Loading and unloading filament - Me3D Support

Loading and unloading filament


Loading and unloading filament to your printer is easy within BuildBee!



 

When at the 'Select Material' stage, there is a button for either loading or unloading filament.


load_unload.png 


Loading

Step 1 - Advance to the 'select material' step

- Choose a model to print from the home screen and confirm your selecting on the next page.
- Select a printer to print on.

Step 2 - Load filament into your printer

- Once you click 'LOAD FILAMENT', your printer will begin to heat up.


loadinggggg.png


While your printer is heating up, run through the following steps:

  1. Open the filament, keeping the re-sealable bag and box for storage.
  2. Unravel a small amount of filament and cut the end off at a 45ยบ angle.
  3. Sit the filament spool in a safe place next to your Me2, making sure it is out of the way of any moving parts during printing to avoid any complications.
  4. Run the filament through the handle opening and into the hole on the right side of the filament drive block.
  5. Push gently on the filament until you can feel it grip slightly in the filament gear.

animated printer handleanimated printer


It is best to stay near the printer when loading filament to make sure the extruder grabs the filament properly and pulls it through.


Unloading

For bowden line 3D printers, use the unload button first and then remove from the bowden line.

Step 1 - Advance to the 'select material' step

- Choose a model to print from the home screen and confirm your selecting on the next page.
- Select a printer to print on.

Step 2 - Unload filament from your printer

- Once you click 'UNLOAD FILAMENT', your printer will begin to heat up.


unloadinggggg.png


- Once at temperature, the extruder will begin to retract the loaded filament. Wait for it to finish retracting before removing the filament.

- Select the 'BACK' button to return to the 'select material' screen.

Manual controls

You can also use the manual controls in the maintenance console of BuildBee to do this process manually. For more information on how to use the manual controls, refer to the manual controls help article.

    • Related Articles

    • How to clear a blockage

      When to check for a blockage You should check for a blockage in your extruder if you hear any loud clunking/ticking noises coupled with inconsistent or no extrusion during a print. Other indicators of a possible blockage include your filament being ...
    • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

      Here you’ll find MSDS sheets for all the materials stocked by Me3D. Click one of the download links below or right click and choose ‘Save As’. You should always consult the manufacturer of your filament for up to date materials safety information. ...
    • Extruder Makes a Clunking Sound

      The clunking sound comes from the stepper motor in the extruder head skipping because it’s overloaded - in other words it’s taking too much effort to push fresh filament into the hot-end, melt it and extrude it onto the build surface. This can result ...
    • Printer dropped and got stuck in a print

      What caused this to happen? The cause of this issue can vary, but you should check the following things: Check if the blue USB cable was disconnected during the print. If the USB cable gets disconnected during a print, it interrupts the communication ...
    • 3D print troubleshooting guide

      Looking to improve the quality of your 3D printed models, but not sure where to start? Most of the time these issues are easy to fix and don’t require messing around with print settings. We have compiled a list of some common issues that can happen ...