Unclogging

Clogs can occur at various points in the filament path, including the nozzle, heat break, PTFE tube, and extruder gears. This guide will walk you through diagnosing and resolving clogs to ensure smooth filament extrusion.

Common Clog Points

Clogs typically occur in four locations:

1. Nozzle: The most common clog location, particularly when switching between high- and low-temperature materials.
2. Heat Break: Clogs can form due to heat creep, where inadequate cooling allows filament to expand and block the path.
3. PTFE Tube: Rarely clogs but can occur if molten filament retracts into the tube and solidifies.
4. Extruder Gears: Can clog, especially when printing flexible materials or if molten filament reaches the gears, causing them to jam.

Tools and Materials

• Nozzle Torque Wrench 7mm
• Nozzle Cleaning Needle Set (0.3-0.4 mm)
• Gripping tool for the hotend
• 1 mm steel rod for clearing blockages
• Hotend Heat Break (if replacement is needed)
• Screwdrivers (for extruder disassembly)
• Camera or phone (for documenting wiring before disconnection)

1. Remove the nozzle

1. Preheat the tool head to the filament's printing temperature.

2. Hold the hotend with a gripping tool to prevent it from spinning.

3. Carefully loosen the nozzle using the Nozzle Torque Wrench 7mm.

4. Remove the nozzle and attempt to extrude filament. If the filament doesn't extrude, the blockage may be further up in the system.

2. Check for clogs above the nozzle

5. Try to extrude filament without the nozzle attached. If extrusion fails, the blockage is in the heat break or higher.

6. Insert a 1 mm steel rod from the top of the hotend and gently push through to clear any blockage. This can help push the clog out of the system.

3. Remove the heat break

7. Allow the printer to cool down completely and turn off the power.

8. Move the extruder's filament tension lever to the leftmost position to allow the filament to move freely.

9. Remove the two fan shroud screws and the cable cover. The fan shroud must be off before the heat break can be removed.

10. Loosen the heat break holding screw and gently pull the hotend down.

11. If wires obstruct removal, disconnect them from the distribution block. Take pictures to remember their positions before disconnecting.

12. Unscrew and remove the heat break. More details about disassembling the head are in the Hotend Disassembly article.

4. Disassemble the Extruder

If you have completed all the steps above and the filament still will not extrude, remove the extruder front cover to inspect and clean the drive gears.

13. With extrusion still failing, retract the filament out of the extruder before disassembling it. If it will not pull out, preheat the tool head to soften it first.

14. Remove the two bottom screws of the extruder front panel. These also release the 3D printed interface plate and the hotend.

15. Remove the two top screws of the extruder front panel.

16. Pull the front cover toward you to remove it and expose the drive gears.

17. Inspect the extruder gears for filament debris or shavings and clean off any buildup.

5. Reassemble and test

18. After clearing the filament path, reassemble the components in reverse order.

19. Move the extruder's filament tension lever to the right into the optimal position for the selected filament.

20. Load filament and test extrusion. The filament should extrude smoothly without skipping or grinding.

FAQ

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