Go to homepage
1 / 9
Oct 2016

Hi I am having an issue where there is a gap between my extruder and my printer. It start off perfectly, but somewhere in the middle a slow gap starts to grow between the extruder and the actual print:

My printer is a QIDI dual extruder

Halfway through the print, a gap of air between the extruder and the actual print is present. I don’t know why:

My settings are:Filament: PLA

Extruding temp: 220C

Build Plate temp: 40C

Layer height: 0.2mm

Shells: 2

Extruding speed: 40

Speed while extruding: 40mm/s

Speed while moving: 60mm/s

I use Makerware as my slicer

More pictures of the issue:

IMG_3251.jpg 1

IMG_3258.jpg

Also, in this picture there are empty spots in the first layer? Could that be an issue?

IMG_3244_2.jpg

I hacked the heck out of mine, I drilled it and ran a ptfe tube through the entire length and then drilled and ran a M3 bolt through the spring to keep positive tension on the filament. and I finally ground down the v slot bearing on the extruder to allow more of a bite on the filament. I hope this helps, also note that the tube inside the nozzle could be a little too long causing the ptfe liner to compress reducing the diameter of th orfice running through the nozzle, also you could just something causing a partial clog in your nozzle… so many possibilities, but with the mods I made to mine the only issue I ever have now is I have to use the software to load and unload filament, I love this machine! I think maybe just run a bolt through it, or buy/ print a spring loaded extruder design.

8 days later

I am still getting issues, empty spots and air gap between the extruder and the actual build plate, has anyone had this issue?

9 days later

I’ve got this same issue, half way through a print it will essentially skip a couple of layers, this made the extruder clog up and jam. I had to cancel the print 4 hours in, unclog it and try it again. It seems to happen every other print which I don’t understand. I thought it was because of a broken extruder so I contacted Qidi Tech and they shipped me a new half set extruder. I’m now just having trouble getting it to print and not clog every time.

If you are clogging when you print what material, temps and speeds are you using?

My settings:

PLA - 220 C

heated bed - 40C

first layer print speed - 30mm/s

rest of the print - 40mm/s

layer height - 0.2mm

shells - 3

I’ve used the material that they sent with it and some rigid.ink PLA which I bought at the same time as buying the printer and it happens with both of them. Its like the material is snapping inside the extruder whilst its feeding through and then it tries to push past itself.

I’ve tried increasing and reducing the extruder temperature, slowing the print speed but it still happens.

Can you tell if the material is actually breaking? That would be odd.

The material seems to snap off in the middle of the stepper motor, then it continues feeding it through but as it gets to the piece which is already fed into the nozzle it seems to try and push past it and then it clogs up.

I can tell when its happened cos the stepper motor starts making a clicking noise, so I pause the print and I find that I can remove the filament without having to push down on the lever on the side and without having to go through the process of unloading the filament.