Hi, I’m completely new to 3D printing so I don’t know a lot of techniques or terminology. I’ve only had my A1 for a few weeks now and so far everything has went perfect. It printed out well and super easy to use even for someone who knows nothing.
For about 4 days now I haven’t been able to print. I’m using Bambu and Sunlu brand PLA using the same settings I always have and trying to print things that I’ve printed before but the filament keeps coming out as string. Not a full print with some string attached but it won’t even form anything solid to be able to print anything. It will try to print for 2 seconds then immediately go back to where it poops out and tries heating again but it’s still stringy every time. It will then extract the filament then reload it on its own to try to fix it but it’s not fixed. I believe it’s being printed at 220-230 C, whatever it does automatically.
I’ve done about 3-4 cold pulls so far and recalibrated and nothing has worked. I’ve also tested to see if it got wet by bending it (I saw on a video you can tell if it’s bendy or if it breaks off) and it doesn’t seem to be. I don’t live in a very humid place in winter, it’s very cold right now actually and I don’t keep it super hot in here. I can’t find anything online that helps because those people have actually been able to print something it just has a bit of string on it. I can’t even print anything because it is ONLY string.
I desperately need some help. Please explain things like I know nothing. I had to ask what a cold pull was when someone suggested it
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Hello Arther,
Happy to see that you took up the hobby! Thanks for your question, and I will be happy to help.
Please could you send me a picture of some of the failed prints?
Thanks,
OTPandy1
Without a picture it’s hard to say but it’s probably one of two things, either a partial clog or a dirty plate. To fix the dirty plate, remove the surface that it prints onto and wash it with dish soap and a non abrasive sponge.
It was hard to capture the clear string attached from the nozzle to the plate I hope you can see it. I canceled the print after getting some photos since it had to keep reheating every 2 seconds and stringy filament was getting caught
So on the 2nd picture, it appears the first layer printed fine. Are you saying that the after the first layer it starts stringing.
Let’s start with the basics.
- What Filament do you have loaded in the printer?
- What Filament does Bambu Studio think that you have loaded in the printer?
- Did you dry the Filament?
It did not print just fine…. It’s hard to see in the photo. It’s all stringy and took 5 times as long as normal to print the first layer because it had to go back to reheat. It’s all messy.
The filament looks fine in the beginning until it touches the plate THEN it gets stringy
All those questions are answered in my post pretty much. I have bambu PLA silk loaded and that’s exactly what the printer reads. It is not humid where I am and it is not wet. It bends just fine and does not break off
Can you show a screenshot from the bambu studio
A screenshot of what? I use the bambu handy app on my phone
Has this issue happened on multiple prints or just 1
I have tried multiple different prints, all ones that have worked for me before, with 3 different filaments all the same result
Did your printer come with a spare nozzle?
That is not how you determine dry filament. What is not humid in your area, may be too humid to print, and your filament went across an ocean in a leaky bag in a cardboard box.
And for the next questions, what temperature is your bed set at, and what temperature is your hotend set at.
No it came with a bunch of screws and lubricant but not an extra nozzle. One thing I haven’t tried is cleaning the plate which was mentioned a couple times. I can see about doing that
You should do that, but that won’t fix it purging filament and reaheating.
Clean the plate before any more tests. Use original dawn or some other soap without hand softeners. Dry with a paper towel if you use fabric softener as that can leave residue on the plate.
Edited to add, what filament were you using before the silk?
I haven’t cleaned the plate yet I had to go out and get a soft sponge and dawn soap but I will tonight
I was using sunlu clear PLA just fine for hours one day then I switched to bambu glow blue PLA and ever since then I’ve had issues. I’ve went back to the sunlu clear PLA but it’s not printing right anymore either
That filament requires a hardened nozzle. I think we just might have found part of the issue. If you use the glow pla in the “regular” nozzel it will wear it out fast as it is abrasive. Order a new hotend or two, and some of the hardend steel hotends for the speciality types, like the glow. Switch the hotends when ever you use a filament that requires them.
