Material loading failure recovery

Last updated Aug 31, 2026, 5:46 PM UTC

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We are aware of a material loading issue affecting UltiMaker S6 or S8 printers on the Latest firmware (11.2) with a Material Station. In some cases, the filament stops loading slightly above the feeder. If you encounter this frequently, please switch to the Stable firmware (11.1) for a consistent experience while our team works on a permanent fix. Learn more here.

On Factor 4 and UltiMaker S series printers with a Material Station (S5, S6, S7, and S8), the filament is automatically loaded to the print head at the start of a print. Additionally, these setups offer an automatic spool switching feature: a new spool of filament is loaded when the first one runs out during the print.

When loading fails, the printer will start a troubleshooting process to help you recover the material, resolve any issues that may have caused the loading to fail, and reload the filament. When this occurs during a spool switch in the middle of an active print job, you will be able to continue your print afterward.

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If the printer did not switch to a new spool, but instead pauses with a Material Empty message (and no troubleshooting guide), this usually means that no compatible spool is available instead of a loading error. If you did load additional spools, ensure that the settings are exactly the same (brand, type, color). Learn more about spool switching here.

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If you do not see the troubleshooting guide, but other loading errors (ER52 or ER54) on older S series printers (S3 and S5), you are likely running very old firmware. Please update the firmware.

Some common causes for the material not loading successfully include accidentally leaving the feeder lever open, damaged or improperly cut filament, or broken pieces of material in the extrusion path. This process lets you check all aspects to make sure nothing is overlooked, and the material can be recovered without having to power off the machine.

The material loading failure recovery process is different for Factor 4 and S series. Please select your model below and follow the steps.

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If the accordions do not expand when you click on them, please refresh the page.

UltiMaker S series

For S series printer with a Material Station, the material loading failure recovery will show the following steps:

1. Clean the feeder

If the material has loaded up to but not through the feeder at the back of the printer, something could be stuck inside. In this case, it is recommended to clean the feeder. If the material has gone through the feeder, or has not even come close to it, you can skip this step by clicking Confirm.

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If you don't know how to clean the feeder, follow the steps on this page or follow the instructions on the display by selecting Learn how.

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Learn how

If you select Learn how, the display will show additional instructions for cleaning the feeder. Take the following steps:

Remove the clamp clips from the top and bottom of the feeder.
While pressing down on the tube coupling collet, pull the Bowden tube out of the feeder. Do this for both the top and bottom of the feeder.
Reduce the feeder tension by turning the hex screw in the top of the feeder housing until the indicator is completely at the top.
Remove the four screws in the front feeder housing. Carefully pull this part away from the feeder and set it aside.

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Be careful not to lose the tube coupling collets and feeder ring, as they might fall out. Place them aside with the front feeder housing.

Use tweezers to remove any pieces of filament that are stuck inside the feeder, and use a small brush to clean the knurled wheel and remove any debris from inside the feeder.
Place the feeder ring inside the back part of the housing, then align the front part of the feeder housing, and push it into place.
Insert the four screws and tighten them. It is recommended to do so in a cross pattern, starting in the top-left corner and finishing in the top-right corner.
Put the tube coupling collets back into the top and bottom of the feeder.
Re-insert the Bowden tubes into the collets, pushing until they cannot move further.
Secure the Bowden tubes with the clamp clips.

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If you have two different clamp clips on your feeder, the black one should go at the top, and the white one should go at the bottom of the feeder.

After completing these steps, select Confirm to continue with the recovery process.

2. Check the feeder tension

For most materials, the feeder tension should be at a medium setting. Check the indicator on the side of the feeder, this should be in the middle. If the tension is too high, this can prevent the material from loading because the feeder will flatten the material. If the tension is too low, the filament can slip inside.

Adjust the feeder tension by turning the bolt in the top of the feeder housing using a 2 mm hex key or screwdriver. When the feeder tension is correct, select Confirm to proceed.

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Learn more about the correct feeder tension on this page.

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3. Check the Bowden tubes

Ensure that all the Bowden tubes are in place and secure. There are several Bowden tubes on each extruder path with connections below and above the Material Station's decoupler and below and above the printer's feeder. They should all be properly connected and secured with a clamp clip. If all tubes are correctly in place, select Confirm to continue.

