AMS not spinning the spools during retraction

Bambu Lab X1 Series Troubleshooting
1

I have just received my X1-Carbon Combo and everything is working perfectly except for the AMS. Most of the time (but NOT all of the time) when the filament is being put back into the spool (changing filament during print or when print is completed) the filament is pulled back in but the spool won’t turn properly even though the AMS is spinning the gears. Sometimes if you jiggle the spool it will “catch” and start spinning. This happens with the spools that came with the X1 as well as the spools I got from PolyMaker.

Strangely enough, the cardboard spools rarely have this issue when I don’t use the plastic edges I printed for them.

Any suggestions on how this can be resolved without opening up a Support Ticket?

2

One thing to check is to see what the wheels in the AMS are doing. I.e., is it the case that the wheels aren’t spinning, or they are spinning and not contacting the spool?

The AMS gears are set up in such a way that when the motor spins one way, it pulls the filament, and when it spins the other, it drives the wheels. It’s possible that the mechanism that switches between the two modes is getting stuck; the wheels not spinning is indicative of that.

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3

Thanks for the quick reply.

The wheels are spinning every time, but it appears they are not contacting the spool. Sometimes jiggling the spool will make them catch, but not always.

4

I’m trying to think of a reason why the spool isn’t touching the wheels at the front, and I can’t think of any. What brand filament is this? Clutching at straws here. Maybe the spools are too slick and shiny?

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5

Bambu filament that came with the printer and a couple of rolls of Polymaker PLA. It happens in all 4 slots regardless if I move the spools around. Sometimes its not an issue and everything works perfectly, then all of a sudden the spool won’t spin for the next print.

6

When that event occurs, without jiggling the spool too much, just try and rotate it and see if both wheels turn as well. You might be able to tell what kind of jiggle makes the spool contact the wheels again.

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7

I’ll give it a go tonight and see what happens.

8

I noticed if the spools do not rotate when the filament retracts the spool is located more to the right side of the spool bay. If you move the spool over to the left and look inside the AMS you will see there is a ridge divide. If the spool is placed to the left of the ridge the spools operate correctly.

image
image741×433 85.3 KB

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9

This is “to the left” when facing the front of the AMS, correct? (The picture above is facing the back.)

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10

This may make more sense

image

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11

Just so I am perfectly understanding the location of the spool. Can you specify by color where the spool should be located?
Spool Placement-AMS

12

i have different spools and allways place them, that the middle of the spool is near the middle of the feeder.

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13

I place all of my spools in the green slot by default. I have not had any problems todate placing them like that. I would not place a spool where you have the red line, I think a small spool will run from the right to the left and back again and may cause the spool to lose traction with the drive shaft. If I am wrong please fellow makers point me in the right direction.

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14

My location for my spools is the green slot also. No problems ever looking for wood to knock. :stuck_out_tongue: Oem BL spools with Polymaker products. ABS, PETG and PLA+ Two AMSs.

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15

Thanks everyone for your help with this. I am currently printing with the spools in the “green” slots and so far so good. (As Barryg41 said, “knocking on wood”. :slight_smile: )