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Jan 2016

Clogged extruder, most likely. First try to push gently the filament through, that way sometimes the pressure gets the debris out. If it doesn’t work, you have to remove the nozzle with the key provided (while it is completely heated so be careful). you can insert a thin metal bar so the filament sticks to it. It can be a real pain, so be patient, but it will work. If it doesn’t you have to disassemble the whole hot end. I found the entry from Zortrax on the topic useful: Nozzle Cleaning in Zortrax M Series 3D Printers | Zortrax Support Center 110 and Hotend Replacement in M Series 3D Printers | Zortrax Support Center 66

And also this video: Zortrax M200: Remove Stuck Piece Of Filament From The Extruder - YouTube 68

Good luck!

Hi Matt,

I find this problem sometimes when putting new materials into the machine. I find heating the extruder head first, then selecting insert new material helps get the extruder head very hot… Also snip the end of the new material so its dead straight, if you insert it and its not the ‘gear’ can skip as you video shows. I hold the new material and gentle push feed it through.

If it starts to skip and wont accept then go to ‘remove material’ mode as its likely that the gear now stripped a flat area on the material length. (which means it can grip and pull it through) Cut this away and try again.

Some times you can get a block in the Brass extruder but I’ve only had that once and not likely if you’ve just started.

If it stopped during a print, the material could have got stuck on the reel. Some times it can become snagged if your not careful so check for that too. I’ve had this twice, its quite easy to loop the material wrong on the reel so its get tight after a while, check the material has no ‘ties’ or tight spots as you pull it out.

A good resource is the Zortrax Website if you haven’t already check that.

Hope some of this helps,

Rob

I had exactly the same yesterday. It happened when I unloaded the filament to load another color. Filling in the new one didn’t work because of this stuttering. I found a small bit of old filament in it that made it stuck. Removing it solved the problem.

The most common problem is a clog in the hotend or/and nozzle but it can also be a defective extruder flat-cable. In this case i think it’s the cable.

Thanks,

I opened the cable. Actually Zortrax reroute the different color cable. I successfully use a normal cheap Computer rainbow cable with an adaptor from Zortrax. It works perfectly. However, the problem is I still have to buy the adaptor from Zortrax.

22 days later
9 days later

Hey Matt,

Replace your ribbon cable. We just had a similar issue and this fixed it. Maker sure you have your ribbon cable secured up the back so the radius of curvature doesnt get too small.

1 year later

100% it is the ribbon in this case. I had the exact same problem, and I ended up at this post a month ago. I ordered a ribbon from Amazon and it did not work (did not even power up afterwards). I ordered a ribbon from Zortrax this past week, and it just came in today, and it worked. It is not the hot end specifically because the gear sticks without any filament in it. So, it has to be something with the gear or something controlling the gear. I first tried what the poster said by checking my connection, but no luck. I took the thing apart and looked at the gear for crud in it. In the end as soon as I turned the unit back on with a brand new ribbon it was good to go. It is crazy that I maybe have 80-100 hours worth of print time and have to put a new ribbon on, but oh well.

24 days later

Same problem here. 100% sure the extruder cable. I’ve been able to solve it with some tires. I suspect the problem is in the connection and not in the cable.

2 years later

I am having this exact problem!

when you guys say that the extruder cable is bad, do you guys mean the small cable connecting the stepper motor directly to the breakout board or the flat cable that comes from the main motherboard?

I already tested the small cable that goes directly from the extruder motor to the breakout board using a continuity tester and that all seems connected.

any ideas?

Thanks