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2018/11/18 | 1,176 | 4,458 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm looking for the specific density of the GEL-LAY and LAYWOO 3D materials by manufacturer CC Products.
It isn't noted on their website or on the spool or the box the spools came in. I've looked for hours on Google and various websites, from resellers to people who tested it, without being able to find it.<issue_comment>username_1: I can't provide the end answer, but if you already have the material, you should be able to measure this yourself quite simply.
Measure and cut a sample of filament, and weigh it. For example, a 10 meter length with a 1.75 mm diameter will have a volume of:
>
> v = pi \* r2 \* l
>
>
> v = pi \* (0.175 cm/2)2 \* 1000 cm
>
>
> v = 24.05 cm3
>
>
>
Density is mass divided by volume. If your sample weighs 18 g, this would be
>
> d = m / v
>
>
> d = 18.0 g / 24.05 cm3
>
>
> d = 0.748 g/cm3
>
>
>
Note that the accuracy of this measurement will depend on the accuracy and precision of your measurements. A household kitchen scale might not be good enough for such small weights. In order to get a good weight measurement, you may need to use a much longer (and heavier) sample of filament.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Indeed, the properties of this filament are kept rather secret, so to find out what the density is, you need to either contact the filament supplier or the manufacturer for accessing the data sheet or calculate this yourself. The answer below expands on the "*calculate it yourself*".
Density is defined as $\rho = \frac{m}{V}=\frac{[kg]}{[m^3]}$. The use of this formula has been show in [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7546/5740). The drawback of that answer is that it is an approximation that relies on a uniform piece of filament that requires cutting off expensive filament and relies on assumptions rather than actual calculations. Furthermore, the weighing of a small piece of filament is much less accurate of a small piece than for a larger piece or the whole spool (for the same scale, so a decent kitchen scale might be usable when more weight is concerned). You could improve the density calculation by measuring the diameter at various sections and make a better approximation based on the average diameter, but still that would need you to unroll the spool and carefully measure a piece of filament (and cut it). The advantage of that answer is that it is far easier than my proposition.
The method that is proposed here relies on a well known method to calculate the density of materials that is called hydrostatic weighing. Hydrostatic weighing uses the displacement of a fluid due to a submerged object to determine the density of the object. Any submerged object will displace the fluid surrounding it by it's own volume, as such you would need to measure the rise of the volume level to read the volume of the submerged product. This can be done accurately by using methods that include containers of known dimensions, known fluids and even an overflow method and weighing.
If the filament comes on a spool, you would require an identical spool to prevent removing it from the spool. But, I read that it is sold in bundles, not on spools. Without a spool would make it even easier to calculate the density as you do not have to subtract the spool weight and volume, the answer continues as if you have it on a spool. This is purely necessary so that you would not need to cut off filament or unroll the whole spool. The suggestion below let's you measure the whole spool, so weight is measured more easily as there is a lot more.
Theoretically, you could put the filament in a fluid which is known to not affect the filament properties (so not water for GEL-LAY!) in a bath of known dimensions. Once the spool and filament are completely submerged, you could measure the volume rise. If you do the same for the empty spool, you also know the volume of the spool alone. If you also are able to weigh the empty spool and the full spool (before you plunged them in the "bathtub"/container), you now know the volume and the weight of the filament, dividing the weight (full spool weight minus empty spool weight) by the volume (full spool submerged volume minus empty spool submerged volume) will give you the density.
$$\rho\_{filament} = \frac{(m\_{full\ spool}-m\_{empty\ spool})}{(V\_{full\ spool}-V\_{empty\ spool})}$$
*Now let your filament dry for a long, long time! :)*
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/11/19 | 1,172 | 4,325 | <issue_start>username_0: Is there a difference between 3D printing and additive manufacturing if any then explain?<issue_comment>username_1: ### Origin
3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) both refer to a [range of processes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing_processes) where, opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies, materials are joined to create products. E.g. [FFF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_filament_fabrication), [SLS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_laser_sintering), etc.
From [this reference](https://wohlersassociates.com/additive-manufacturing.html) you see a reference to 3D printing:
>
> Additive manufacturing is the official industry standard term (ASTM
> F2792) for all applications of the technology. It is defined as the
> process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data,
> usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing
> methodologies.
