When processing a material on the Filament it might occur that there is no output even though the screw is turning.
If the screw of your Filament Maker cannot rotate, please consult this article instead.
Hardware issues can cause output issues; however, before you look into it, it's wise to make sure the problem is not caused by your selected settings, or the material(s) used.
1. Feeding issues
Feeding issues could be the cause that no material is entering the barrel.
Insufficient feeding can sometimes be observed on DevoVision, when the motor current goes around 1500mA or below. For comparison, standard values are typically 2000-2500mA.
The result of feeding issues is that no/limited material will be pushed throughout. We discuss this issue and solution further in the following article.
2. Melt plug in the hopper
Another issue that could prevent material from entering the screw is a melt plug in the hopper.
When heat is excessive in the hopper area, polymer particles can soften and stick together, forming large agglomerates. Those large lumps cannot be fed into the barrel easily (or not at all). Cracking noises can sometimes be heard when those particles get crushed between the screw and barrel entrance.
Lowering Heater 4 can help prevent the issue.
This is very frequent with PETG --> H4=200°C is recommended
3. Clogged nozzle
When the nozzle is fully clogged, the polymer cannot leave the Filament Maker. When the nozzle is blocked, the motor current will start rising, maybe up to the 9000mA limit, then switch off.
A partial nozzle clog can be recognized by looking at the motor current. When the current is higher than usual (>3000mA), it might indicate that the nozzle is partially clogged. A partial nozzle clog can limit the flow and might cause a full nozzle clog.
Increasing H1 and/or decreasing the fancooling percentage help keep the nozzle temperature high and can prevent a clog. However, once the nozzle is clogged, it could be too late to apply these changes. In that case, it is recommended to immediately try to purge the extruder, replace the nozzle, and start a new experiment with different settings.
Fortunately, changing the nozzle is a simple process.
4. Hardware issue
A hardware issue might also be the cause that there is no output. When the possible fixes explained in the previous chapter do not solve the issue you can create a support ticket.