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Gently pull at each tube to make sure they don't easily slide out. If necessary, remove the tubes and fully reinsert them. Extra instructions will be provided on the display by selecting Learn how.

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4. Open the feeder lever

After performing the checks on the feeder and Bowden tubes, the Material Station will rewind the spool retract the material back into the Material Station. Only the prefeeders will be engaged, not the feeder at the back of the printer. Make sure that the lever on the side of the feeder is in the open position (up). Select Confirm to continue.

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5. Retracting material

Please wait while the material is being pulled back into the Material Station. No action is required at this point. When the material is fully retracted, the wizard will automatically proceed to the next step.

6. Close the feeder lever

To ensure that the material can be successfully reloaded, make sure to close the feeder lever again (down). Select Confirm to continue once the feeder lever is fully closed.

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If you forget to close the lever, the loading will fail again.

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7. Clean the system

The printer will now ask if PVA has been used recently. PVA can become brittle if it is not kept in optimal condition. If this is the case, there is a chance that there are broken pieces of material in the system. A broken piece of material can cause a blockage, preventing new material from being fed through the extrusion path.

If you are sure that there are no blockages, select No to proceed. If you have used PVA, or if you are unsure, select Yes to clean the extrusion path.

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Not only PVA, but other materials can be brittle as well. This can include materials such as PLA or ABS (especially if they are old and/or have not been stored properly), or very stiff filaments such as composites. Unless you are absolutely sure there are no blockages, it is best to select Yes and clean the system.

If you select Yes, the printer will show an extra step. This includes unloading all pre-loaded materials and pushing a length of filament though all the paths of the affected extrusion train.

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Visit this page to learn how to clean the extrusion paths, or follow the instructions on the display by selecting Learn how.

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Learn how

If you select Learn how, the display will show additional instructions for cleaning the system. Take the following steps:

The prefeeders for the affected extrusion paths have been disengaged; they will not grab material as you insert it. Pull out any preloaded materials from the affected ports (1 or 2).
Locate the decoupler of the affected extruder path (1 or 2) at the back of the Material Station.
Remove the clamp clip from the bottom of the decoupler.
Remove the Bowden tube from the bottom of the decoupler. Push on the collet while pulling the tube out.

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Removing the Bowden tube from the bottom prevents potentially pushing broken pieces of material into the decoupler. However, there is very little space below the decoupler. If this is too difficult to do, you can also remove the Bowden tube from either the top of the decoupler or the bottom of the feeder.

Take a spool or length of filament to push through the system. You will need at least 1 m of material. It must be a rigid material (not flexible and not PVA). Insert the tip of the filament into the affected port of bay A (or the first material bay that had filament loaded in the affected extruder path).
Manually push the filament through the system until it comes out of the Bowden tube at the back of the Material Station, or when you encounter too much resistance to continue.
Pull back the material and continue with the next material bay. Repeat these steps for all the material bays until they are all cleared.
Re-attach the Bowden tube to the bottom of the decoupler (or from where you removed it). Ensure to fully push it in, until it really cannot go any further.
Secure the tube with the clamp clip.

After taking these steps, select Confirm to proceed with the material failed to load wizard. After selecting Confirm, the prefeeders will engage again.

8. Inspect the filament

After the spool in the affected bay was unloaded, inspect the material for signs of grinding and damage. If you reload the material with a damaged section, the loading process will likely fail again. Look closely at the length of filament that was fed into the system, and cut off a section if it looks damaged.

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9. Prepare the material

A proper tip shape on the material is crucial to ensure successful loading. If the end of the material is flattened, widened, or has sharp edges, it may get caught on something as it travels through the system. For example, when it enters a new Bowden tube.

Use cutting pliers or wire cutters to cut the end of the filament into a nice sharp tip.

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A double cut is recommended for the best results. Cut the filament at an angle, then cut it again from the other side, ensuring a conical tip shape. Select Learn how on the display for additional instructions.

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10. Reload the material

If you have removed the spool from the Material Station, place it back into the material bay. The printer will indicate which material bay was active. Place it back in the same one, as this material bay will be reactivated after this step. Insert the filament in the entry port. You can also reload any materials that you may have removed during the previous cleaning steps.

