Stops Extruding Mid-Print

If your 3D printer extruded properly at the start of your print but suddenly stopped partway through, there are usually only a few possible causes. Below, we’ll explain the most common reasons for this issue and provide suggestions for resolving it. If your printer is having trouble extruding at the beginning of a print, please refer to the “Failure to Extrude at the Start of a Print” article for troubleshooting.

Common Causes and Solutions:

Out of Filament

This may seem obvious, but before investigating other potential problems, first check that filament is still feeding into the extruder. If the spool has run out, load a new spool of filament and resume printing.

Filament Stripped by the Drive Gear

During the print process, the extruder motor continuously spins to feed the filament into the nozzle so the printer can extrude plastic. If you're printing too quickly or extruding too much material at once, the drive gear might grind away the filament until it can no longer grip it. This could be the issue if you notice the extruder motor spinning but the filament isn’t advancing. For more details on resolving this, refer to the “Grinding Filament” article.

Clogged Extruder

If neither of the above problems applies, there’s a good chance the extruder is clogged. A mid-print clog can often be caused by dirt or dust on the filament itself, which accumulates inside the nozzle. Make sure to check the cleanliness of your filament and spool. If dust buildup is the culprit, it can cause blockages. There are several potential reasons for a clogged extruder—please refer to the “Clogged Extruder” section in the “Failure to Extrude at the Start of a Print” article for more comprehensive troubleshooting.

Overheated Extruder Motor Driver

The extruder motor works continuously during printing, rapidly moving to push and retract filament. This activity draws a significant amount of current, and if the printer’s electronics aren’t adequately cooled, the motor driver electronics may overheat. Many drivers have a built-in thermal cut off that stops the motor when temperatures get too high. In this case, the X and Y-axis motors will keep moving, but the extruder motor won’t operate. To resolve this, power off the printer and let it cool down. If overheating becomes a recurring issue, consider adding additional cooling, such as an extra fan, to keep the electronics at a safe temperature.