Filament crashes/stuck

Hi,

I'm new to 3d printing and have a Printrbot LC+ V2.
After complete calibration (reprap wiki tutorial) I used to print good things!
But sometimes the printer stops extruding. When I pull out the filament it looks like it couldn't melt for the speed it's going in.
Please see the attached file.

I've tried some options like higher temp/lower temp, rise the noozle of the bed a little bit and after each crash: clean the silver bearing (I don't know what it's called in english) which feeds the filament in.
Then I printed a filemant guide - I thought this really helped a lot!

But now - again and again...it will stuck inside! What am I doing wrong? I'm printing with the original PLA from the Printrbot team at 185° (then tried 190, 195 and 200....every time the same).

Sometimes it prints ok, nothing happened and then - if you feel save: bam! Stucked.... :-( that doesn't make fun :-(

Please help, I don't know what's the actual problem...

Edit: sometimes I hear it "cracking" in the extruder...I don't know if that is because it is stucking or because of water or air in the PLA...?!

Software: Repetier-Host V0.84 with Slicer in 0.9.8
Nozzle: 0.3mm
First Layer: 0.28
Other Layers: 0.3
Maximum speed: 40mm/s

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2013 05:34PM by Killi.

Not sure, but I think you need to have a fan cooling the upper part of your hotend, your filament is melting before it gets into the specified 'melt zone'.

Hi,

the upper part? I have a fan on my printer...but I thought it is good that it melts on that stage (better early than too late). I thought it can't melt so fast how the bolt is putting in more filament.
Do I have to print with lower temps like 180 degrees? Or will a fan in the above area do its job?
But I don't understand why one day the same object come out clean and a few hours later the filament gets stuck...every and every time again...it is like it is only possible to print one object a day?!

Peqo has the same problem I think...he has another good picture of what is happening with the print: his post

I think i solved this problem (again) !

At my first print a few weeks ago I had the same problem - this was because I had not enough space between the noozle and the heated bed. I fixed this and everything works fine.

Until now - But this time it was much simpler to fix! I fixed all problems and were printing all the time - and this was the failure!
I was too lazy to wait for the extruder to heat up - so I left it on, let the print cool down, changed a few models, printed again, and so on. In this time the extruder was ready to go at 190-200°.

Don't do that ;-) !!! Turn the extruder of after the print is finished - also retire 3 mm so no filament will be heated up until the extruder cools.

The order to print is important, too!

What I'm doing now:
- heat the bed and wait for it
- heat the extruder
- click "start job" BEFORE the extruder is on it's temperature

-> the printer goes in start position, heats the extruder and immediately starts printing. So the filament has no time to melt before the print job begins.

Sounds crazy but I'm printing the whole day now - and everything is fine :-)

DAMN! And again :-( I thought I have found the failure........but it happens again! And now immediately at layer 2 or 3 :-(

What can I do???

Here is a video of what is happening: [www.youtube.com]

Ohmarinus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not sure, but I think you need to have a fan
> cooling the upper part of your hotend, your
> filament is melting before it gets into the
> specified 'melt zone'.


Read again

I can't explain it any clearer. Google symptoms of PLA jamming.

I'm sorry I didn't trust your answer.....I think you are god for me :-D

Now I was able to print 2 models...I have to test it for this evening but I think this was the correct failure!!!

So many thanks!!!

Yep...I've tried again and again - and this trick saved my live in printing!!!!

I am now be able to print as long as I want to....so I will design a two-fan-holder (because I raped my stock Printrbot fan to cool my PEEK) and post it here + on Thingiverse.com (one fan for the PEEK, one fan for the usually printed object).

Thank you again Ohmarinus, you were the only one to clear this "abstract failure"!!! You made my day...or...my week/month ;-)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2013 05:43PM by Killi.