¶ Problem Description
The nozzle is not extruding filament. After opening the Dual Extruder buckle, it was found that the filament is tangled or stuck around the gear. This issue commonly occurs with the following materials:
- PVA
- TPU
- Breakaway Support
¶ Possible Causes
1. Filament
Due to the hygroscopic nature of certain filaments, improper storage can lead to moisture absorption, which typically makes the filament more viscous.
- This increased stickiness can cause the filament to adhere to the gears in the feed system, leading to blockages or jams in the extruder.
- Moist filament may also have reduced flowability, especially in the feed tube and gears, resulting in material buildup and tangling.
- Moisture absorption can cause the filament to expand, reducing the gap between the material and feed system components and increasing the risk of jamming.
- Moisture may make the filament softer or stickier, affecting the gears' ability to grip the material and disrupting the feeding process.
2. Hot end/Nozzle clogging
When the hot end or nozzle is clogged, the filament cannot be extruded smoothly. This can cause the filament to get trapped within the feeding system, leading to filament stuck in extruder issue.
3. Incorrect print settings
Printing temperature too high: If the temperature is set too high, the filament may become overly softened and lose its shape stability, leading to a sticky buildup in the feeding system, which can cause filament stuck in extruder issue.
Printing Temperature Too Low: Low temperatures can reduce material flow, making the filament sticky during extrusion and increasing the risk of blockages and feeding issues in the feeding system.
Improper retraction settings: Can significantly impact feeding issues and lead to filament tangling or jams.
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Retraction distance too high: Excessive retraction can stretch and weaken the filament, causing it to become tangled or deformed.
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Retraction speed too high: High retraction speeds can affect the smoothness of filament feeding, leading to inconsistent extrusion and potential jams.
Print speed is too fast: Printing at too high a speed can cause the filament to get stuck in the extruder gears.
4. Mechanical issues
- The set screw on the extruder is loose.
- Extruder gear is worn, dirty, or have filament residue. (The Dual Extruder gears are made from high-quality materials and are not prone to wear under normal use. However, they may experience wear due to reasons such as the metal filament guide tube being too close to the gears or other factors.)
- Distance between the metal feed tube and the gear is too large/too small.
- The Dual Extruder buckle is loose.
5. Poor Cooling Issues
- If the print head has poor cooling, it may cause localized overheating of the nozzle. This can lead to excessive melting of the filament at the nozzle, resulting in uneven flow and accumulation or adhesion in the feeding system, increasing the risk of filament stuck in the extruder.
- Excessive temperature can make the filament too soft, causing it to lose its shape stability during extrusion and leading to sticky buildup at the extruder gears.
¶ Solutions
1. Filament
- Check if the filament is tangled or knotted.
- Store moisture-sensitive filaments in a sealed bag or a drying box.
- Dry the filament in a drying box before printing.
- If possible, try switching to a roll of well-stored filament to see if the issue was caused by a faulty spool.
Please review our recommendations for filaments that are prone to causing issues such as getting stuck in the extruder:
2. Check if the hot end/nozzle is clogged
- Please review the following two articles to check for hot end/nozzle clogging and to unclog if necessary:
- If possible, try switching to a backup or brand-new hot end to determine if the issue is due to a clogged hot end.
3. Check if the print settings are appropriate.
- Please review the recommended print parameters for various materials provided by our official guidelines, paying special attention to whether the printing temperature and retraction settings are appropriate:
- PVA and TPU may get stuck in the extruder gears at higher print speeds. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the print speed:
4. Check for mechanical issues
- Check if the set screw on the extruder is loose
- Check if the gears are worn, dirty, or have filament residue
- Check if the distance between the metal feed tube and the gear is too large/too small
- Check if the buckle is loose
5. Check if the cooling is adequate
- Check if the Dual Extruder front door is a newer version with improved cooling capabilities.
- Try printing with the Dual Extruder front door open to see if the issue is resolved.
- Verify that the cooling fan is functioning properly.
¶ Contact Support
After following the troubleshooting steps, if you find it difficult to resolve your issue, kindly submit a support ticket through https://snapmaker.formcrafts.com/support-ticket and share your troubleshooting results with some pictures/videos. Our dedicated support team will be more than willing to assist you in resolving the issue.