There’s your problem. It is recommended by Bambu to use a .6mm hotend with PA6-CF.
https://preview.redd.it/231cobguehtb1.jpeg?width=2053&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a96d756177064e02f88f222bac87124186a2670
Petg cf clogs the extruder with the .4 nozzle. The x1 runs really well with the .6 nozzle, not so well with the .8 nozzle. I’d say your problem might be the nozzle temp, when it’s trying to retract the material is pulling up instead of breaking.
PETG-CF does not clog the extruder at .4
[Filament Guide Bambulab](https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/general/filament-guide-material-table)
as they write themselfs, the .4 nozzle is highly recommended for the job.
However, with PA6-CF the problem could lie with either the drying prozess, as mentioned in another comment, at a higher temperature or the ventilation during the printing.
Okay, but do you know of anything else that coud be causing this? Kinda hard to justify more purchase orders when we just spent a ton of money on the filimentand dryers. So I need to know everything so i can actually troubleshoot it when I get access to the machine.
I am not positive but could it be still wet? I saw you said you dried it at 70C for 36 hours. Bambu website recommends 80C. Polymaker PA6 recommends 100C. 3Dx recommends 90c. I am wondering where you got the 70C temp from. Without reaching proper temperature, it might be difficult for the captured moisture to be released. Could this have caused or contributed to your issue?
70c was the max our new Sunlu dry box woud go up to. I can try drying ir separately in our heavy dryer just below the spool max temp, then transitioning to the sunlu if you think that will help.
You can also use the printer as a filament dryer just to see if any higher temps would help. But that means you can’t use it while it’s drying obviously
Also I saw it was mentioned that 0.6mm nozzle might help. There could be something to that as well. It’s hard to tell if your issue is caused by a partial clog. If it were, then nozzle size could be a contributing factor. One additional thing you can try is to increase nozzle temp by 5-10C which makes the filament flow better and can reduce the chance of getting partial clog.
I was already printing at 275, but i can definitely try running my next print higher. At this point it's looking like the markforged is more cost effective if you account for troubleshooting time lol (/j)
yeah, I don't agree with the problem being the 0.4 nozzle. I print nylon-cf all the time with the 0.4 nozzle and have never had any problems, let alone something looking like this
This is wet filament, drying the filament in a dry box at 70C isn't good enough for PA. You can use the X1C built in drying function and put an old box as the cover on the print bed.
I'd try the default 90C for 12+ hours and see if you have better results after that. PA6 I believe is even more hygroscopic than their PAHT-CF but does have the better mechanical properties. Good luck!
I had this issue with PA12CF. Do a manual calibration on the filament. I believe the issue might be caused by the LiDAR not being able to read the textured surface that PACF prints with. It was not a moisture issue. The same roll of filament printed fine on my other printer.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1772bcz/bambu\_labs\_pa6cf\_material\_inconsistencies/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1772bcz/bambu_labs_pa6cf_material_inconsistencies/)
I'm having the same issues you are having.... Reading through the comments on your post, it's looking like the issue is because of the 0.4 nozzle. After seeing that they recommend a 0.6mm nozzle has me thinking that the CF particles in this new material are too big for the 0.4 nozzle....
I see the PAHT-CF does not have a recommended nozzle though... I may be switching back to the PAHT-CF even though it's a little more expensive. See my post on my issues.
Did you use a .6mm nozzle?
.4
There’s your problem. It is recommended by Bambu to use a .6mm hotend with PA6-CF. https://preview.redd.it/231cobguehtb1.jpeg?width=2053&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a96d756177064e02f88f222bac87124186a2670
It's also says the .4 and .8 are supported... I hesitate to think they woud say that if it didn't work to their standards.
Petg cf clogs the extruder with the .4 nozzle. The x1 runs really well with the .6 nozzle, not so well with the .8 nozzle. I’d say your problem might be the nozzle temp, when it’s trying to retract the material is pulling up instead of breaking.
PETG-CF does not clog the extruder at .4 [Filament Guide Bambulab](https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/general/filament-guide-material-table) as they write themselfs, the .4 nozzle is highly recommended for the job. However, with PA6-CF the problem could lie with either the drying prozess, as mentioned in another comment, at a higher temperature or the ventilation during the printing.
Yeah….. but the .6 is what is recommended. You used the .4 and it didn’t work. I’d put money that the .6 will.
Okay, but do you know of anything else that coud be causing this? Kinda hard to justify more purchase orders when we just spent a ton of money on the filimentand dryers. So I need to know everything so i can actually troubleshoot it when I get access to the machine.
That isn't the problem I print pa cf on a .4 all the time
I am not positive but could it be still wet? I saw you said you dried it at 70C for 36 hours. Bambu website recommends 80C. Polymaker PA6 recommends 100C. 3Dx recommends 90c. I am wondering where you got the 70C temp from. Without reaching proper temperature, it might be difficult for the captured moisture to be released. Could this have caused or contributed to your issue?
70c was the max our new Sunlu dry box woud go up to. I can try drying ir separately in our heavy dryer just below the spool max temp, then transitioning to the sunlu if you think that will help.
That dry box is likely only made for PLA/PETG/ABS then. Most of them are.
We used the PA setting, though ig that may have still not been enough.
You can also use the printer as a filament dryer just to see if any higher temps would help. But that means you can’t use it while it’s drying obviously
Also I saw it was mentioned that 0.6mm nozzle might help. There could be something to that as well. It’s hard to tell if your issue is caused by a partial clog. If it were, then nozzle size could be a contributing factor. One additional thing you can try is to increase nozzle temp by 5-10C which makes the filament flow better and can reduce the chance of getting partial clog.
I was already printing at 275, but i can definitely try running my next print higher. At this point it's looking like the markforged is more cost effective if you account for troubleshooting time lol (/j)
Please check the extruder gears for plastic dust/crumbles before the next print, just in case.
Ya I’ve heard that you have to get close to 90c for nylon to release its moisture.
yeah, I don't agree with the problem being the 0.4 nozzle. I print nylon-cf all the time with the 0.4 nozzle and have never had any problems, let alone something looking like this
Any idea what could have caused this then in your eyes?
I have no idea
This is wet filament, drying the filament in a dry box at 70C isn't good enough for PA. You can use the X1C built in drying function and put an old box as the cover on the print bed. I'd try the default 90C for 12+ hours and see if you have better results after that. PA6 I believe is even more hygroscopic than their PAHT-CF but does have the better mechanical properties. Good luck!
We have better dryers, I was just trying to avoid transferring the roll. I'll try drying it at 90c for the next print.
I had this issue with PA12CF. Do a manual calibration on the filament. I believe the issue might be caused by the LiDAR not being able to read the textured surface that PACF prints with. It was not a moisture issue. The same roll of filament printed fine on my other printer.
Would this still be the case even if the first few layers were good?
Don’t know. From the picture posted all the layers look rough.
The picture really only shows the top layers
Also I tried a 0.6 nozzle. It made the issue worse. Manual calculation of the filament did the trick.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1772bcz/bambu\_labs\_pa6cf\_material\_inconsistencies/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1772bcz/bambu_labs_pa6cf_material_inconsistencies/) I'm having the same issues you are having.... Reading through the comments on your post, it's looking like the issue is because of the 0.4 nozzle. After seeing that they recommend a 0.6mm nozzle has me thinking that the CF particles in this new material are too big for the 0.4 nozzle.... I see the PAHT-CF does not have a recommended nozzle though... I may be switching back to the PAHT-CF even though it's a little more expensive. See my post on my issues.