Filament nuggets around part

[Jeff Alvarez]

I've been having some issues with filament nuggets showing up around my part. I'm trying to determine the source and I think they're coming with the extruder when it comes out from behind the wiper. I've checked to make sure the wiper is at the right height and made sure the extruder goes back there. 

I've attached a picture.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Jeff

[James Kincaid]

You either don't have your wiper stick installed or it is installed but not adjusted properly.  Here's how it works.  There is a white plastic shaft that protrudes down near the number one jet.  When a jet moves to the position behind the wiper plate it then heats and then extrudes a small amount of filament.  This extruded filament takes on the form of a glob that sticks to the wiper plate and then as it cools it solidifies and remains there attached to the wiper plate.  When the jet needs to be purged again it needs to be repositioned behind the wiper plate again, however, before it does that the wiper stick is moved into that position first.  This then dislodges the glob of filament that is attached to the wiper plate and it most of time falls into the waste collection bin.

What's happening in your case is there is nothing removing that glob that is stuck to the wiper plate and so the print jet extrudes more filament on top of the glob.  It does this a few times until it gets so large that the print jet its self dislodges the glob, but in doing so, being partially melted, it sticks to your jet and is brought back over to the print you are growing where it is dislodged from the print jet by the print build causing all manor of havoc with your printing process.

Here is a tutorial on how to set up and adjust the wiping stick.