How to Change Out Filament on an Ender
3 Creality 3D Printer
James Hays
4/28/22
Technical Description
Introduction
Switching out filament is a necessary step when 3D printing and can be confusing for
newer users. This document is here to help users at any level of expertise have a safe
and easy set of instructions to change out filament or install for the first time. The Ender
3 is the first in a growing line of Ender 3/Creality printers but is still a viable and efficient
machine that has a lower budget for hobbyist and people just getting started with FDM
printing. To change the filament out does not take any prior skills and will take a
maximum of ten minutes. Changing filament is a necessary step within FDM printing
because if you use the printer eventually you will run out or need to change colors for
different prints.
Background
The Creality Ender 3 printer that this document is based off was introduced to the public
in March of 2018. The Ender 3 is the first in a growing line of Ender 3 Creality printers
that have been being released for years and now come in many chapes and sizes. 3D
printing, also known as stereolithography, has been around since the first machine was
patented in 1984 by Charles Hull. The first process created layers by pointing a laser at
a flat layer of a metal powder that when a laser is shined out it solidifies and then
another coating of powder is layer down and the laser creates the next layer of the part.
Now this process has evolved in two directions: resin which uses an upside-down plate
dipped into liquid resin and shines a laser to solidify just like before and FDM which is
what the Ender 3 uses and this is melting a material and pushing it through an extruder
that lays it on a build plate and builds a piece layer by layer using 3 axis to move the
extruder through each layer path.
Key Components
The materials needed are your Ender 3 printer, a roll of filament that you want to use,
and a pair of pliers (not required but helpful).
o Filament stands for the 1.75mm rolled material that feeds through the machine
and melted through the extruder into the layers that make up your parts you print
o FDM stands for Fused Deposition Modeling and is a one of the main processes
of 3D printing.
o Bowden Tube is a long transparent Teflon tube that keeps the filament safe and
guides it to the extruder.
The Ender 3 printer is a standard FDM additive manufacturing
machines that layers materials to create pieces of solid materials
from computer code. The Ender 3 has a heated print area of 220
x 220 x 250mm that was ahead of its time especially for the
price. The price is under $200 which allows hobbyists and
people new to 3D printing access to a well-built machine at a
non-extravagant price. This printer can print in PLA, ABS, and
TPU filament without much modification. It weighs 6.9 kg with
external dimensions of 439 x 409 x 465mm and if settings are
correct can correctly create precision parts. The low weight is
caused from the aluminum frame that is durable and will last its
lifetime.
Fig. 1 Full Creality Ender 3 with simple
filament modification (left) (Hays, 2022)
Note: There will be a hot nozzle when you are switching filament, but your hands should
be nowhere near it. Be aware of your surroundings and this process is very safe.
Technical Instructions
1. Flip the power button on.
Fig. 2 Side profile showing screen and on/off switch
(Hays, 2022)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Push the knob in to turn on the menu.
Turn the knob to the right until Control is highlighted and push the knob in.
Turn the knob to the right until Temperature is highlighted and push the knob in.
Turn the knob to the right until Nozzle is highlighted and push the knob in.
Turn the knob until the number on the screen is up to the temperature your
material requires (PLA is around 200, PETG is around 240 degrees Celsius).
7. Pull the old filament out (if there is any) once the printer has reached the correct
temperature.
8. Cut the end of your new filament so it has a pointed end with the pliers (not
necessary).
Fig 3. Showing the slight angle, you can cut to make
inserting filament easier
9. Push this new filament through the hole and make sure the gears catch ahold
and it has gone through the second hole as well.
10. Push the filament until you fell resistance and see the color all the way through
the Bowden tube.
Fig 4. Showing the holes, the filament must
travel through (Hays, 2022)
11. Push the filament slightly more until you see filament come out the hot nozzle.
Fig 5. The extruder tip that heats up to melt
the filament (Hays, 2022)
Conclusion
This process can require some patience, but if you follow these steps, you will be
able to complete the process of changing out filament without issues. If there are
issues it is probably a clog and can be fixed by heating the extruder with a heat gun
or take the easier process and stab a tiny needle up the tip as it is still up to
temperature.