The multi-material system fails (does not load, cut or jams)
20 usi3d guides for “The multi-material system fails (does not load, cut or jams)”, each with the likely causes, how to check which one is yours and the step-by-step fix, with each manufacturer's official sources.
2 apply to any FDM printer and 18 are for Anycubic, Bambu Lab, Creality, Elegoo, Prusa, Raise3D, Snapmaker and UltiMaker printers.
Each guide summarises the official documentation and says whether usi3d has already verified it on a machine.
Any FDM printer (1 guide)
- PLA turns brittle and snaps on the spool, in the tube or in the multi-colour system
The PLA filament breaks when you bend it by hand, snaps inside the PTFE tube, the multi-colour system or the extruder and the print stops for lack of filament, or the…
Materials and filament (1 guide)
- Multi-colour printing: colours mix, purging wastes a lot of filament or the prime tower fails
On multi-colour parts the light colour comes out stained by the dark one (for example, white turns grey next to black), purging wastes a huge amount of filament, or the…
Anycubic (1 guide)
- Kobra 3 or Kobra S1 with ACE Pro: error 11511, 11512 or 11518 (filament will not feed, will not retract or jams)
The Kobra 3 Combo, or the Kobra S1 with the ACE Pro, pauses with code 11511 (on the Kobra 3, «Extrusion abnormal»), 11512 («Retraction abnormal») or 11518 («Filament…
Bambu Lab (6 guides)
- A1 and A1 mini with AMS lite: won't load, won't extrude or won't pull the filament out of the toolhead
With the AMS lite, the A1 or A1 mini stops when loading or changing colour with alerts such as «Unable to feed filament into the extruder», «Failed to extrude the…
- AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT: the printer doesn't detect it or it won't dry the filament
The printer does not recognise the AMS 2 Pro or the AMS HT: on the AMS 2 Pro, the LEDs of all four slots double-flash red and it does not appear on the screen or in the…
- H2D: the two nozzles don't line up (shift when switching nozzles) or nozzle offset calibration fails
In a print using both nozzles, what one nozzle prints is offset from what the other prints, like a step or a layer shift right at the nozzle change, or the nozzle offset…
- The AMS won't load filament: «Failed to feed», assist motor overloaded or no extrusion
With an AMS (also AMS 2 Pro or AMS HT) loading or a colour change stops with an alert: the filament does not leave the AMS (0700-8005, «Failed to feed the filament…
- The AMS won't unload filament: it won't leave the extruder, won't return to the AMS or «filament broken in the toolhead»
When unloading or changing colour, the AMS stops with an alert: it cannot pull the filament out of the extruder (0700-8003), cannot return it to the AMS (0700-8004…
- The filament cutter gets stuck («The cutter is stuck») or fails to cut
When unloading or changing colour, the printer stops with «The cutter is stuck» (for example 0300-800B, 0700-8002 with the AMS or 1200-8002 with the AMS lite) or with…
Creality (3 guides)
- CFS: what its lights mean and what to do if the printer does not detect it
The slot lights on the CFS (Creality's multi-colour system) flash or stay red, or the CFS turns its screen on and pre-feeds filament but the printer does not detect it.
- K2 Plus: the waste chute clogs and the purge does not fall out (sometimes with error 2060)
The purge waste the nozzle ejects when changing filament or starting a print piles up in the waste chute and does not come out.
- The K2 Plus CFS will not load or retract filament (codes FR2833, FR2836, FB2847…)
With the CFS (the multi-material system) the K2 Plus stops when loading, retracting or changing colour and shows a code starting with F, for example FR2833 (feed issue)…
Elegoo (2 guides)
- Centauri Carbon 2 with CANVAS: filament will not load or unload (errors 1241, 1242, 1251 or 1265)
With CANVAS (standard on the Combo), the Centauri Carbon 2 cannot bring the filament to the print head or pull it back: the slot light flashes red, the print pauses and…
- Elegoo CANVAS: the four lights flash red, the print pauses by itself or the printer does not recognise it
With CANVAS fitted to a Centauri Carbon or a Centauri 2 series printer, its four lights flash red at power-on, the print freezes or pauses at random points, the screen…
Prusa (3 guides)
- Multi-tool XL: a tool is not picked up or parked properly (dock and toolchanger)
The XL fails to pick up or drop off a tool at its dock, a tool bumps into a parked one, or a toolchanger error appears, such as «Toolchanger problem» (#17813), which…
- Multi-tool XL: colours do not line up or tool offset calibration fails
On an XL with several tools, what each head prints is shifted relative to the rest, or the offset calibration fails with «Tool offset out of bounds» (#17104) or with «XY…
- The MMU3 does not load, does not unload or the filament gets stuck
The MMU3 stops at a colour change and the printer shows an error, for example «FINDA didn't trigger» (#04101), «FINDA: Filament stuck» (#04102), «Filament sensor didn't…
Raise3D (1 guide)
- E2: in duplication or mirror mode one head does not stick or scrapes, or the two heads are not aligned
On a Raise3D E2 (IDEX), when printing in Duplication or Mirror mode one of the two parts does not stick or its nozzle scrapes the bed; or in two-material prints the…
Snapmaker (1 guide)
- J1/J1s: the two print heads do not line up or bed calibration fails
On a Snapmaker J1 or J1s, the layers of the two materials are shifted relative to each other, or calibration fails: the bed keeps rising and the nozzle presses into it…
UltiMaker (1 guide)
- UltiMaker S: the two materials do not line up or there is a layer shift when switching print cores
On an UltiMaker S series printer, in prints with two print cores the colours or materials are shifted relative to each other (for example, the support does not match the…
Products that may help
Products from the usi3d shop that fit these guides, chosen for the fit and not for the commission. Check that they work with your printer before buying.
More “Extrusion” problems
Guides by brand
Can't find your case?
Tell usi3d's AI about your case: choose your printer, describe what you see and add photos if you like. It proposes checks step by step, with their sources.