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Factor 4

On Factor 4, the material loading failure recovery will show the following steps:

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The recovery process will be done for just one of the extruders; the display will indicate which one. In this article, extruder 1 is used as an example. Replace the steps for extruder 2, if this is where your material failed to load.

Check if the filament reached the print head

This helps determine the filament's position and where the loading could have failed. If you can see the filament in the Bowden tube entering the print head, select Yes. If the material has not fully reached the print head, or you do not see the filament at all in the Bowden tube in the build chamber, select No.

Clean the feeder

If you pressed Yes (the filament has reached the print head and is visible in the Bowden tube), the procedure will instruct you to clean the feeder in the print head.

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If you pressed No (the filament is not visible above the print head), this step will be skipped; the process will guide you to the next relevant step (removing the back cover panel), see below.

Open the feeder: Loosen (but do not remove) the small screw at the top of the feeder lever. Pull the lever towards you to open the feeder.
Detach the Bowden tube: Push down on the white Bowden release clip and pull the Bowden tube out of the print head. The left Bowden tube is for extruder 1.
Check the filament in the feeder: If the material is visible in the feeder, press Yes to start the cleaning process. It is strongly advised to follow the cleaning step, even if you are not sure of you see the filament in the feeder.
Clean the feeder wheels: Pull the filament out of the print head. Use a small brush to clean the wheels inside the feeder.
Cut the filament: To ensure a more reliable loading process, use cutting pliers to cut the filament sticking out of the Bowden tube. Cut close to the end of the tube (about 5-6 mm, or ¼ in), but be careful not to damage the Bowden tube. Make a double cut on the filament to ensure a nice pointy tip.
Close the feeder: Push the feeder lever closed again, ensure it is well aligned and fully closed, and turn the thumbscrew at the top of the lever to lock it in place.
Reattach the Bowden tube: Firmly push the Bowden tube into the print head again.

The material will now retract back into the Material Station, and the recovery process is complete. You can now try loading the material to the print head again by pressing Continue.

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You do not have to follow the rest of the steps listed below if cleaning the feeder has resolved the problem.

Filament has not reached the print head

If the filament is not visible in the Bowden tube above the print head, it is likely that the material got stuck earlier in the path between the Material Station and the print head. The other components (decoupler and merger) are hidden behind the printer's back cover panel.

Remove the back cover panel

To further troubleshoot, the cover panel must be removed.

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The electronics and power supply are also located behind the panel. Do not touch these components with the panel removed and the printer still on. Always check local regulations before removing the back cover panel.

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Ensure you have sufficient space to access and work behind the back of the printer. If the Factor 4 must be moved or rotated, do this safely.

Use a Hex 2 screwdriver to remove the six M4×10 bolts that secure the back cover panel. Carefully move the panel away from the printer and place it aside.

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Check the decoupler

The next step is looking for the tip of the filament to see where the loading process got stuck. First, check if the material has reached the decoupler. The decouplers are the white rectangles at the top (decoupler 1 is on the right, as seen from the back). Can you see the filament enter the decoupler?

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Check and clean the decoupler

Select Yes if the filament has entered the decoupler, but did not proceed past it toward the print head. In this case, there could be something stuck inside the decoupler mechanism, blocking the filament.

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If you pressed No (the filament is not visible in the decoupler), the process will guide you to the next step (checking the merger), see below.

First, the filament will retract back into the Material Station; wait a moment until this process is finished. During the next steps, you will disconnect the decoupler Bowden tubes and manually feed through some filament.

Disconnect the decoupler from the merger: Firmly push down on the collet at the top of the merger. The top one, with the exit on the right as seen from the back, is the merger for extruder 1. Note that pressing on the collet takes quite some force. While pressing down, pull the Bowden tube out of the merger.
Remove the Bowden tube from the print head: Push down on the white Bowden release clip and pull the Bowden tube out of the print head. The left Bowden tube, as seen from the front, is for extruder 1.
Feed material through: Insert a rigid, non-brittle filament* into the end of the Bowden tube you just removed from the print head. Push the filament all the way through, until it comes out of the decoupler. Keep pushing until the filament exits from the Bowden tube to push out any broken pieces of filament.
Reattach the tubes: Pull the filament back out of the Bowden tubes. Reattach the Bowden tubes to the merger and the print head.

Press Confirm to proceed to the next and last step: reinstalling the back panel. See the instructions below.

