Print issues with reprap orca 0.3

Hi everybody could someone give me any advice on how to fix the following?



http://s360.photobucket.com/albums/oo43/azz00/?action=view&current=P1010965.jpg



Thanks for any advice!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2012 12:47PM by azz00.

Not enough plastic coming or irregular extrusion (and maybe some temperature issue).

Is your extruder calibrated properly (in firmware) ?

Are you sure your hobbed bolt is not slipping ?

Anyway, we need more details about your setup, and what you did until now.

---

Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

DeuxVis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not enough plastic coming or irregular extrusion
> (and maybe some temperature issue).
>
> Is your extruder calibrated properly (in firmware)
> ?
>
> Are you sure your hobbed bolt is not slipping ?
>
> Anyway, we need more details about your setup, and
> what you did until now.

Hmmmm, the irregular extrusion could be it as I noticed the bearing wasn't moving smoothly when the wire was being pulled in.

As far as I am aware, the firmware is set up properly but I haven't done anything differently from standard?

As for more details; Its a V9 extruder, I am using Slic3r and Pronterface and Marlin firmware.

Oh yes, the extruder idler bearing should be turning smoothly.

Try to see if the hobbed bolt (or brass insert) tooth needs cleaning - sometimes plastic accumulate there and stop it from gripping the filament (often a symptom of too much idler pressure - or trying to extrude when the hotend is not hot enough, or something is mechanically blocking the filament down to the hotend).

Anyway try to change the idler pressure (loosening or tightening the springed bolts). When the electronics is not powered and the hotend removed, you can try to manually turn the big extruder gear to see how easy it is to push the filament. The motor will only give some slight resistance to turning when not powered.

---

Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

DeuxVis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh yes, the extruder idler bearing should be
> turning smoothly.
>
> Try to see if the hobbed bolt (or brass insert)
> tooth needs cleaning - sometimes plastic
> accumulate there and stop it from gripping the
> filament (often a symptom of too much idler
> pressure - or trying to extrude when the hotend is
> not hot enough, or something is mechanically
> blocking the filament down to the hotend).
>
> Anyway try to change the idler pressure (loosening
> or tightening the springed bolts). When the
> electronics is not powered and the hotend removed,
> you can try to manually turn the big extruder gear
> to see how easy it is to push the filament. The
> motor will only give some slight resistance to
> turning when not powered.

I have took the extruder apart and cleaned the brass insert and played around with the pressure of the springs however;

It seems that when the print starts, it pulls through smoothly but about 20 seconds in it starts to get stuck? Almost like it has lost grip?

Then you are probably not heating enough or trying to print too fast for your hotend to maintain its temperature (the filament is cooling the hotend).

What's your printing (extrusion) temperature and what kind of plastic do you use ?

What is your print speed ?

Does the same problem appears if you push the filament manually into the hotend (getting blocked after a lil extrusion done) ?


Edit : Also have you verified your hotend is actually getting around the target temperature (using an external thermometer, ideally thermocouple on a multimeter) ? Maybe the thermistor is not properly configured regarding the firmware.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2012 11:39AM by DeuxVis.

---

Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

I'm having the same problem, only after 20 minutes or so. Exacty how close should the brass piece sitting on top of the extruded motor be to the opening which leads to the extruder? How tight should the filament be held in place bay the idler and brass piece from the motor?

Thanks,

I've had the same problem with my Orca V0.3, the gap between the brass insert/idler and the opening of the hot end is too big, the filament bends away to the side after a short time. I fixed it with this part on thingiverse, I don't have problems with the extruder any more.