SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-07-12T03:37:11Z

matag wrote:

I am having a similar issue with the Y-Axis Stepper Motor on my Solidoodle Workbench. Even after maxing out the pot on the board, I can't home the Y without helping it, let alone printing anything. If I loosen up the belts, it will work but skips a step every so often. Very unfortunate to not even get a single print out before having issues.

Sounds like you have some binding happening. There could be many sources of friction but the main thing is alignment of the belts.

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-07-12T01:59:44Z

I am having a similar issue with the Y-Axis Stepper Motor on my Solidoodle Workbench. Even after maxing out the pot on the board, I can't home the Y without helping it, let alone printing anything. If I loosen up the belts, it will work but skips a step every so often. Very unfortunate to not even get a single print out before having issues.

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-02-01T06:08:12Z

I had the exact same problem with the extruder stepper motor going thump, thump, thump. The wiring had frayed and broke inside the connector to the extruder stepper motor. Soldering the broken wires fixed my problem the same as you. Thanks for the pointer.

With the number of us that have already seen this problem, I'd label this a design/manufacturing problem.

http://www.soliforum.com/post/82688/#p82688

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-30T23:33:52Z

cptskippy wrote:

cbud wrote:
I opted to remove the connector, cut the wires and just solder them directly to the pins.
http://alltheragefaces.com/img/usercrea … 03d212.png

/agree

I have actual extrusion going on again! I soldered the wire to the connector itself after getting it through. The next problem was that the hot end was clogged up with baked abs. An overnight bath in Acetone helped with that though. Thank you for the help and input throughout the thread!

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-30T14:15:02Z

cbud wrote:

I opted to remove the connector, cut the wires and just solder them directly to the pins.

http://alltheragefaces.com/img/usercrea … 03d212.png

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-30T13:12:40Z

I tested it last night and mine was the wire as well. I opted to remove the connector, cut the wires and just solder them directly to the pins. It's working great now, and I know my solder (and wires) are way more robust than the ones that came with the machine.

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-29T23:43:42Z

This is a STRONG possibility. I got home and tested the continuity between the ends of the extruder motor cable. Low and behold, one of them was not making continuity. Or rather, it would extremely intermittently as I wiggled the cable a little, as if it wasn't connecting solidly. I'm waiting for my soldering iron to heat up to see if I can solder it for a more solid connection.

Edit 1: So, I got it soldered and put back into the plug and the extruder stepper turns the proper direction at what looks like an appropriate speed, and it sounds good! Buttoning things up to try to actually print!

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-29T16:25:19Z

So I've been doing some research and it looks like this is a problem with other Solidoodle printers, too. I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7_vFWWgo3s - which even though it is a Solidoodle 4 the extruder is making the exact same noise that mine is. In the comments, the user who posted the video said "The problem has been solved. Indeed, it was a loose connection of the motor cable. That's why the engine stopped at one specific location." (thank you, Google Translate).

Additionally, I found this blog http://renaissance-engineer.net/2015/01 … epic-fail/, where the author says that the wires going into the connector get strained and can potentially short.

I'm going to see if direct connecting the wires to the extruder fixes this issue tonight, then I'll look for a less permanent solution if it does - I'll report back my findings.

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-29T03:20:53Z

Yep, that is all exactly the same problem I'm running into with my printer. I've checked a lot of the same things you did, and actually used your voltage posts to adjust my extruder's voltage to try to get it to work to no avail. As I said in the other thread (before I saw you replied here), I've got a ticket in with Solidoodle too, but haven't gotten a response yet.

Hopefully this is something that can be fixed relatively soon! This is my first printer and I've gotten just enough out of it to get a taste... I want more!

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-29T02:18:09Z

I'm having exactly the same problem. Set screw is tight, but even with no filament loaded, all I get is the thump, thump, thump when trying to extrude. I can move the tensioner arm back and I can rotate the stepper wheel by hand, so it's not bound up.

Additionally, when trying to manually retract, I get "random" behavior. Sometimes it rotates clockwise, sometimes clockwise, sometimes it will go both directions (one after the other). I've tried adjusting the trimpots as tech support suggests, but they suggested 1.5V for the extruder trimpot and I can't get mine above 1.15v.

Here is a link to my detailed explanation of the problem and what I've found so far:
http://www.soliforum.com/topic/9415/pro … new-press/

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-29T02:06:29Z

Mine seems to be working again. I let everything cool down, took the front heat sink off of the extruder and cleaned all of the mating surfaces between the heatsinks and the hotend, then assembled it all, tightened the thumb screw and kind of wiggled the hot end a little. I felt it kind of settle into place. Then I started it up again, and it has been printing well since then.

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-29T01:10:35Z

I'm also having the same problem - extruder motor thumping, but if I press (hard) on the filament it'll go through the nozzle no problem.

Does anyone have a fix?

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-25T02:37:53Z

This just happened to me to. I probably have almost 100 hours printing, and now suddenly it won't extrude! So annoying! Chapin, if you figure it out, let me know!

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-25T00:25:45Z

I tried this and the motor itself turns, with resistance of the coils inside.

This is occurring with both SoliPrint and Repetier-Host as well. Any time I tell the extruder stepper to extrude, it just thumps and jiggles a little like it want to turn but it can't.

I submitted a ticket with Solidoodle with everything I've tried so far. Maybe they'll have a suggestion or fix for this.

Re: [Solved] Unusual extruder problem... (Extruder Stepper not workinging)

2015-01-24T19:26:12Z

With the printer off try turning the motor shaft by hand to make sure the bearing hasn't froze up but that's not likely. This sounds like the stepper is not communicating or a software problem to me, maybe go back to the software that was working to verify.