ER58 – Material Station Could Not React to Material Movements

The ER58 error appears on UltiMaker printers equipped with a Material Station—specifically the S5, S7, S8, and Factor 4 models. It indicates that the Material Station was unable to respond quickly enough to material movements from the feeder. The error message (on the printer display or in Digital Factory) will identify the affected extruder and material bay.

How the Material Station Works

The Material Station is part of the printer’s material handling system, designed to feed filament smoothly to the print cores. The flow works as follows:

1. Prefeeder – located beneath each material bay, it begins the filament path.
2. Bowden tubes – connect the prefeeder to the merger.
3. Merger – directs the material to the correct extruder (6-to-1 system).
4. Decoupler – includes a spring-loaded slider that detects filament position and tension.
5. Feeder – manages the actual filament movement for loading and printing.

Note:
- On S series Pro Bundles, the feeders are at the back of the printer (Bowden system).
- On Factor 4, the feeder is integrated into the print head (direct drive).

What Triggers ER58?

ER58 occurs when the Material Station cannot respond in time to material movement—typically during printing. The decoupler, which acts as a buffer between the prefeeder and feeder, is unable to compensate.

Important: This is a critical error. All printing processes stop and a reboot is required to clear the error message.

How to Resolve ER58

1. Restart the Printer

• Power cycle the printer to clear the error.
• Unload the filament back into the Material Station.
• Only reload and retry the print after resolving the root cause.

Common Causes and Fixes

⚙️ Fast Material Movements (Especially Unretract)

• This often affects flexible filaments.
• In Cura, reduce:
  • Retraction Speed
  • Prime Speed
• Try reverting to the default material profile.
• Test with a different material type to isolate the issue.

⚙️ Material Obstruction in the System

• Check for jams or fragments, especially in the decoupler.
• Manually feed filament to check for resistance.
• For safety:
  • S series: Disconnect Material Station power.
  • Factor 4: Turn off the printer completely.
• Disconnect the Bowden tube if needed to push through blockages.

Tips:
- S series: Disconnect the Bowden tube at the bottom of the feeder.
- Factor 4: Disconnect at the top of the decoupler (requires back panel removal).

⚙️ Obstructions or External Force on Decouplers

Factor 4:

• Check the back panel area after maintenance for accidental interference.
• The back panel must always be installed during operation.
• Power off and unplug the printer before panel removal.

S Series:

• Ensure decouplers and Bowden tubes move freely.
• Maintain at least 10 cm / 4 in of clearance behind the machine.
• Avoid attaching Bowden tubes to other machine parts.
• Do not move or touch internal parts during operation.

⚙️ Incorrect or Corrupted Decoupler Calibration (Rare)

• In rare cases, calibration values may be incorrect or overwritten.
• Follow the decoupler calibration guide (best done with two people).

Note:
- The linked guide is for the S series.
- On Factor 4, decouplers are upside down and require back panel removal.
- A specific calibration guide for Factor 4 is coming soon.