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Do not use flexible filaments, such as TPU, as these are hard to push through. Also, avoid using potentially brittle materials, such as PVA or old, improperly stored filaments, as these might break inside the tubes or decoupler, making the problem worse.

Check the merger

Select No if the material is not visible in the decoupler. If the material has not entered the decoupler, it is probably not visible at all in the Bowden tube at the back of the printer. The filament will be retracted and rewound back into the material bay. Wait a moment for the filament to be pulled back. The next step is to check for an obstruction in the merger. It is possible that a broken piece of filament got stuck somewhere. The mergers are the black, V-shaped parts at the bottom of the Material Station module. They have six entrances (for each material bay) and one exit (for the extruder) each. The top one is for extruder 1.

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The recovery process will now disengage all prefeeders. If there are other material spools pre-loaded for extruder 1, remove all filaments from the entry ports. The eject buttons are disabled; simply pull out the filament manually.

At the back of the Factor 4, remove the Bowden tube from the bottom of the decoupler. First, remove the clamp clip. Then, apply some pressure to the white tube coupling collet and the decoupler's slider while pulling out the Bowden tube.

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At the front of the printer, insert a rigid, non-brittle filament* into bay A, entry port 1. Push the filament all the way through, until you either feel too much resistance, or when the top of the filament comes out of the Bowden tube end. Pull back the material, and move on to bay B. Perform this for all material bays, and repeat the cycle if you encountered resistance somewhere earlier, until all lines are cleared.

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You can now reattach the Bowden tube to the decoupler. Push the end of the Bowden tube all the way into the decoupler's slider. When it cannot go any further, secure the tube with the clamp clip. Give the tube one more firm push to ensure it is properly inserted.

Reload the filaments

When all lines have been checked and cleared, you can reload the filaments. Note that the prefeeders are still disengaged at this point. Firmly push in the ends of the filaments until you can feel some grip. When you press Confirm, the bays with detected material will light up. If one of the bays does not give a white light, push in the filament a bit more.

Place the back cover panel

When you have completed all the steps in the guided recovery process, put the back cover panel in place again. Place the back cover panel against the printer and ensure that the hole for the bolts and the gap for the power entry are correctly aligned. Insert an M4×10 bolt into each of the holes and use the Hex 2 screwdriver to secure them.

Finished

The problem should now be corrected. With the extrusion path clear, all Bowden tubes secure, and the feeder checked, you can now restart or continue with the print job.

Further troubleshooting (S series)

If the reloading fails again, the material failed to load wizard will be presented a second time. Please pay close attention during all the steps to prevent repeated failure. If you cannot manage to successfully resolve the issue, follow the steps below for your specific situation for additional tips.

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When the problems cannot be resolved by the guided troubleshooting wizard, it is best to turn off the machine and remove the power cable from the Material Station. Some additional troubleshooting steps require checking or disconnecting hardware, which should never be done while power is supplied to the machine.

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Never remove the side panels of the Material Station to investigate the internals. Follow the steps in this guide. When this does not succeed, please contact support.

Identify why loading failed

The first thing to do is identify where in the extrusion train the loading failed. Identify whether the filament is:

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Visible past the feeder
Visible in the feeder, but not past it
Visible past the decoupler, but before the feeder
Visible in the decoupler with the decoupler extended
Visible in the decoupler with the decoupler not extended
Not visible in the back of the Pro Bundle

Click the scenario below that applies to your situation for troubleshooting tips and advice to resolve the material loading problem:

1. Visible past the feeder

If the filament is past the printer's feeder, but it has not reached the print head:

Check that the feeder lever is closed. If the feeder lever was accidentally left open, the feeder cannot pick up the filament. Make sure to always close the lever after opening it
Check that the decoupler is fully retracted. The decoupler should be in a fully retracted state. This means that the slider should be fully pushed down, towards the decoupler.
Check the material for damage. If part of the filament was ground down by the feeder or prefeeder, cut it off above the damaged part. Ensure it has a good pointy tip, according to the image in the general guidelines below. Next, clean the feeder to remove any material debris before restarting the print.
Ensure you have enough material. The loading process cannot complete if not enough material is available on the spool. The extrusion path in the Pro Bundle is long; you need at least 3 m of filament to start or continue a print. Also make sure the filament is not tangled on the spool.

