Odd issue with filament loaded sensor

[Johnathan Garrett @jgarrett My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

Hey guys,

I’m having an odd issue with my filament loaded sensor. About 30-45% of the time after a print, AM tells me that the filament is not loaded. When this happens, the eject button is disabled in the software, so I have to hold down the eject button on the side of the printer. When I do this, only a few mm of filament gets ejected, so I have to do it 10 times or so until the filament gets fully ejected. I then re-insert the filament and the printer detects it with no issues and the sensor reads as loaded again.

It’s not a breaking issue, but quite inconvenient. Has anyone seen this issue, or know how to fix it?

Thanks!

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[BHudson @bhudson I have several Robox units Kickstarter and Commercial Arizona, USA]

@jgarrett it sounds like the filament exit switch is worn on your extruder. There is a small plastic flap in the inside of the extruder that is pushed out of the path by the filament and causes a limit switch to close. This tells the unit that there is filament in the unit. Over time, the filament wears this little flap down until it doesn’t get pushed enough. My solution is to glue a thin piece of plastic to the back of the switch to make it work again. It took some trial and error to get the right thickness, but once I did that I don’t have this issue anymore.

 

I operate two Betas and one Production Robox.
See my 3D Hub site at https://www.3dhubs.com/phoenix/hubs/ben

[Johnathan Garrett @jgarrett My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

@bhudson Thanks for the response! I’ll test it out as soon as I get the chance.

[Sarah @shudson My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

I’m also having this issue, now after every print. I will try this solution. It seems like everything that can go wrong, has for this printer. The thing is it happens sometime in the middle of a print yet the printer keeps printing. This seems strange to me. I’m glad it doesn’t stop printing in the middle or I wouldn’t be able to use the printer at all. Right now I have to heat the head and feed some filament through using the arrows and wait for the printer to read the filament (eject filament button becomes active) and then quickly and immediately start the print. If I go a couple seconds too long it loses the filament again.

[Pete @pete My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version CEL HQ Bristol UK]

we have the first test production parts of the modified extruder loaded swtich in the office for testing now. Once we have tested these we will make them available for anyone with this problem.

 

The metal part pushes on the switch whenever filament is present.

As a temporary solution bhudson’s suggesting is good, i have also had good results with a tiny blob of superglue to fill the worn area. superglue is hard so wears quite well.

For official support please visit www.cel-robox.com/support/ and create a ticket

[Sarah @shudson My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

Hey, @pete, I reported my issue to your support portal and got told “we have never seen this problem before!” Not feeling a whole lot of confidence in Cel right now. Since my previous post nothing I do gets the filament to register.

I would like to add that I’m on my third printer. The first one the gantry was so skewed on one side of the bed the head dug in and the other it was a millimeter above the surface. The second one first the head blew a gasket (only ever used the plastic Cel sent with the printer) and they had to send me a new one, then the extruder failed completely and they send a whole new printer after wasting weeks trying to fix it. Then there is a cable that hangs down and breaks prints unless I install a hack created by one of your forum members (bhudson). Now this third one I find out that the printer relies on a small plastic piece constantly rubbing against plastic filament? And the fact that this small plastic piece has worn down makes the printer, once again, useless unless I open it up and jury rig something to fix it?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by  Sarah.

[Terry Taylor @n6mon My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Early Bird San Lorenzo, Ca, USA]

Got my new design extruder exit switch and filament wiper/catcher from Robox today. “Loaded False” have stopped (so far). Have still had some issues with the extruder not pulling filament (slip errors), but I THINK it might be the Robox reels. The new ones I have gotten seem much stiffer when turning. Going to try some dry silicone lube on the reel hubs tomorrow.

The new filament wiper/catcher design works REALLY well.

Terry Taylor

[Alain @teleporteur My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

@pete

Hello,

how to get that replacement parts with the new Metal Detector?

thanks

 

Alain

[Pete @pete My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version CEL HQ Bristol UK]

I believe we will be selling some replacement extruder casing parts in the shop soon. These will be to allow the current extruder to print with flexible material but should also include all the new Loaded switch parts.

Watch the blog for more news about this, should be tested and confirmed in the next week or so.

For official support please visit www.cel-robox.com/support/ and create a ticket

[Omega64 @omega64 My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

Hello @pete, are there advantages in upgrading the Extruder if one doesn’t want to use anyway flexible materials and prefers to stick with classic PLA/ABS?

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