>
>
>
From e.g. [this reference](https://www.tth.com/difference-3d-printing-additive-manufacturing-rapid-prototyping/) one reads that there is no difference:
>
> Between the terms 3D printing and additive manufacturing, there is no
> difference. 3D printing and additive manufacturing are synonyms for
> the same process.
>
>
>
### Useage now
However, as the AM processes and applications grew in time, 3D printing has become a subset of AM. As worded by [<NAME>ski](https://www.additivemanufacturing.media/columns/additive-manufacturing-and-3d-printing-are-two-different-things) in August 2017:
>
> To be sure, the terms overlap. They can be used in ways that make them
> sound like synonyms. But the relationship between them and the
> difference between them is this: **3D printing is the operation at the
> heart of additive manufacturing**, just as “turning” or “molding” might
> be the operation at the heart of a conventional manufacturing process.
> In short, **additive manufacturing requires and includes 3D printing,
> but it also entails more than 3D printing, and it refers to something
> more rigorous**.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes and No at the same time:
3D Printing is a subset of Additive Manufacturing
=================================================
### but treated as a synonym at this time
3D printing is a process that takes some material, in a fluid state that fuses with the model to shape an object from it. The material could be plastics, ceramic paste or even metal. The fluid state could be the normal state, or just be present for the fusing process (think powder and resin based systems), or be a transitional phase (as in filament based systems).
Additive manufacturing is just a slight bit bigger: at the moment most, if not all, AM processes are some sort of 3D printing. But AM could include other processes that don't fit 3D printing. For example, an automatic bricklaying machine could, under some view, be Additive Manufacturing, but it is not 3D printing in the traditional sense.
So: All 3D Printing is Additive Manufacturing, but not all Additive Manufacturing is necessarily 3D Printing.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I see several answers to that.
A lot of persons say *3d printing* while they really mean *additive manufacturing*. For them, the machine got a 3d part out of raw material as a 2d printer got them images out of sheets.
Some persons think that *3d printing* refers to lowpriced polymers additive manufacturing machines while *additive manufacturing* refers to industrial, expansive equipment like the so-called "DMLS"or "SLM".
Others persons say that additive manufacturing processes that use 2d-printers heads (ink injectors, such as HP additive manufacturing machines) should be called *3d printers* and *3d printing* because it's so similar to 2d printers.
I consider that "3d printer" should be avoided in general, because it is way too vague and referring to way too much different things. But it is up to anyone using these words, I just think that a serious person wouldn't use "3d printer" given all the mismatch that it could generate. I think we should use the exact process' name instead (like FDM for low-priced additive manufacturing polymer machines), or if you refer to the overall technology, use *additive manufacturing*.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2018/11/19 | 2,241 | 7,181 | <issue_start>username_0: In a [previous question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/5604/how-to-re-program-prusa-firmware-to-accept-a-taller-z-axis), I have modified the Z-axis-height of my Prusa Mk3 from 250 mm to 350 mm.
Prior to the MMU2 upgrade, I changed the code in my printer to accept the new height the following way: I changed Arduino → Configuration\_prusa.h → Axis settings → line 54 to `#define Z_MAX_POS 210` (it worked perfectly).
However, the layout is different for the new firmware v. 3.4.1, and I have no idea where the Z axis settings have gone, if they are even still there.
Can anyone point me in the right direction to find the Z MAX POS settings, please?
Obviously, I'm not very good with coding, but it looks like the entire code layout has changed for the v. 3.4.1
Firmware
========
[Prusa MK3 (firmware 3.4.1)](https://www.prusa3d.com/drivers/firmware-changelog/#mk3) MMU2 (firmware 1.0.1). The source code on Github is found [here](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/releases/tag/v3.4.1).<issue_comment>username_1: Basically, the [answer](/a/5606/5740) on your [previous question](/questions/5604/how-to-re-program-prusa-firmware-to-accept-a-taller-z-axis) is still valid, but your specific questions will be addressed below.
