Extruder Motor not turning while printing, but works while testing

I am building a modified Prusa I3 using a Mega 2560 r3 board with RAMPS 1.4 and A4988 Drivers.
All functions correctly while heating bed and extruder, homing function works, and connects to Pronterface without errors.

When I try to print an object, after centering it on the platform and hitting print, the extruder moves extremely slow to the center of the bed,
and starts the print.

I notice that the extruder motor at this point does not turn at all,
but before the print while loading the filament, the extruder will advance 5mm and also retract with no issues and at the correct lengths.

I have checked the wiring and replaced it, to no avail, and I have used different firmware.

Has anyone heard of this problem?
Thank You.

Hi there,

I am having the same issue as you. However, my extruder did work when I was printing with PLA. Once I began using ABS I have run into this problem. Hopefully someone can provide some assistance.

Regards,
Chris

What slicer are you using, and what does the G Code look like? If you could put the first 50 or so lines of G Code up on the forum, it would help with a diagnosis.

Check your extruder speed settings. If they're too high, the motor may not turn. It can work in test if your control software sends its own speed value when extruding or retracting, which will be different to your slicer / firmware settings.

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[3DKarma.com] - suppliers of quality, affordable 3D printer kits and filament for the UK market.

Im having the same problem did any 1 solve it yet

Movement settings from configuration.h

#define NUM_AXIS 4 // The axis order in all axis related arrays is X, Y, Z, E
#define HOMING_FEEDRATE {50*60, 50*60, 50, 0} // set the homing speeds (mm/min)

// default settings

#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT {80,80,4000,945} // default steps per unit for Maker Farm 8" i3 Prusa {80,80,4000,945}
#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE {500, 500, 2, 25} // (mm/sec)
#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION {9000,9000,10,10000} // X, Y, Z, E maximum start speed for accelerated moves. E default values are good for skeinforge 40+, for older versions raise them a lot.

#define DEFAULT_ACCELERATION 3000 // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for printing moves
#define DEFAULT_RETRACT_ACCELERATION 3000 // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for retracts

Is that to solve it and is that in marlin firmware

That is not a solution, that was posted.

3DKarma mentioned speed settings and the post was my setting in marlin for the configuration.h file.

I have the same issue with Sprinter and Repetier firmware, I have also changed the stepper drivers and the stepper motors with no change.

I have also tried printing in Pronterface and Repetier Host but still have no change from the original post problem.

After doing some research I have also tried modifying the marlin firmware to use E_1 pins instead of E_0 but the printer still reacts the same.

it will extrude 5mm and retract 300mm on click but does nothing while printing. I have noticed that the extruder motor is engaged (locked into position) while running but will not rotate.

@3D Karma, is there a setting you could recommend? Thank You.

Using nema 17, 12 volt steppers.

I made a video of the problem and posted it to youtube here: Printer Issue

I had a similar problem and ended up dropping the extruder max speed to 10 to counter it. Yours is currently set at 25:

#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE {500, 500, 2, 25} // (mm/sec)

You could try dropping it to 10 and go from there.

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[3DKarma.com] - suppliers of quality, affordable 3D printer kits and filament for the UK market.

@3DKarma,

I had just adjusted the firmware down in increments of 5, and all the way down to 1, with still no movement.
The speed of the extrusion does seems to be affected when manually pressing the extrude and reverse on pronterface.
I appreciate the advice, but I am still stuck.

The speeds in the Configuration.h you posted don't look unreasonable. When you are testing printing, is the hotend heated up? The extruder won't turn unless you have reached a safe temperature. Of course that would mean you had it heated up for manual extrude and not heated for test printing, which I don't think is the case. But as you said, the motion is very slow as well. Have you adjusted the voltage on the stepper drivers?

Bruce

I repeat - what does your G Code look like? Is it even calling for extrusion. If you are using skeinforge and do not have the dimension plugin enabled, it till generate code for axis movement, but no extrusion. I'm just trying to rule this out before going crazy with settings changes.

The buttons on the pronterface screen have nothing to do with the G Code that is generated by your slicer.