To prevent this issue from happening in the future, please refer to our general printing guidelines.

2. Visible in the feeder, but not past it

If you can see the filament enter the feeder, but not exit it, check the following:

Ensure that there is no obstruction of the decoupler. Remove any external objects that may be interfering with the decoupler or cables that may be tangled to the Bowden tubes. The Bowden tubes from the decoupler must be able to move freely and should not be secured to each other or the Air Manager cable.
Check that the decoupler is fully extended. If the decoupler is fully extended, and the filament gets stuck at the printer's feeder, you may need to clean the feeder.
Check the material for damage. If part of the filament was ground down by the feeder or prefeeder, cut it off above the damaged part. Ensure it has a good pointy tip, according to the image in the general guidelines below. Next, clean the feeder to remove any material debris before restarting the print.
Ensure you have enough material. The loading process cannot complete if not enough material is available on the spool. The extrusion path in the Pro Bundle is long; you need at least 3 m of filament to start or continue a print. Also make sure the filament is not tangled on the spool.
Ensure that the feeder is working. If material loading persistently fails at this point, check if the feeder engages at all. You can try removing the front part of the feeder housing to see if the knurled wheel turns as expected, or temporarily disconnecting the Material Station to load the material from the spool holder. If this also fails, there could be a hardware problem with the motor or electronics. Please contact support for further assistance.

To prevent this issue from happening in the future, please refer to our general printing guidelines.

3. Visible past the decoupler, but before the feeder

In this scenario, the filament has gotten past the decoupler and is visible in the Bowden tube, but it has not yet reached the printer's feeder. Please check the following:

Check that the Bowden tube is securely inserted. If the Bowden tube has slipped out of the decoupler, the material will not reach the feeder. Fully push the tube into the decoupler's slider and secure it with the clamp clip. If the tube slips out easily when applying pressure, check this page for more information.
Check the Bowden tubes for damage. There may be internal damage or bend marks inside the Bowden tubes. This could lead to excessive friction on the filament or prevent correct loading. If that seems to be the case, please contact support for further assistance.
Check for broken pieces of filament. If there is broken filament somewhere in the system, clean the Bowden tubes by manually pushing a piece of filament through. Remove the Bowden tube from the bottom of the feeder, insert new material into the entry port, and push it all the way through.
Check the material for damage. If part of the filament was ground down by the feeder or prefeeder, cut it off above the damaged part. Ensure it has a good pointy tip, according to the image in the general guidelines below.
Ensure you have enough material. The loading process cannot complete if not enough material is available on the spool. The extrusion path in the Pro Bundle is long; you need at least 3 m of filament to start or continue a print. Also make sure the filament is not tangled on the spool.

4. Visible in the decoupler - Decoupler extended

Follow these steps when you can see that the material has entered the decoupler, and the slider is fully extended:

Ensure that there is no obstruction of the decoupler. Remove any external objects that may be interfering with the decoupler or cables that may be tangled to the Bowden tubes. The Bowden tubes from the decoupler must be able to move freely and should not be secured to each other or the Air Manager cable.
Check if the Bowden tube is fully inserted. If the Bowden on the upper side of the decoupler is not fully inserted, it can create a gap where the filament can get stuck. The filament can also get caught on the tube coupling collet if the Bowden tube has slipped out completely. Fully push the tube into the decoupler's slider and secure it with the clamp clip. If the tube slips out easily when applying pressure, check this page for more information.
Check the material for damage. If part of the filament was ground down by the feeder or prefeeder, cut it off above the damaged part. Ensure it has a good pointy tip, according to the image in the general guidelines below.

To prevent this issue from happening in the future, please refer to our general printing guidelines.

5. Visible in the decoupler - Decoupler not extended

Follow these steps when you can see that the material has entered the decoupler, but the slider is not extended:

Ensure that there is no obstruction of the decoupler. Remove any external objects that may be interfering with the decoupler or cables that may be tangled to the Bowden tubes. The Bowden tubes from the decoupler must be able to move freely and should not be secured to each other or the Air Manager cable.
Check for broken pieces of filament. If there is broken filament somewhere in the system, clean the Bowden tubes by manually pushing a piece of filament through. Remove the Bowden tube from the bottom of the feeder, insert new material into the entry port, and push it all the way through.
Check the material for damage. If part of the filament was ground down by the feeder or prefeeder, cut it off above the damaged part. Ensure it has a good pointy tip, according to the image in the general guidelines below.

