Sporadic issue with filament layers - Pressure Advance?

webdad

I've got a sporadic issue with the stepper motor clicking periodically, and layer 1 showing gaps. See below. It doesn't happen all the time, even with the same filament. Given the "pulsing" nature of the gaps, I'm thinking that I might need more pressure advance. This is all on layer 1, so there isn't any retraction in play.

Setup:
DBot E3D V6 full hotend with Titan extruder
750mm Bowden tube
1.75mm filament
0.4mm nozzle
Pressure advance is currently 0.03

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

MSquared

is it your extruder motor that is clicking? Typically that happens when the extruder can't push the filament through the hot-end and it either starts missing steps or grinding the filament or both.

Since a Titan is pretty grippy it shouldn't start slipping filament without some kind of blockage, since you're on the first layer the most likely culprit is the bed. I have had this happen when my nozzle is a little too close to the bed and the pressure prevents any additional plastic from exiting (and thus entering) the nozzle.

Maybe not what is happening, but that would be my first guess.

webdad

Thanks. I think ultimately the issue was related to my nozzle being damaged/worn. I replaced it with a micro-swiss hardened steel and also dialed up the grip in the extruder. Between the two, that resolved the problem.

Thanks