Poor prints - CubePro Duo/ 2.02 firmware/3ds slicer - Help?

[RicciEU]

Hello all,

I have been having some very poor prints and I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions around what may be the cause and how I can improve the prints?

I am using a CubePro Duo/2.02 firmware and using the 3DS OEM slicer. Printing is set to solid. I am achieving the same results with 3DS, Amazon Basic, and Smartfil filaments.

Attachment 4284

The print above stopped prematurely due to filament issues. I ran the nozzle cleaning option and it seemed to be no problem.

Then . . .

2.jpg

7.jpg

It doesn't seem to be printing solid, is it possible that the feeder is set too slow?

Any ideas?

Cheers,

RS

[bolsoncerrado]

Is this PLA?

I wouldnt say "too slow" when underextrusion appears but perhaps partial clog that appears intermitently...

[TommyDee]

I got something similar when ABS was running hot by about 10C.

[RicciEU]

It's ABS. I have spent the last two days swapping around print head assemblies between two machines and from what I can tell it appears to be a software issue. When I manually control the jet I can head the hot end to 260c and set the feed rate at 2.0rpm and it works fine. I can also do an internal nozzle clean and all works fine. When I try and print a gap calibration test discharge from the jet is intermittent and inconsistent.

So based on that today I'm going to try and re-flash the firmware.

[RicciEU]

Well it definitely not the firmware. Reflashed it and no change. I can hear a deep ticking which I am assuming that noise is the feeder slipping for some reason.

This is the gap test print:

Gap Test.jpg

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Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to clear a hot end. I'm not sure if a partially blocked jet is the cause but I would like to try it.

I'm not sure if it's related but I have only experienced this since I started using 3rd party filament. The problem also seem to get progressively worse.

Cheers,

RS

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So I managed to get one out of three print heads to work. It's now printing to a decent standard.

One nozzle is definitely blocked, so I guess I will try acetone. I was thinking that I would stand it upright and then pour some acetone down the filament channel and let is soak for a couple of days and then try wire or air pressure to clear it.

As for the third print head, in my haste I damaged the filament sensor so now have to buy a complete unit.

I am guessing I would try ebay for parts. Does anyone know of any site that sells CubePro parts?

Cheers,

RS

[TommyDee]

You are bold RicciEU. I run only 3DS ABS in my CubePro Duo. I really don't want to learn how to unclog the nozzles. Is it possible your filament of choice requires a little extra temperature? I never had clogs with Cube3 with 3rd party ABS - it just made those turn-backs thin like your original image.

The way to clear the nozzles is a special filament using a 'cold-pull' method.

[Cubical]

Did you try taking the feed section of the extruder apart? Remove four hex bolts and the two pieces of the feed unit pull apart. I had filament get wrapped around the feed wheel. By taking it apart it was easy to clear. I had thought of using acetone but in retrospect I don't think it could have worked for my type of jam -- I think it would've made it worse.

One thing to note is that the gap between the serrated feed roller and the idle roller is adjustable. So when reassembling it, before I tightened the bolts I inserted a piece of filament. What I actually found was that making the gap as wide as possible still had ample "bite" into the filament without causing the motor to stall out, which is a problem I had with certain 3rd party filaments.

[rdubbya]

One thing to note is that the gap between the serrated feed roller and the idle roller is adjustable. So when reassembling it, before I tightened the bolts I inserted a piece of filament. What I actually found was that making the gap as wide as possible still had ample "bite" into the filament without causing the motor to stall out, which is a problem I had with certain 3rd party filaments.

I've got one of mine apart right now. How/where do I make this adjustment?

[RicciEU]

It's not an adjustment as such its down to the lateral pressure applied. Thats where the inserted piece of filament works as a spacer. I push mine up snug.

But that wasn't my problem. I will cover that later in this thread

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Dougk12, Thanks for the heads up. I did notice the swelling of the PTFE tube. I did think that was the problem until . . . read on

Everybody sorry for the late update. The piece I was trying to print was for a work project so the issue created a lot of stress and compressed deadlines.

So in the end I couldn't figure it out so I ordered three hot ends and one complete extruder assembly. I also purchased a alloy print plate as one of mine was damaged and unusable.

A few weeks later the parts arrived. So I first installed a new hot end into a original extruder assembly and attempted a print, attempted, is the key word here . . . it failed 50 min later.

So I then swapped out the original extruder for the new extruder assembly and attempted a print. Keep in mind I'm trying to use PETE. Again failed after 50ish min.

So then I swapped machines. My second machine hadn't been used for 5 or so years, it's virtually brand new. So I swapped out the extruder with the new hot end into machine number 2 and using the PETE attempted a print. Again failed.

So then I grabbed an old roll of 3DS PLA clear and printed a near perfect print until the filament shattered in the Bowden tube. Giving credit it did print for 5 + hours before failing 2 hours from completion.

So then I grabbed a roll of GEEETECH PLA and completed the 7 hour print perfectly. So from what I saw I think that it is the PETE filament. But I still have to try and print ABS. I would be very interested to know what brands of PETE filament other people have been having success with?

Below are one of my many failed attempts:

21.jpg

22.jpg

[TommyDee]

Interesting to note the adjustable gap. That is a new twist. Glad to see you got it working again. Acetone would have made a mess for sure.