I've been printing models with Z-PETG lately, and the quality of the finish on the models was great, then progressively worse (printing the same file).
It's hard to say what's that noise - it sounds like an axis bearing, but it may be also related with the failed print you had.
Please turn off the printer, clean the platform and try to move the printhead manually. Is that particular sound also present then? If not, calibrate the platform, perform a test print and observe the behaviour of the printer.
Please turn off the printer, clean the platform and try to move the printhead manually. Is that particular sound also present then? If not, calibrate the platform, perform a test print and observe the behaviour of the printer.
Thanks. I did that. The sound didn't repeat - I'm pretty sure it was the nozzle scraping the platform.
However, after cleaning the nozzle and re-calibrating the platform, now it consistently fails the same way (3 tries in a row). It prints the first 40% of the first layer of the raft fine, then gradually the extruder motor starts clicking and the filament feeds intermittently. Before 50% of the first layer of the raft is done, the filament gets thinner and thinner, and then stops coming out completely.
I know they look almost identical (except for red vs. blue lighting), but these are actually 2 different, consecutive, print runs. It fails exactly this way each time.
My guess - the extruder starts out at the right temperature, but then cools during the print. Once it's cool enough, the filament won't melt and gets clogged.
Does that make sense? Should I be replacing the hotend? Or the heater/thermocouple? Or what?
(BTW, I'm printing Z-PETG here. And I haven't found a Zortrax heater/thermocouple seller in the USA - closest I found was Canada.)
Thanks. I did that. The sound didn't repeat - I'm pretty sure it was the nozzle scraping the platform.
However, after cleaning the nozzle and re-calibrating the platform, now it consistently fails the same way (3 tries in a row). It prints the first 40% of the first layer of the raft fine, then gradually the extruder motor starts clicking and the filament feeds intermittently. Before 50% of the first layer of the raft is done, the filament gets thinner and thinner, and then stops coming out completely.
I know they look almost identical (except for red vs. blue lighting), but these are actually 2 different, consecutive, print runs. It fails exactly this way each time.
My guess - the extruder starts out at the right temperature, but then cools during the print. Once it's cool enough, the filament won't melt and gets clogged.
Does that make sense? Should I be replacing the hotend? Or the heater/thermocouple? Or what?
(BTW, I'm printing Z-PETG here. And I haven't found a Zortrax heater/thermocouple seller in the USA - closest I found was Canada.)
As you can see, Z-PETG requires some kind of a "special treatment". Otherwise, you may face problems with extrusion while using Z-PETG.
Thanks. The temperature in the room is about 22 C (it's air conditioned).
I replaced the Z-PETG with Z-ABS and printed a model (to "flush out" the Z-PETG). The Z-ABS model printed OK.
Then I removed the side covers and loaded Z-PETG. The extruder motor clicks every 1 second or so, although some Z-PETG does come out. But the material doesn't feed without the motor clicking. I already checked the motor - it's clean and the gear looks fine. The printer has 297 hours on it.
What should I do? Replace the nozzle? Hot-end? Thermocouple? All of them?
Thanks. The temperature in the room is about 22 C (it's air conditioned).
I replaced the Z-PETG with Z-ABS and printed a model (to "flush out" the Z-PETG). The Z-ABS model printed OK.
Then I removed the side covers and loaded Z-PETG. The extruder motor clicks every 1 second or so, although some Z-PETG does come out. But the material doesn't feed without the motor clicking. I already checked the motor - it's clean and the gear looks fine. The printer has 297 hours on it.
What should I do? Replace the nozzle? Hot-end? Thermocouple? All of them?
I would try to print something using Z-ABS and clean the nozzle with acetone after that. Next, I'd try with Z-PETG and if there were still some problems with extrusion, I'd replace the hotend. I think the heater is fine, but if you have a multimeter, you can check its resistance, just in case.
Well, I replaced the nozzle and the problem didn't recur.
Until today. This time printing a Z-ABS model. I get the horrible scraping noise again.
It's pretty clear that it's a Z-axis problem - the printer is dragging the nozzle against the print bed. (Has happened twice in a row so far, with printer power cycles in between).
But I suspect it's something about the model (or, more likely the print settings) that makes it happen.
I'm going to re-level the bed and try again with different print settings.
I'll upload the model if you want to try to reproduce it. (I'd attach it here, but it's 1805 kB and so too big for the forum software. I can email it.)
Well, I replaced the nozzle and the problem didn't recur.
Until today. This time printing a Z-ABS model. I get the horrible scraping noise again.
It's pretty clear that it's a Z-axis problem - the printer is dragging the nozzle against the print bed. (Has happened twice in a row so far, with printer power cycles in between).
But I suspect it's something about the model (or, more likely the print settings) that makes it happen.
I'm going to re-level the bed and try again with different print settings.
I'll upload the model if you want to try to reproduce it. (I'd attach it here, but it's 1805 kB and so too big for the forum software. I can email it.)
Please make sure the nozzle is clean - you can use a sandpaper to clean it just before starting the calibration process. Also, make sure the platform is clean as well.
Let me know about the results of a test print then.
Please make sure the nozzle is clean - you can use a sandpaper to clean it just before starting the calibration process. Also, make sure the platform is clean as well.
Let me know about the results of a test print then.
It hasn't recurred since I stopped trying to print at 0.29 mm layer height.
I think it's something related to the zcode interacting with the printer firmware. Sometime I'll try printing that zcode again to see if it happens. (As mentioned, I saved it and can email it to you if you like.)
It hasn't recurred since I stopped trying to print at 0.29 mm layer height.
I think it's something related to the zcode interacting with the printer firmware. Sometime I'll try printing that zcode again to see if it happens. (As mentioned, I saved it and can email it to you if you like.)
Have you tried to print the model using that particular .zcode again? Has the problem occurred?
Please, send me the file via PM. I would like to check it.