We have a big problem with Zortrax M300 Dual Printer. Some time after installing a new nozzle the clicking will start, often only in the raft layers.
We lowered the bed as this could have caused the issue, but without success (even if the nozzle is 2mm away from the bed, the extruder will start clicking).
Loading material is no problem, there will be no clicking, the filament comes out of the nozzle in a continuous fine string. Only when printing, the extruder starts clicking. We are printing with third party filament (PLA, PETG), which works great on our other printers.
Changing the nozzle solves the problem, but it cannot be the right way to change the nozzle everytime after a few prints.
Are there any other solutions we could try?
Will the nozzles from the M200 fit on the M300 dual, as they have another shape? Or are there any cheap third party nozzles on the market?
By the way, last time the print looked fine, but the extruder clicked in the raft layers (and the lines were not closed).
You can try to increase extrusion temperature a bit (by 5-10 degrees) and see if it helps. Too low temperature on hotend can add extra resistance for extruder gear/motor to push through.
Different extruders on different printers can work differently and may require some adjustments.
sorry for the late reply. We will test with higher temperatures. But what we find strange is that the clicking mostly comes only in the raft layers. Even setting the flow ratio to a very low level will cause clicking.
What is different in the raft layers compared to the “normal” layers?
The primary difference is that raft layers, particularly the first layer on the platform, are printed with a higher flow ratio compared to “normal” layers. This is to compensate for unevenness in the platform surface.
If the clicking sound occurs only during the first layer, it’s generally not a major issue as long as the raft adheres well to the platform. In such cases, it can often be ignored. However, it might also indicate that the platform calibration isn’t perfect — the first layer of the raft might be too close to the platform, leaving insufficient space for the material to extrude properly from the nozzle. A clicking sound means that the extruder motor is reversing slightly in its rotation, which reduces the overall extrusion at that moment (as it’s too high anyway).
If it happens even after lowering the bed, then only simple solution I can see is increasing extrusion temperature, eventually lowering the print speed.
We know the problems you are describing, so we lifted the bed 1mm and set flow to 50 percent for raft (not to get a good print, just to check if the clicking als occurs while printing “free in the air”). The clicking occured again, so there must be a problem in the extruder.
Will test a new nozzle this week, but the problem is some kind of strange.