To answer where the setting has gone by answering:
--------------------------------------------------
>
> However, the layout is different for the new firmware v. 3.4.1, and **I
> have no idea where the Z axis settings have gone**, if they are even
> still there. **Can anyone point me in the right direction to find the Z
> MAX POS settings, please?**
>
>
>
To find where the setting is, you need to go to the source code repository of Prusa firmware (which is based on Marlin firmware) or [download the zip file with the sources](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/archive/v3.4.1.zip) and use a "grep" search utility to search in files.
The setting `Z_MAX_POS` is located in the board configuration file (so in `1_75mm_MK3-EINSy10a-E3Dv6full.h` if you have the MK3). This can be found in the online sources (the github page). The online repository is located [here](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware). Using the search functionality to search within the source code files on that page you are able to find any setting you need to find. If you type in ["Z\_MAX\_POS"](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Z_MAX_POS&type=) and scroll down till you see
```
#define Z_MAX_POS 210
```
You have found what you where looking for if you located the [MK3 board](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/blob/3d97d81734e18214afa712cac5066e168016f709/Firmware/variants/1_75mm_MK3-EINSy10a-E3Dv6full.h).
To solve your problem by answering:
-----------------------------------
>
> How to re-program NEW Prusa MK3 MMU2 to accept taller Z axis?
>
>
>
Prusa development team has got rid of `Configuration_prusa.h`, ***you will not find this file in the repository anymore***!
Instead, it is **you** that has to **rename one of the board variant files** (from the ["Firmware/variants"](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/tree/MK3/Firmware/variants) folder) corresponding to the machine you have to "Configuration\_prusa.h" and place it in the "Firmware" folder prior to compiling (note that these are simple actions that you can do on any operating system; i.e. copy file, paste file, rename file). Before you compile the sources, you need to change the value of `Z_MAX_POS 210` to `Z_MAX_POS 350`. Please read the [README file](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/blob/f7cd0ffbb0ced452d1d1307af13ba5f9d24d5a05/README.md) as this describes exactly in more detail than worded above what you need to do (e.g. use the correct Arduino IDE, e.g. 1.6.9 as this is used by Prusa development team themselves).
Quoting from the README file:
### section describing the renaming of the file:
>
> in the subdirectory "Firmware/variants/" select the configuration file
> (.h) corresponding to your printer model, make copy named
> "Configuration\_prusa.h" (or make simple renaming) and copy them into
> "Firmware/" directory
>
>
>
### section describing the compiling:
>
> run "Arduino IDE"; select the file "Firmware.ino" from the
> subdirectory "Firmware/" at the location, where you placed the source
> codes File->Open make the desired code customizations; all changes are
> on your own risk!
>
>
> select the target board "RAMBo" Tools->Board->RAMBo note: it is not
> possible to use any of the variants "Arduino Mega …", even though it
> is the same MCU
>
>
> run the compilation Sketch->Verify/Compile
>
>
> upload the result code into the connected printer Sketch->Upload
>
>
> or you can also save the output code to the file (in so called
> HEX-format) "Firmware.ino.rambo.hex": Sketch->ExportCompiledBinary and
> then upload it to the printer using the program "FirmwareUpdater"
> note: this file is created in the directory "Firmware/"
>
>
>
---
>
> To compile the sources correctly please take care in using the correct
> software versions and libraries (Arduino IDE 1.6.9, RepRap
> Arduino-compatible Mother Board RAMBo by Ultimachine v. 1.0.1, Arduino
> AVR Boards Built-in by Arduino updated to v.1.6.23)
>
>
>
---
---
*Sidenote:*
A little more in depth for those who are interested to know (and have some programming skills) why you need to change the name of one of the variants configuration files. Basically, Prusa uses different boards with different settings for the different printers they sell. All the settings for these printer variations are stored in the `Firmware/variants` folder. When you rename the variant file and put it a folder layer higher to `Configuration_prusa.h (e.g.`Firmware/variants/1\_75mm\_MK3-EINSy10a-E3Dv6full.h`to`Firmware/Configuration\_prusa.h`)`, these specific printer and board settings are included into the `Configuration.h` file ([line 43 to be precise](https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware/blob/MK3/Firmware/Configuration.h)) by the C-code include statement:
```
#include "Configuration_prusa.h"
```
This include statement will basically insert (like copy in memory) the statements from the `Configuration_prusa.h` file and thus set important constants like:
```
#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_EINSY_1_0a
```
and many more.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Latest firmware: Prusa-Firmware-3.5.0\Prusa-Firmware-3.5.0
Arduino 1.6.9, RepRap Arduino-compatible Mother Board RAMBo by Ultimachine latest version 1.0.1, Arduino AVR Boards Built-in by Arduino latest version v.1.6.23.
