Problem with my makerbot replicator 2

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T15:00:19.000Z

my extruder stopped working, I uncloged it but it wasn’t printing. At the end i open everything and cleaned it very good and it started working but plastic starts going up a little bit and the printing its not done well. I don’t know what is happening :(. the circles are messy and some lines are messy too

I put an image of a part of a model so you can see the problem.

can someone help me? THANKS!

49178fd5-93ce-4e9b-a309-e4173f82cc5b.jpg584×1040 48.3 KB

MADEJUST4ULTD · 2017-01-25T16:56:13.000Z

Hi seems like it may need a new fan at the front. If the fan is moving very slowly but still spinning may just have a little bit of dust in between the ages of the fan maybe

Liftech · 2017-01-25T17:04:31.000Z

Hi, could you tell more information about this problem. What material you use and what temperature? This is new printer or it happend after a long time use? Do you have in pipe in extruder a teflon pipe?

Henry_Jolly · 2017-01-25T17:08:36.000Z

Try and re-level your build plate first and look to see if you changed any slicer settings. I’d ensure the nozzle is really clear. you may have partial clog still. It doesn’t take much to clog it at all which will have unknown effects on your prints. I’d also test print something different, thingyverse has test prints for download.

crychair · 2017-01-25T17:08:57.000Z

I would take of the nozzle. Make sure that the thermal barrier tube is clear. Make sure the nozzle if clear. If either of these two look to have anything in the way soak them in acetone over night and then use a can of air to try and clear them out. If this doesnt work I would replace your nozzle. After a lot of use it is good to replace your nozzle and they are not expensive. Many on amazon that work for that printer.

TurtleCreations · 2017-01-25T18:35:41.000Z

Hi Andrea,

What do you mean with “the plastic starts going up a little bit”? If you do a load filament, how does the string look? Is it nice and round? Also does is fall straight down or does it curl up when it leaves the nozzle?

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T19:28:07.000Z

hi!! thank you so much!

it curl up when it leaves the nozzle, thats what I mean when i say it goes up a little.

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T19:36:07.000Z

thank you!! i’ll try that and tell you how it goes!

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T19:38:09.000Z

yeah i leveled it but didn’t work, many of you told me to clean well the nozzle so i’ll try that and tell you how it goes!

thank you so so much

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T19:45:10.000Z

thank you so much for your help!

it isn’t new neither the piece (i printed it a few times before). The plastics is PLA an the temperature is 230c. about that last question i am not sure

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T19:45:51.000Z

thank you i’ll see that!!

thank you so much!

chanman · 2017-01-25T20:44:09.000Z

Curling may indicate that there is some materials in the nozzle that slows down one side of the flow, this can be burned material or debris. A quick way to clean the nozzle is to go into the change filament menu, set to LOAD and once the filament starts coming out, press the lever on the extruder, hold the filament and push down, should make the filament come out faster, then quickly pull out the filament. By pulling the filament out hot, it may dislodge the debris or what ever is in the nozzle. Do this a couple of times. I do this when I change filaments.

When you disassembled the extruder, make sure the orientation of the fan is right. You should NOT see the label on the fan if it is installed correctly.

DROP · 2017-01-25T21:16:58.000Z

If you are using the same profile as before the problem started, it might be that the nozzle is a little bit clogged. I use HIPS at 245º to clean the extruder and nozzle, since it use higher temperature than ABS or PLA and stick well to both materials. Simply charge the HIPS and let it run for a while.

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T22:00:46.000Z

Thank you so much for your answer! actually i saw burned material so it could be i’ll try tomorrow and let you know!

thank you a lot!

Daniela_Andrea · 2017-01-25T22:02:41.000Z

I did that but nothing… but the thing about the fan, it may be possible i did put it in the wrong way i’ll see tomorrow morning in the lab if it is that.

thank you very much !!!

DROP · 2017-01-25T22:48:38.000Z

I also do what Chanman mentioned, but instead of setting on LOAD, I use UNLOAD. Keep the lever pressed the whole time, while push the HIPS filament through the extruder and the nozzle, and also when you pull the filament out.
Do it for couple of times until you hear a sound similar to the uncork of a bottle.

Good Luck!!

magnacarte1133 · 2017-01-26T02:19:18.000Z

HIPS?

iperpaolo · 2017-01-26T02:24:06.000Z

When this happen to my Replicator I use a Guitar String, The smallest One, With the Hot extruder I push the string from the bottom of the extruder Until I can see the Other end of the string coming out from the top. To the other side the string will be full of melted plastic, you can clean and repeat the operation.

Usually in makerbot PLA and ABS burn in the extruder, and solidifying, cause of too much temperature, this can be caused by :

-The spring inside the extruder filler has weakened, There is a little spring that push the filament on a toothed pulley, that pulley push the filament in the extruder, if the spring is weak the filament can slip on the pulley, or even stopping, burning.

-Plate not leveled, the extruder hit the plate and the plastic remain in the extruder burning.

-Particular ABS or PLA mixed with wood,carbon,metal etc etc, They have a lot of friction and easily clog the extruder.

If the problem is the spring, on thingverse you can find some DIY extruder, with stronger spring, I’ve a redesigned one for replicator 2x, that use the spring form a plastic peg, Makerbot Replicator 2X drive block upgrade by De_Giusti_Design - Thingiverse not sure it will work for the older replicator.

increthink · 2017-01-26T14:47:32.000Z

Hi, I was having similar issues but I managed to open and do a general clena up inside the extruder. I still got two or three failed print then eventually last night I got one successful print. The extruder seems to be printing very thin. And I noticed that after the raft is done and a few layers of the part are made the platform went a click down in the z axis (increasing the gap between part and nozzel) anyhow I kept observing and it managed to print the part fine. I was observing temperature of the extruder too and it seem to fluctuate between 207 to 213. Not sure why. One reason could be that my printer is in a basement which is cooler and there can be a slight draft. I will print again today and see how it goes. I’m posting updates at www.instagram.com/in rethink if you would like to see. Also try to change the default settings from standard to low and see if it makes a difference When I was printing on standard it failed. The last print I did was on low and it came out nice but the resolution of the print looks like it was on high. I also need to update the firmware and desktop software. Not sure at this point if it will help or make things worse. A little unsure about taking that step. All the best.

DROP · 2017-01-26T15:33:05.000Z

HIPS is a is thermoplastic polymer known as High Impact PolyStyrene