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3D Printing Forum Ender 3 Pro continual issues after initial successful prints - Updated
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  • Replies 73 replies
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  • 3D Printing
  • Ender 3D Pro
Related

Ender 3 Pro continual issues after initial successful prints - Updated

opalko
opalko over 2 years ago

Hi folks, I have an Ender 3 Pro that I bought about a month ago. Stock machine. I have successfully printed using PLA and PETG filament initially.  I am using stock settings for PLA and PETG in Cura on a Linux machine for slicing.

The last thing I printed was a case, in PLA, for a transistor tester, one of those cheapee ones that work well. The outside of the case printed fine but the screw holders on the inside were a loose nest of filament that had no cohesion. They would just snap off with the touch of the finger. It would never hold screws.  So I tried printing the lower half again. This time the bottom layer did not even go down well. Tried again. This time even worse!

Ok after consulting different forums, I was first told my extrusion temp was too low - stock Cura setting is 200. I bumped it 210. Nope. Then I was told to clean the extruder nozzle, which I did. Nope. Then I was told to check the z step. So I went through the process of calculating that and adjusted it. No difference.

At this point I started over. I

- leveled bed again (still didn't work)

- cleaned nozzle again (still didn't work)

- tried different extraction settings (on/off, speed etc) (still didn't work)

Today I went back to the default settings and tried printing it one more time (and then a second and third attempt..). Now the skirt won't even lay down properly. Any guidance for what is going on or where to start (again) with this? I keep the PLA and PETG in the foil pouches they came in with dessicant but I don't have a dryer or use the oven before printing.

Here is a link to the photo album of first good prints and then the degradation over time to the last picture which is from today of the bottom of the tester case I am trying to print again.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PmBKJQojMPebxnpJ8

Thanks

Robert Opalko

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  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 2 years ago +4
    Hi Robert, I look forward to learning what is causing this.
  • milosrasic98
    milosrasic98 over 2 years ago +4
    Hi! I had a similar issue where the printer just started under extruding, I've tried cleaning the nozzle, bumping up the temperature, switching the nozzle, but nothing helped. As I was trying to fix it…
  • ntewinkel
    ntewinkel over 2 years ago +3
    I had the same issues. For me it was the extruder arm that got a crack in it that you can only see after you take it off. Buying a metal extruder fixed all the issues. i think I’m using the correct name…
  • ntewinkel
    ntewinkel over 2 years ago

    I had the same issues. For me it was the extruder arm that got a crack in it that you can only see after you take it off. Buying a metal extruder fixed all the issues.

    i think I’m using the correct name… it’s where the filament first goes in, has a gear that moves the filament.

    I wrote a blog post about it here… let me see if I can find it.

     Just on a break from painting the deck Laughing so I’m not as quick Sweat smile 

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  • ntewinkel
    ntewinkel over 2 years ago in reply to ntewinkel

     Ender 3 Pro Broken Extruder Arm

    Found it!

    hope that helps. I think it was a common issue

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  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 2 years ago

    Hi Robert,

    I look forward to learning what is causing this.

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  • chewsoroad
    chewsoroad over 2 years ago

    I've had many of the same issues but my extruder was metal t begin with. Still not sure what is causing the issues but I have found if I attempt a print several times in a row, the problems get worse. If I shut the machine down for hours, like at least 6m it will print fine, even for 48 hours straight. Still have no Idea what causes these problems. I also have a problem with sizing. I can print calibration tools, and get it calibrated to within .03%, then go to print a model and it's too small by as much as 2%

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  • genebren
    genebren over 2 years ago in reply to jw0752

    Wow! Nice seeing you around John!  I hope all is going well.

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  • RobPaige
    RobPaige over 2 years ago in reply to chewsoroad

    Sounds to me like heat creep. A stainless steel nozzle requires a bit more heat, but too much, and you melt the plastic too far up and get jams.

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  • milosrasic98
    milosrasic98 over 2 years ago

    Hi! I had a similar issue where the printer just started under extruding, I've tried cleaning the nozzle, bumping up the temperature, switching the nozzle, but nothing helped. As I was trying to fix it, I took off the nozzle and pulled out the PTFE tube out of the hot end. The PTFE tube was completely messed up at the end where it goes in the hot end, it became brittle from constant temperature cycles (the PTFE quality can be questionable on Enders) so what I did is just shorten it a bit (cut off the brittle part with an exacto knife, don't use wire cutters for this) and assembled it back and made sure that the PTFE tube and nozzle are one against the other. There was also some residue left in the hot end it self, to clean that out, I just told the printer to preheat the hot end, and would just pull a ptfe tube through the hot end, clean it with a rag and do that over and over again, until it was clean.

    Hope this helps,

    Milos

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  • opalko
    opalko over 2 years ago in reply to chewsoroad

    Thanks. Mine hasn't been on for 10 days and the very first print  after powering it up was wonky.

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  • vinayyn
    vinayyn over 2 years ago

    When you change the Filaments, re-calibrate the Extruder E-Step. and apply glue stick on the area where you are going to print. 

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  • MikeC
    MikeC over 2 years ago

    Hi Robert

    To start, I would just give your bed a good clean - if it is the glass one a scrub with dish soap and water then IPA; then re-align the bed, run something small and then re-align the bed

    PLA will work nicely at 210 with a bed of about 50

    MikeC

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