Copy the 1\_75mm\_MK3-EINSy10a-E3Dv6full file from
Prusa-Firmware-3.5.0\Prusa-Firmware-3.5.0\Firmware\variants into
Prusa-Firmware-3.5.0\Prusa-Firmware-3.5.0\Firmware and rename it Configuration\_prusa.h.
Open Firmware Arduino file. Configuration\_prusa.h shows in the tabs next to Configuration\_adv.h. Change //Travel limits after homing #define Z\_MAX\_POS from 210 to 350. Verify →
Sketch uses 225,482 bytes (87%) of program storage space. Maximum is 258,048 bytes.
Global variables use 6,091 bytes of dynamic memory.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/11/20 | 854 | 3,238 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a new Prusa i3 MK3 and I have noticed that my prints consistently turn out worse on 0.05 mm layer heights than on 0.10 mm. The edges of the 0.05 mm prints turn out rough and sometimes stringy.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KOLcv.jpg)
Seems similar to a retraction problem but I never have this issue on 0.10 mm prints with the same retraction settings.
What might be causing this issue?<issue_comment>username_1: When printing at small layer heights (high resolution), you probably need to do some test prints first to see if your normal settings work for the lower layer height. You are most probably experiencing an increased pressure build-up in the nozzle due to the nozzle being closer to the bed. A test that might be useful for you is spacing several objects at different distances to see if the retraction, which you already suspect, may be not working optimally or that the nozzle leaks/oozes an excess amount of filament due to pressure build-up. This shows an example of such a test where the nozzle shows oozing.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xsmW1.jpg)
Tuning the extruder to alleviate the pressure could be:
* an increased retraction length, and/or
* retraction speed, or
* looking into the option called coasting where you stop extruding before the printer reaches the end of the deposition path while it still prints material caused by the pressure build-up.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/E1GOE.jpg)
---
*When printing at 0.05 mm on my home-build CoreXY I experience much smoother prints opposed to printing in higher layer heights (less resolution), but I also get some very fine stringing, noticeable when printing multiple objects or objects with voids.*
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: One thing that I have learned in my extensive youtubing is that sometimes the hot end can soften the previous layers. Though, take the following advice with a grain of salt as the following is just conceptual for me (I'm still waiting for my first printer to arrive to follow this advice).
Tomb of 3D Printed Horrors has a pretty [good video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqEWl51s9Rw) on printing D&D miniatures that require high detail at small sizes (particularly at the 2 minute mark). His recommendation is to have 0.2 mm thick lines as thinner lines are more susceptible melting when the hot end is laying down subsequent layers. Thicker layers means more plastic to absorb the heat and less deformity. This is probably why your 0.1 mm lines look better than your 0.05 mm lines.
Another fix is to keep print speeds somewhat normal or slightly slow. A faster print head heats the previous layers less and can counteract the issue. Running at 60 mm/s may be too quick for quality prints, but running at 10 mm/s is too slow and can reheat the lower layers. Keeping an "average" pace paired with thick enough lines could help you get the prints you want. Though, finding what speeds/thickness is up to you. I don't have the experience to suggest any at the moment.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/11/21 | 2,016 | 6,611 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a CR-10S 500 and want to change a capacitor on it to improve and solve temperature issues. This capacitor that needs to be changed should be labeled as "C4" as mentioned on [this](https://www.jozerworx.com/creality-cr-10s-c4-capacitor-diy-fix-tutorial/) post but it's not present on my motherboard. The goal is to replace 100uF capacitor with 220uF 16V capacitor.
