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My filament seems damaged from printing

3D Printing Help Centre

3D PRINTING HELP CENTRE

In the 123-3D help centre, we answer all your questions about 3D software and printer settings, problems you may experience during or after 3D printing and other 3D-related topics.

My filament seems damaged from printing

Are pieces missing from your filament and do you regularly find plastic shavings when you have been working with your 3D printer? Then you most likely suffer from 'grinding filament'. In this case pieces of the filament are bitten away by the drive gear and the extruder can get little or no grip on the material. This makes the filament seem to slip and will probably cause under-extrusion in your 3D prints.

How do you recognize grinding filament?

When you start printing, the filament is controlled by the drive gear so that the material can move forwards or backwards. The drive gear has sharp teeth for extra grip during this process. When the filament cannot move, for whatever reason, these sharp teeth ensure that pieces of the filament disappear. 

If this happens, you will notice that the extruder cannot process the filament because there is not enough grip for the gears. In this case, the motor of the extruder turns, but the filament does not move. In addition, the filament is visibly damaged and shavings will remain behind.

You can recognize grinding filament by the following characteristics:
  • Visible damage to the filament
  • No or insufficient supply of filament to the extruder

How can you solve or prevent grinding filament?

Grinding filament can have various causes. That is why we have made an overview with important points for attention and the most common causes and solutions.

  • Adjust your retraction settings

    If you have set a retraction speed or distance that is too high, the filament may not be able to keep up, putting too much pressure on the extruder and the filament. You can easily test whether this is the case by lowering your 'retraction settings' by 50%. Do you still suffer from grinding filament after this? Then read on.

  • Increase the temperature of your hot end

    The supply of filament is smoother at a higher temperature. If you suffer from grinding filament, it may be that the temperature is currently set a little too low. You can easily solve this by increasing the temperature of your hot end by five to ten degrees.

  • Reduce the print speed

    Do you print at high speed? Then you can also suffer from grinding filament. If you are currently using a print speed of 70 - 80mm/s, for example, halve this speed to test whether this is the cause. When you reduce the print speed, the extruder motor will rotate less quickly, so that the supply of the filament is distributed over a longer period. 

  • Check the nozzle

    Do you still suffer from grinding filament after all these tips? Then your nozzle is most likely clogged with old filament residue. Clean your nozzle with a specially developed metal needle or cleaning filament. Doesn't help? Replace your nozzle to ensure your prints are the highest quality again.
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