Troubleshooting - Ultimaker 2 Extended User Manual

TROUBLESHOOTING

There are a few printer specific issues that could show up while using your Ultimaker 2 Extended. If you ever happen
to get one of these issues, you can easily troubleshoot the issue yourself. Below a short overview of the most common
issues is shown. And the next page will show an overview of possible errors on the Ultimaker 2 Extended. For more
instructions please take a look at our website: ultimaker.com/support
EXTRUSION PROBLEMS
Extrusion problems can occur in different ways and can have several reasons. The nozzle could simply be completely
block, through which no material is coming out of the nozzle at all. But it could also mean that the Ultimaker 2 Extended
just doesn't extrude enough plastic, leading to very thin or missing layers in a print. This is what is called "under
extrusion".
In most cases, extrusion problems are caused by some dirt or carbonized material in the nozzle or another hot end part
through which a (partial) blockage is created. In order to get rid of this there are a few things that can be done:
• Check if the filament has not grinded in the feerder. If it did, remove it from the machine first.
• Make sure the tension on the feeder is as loose as possible (white insert clip at the top).
• Try to manually extrude some material by using the 'Move material' option in the Advanced menu. You can put
some extra force on it by manually pushing the material at the feeder while doing this.
• Use the Atomic Method to remove any dirt or carbonized material from the hot end.
After having used the Ultimaker 2 Extended for a longer time already it could also mean that the PTFE coupler has
deformed, causing fritcion to the filament. This consumable item has the tendency to wear over time due to the heat
and pressure from the hot end. If none of the above described options works, it is advised to take a closer look at the
PTFE coupler. A deformed PTFE coupler can be recognized by a (small) brim on the inside at the bottom. Instructions for
this can be found on the website.
CAN'T CONNECT TO CURA
If Cura doesn't recognize your Ultimaker 2 Extended when you want to upload firmware, there is a problem with the
connection due to software or hardware failure. The following checks are advised in this case:
• Make sure everything is connected properly (power supply and USB cable) and that the Ultimaker 2 Extended is
turned on when uploading firmware. If possible, you can also try another USB cable.
• Check if the latest version of Cura is installed on your computer.
• Try connecting on a different computer, preferably with a different Operation System.
PRINT NOT STICKING TO BUILD PLATE
When you're experiencing difficulties with prints sticking to the build plate, there could be a few things going on. It
could either mean that the first layer just doesn't stick well enough or that the prints gets loose due to "warping" of the
plastic. Warping basically happens because of the properties of the plastic. Plastics have the tendency to shrink when
cooling down fast (some plastics more than others), which could eventually lead to your print curling up (at the corners).
You will especially notice this behaviour when printing ABS, which has a relatively big shrinkage.
In order to decrease the amount of warping and have a good first layer you can do the following:
• Check if the heated bed is set to the correct temperature (60°C for PLA and 90°C for ABS).
• In order to have a nice first layer, make sure that the build plate is properly leveled.
• For good adhesion you will either need a completely clean glass plate (e.g. no oil on it) or a thin layer of glue
applied to the glass plate.
• A nice feature in Cura to help preventing warping is called "Brim". It will place a single layer thick flat area around
your object, thus creating a bigger adhesion surface.
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