3D Pen Troubleshooting – Clogs, Not Heating or Feeding & More

3D pens can go through some issues when trying to use them, so I decided to put together some basic troubleshooting tips to fix 3D pen issues. They are quite simple devices compared to 3D printer’s, so the fixes are quite basic.

Keep on reading to learn how to fix your 3D pen issues.

How to Clean a 3D Pen’s Nozzle

Here’s how to clean a 3D pen’s nozzle:

• Unplug the wire connected to the 3D pen carefully to avoid causing the motor to break.
• Make use of a screwdriver to remove the back of the 3D pen, and disconnect the red and black wire from the board.
• Use the screwdriver to loosen the screws holding the board and remove the motor from the 3D pen.
• After that, you’ll need to remove the filament tube from the motor by losing the screws fixed in the motor.
• Take out the nozzle next but first you’ll need to remove the plastic protecting the nozzle by holding your fingers against the two buttons at the tip of the 3D pen.
• After that, clean the nozzle and assemble the 3D pen.

Check out the video below by Unic-3D-Printing to see how this is done.

How to Remove 3D Pen Nozzle

To remove your 3D pen nozzle, you’ll have to carefully separate the parts of your 3D pen using a screwdriver and a flathead plastic tool. This needs to be done carefully to avoid damaging the 3D pen since the components are easily breakable and require care in detaching the nozzle from the 3D pen.

There are different guides to follow for each type of 3D pen. The following guide shows how to carefully remove the 3D pen nozzle of a MYNT3D pen.

• Insert the flathead plastic tool into the small slot to pop the back cover of the 3D pen open – you’ll need to get the rest of the back cover out using your hand.
• Use the screwdriver to loosen the screws holding the nozzle together
• Gently remove the nozzle and turn carefully if you experience any difficulty.

Check out the video below to see how to remove a 3D pen nozzle on a MYNT3D model.

You can also remove your 3D pen’s nozzle without disassembling the body parts. Another user shared the following guide used to remove the 3D pen’s nozzle.

• Hold the 3D pen with your left hand and pinch the nozzle wedge with your right hand using your thumb and middle finger.
• Hold the wedge down and make it lower than the front cover
• Move your thumb and middle finger towards the nib of the 3D pen and pull out the nozzle.

You can see these steps in this video.

How to Fix 3D Pen Motor Not Working or Feeding

To fix your 3D pen that is not working, you’ll need to disassemble the 3D pen and check that the components are placed correctly or if they are damaged.

One user realized that his DW-G2 3D pen had an issue with it not working or feeding properly. He noticed an issue with the motor which would jump out of place and lose grip on the filament.

In this case, he fixed it by simply using a piece of rubber to push the motor down into position so it didn’t jump out of place.

After purchasing a new MYNT3D Pro 3D pen, another user reported a problem with the 3D pen heating up and only feeding a small amount of plastic. The 3D pen then resets, and the temperature indicator didn’t rise above 30°C.

He contacted support who informed him that the nozzle was defective and that he should return it for a refund on a new package. This may have been down to a broken thermistor, which is the part that measures temperature.

One user mentioned that the wire of his MYNT3D pro pen was pinched flat by the casing.

The MYNT3D pen worked properly for a while and later had pinched wires which also stopped working after a lot of stop and go. After writing to support, another MYNT3D pro pen was sent to him.

He checked the second MYNT3D pro pen for pinched wires and also observed that they were also getting pinched. Based on this, he concluded that MYNT3D has an assembly problem.

How to Fix 3D Pen Not Heating Up

When a 3D pen doesn’t heat up, it can’t function properly, so it needs to be resolved before using it.

One way to fix your 3D pen not heating up is to fix any filament blockages. A user with a 7 tech 3D pen shared that the 3D pen stopped working and refused to heat up which resulted in a red light flashing.

Another user who experienced the same problem shared that a filament blockage could be the cause. However, when you experience this, ensure to clean out the blockage through the 3D pen.

If you own a MYNT3D pen, you can try the following guide when your 3D pen doesn’t heat up.

• To begin heating, press the feed button
• Connect the power cables correctly and check the display.
• If the pen does not display, try using a different AC to USB adapter
• If the current temperature does not rise and the heating process has begun, replace the nozzle.
• Make sure you are plugging into mains and not a weaker power source like a laptop.

It’s a good idea to contact the support of your 3D pen brand to see if they can suggest tips or send a replacement.

How to Fix a Clogged 3D Pen – Get Filament Out of 3D Pen

Here’s how to fix a clogged 3D pen:

• Push the blocked filament through with a new filament
• Disassemble 3D pen and clean out

Push the Blocked Filament Through with a New Filament

One way to fix a clogged 3D pen is to try and heat up the pen and push some new filament through the pen to clear the blockage. This can work in some cases if the blockage isn’t too bad.

Some early versions of the 3Doodler had clogging issues and this was a key fix for it.

Disassemble 3D Pen & Clean Out

When the filament being used during the process of creating the design isn’t extruding properly or it extracts a small amount, you’ll want to disassemble and clean your 3D pen.

One user mentioned that he experienced a problem with his 3D pen with PLA filament coming out too thin.

He resolved the problem by doing the following steps:

• Remove the nozzle of the 3D pen and make use of a nozzle cleaning needle.

• Heat up the nozzle with a lighter or a mini torch.
• Feed some filament through the 3D pen with the nozzle out ensuring that no filament is clogged behind the nozzle.