<p>In order to try a short answer even though you already found a change to Cura helped the issue. With that additional info we can conclude that your printer per se is working fine. To me, if the plastic is curling up to a ball, it seems that you are either having</p>

<ul>
<li>a wrong temperature set</li>
<li>wrongly calculated e-steps, volume calculation (filament diameter) or multiplier in the firmware</li>
<li>additional first layer parameters are off (height, offset, extrusion)</li>
</ul>

<p>You can try to set the extrusion multiplier just to test if it is a simple miscalculation.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-13T13:31:27.100Z
2016-06-13T13:31:27.100Z
kamuro
<p>I have a HE3D Prusa XI3 Specs are linked <a href="https://www.3dprintersonlinestore.com/reprap-prusa-xi3" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Its came with a MK8 Extruder, and  I ordered the 0.3mm nozzle with it. I have Repetier v.91 loaded onto the printer right now, and Repetier-Host v1.5.4 on my computer. I have been able to print the test object that came on the SD with ok quality but when I switch to using the computer it just doesn't work at all. It starts up and heats the bed and extruder then zeros out the axis. After coming to temp which I set to 192c for the PLA plastic and bed temp of 60-65c it tries to print. Now comes my problem. It acts as if not enough plastic is being extruded. It doesn't even get the first layer down then when the second layer comes up I notice that there is plastic balling up at the end of the nozzle. So I decided that I should must with the settings in Repetier-Host to see what I could come up with. In printer settings I got everything set up besides the Max Volume Per Sec. How do I figure this number out? I also messed with the settings in slic3r to see if that helped but I didn't notice any difference. I am also using 1.75mm PLA If that might be needed.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-02T07:39:42.333Z
So you say that XYZ works fine but E is not right?
darth pixel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-02T09:07:57.823Z
Yes it seems that way anyway.
Dakota Miller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-02T09:10:08.417Z
I have been messing around with the settings and got the first layer to print but when I goes to do the second it stops again. I since have read up on the slic3r manual and it cleared some things up for me.
Dakota Miller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-02T15:42:39.537Z
Update on this thread. I have been messing around with some stuff and got the Gcode file off the SD card and looked at it. From what I can tell its trying to print way too fast compared to the Gcode for the test file on the SD card. I'm going to mess around with the settings and see if I cant figure this out.
Dakota Miller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-02T16:23:33.487Z
Ok so comparing the two files the one from the SD that works and the one slic3r produces, It makes sense that the settings are way off. For the first layer its trying to print at a flow rate 1800 when the one on the SD card prints at 1200.
Dakota Miller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-03T02:08:55.887Z
I got it to work with CuraEngine but still a no go for Slic3r. I would like to use Slic3r only because it seems I would have more printing options.
Dakota Miller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-03T20:21:18.550Z
i use MatterControl http://www.mattercontrol.com/
darth pixel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-04T23:41:29.753Z
Thx darth ill give it a shot. However the printer broke the other day. So i am just going to upgrade the extruder with an e3d v6 hot end and see if my problems go away the teflon tubbing end will have more temperature control. Also i noticed that the top hole in the extruder for the filament isnt inline with the bottom and the friction thats put on it moves the teflon tubing when it is retracted during printing.
Dakota Miller
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-13T22:51:57.980Z
I do not have anything to add on if this is a software issue, but have you considered that the printing plate may be too far from the extruder? To me that would seem to explain the 'balling' of the filament at the end of the extruder.
J. Roibal - BlockchainEng
<software><prusa-i3><firmware><repetier><repetier-host>
Prusa XI3 not printing correctly with Repetier Host
Dakota Miller
# Prusa XI3 not printing correctly with Repetier Host

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-02)

I have a HE3D Prusa XI3 Specs are linked [here](https://www.3dprintersonlinestore.com/reprap-prusa-xi3). Its came with a MK8 Extruder, and I ordered the 0.3mm nozzle with it. I have Repetier v.91 loaded onto the printer right now, and Repetier-Host v1.5.4 on my computer. I have been able to print the test object that came on the SD with ok quality but when I switch to using the computer it just doesn't work at all. It starts up and heats the bed and extruder then zeros out the axis. After coming to temp which I set to 192c for the PLA plastic and bed temp of 60-65c it tries to print. Now comes my problem. It acts as if not enough plastic is being extruded. It doesn't even get the first layer down then when the second layer comes up I notice that there is plastic balling up at the end of the nozzle. So I decided that I should must with the settings in Repetier-Host to see what I could come up with. In printer settings I got everything set up besides the Max Volume Per Sec. How do I figure this number out? I also messed with the settings in slic3r to see if that helped but I didn't notice any difference. I am also using 1.75mm PLA If that might be needed.

**Tags:** software, prusa-i3, firmware, repetier, repetier-host
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: So you say that XYZ works fine but E is not right?  
> **username_0**: Yes it seems that way anyway.  
> **username_0**: I have been messing around with the settings and got the first layer to print but when I goes to do the second it stops again. I since have read up on the slic3r manual and it cleared some things up for me.  
> **username_0**: Update on this thread. I have been messing around with some stuff and got the Gcode file off the SD card and looked at it. From what I can tell its trying to print way too fast compared to the Gcode for the test file on the SD card. I'm going to mess around with the settings and see if I cant figure this out.  
> **username_0**: Ok so comparing the two files the one from the SD that works and the one slic3r produces, It makes sense that the settings are way off. For the first layer its trying to print at a flow rate 1800 when the one on the SD card prints at 1200.  
> **username_0**: I got it to work with CuraEngine but still a no go for Slic3r. I would like to use Slic3r only because it seems I would have more printing options.  
> **username_1**: i use MatterControl http://www.mattercontrol.com/  
> **username_0**: Thx darth ill give it a shot. However the printer broke the other day. So i am just going to upgrade the extruder with an e3d v6 hot end and see if my problems go away the teflon tubbing end will have more temperature control. Also i noticed that the top hole in the extruder for the filament isnt inline with the bottom and the friction thats put on it moves the teflon tubing when it is retracted during printing.  
> **username_2**: I do not have anything to add on if this is a software issue, but have you considered that the printing plate may be too far from the extruder? To me that would seem to explain the 'balling' of the filament at the end of the extruder.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-06-13. Score: 2

In order to try a short answer even though you already found a change to Cura helped the issue. With that additional info we can conclude that your printer per se is working fine. To me, if the plastic is curling up to a ball, it seems that you are either having

* a wrong temperature set
* wrongly calculated e-steps, volume calculation (filament diameter) or multiplier in the firmware
* additional first layer parameters are off (height, offset, extrusion)

You can try to set the extrusion multiplier just to test if it is a simple miscalculation.


---

