Clogged nozzle
Details of error
If material is not coming out the end of an unobstructed nozzle, then the nozzle may be clogged. This is when filament has hardened inside the nozzle then adhered to the insides and blocked the flow of new filament.
Normally the heat of the heating element in the extruder prevents this from happening, but this can go wrong.
When it might occur
Debris - Some materials like PVA can burn in the nozzle and block it. This can be resolved by hot pulls, cold pulls or printer needles.
Heat creep - When the hot end temperature is too high, heat can melt filament too high up resulting in blockage - this can also just happen occasionally due to bad luck). This can be resolved by hot pulls, cold pulls or printer needles.
A different material with a higher melting point being used in the nozzle previously - If a material with a high melting point (ABS for example) has been used in a nozzle, and then later PLA (which has a lower melting point) is used, the temperature of the nozzle wont get high enough to melt any residue nylon which may obstruct the flow of PLA and cause a blockage. This can be resolved by hot pulls, cold pulls or printer needles using the higher melting point material.
How to fix it
Before moving onto more involved fixes, make sure to check for the following:
Unload and reload the material, sometimes that resolves the issue.
Oozing (or stringing)
Details of error
Oozing (or 'Stringing') can be identified as thread like bits of plastic hanging between different parts of a print. This is due to small amounts of still liquid filament ,on the end of the nozzle, being dragged into a thread from one place where the printer stopped printing to another separate place where it started printing again.
When it might occur
When nozzle is travelling between two points, oozing may occur if the retraction and temperature settings are incorrect.
Incorrect retraction settings
Incorrect minimum travel distance setting
Incorrect Temperature
How to fix it
You can try the following different approaches to resolve this issue:
Ensure retraction is enabled and adjust minimum travel distance in the slicer software
Increase retraction distance and speed
Increase travel speed
Under extrusion
Details of error
Under extrusion is one of the most common problems 3D printing issues and usually the most difficult to fix due to the fact that it may be caused by various different reasons.
You can recognise under-extrusion by little gaps in the sides of your print - whether in the model itself or the supports as each can suffer from under-extrusion together or separately.
This effect is caused by not enough material coming out of the nozzle as the model is printed. The resulting model (if it finishes at all) is spongy, weak and light.
When it might occur
There are a myriad of possible causes for under-extrusion, often you will fix it without ever figuring out the cause.
The print temperature is too high or too low
The print speed is too fast
The feeder tension is too high or too low
The filament has become tangled on the reel
A blockage in the bowden tube
The nozzle is partially clogged
The nozzle is too close or far from the print bed
The filament has absorbed too much moisture (this is the main cause for under-extrusion with PVA)
Almost any issue with the printer that requires fixing by staff
How to fix it
You can try the following different approaches to resolve this issue:
If both materials are under-extruding, try levelling the build-plate.
Do you hear 'clicking' noise from the feeder? If you do, try to reduce the tension of the feeder, check that it isn't tangled
Unload and reload the filament - this fixes the majority of issues.
Level the buildplate
Make sure that the nozzle is not clogged.
Check the feeder, bowden tube and print head for blockages
Unload and inspect the filament. See if the feeder ground the filament
Check feeder tension, adjust it so that the pressure on the filament is not too high or low
Check your print settings. Try to print with a lower print speed.
Check your print temperature.
Swap out the filament for fresh filament
Swap out the printcore for different printcore
Check the feeder gears for slippage or worn out parts.
Give up and ask a staff member to help
Warping
Details of error
Warping is when the underside of a print bends or buckles, usually due to how the plastic cools, and most often at the edges and corners.
When it might occur
Some filaments contract as they cool, if this cooling is too quick - or if different areas of the underside cool at different speeds, warping can occur.
How to fix it
You can try the following different approaches to resolve this issue:
Clean the buildplate
Level the buildplate
Add additional adhesion structures from the slicer software
If the printer has them, you can close its lid and doors to keep the temperature inside more constant
Are you using a non-heated print bed? This causes the filament to cool much faster.
Make sure you have the correct print bed temperature
Print not sticking to the print bed
Details of error
The first layer is the most important layer in 3D printing. When the extruded filament doesn’t stick to print bed in the first layer the print will generally fail. If the machine is left printing in this state it will waste a lot of material and can cause a lot of damage to the printer. For this reason you should always watch either the first 5 minutes of your print or the first layer to make it adheres correctly.
When it might occur
Insufficient adhesion - due to either not enough surface area, incorrect build plate temperature or an unclean build plate
The print bed is not level
The nozzle is too close or too far from the print bed
The print settings are not correct (first layer speed, printing temperature, there is a draft etc)
How to fix it
Level the bed and calibrate nozzle to bed distance
Clean the print bed - even the oils from your fingers can make it harder for filament to adhere properly
Check that your printing temperature is correct
Check that your print bed temperature is correct
Reduce the print speed for the first layer
Add additional adhesion structures from the slicer software
Filament grinding
Details of error
When the filament movement is incorrect or blocked and the filament in the feeder cannot move, the rotating gear of the feeder may grind away at the filament. This can also happen if the filament in he feeder is held too tightly or loosely.
When it might occur
Clogged Nozzle
Incorrect nozzle temperature
Too low or high tension in the feeder
Printing speed too fast
How to fix it
Unload the filament and cut the ground filament part off, then reload the filament
Make sure that nozzle is not clogged
Loosen the tension, insert the filament back and tighten it until it stops slipping
Decrease the print speed
Check the nozzle temperature is correct
Ask a staff member to clean out the feeder (Do not attempt this yourself).