To prevent this issue from happening in the future, please refer to our general printing guidelines.

6. Material is not visible at the back of the machine

If the filament is not visible at the back of the machine, then the filament is getting stuck at the bottom of the machine and not finding its way outside of the Material Station.

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Check carefully, as it may not be easy to see if the material has entered the decoupler or not (especially white and translucent materials). When in doubt, also follow the steps for 4. and 5. (Visible in the decoupler).

Perform the following steps:

Ensure that there is no obstruction of the decoupler. Remove any external objects that may be interfering with the decoupler or cables that may be tangled to the Bowden tubes. The Bowden tubes from the decoupler must be able to move freely and should not be secured to each other or the Air Manager cable.
Check the material for damage. If part of the filament was ground down by the feeder or prefeeder, cut it off above the damaged part. Ensure it has a good pointy tip, according to the image in the general guidelines below.
Manually push filament into the system. Push approximately 1 meter of filament into the entry port. The filament should be making its way to the back of the Pro Bundle. There are two possibilities how this can go wrong:

You hit an obstruction

If you feel you hit an obstruction before the filament exits out the back of the Material Station, there is something blocking the merger. In this case, you likely saw grinding marks from the prefeeder on the filament.

Obstruction, caused by broken filament in the merger. There is likely broken filament in the system which must be cleared out. Try pushing from a different bay if you cannot push the obstruction further.
Obstruction, caused by another bay still having filament in the merger. Check if other bays have filament fed in the merger. Pull all preloaded materials out of the Material Station.

If you are able to clear the obstruction, you can turn on the Pro Bundle again. Reload your materials and restart your print.

Filament never comes out

If you can keep pushing filament (more than 1 meter) into the Material Station, but it never comes out the back and you do not feel a blockage, there is probably an opening at the bottom of the Material Station. The following could be the case:

Disconnected prefeeder Bowden tube
Open merger
Disconnected merger Bowden tube

To resolve this, it is necessary to turn off and dismantle the Pro Bundle and open the bottom compartment of the Material Station.

warning

The Material Station has a built-in power supply. Due to local laws and regulations, not everyone may be allowed to open the Material Station. Please contact support or your local reseller to receive further instructions.

General guidelines

These general guidelines for setting up and printing with the UltiMaker S5 or S7 Pro Bundle will help to prevent problems with material loading:

Hardware setup

The Pro Bundle should be installed with enough clearance at the back. This is required for correct airflow for the Air Manager and prevents external objects from interfering with the decouplers.
The sliders and Bowden tubes of both decouplers must be able to move freely at all times. Never secure the decouplers' Bowden tubes to each other or the Air Manager cable.
Ensure that the feeders are correctly set up. For all UltiMaker materials, the recommended feeder tension is in the middle. A too low feeder tension can cause filament slipping, while a too high tension can lead to grinding. Also ensure that the feeder levers are fully closed before starting a new print job. Learn more about feeder tension on this page.
Make sure that all Bowden tubes are fully inserted and secured with a clamp clip. If the tube slips out of the decoupler easily when applying pressure, check this page for more information.

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Removing the Bowden tubes from the decoupler when troubleshooting or removing broken filament can be difficult, and correctly reinserting them even more so. If you find this too hard, remove the Bowden tube connected to the feeder instead.

Material tips

Correctly cut the filament tip before loading new material into the Material Station. Use the supplied cutters to pre-cut the filament tip into a pointy shape. This avoids material getting stuck. Make a double cut to create a conical shape for the best results and avoid sharp edges.

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If you notice blockages or see broken pieces or strings on filament in the Pro Bundle, make sure to clean the extrusion system. Follow the instructions in the material failed to load wizard or see this page for removing filament pieces from the Material Station. Additionally, regularly clean the feeders and the Bowden tubes to optimize the extrusion system.

Need further support?

If the instructions above consistently fail to improve load behavior, consider re-calibrating the decouplers following the instructions in this article: ER66 - Decouplers not calibrated

When you continue to experience problems, or if you have any questions about the procedures explained on this page, please reach out to support.