Here is about 50 lines of gcode

G90
G21
M103
M105
M106
M140 S60.0
M141 S30.0
M142 S0.0
M113 S1.0
M108 S129.53
M104 S199.234
G1 X89.28 Y92.088 Z0.72 F60.0
M101
G1 X89.28 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X92.16 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X92.16 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X95.04 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X95.04 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X97.92 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X97.92 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X100.8 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X100.8 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X103.68 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X103.68 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X106.56 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X106.56 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X109.44 Y108.072 Z0.72 F148.032
G1 X109.44 Y92.088 Z0.72 F148.032
M103
M108 S57.79
M104 S198.581
G1 X89.244 Y92.16 Z1.18 F960.0
M101
G1 X109.476 Y92.16 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y93.6 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y93.6 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y95.04 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y95.04 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y96.48 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y96.48 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y97.92 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y97.92 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y99.36 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y99.36 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y100.8 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y100.8 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y102.24 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y102.24 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y103.68 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y103.68 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y105.12 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y105.12 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y106.56 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y106.56 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X109.476 Y108.0 Z1.18 F264.1832
G1 X89.244 Y108.0 Z1.18 F264.1832
M103
M108 S57.52
M104 S198.572
G1 X89.244 Y92.16 Z1.58 F960.0
M101
G1 X109.476 Y92.16 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y93.6 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y93.6 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y95.04 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y95.04 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y96.48 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y96.48 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y97.92 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y97.92 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y99.36 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y99.36 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y100.8 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y100.8 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y102.24 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y102.24 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y103.68 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y103.68 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y105.12 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y105.12 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y106.56 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y106.56 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X109.476 Y108.0 Z1.58 F262.9643
G1 X89.244 Y108.0 Z1.58 F262.9643
M103
M108 S43.97
M104 S220.0
G1 X111.2 Y111.2 Z2.0 F480.0
G1 X88.8 Y111.2 Z2.0 F480.0
G1 X88.8 Y88.8 Z2.0 F480.0
G1 X111.2 Y88.8 Z2.0 F480.0
G1 X95.9 Y95.36 Z2.0 F960.0
M101
G1 X104.64 Y95.36 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X104.64 Y104.64 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X95.36 Y104.64 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X95.36 Y95.54 Z2.0 F200.985
M103
M104 S195.0
G1 X96.56 Y96.02 Z2.0 F960.0
M101
G1 X103.98 Y96.02 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.98 Y103.98 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.02 Y103.98 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.02 Y96.2 Z2.0 F200.985
M103
G1 X96.53 Y102.47 Z2.0 F960.0
M101
G1 X97.53 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X98.379 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.53 Y101.621 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.53 Y100.773 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X99.227 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X100.076 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.53 Y99.924 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.53 Y99.076 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X100.924 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X101.773 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.53 Y98.227 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.53 Y97.379 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X102.621 Y103.47 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.262 Y103.262 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X96.738 Y96.738 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X97.379 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y102.621 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y101.773 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X98.227 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X99.076 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y100.924 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y100.076 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X99.924 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X100.773 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y99.227 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y98.379 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X101.621 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X102.47 Y96.53 Z2.0 F200.985
G1 X103.47 Y97.53 Z2.0 F200.985
M103
M104 S230.0
M108 S37.69
G1 X104.28 Y97.53 Z2.4 F135.5074
G1 X104.28 Y104.28 Z2.4 F480.0
G1 X95.72 Y104.28 Z2.4 F480.0
G1 X95.72 Y95.72 Z2.4 F480.0
G1 X104.28 Y95.72 Z2.4 F480.0
G1 X96.62 Y96.63 Z2.4 F960.0
M101
G1 X96.62 Y96.62 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X103.38 Y96.62 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X103.38 Y103.38 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X96.62 Y103.38 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X96.62 Y97.35 Z2.4 F172.2908
M103
G1 X96.61 Y96.02 Z2.4 F960.0
M101
G1 X103.98 Y96.02 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X103.98 Y103.98 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X96.02 Y103.98 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X96.02 Y96.15 Z2.4 F172.2908
M103
G1 X96.61 Y95.36 Z2.4 F960.0
M101
G1 X104.64 Y95.36 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X104.64 Y104.64 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X95.36 Y104.64 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X95.36 Y95.36 Z2.4 F172.2908
G1 X95.89 Y95.36 Z2.4 F172.2908
M103
G1 X102.87 Y101.625 Z2.4 F960.0

Yeah, I see no extrusion in your g-code. What slicer are you using?

That code was written using Repetier Host and Skeinforge for the slicer, I have tried Slicer in Repetier but it errors out and is unusable.

I'm not familiar with this type of slicing, before this I have only used Makerware for my other Flashforge Replicator Clone.

Is there a Stand alone copy of Slicer that I can use to prep the model?

One would think that this would be a common problem, but oh well.

May I ask where in the code I should be looking for the extrusion settings, in order to tell if it's there or not?

Quote
Coldstone
That code was written using Repetier Host and Skeinforge for the slicer, I have tried Slicer in Repetier but it errors out and is unusable.

I'm not familiar with this type of slicing, before this I have only used Makerware for my other Flashforge Replicator Clone.

Is there a Stand alone copy of Slicer that I can use to prep the model?

One would think that this would be a common problem, but oh well.

May I ask where in the code I should be looking for the extrusion settings, in order to tell if it's there or not?

Here's a snippet of some gcode with extrusion (notice the "E")

G1 X85.576 Y83.731 E1.01695 F1200.000
G1 X87.447 Y82.656 E1.15600
G1 X87.687 Y82.558 E1.17272
G1 X89.693 Y82.027 E1.30645
G1 X89.933 Y81.995 E1.32206
G1 X91.000 Y81.925 E1.39097
G1 X110.055 Y81.994 E2.61900
G1 X110.314 Y82.028 E2.63580
G1 X112.289 Y82.549 E2.76749
G1 X112.532 Y82.647 E2.78435

You can install slic3r standalone, in fact that way you can insure you have the latest version. You can run it by itself, or reconfigure Repetier to use the one you installed instead of the one packaged with RH. You might also look at Cura since it has a very simple interface.

Bruce