needs to be replaced as it is not functioning properly anymore you may need to replace it or it can cause the filament material to jam inside the nozzle. If you are having trouble with the insulation the actual temperature of the block that melts the filament may be lower than it is needed for normal operation with the specific type of filament used and this may lead to the filament jamming as it is not hot enough to come out at the desired speed from the nozzle. An easy thig you can usually do to check if this is the cause for the filament jam is to increase the extrusion temperature with 10-15 degrees Celsius over the normal one you use and if the jams do not happen anymore then it could be the insulation.

Based on our experience we have found out that anther cause for filament jams could be the nozzle that the extruded thermoplastic material goes through, even though it might seem just fine it can still be the cause. So you should always have a few nozzles as spare to replace them over time as they do wear out and the process is faster if you use composite filaments such as ones that contain chopped carbon fiber or other materials as a part of the filament.

Another different kind of issue that can appear over time that can cause jams or problems with proper extrusion of thermoplastic is the feeding mechanism of the extruder of the printer. If the extruder uses a spring to provide tension to the filament feeding mechanism after a while the spring may soften up and the tension may get inconsistent or too little for proper feeding of the thermoplastic material into the nozzle and as a result cause a jam.

Sometimes the 3D printer jams can be caused by various other things such as low quality filament, the use of exotic material that is not designed to be used with your specific 3D printer and so on, so it is not always easy to figure out what is causing the issues and you need to start checking and eliminating them one by one until you find the culprit.

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