No idea whats going on. (Extruder? Firmware?)

[Nylocke]

This isn't about a MAX, its about my Ultimaker, but for how custom everything is on it you guys should be able to help.

I have an 3mm E3D on it and it has been printing great up until today. Maybe its this SeeMe translucent green PLA that I've been trying to use, or maybe something that happened when I updated my firmware, but something happened in-between a period of transportation and the upload of the latest version of Marlin firmware (the version I had on it before was 1 or two commits older I think, but I can't use it because I accidentally broke it and it won't compile correctly). I can't get a good print out of it again for the life of me. Its something to do with the extruder/hotend, either with the firmware, or there is some possibly very burnt plastic in the nozzle of the hot end, but I can't get it to extrude consistently. In the attached images it kinda shows what I'm talking about, look at the solid infil.

(That should be fully solid but its not)

(The other side having issues too)

(This is the part that baffles me, the top 2 corners are completely solid, only the bottom 2 corners have any issues)

I could probably deal with this on a normal occasion, but the thing that really baffles me is this; before the firmware update I ran the hot end at 210C for the Translucent Green PLA and 230C for Opaque White PLA. After the transportation/firmware update, something happened (completely baffled) where I can't get any results unless I run it at 270C (those pictures were with the White PLA at 270C). Its really weird because I can get it to extrude at 230C like normal, and I started off a print at that temp and the first layer was good, but the second layer was so starved for filament it was ridiculous. I have no clue whats happening and I'm going to drive myself mad. None of this is making any sense what so ever.

One other change I made in the mix of changes was updating Slic3r from .99 something (pre-wipe on retract) to 1.0 whatever (newest).

I am just completely stumped and baffled at what could be causing all of this. Any and all help would be appreciated so greatly. Thank you SeeMe and users of this forum for tolerating a non MAX (or SeeME for that matter) machine post on the MAX forum, not really sure where else to put it...

(Also, sorry for kinda bad pictures, low light, I should have done HDR....)

[ccavanaugh]

Since you've just changed firmware, could it be a thermistor setting typo throwing your temperatures off?

Add, I tried the latest 1.0.0RC of slic3r with very bad results and reverted back to using Cura.

[Nylocke]

I copied the Configuration.h file over from my pervious version, so no its the correct thermistor, unless the data tables changed.... I also tried to print with Cura with equally poor results.

[Eaglezsoar]

Try going back to the Slic3r you were using. I have read that people are having some problems with the latest version.

[Nylocke]

I when back to .9.10b and it started out pretty good, it all was solid, completely. Then it got to layer 3 and failed to continue that trend. I have 2 pictures, the first is of one of the corners where it got to the 40% infil. maybe if you look closely you can see the gaps in the solid infil, maybe not.

The second is of the top and it is the only solid part of this, it also shows another 2 corners.

There are just too many variables.... My extruder is a GregWades with herringbone gears, and I'm using a .4mm nozzle on the E3D. I have 2 other nozzles, but they are not currently with me. These were pinter at 230 to start and then when it started going bad I bumped it to 240.

[Nylocke]

I tried an extruder calibration, maybe its off or maybe its just because of these issues (I'm going at .44mm trace widths, before this was perfect....)

I bumped the flow rate to 110% in repetier, and I even bumped back to the truly original version of Slic3r that Repetier comes preloaded with, still no help, the last 2 fan duct attempts I have look just like the others vied tried to do. it does fine for layer 1 and 2, but as soon as it reaches 3 its starving for filament.

[CJGerard]

Mine started doing the same exact thing last night while i was experimenting in repeaterhost with speeds/feeds ect. For mine, I discovered that my filament roll had had somehow "caught." It would turn but not freely. So i fixed it and cleaned the drive gear on the EZstruder, but I still had bad print results. This lead me to the hot end which was only partially clogged until I heated it up and started playing with it.

For me tearing down and cleaning the hotend worked, so it might be worth a shot for you.

[Nylocke]

I did do a full teardown of the hot end, twice.

[Nylocke]

Ok, I guess I wasn't running it hot enough and I had my cooling fan on too high.... I lowered to to 70 (it was at 80) and bumped the temp to 250C, though that seems really high.... I did put the thermistor in the honeywell axial thermistor slot, which I found out a few days after you really aren't supposed to use that spot because it reflects the true temp poorly.... oops.... This machine has been really quirky ever since I first assembled it.... Its printing pretty well now though, hopefully I don't screw it up....