If the material has ceased to be driven, consider the following indications to apply the necessary correction(s):
WEAR AND MAINTENANCE:
– The nozzle and thermal barrier may be fatigued. When was the last time they were changed? These parts are consumables, they are under constant strain and can wear out quite quickly. For example, with an unfilled material like a simple PLA, a nozzle (brass or copper) and its thermal barrier have a lifetime of about 600 to 900h. With a carbon loader on the same nozzle, less than 50h… The hardened steel nozzles are therefore imperative for the loaded ones. How many hours did you print with this head? (you can see this in the menu->statistics) We advise to have a second spare head that you can exchange quickly without cutting your production (and thus see if the problem is solved and came from there), and take the time to repair the other one or send it back to us for maintenance. If the head has been disassembled, check the reassembly of the nozzle/thermal barrier with precision, as well as the tightening. Follow the procedure in the instruction manual to the letter. The assembly is extremely precise in terms of nozzle/heat barrier positioning and hot clamping is essential to avoid these phenomena.
– The filament drive pulley in the extruder may be dirty or worn. Check, clean or replace each of the following items to restore grip:
- the condition of the drive pulley, that it is still sharp, the teeth free of blockage and clean.
- Tightening the extruder motor screws (and the extruder in general).
- The condition of the compressor bearing (no play), and the condition of the compressor itself (no cracks or deformation)
- The condition of the PTFE tube head and inlet (internal and external).
- The head fans. These must run perfectly without the slightest cut or micro-cut.
- Head ventilation is defective or unstable. A poorly cooled head will definitely cause filament blockages.
ENVIRONMENT and CONSERVATION:
– An ambient temperature of 25° max is recommended. Higher temperatures may cause unwanted blockages. Remember also to do a temperature calibration (accessible from the menu) if the head has been removed or modified.
– The bobbin you are using may have been open too long and has absorbed moisture, which will create more and more thread lock. Each material has a different affinity with humidity, a PLA may become problematic after opening in 3 to 6 weeks, a nylon in less than a week, a PETG on the contrary will last several months. Many are also sensitive to UV light, so should be stored in a dry place, but away from light as well. Try your print with a new coil to see if that’s where the phenomenon came from.
OPTIMISATION :
– The printing temperature is too high or too low, and/or the printing speed is too high for this material. For fast printing speeds, it is sometimes necessary to increase the printing temperature so that the material is liquefied more quickly, but this can also be a problem because the material can also start to carbonize. Not all materials support all speeds. If you have a problem, always print at standard speed to avoid this possibility.
On a Stream ULTRA: If you have a v2 extruder, you can also do the v3 upgrade which will increase the grip on the filament significantly (https://www.imprimante-3d-volumic.com/fr/detail-pieces-detachees-volumic-imprimante-3d/3569-kit-capot-entrainement-ultra-v3.cfm).
If not, try with a complete new head to see if the phenomena persist.
