Unfortunately, a 3D printer can stop extruding midpoint.
When such a thing occurs, it leaves everyone worried whether the task will get done successfully. If you have ever experienced such an instance and you would want to know how to fix the issue, you need to relax since we are here for you.
We shall discuss the top 6 ways to fix a 3D printer that stops extruding mid-print.
Common Causes When A 3D Printer Is Stopping Extrusions At The Midpoint
#1. The Filament Is Either Damaged Or Incompletely Fed Into The 3D Printer
The most common reason for this is that you are feeding a damaged spool of filament into your 3D printer. If you are using any cheap types of filament, then it’s almost guaranteed that some of the spools you are using are damaged.
The best way to check if your filament is damaged is to pull off a small piece of it and see if it comes off easily in strings like a ball of twine. Check out the best filament for your printer!
#2. Layer Thickness Problem
That occurs because the first layer of plastic or resin is too thin. What happens is that when the hot melt ink or plastic reaches this first layer, it cools off very quickly and thus becomes “hard” and cannot be further moved by the action of the extruder.
What you need to do in this case is to add more plastic or resin to the first layer. You can either do this by using additional pellets or, if you use plastic, heat the extruder again and keep on extruding.
#3. Filament Jam Problem
This problem occurs when a filament strand gets stuck in the feeder assembly. What usually causes this problem is using a cheap or damaged filament.
What you need to do in this case is to remove the jammed filament and then use pliers to straighten out the filament so that it can be reinserted into the feeder assembly.
#4. Incompatible Materials Problem
That is another common cause of the problem mentioned earlier. What happens is that sometimes, due to the different types of materials used in the construction of your object, the plastic or resin “melts” or “softens” different degrees.
Top 6 Ways To Fix A 3D Printer That Stops Extruding Mid Print
Fixing the printer that stops extruding mid-print requires very little more than some common sense. However, it would help if you never attempted to repair this problem yourself since it can cause severe injury.
If you try this type of repair, you could easily cause a fire or even explode your device. So please, always ask an expert for help with repairs. This section will discuss six easy ways to fix this problem on your own.
So, let’s get started.
#1. The Filament Is Damaged Or Incompletely Fed
That is by far the most common reason for a 3D printer to stop extruding plastic or resin. And it is also one of the easiest problems to fix.
All you have to do is remove the spool of filament from the printer and check it for damage or “knots.” If possible, remove the filament from the hot end. Wait 10 minutes and then install a new one.
#2. Clean The Extruder Assembly
If your printer uses plastic or resin, this is an easy problem to fix. All you need to do is remove the extruder assembly from the 3D printer, wash it off with soapy water and then reinstall it.
Make sure that you use plenty of soap. You can get something like T-95 Soap & Glue, an excellent cleaning product made especially for plastic parts from McMaster-Carr. If your 3D printer uses metal, you will need to clean the extruder assembly with a bit of steel wool or even a little sandpaper.
CAUTION: Always be careful when using steel wool or sandpaper around heat or electricity!
#3. Check The Retraction Settings On The Extruder
That is a much less common problem, but it does occur from time to time. Here, the filament gets “caught” on some internal part of the extruder and therefore cannot be retracted back into the “nip” or “neck” of the extruder.
In this case, you should carefully examine the settings on the extruder and make sure that they are set so that the filament can’t get retracted easily. If not, you should carefully readjust these settings.
#4. The Power Supply Is Depleted, Or The Printer Is On An Elevated Platform Or The Device Is In A Sweltering Room
If possible, you need to move the 3D printer to a cooler location. If this is not possible, add a couple of ice packs or a bag of frozen peas to the power supply. That will help keep the power supply from getting too warm, which will prevent it from supplying enough power to the motor.
Also, if possible, try to keep the platform or area where the printing device is located as level as possible.
#5. Increase Your Printing Temperature
Using this option will speed up the extrusion process, but it will also cause the plastic or resin to “soften” or “melt.” When this happens, the filament becomes “sticky” and difficult to remove from the nip of the extruder.
However, using this option can help fix some of the other problems mentioned in this section.
#6. Cool Down The Overheated Extruder Motor
This option is similar to increasing the extrusion temperature. What happens is that the motor gets very hot and causes the plastic or resin to harden around the gear mesh, making it very difficult to rotate the gears. That then prevents the filament from being fed into the printing machine.
The solution to this problem is to remove the printer from the operation and cool it down. Once the printing machine has cooled down, carefully examine the gear mesh area of the extruder assembly.
If possible, wipe off the hardened plastic or resin with a cloth and reinstall the extruder assembly. If this is not possible, you will need to replace the gear mesh with a new one.
Conclusion
3D printing is the process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. A 3D printer uses an additive process to create a 3-dimensional object.
3D printing is not an easy task but can be mastered with enough time, patience, and knowledge.
The 3D printer can be a common tool for people who want to have something customized. It can also be a common kit for those who want to print out their own toys or other small projects. In either case, it is important to know the technical challenges that come with it.
3D printers vary from being very simple and cheap to being complex and expensive, so getting one that suits your needs is not always easy.
The problem with 3D printers is that they are complicated in general, so it can be difficult to get them right. There are many things that go into printing the object, such as choosing the correct material settings, deciding on an appropriate size of layer thickness, understanding how the printing bed moves, etc.
Those six problems are probably the ones that are easiest for most people to identify. However, you must become very familiar with your printer and learn how to check it routinely for maintenance.
Don’t let a day go by without checking your 3D printer. Remember, a well-maintained printer will virtually eliminate all of the headaches that come with using one.
So there, hopefully, you now have a good idea of what problems are likely to occur with your 3D printing machine and some ideas on how to fix them.
Remember, if you make a habit of doing these “checks” regularly, your 3D printer will be in great shape and ready to go when you want to get your next project started.
Hello, my name’s Rush Chapman. I’m a 3D printing enthusiast. I started this site to help people choose 3D printing projects and select the best 3D printer for your needs, whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro!