This is what the motherboard **should** look like:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AgZyh.jpg)
but mine looks different. Below is what it looks like:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Aw0Ww.jpg)
There is no version number on my motherboard and there is no "C4" capacitor. Also, the component that's labeled "330" on the original board is labeled "470" on my motherboard. It's hard to decide which capacitor to change. On my motherboard, there two capacitors instead of one, closer to the location of the capacitor that needs to be replaced. They are labeled "C42" and "C35" instead of "C4". I do not want to replace the wrong one since it's risky enough to replace just one capacitor on these boards.
Anyone know my motherboard type or version? Also, which capacitor to change?
EDIT:
Here is a better or zoomed in section of the place:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/896Ft.jpg)
As [Trish](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7462/which-capacitor-to-change-on-cr-10s-s500-motherboard#comment11920_7462) requested in the comment, below is also the back side of the motherboard.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oj12r.jpg)
theSealion might be right in his answer and I did a test and it all points to "C31" as he suggested but the problem is that the capacitor is different from the one it is supposed to be replaced with like on other CR-10 boards. I am not entirely sure if this is the capacitor since the type of capacitor are different from the one I was suggested to use. Below is the new capacitor:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/O4iFm.jpg)
My current idea is to remove the tiny "C31", solver wire to pin 4 of LM2596 and to the new capacitor but I do not want to remove the "C31" because I don't want anything to go bad.
Can I add the new capacitor parallel to the existing "C31" without removing the "C31"?<issue_comment>username_1: You are looking for a capacitor that must be connected to Pin 4 of the LM2596.
Maybe you could provide a better picture of that area so we could see the different tracks on the board.
The LM2596 is in the center of the right side of the board (it is also labeled with LM2596D). The pins should be counted from top to bottom (in your picture)
My guess is, the Elko you are looking for is connected to C31, and you must look for the positive pin.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1h1U6.png)
In this wiring diagram Cout is the capacitor you are looking for. The SMD Parts R1, R2 and CFF should be R31, R32 and C31 in your picture.
With the corresponging measurements I would say you do not need to replace the capacitors.
In comparison to the old board your board already has the "fix" implemented.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You are looking at the wrong board
==================================
Your board might on the surface look like a Creality v 2.0 board, and is indeed from the same family of boards. After trying to discern the parts and finally resorting to google image search, I almost had to maniacally laugh:
The currently latest version is the [Creality 2.1](https://www.creality3d.shop/products/mainboard-upgraded-replacement-controller-board-latest-v2-1-version-motherboard-for-creality-cr-10s-s4-s5-3d-printer), but your board clearly is a pre 2.0 board, as the 2.0 and 2.1 are quite similar, almost identical in the areas in question. According to the standard nomenclature, a 2.X board should be a full new engineering or vastly re-engineered board. So I looked up a Creality 1.X board - And indeed, it looks somewhat closer to a CR-10 motherboard in the area around the black capacitor, but that is marked 150/151. So it is [not a Creality 1.1.2 / 1.1.3](https://www.creality3d.shop/collections/accessories/products/creality-cr-10-motherboard), also known as "CR-10" board.
My best guess (Confirmed by OP and [this](https://www.th3dstudio.com/knowledge-base/creality-cr-10-and-cr-10s-models-what-printer-do-you-have/)) is, that your board is an intermediate step between the Creality 1.1.x Board for the CR-10 and the *new* CR-10S 2.0/2.1, so by nomenclature a *proto-2.0*. Among Makers, it is called "original CR-10S" at times. Your numbers should thus be read from this board:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zgh0z.jpg)
There is a 100/35V/UT Capacity in the indicated spot in both the green and black renditions.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: ### An important note on Voltage Rating
Just to add to the existing answers.
If you are planning on upgrading the capacitors to some with larger capacitance, then assuming that they are for the *supply regulation/smoothing* then upping the capacitance shouldn't be (too much of) an issue. If they are used for *timing*, i.e. in an *RC* circuit (which seems unlikely in this particular case), then the capacitance should/must be kept the same.
However, the **main issue** that I see is that the existing capacitors are rating at 35 V, and you are planning on adding lower rating capacitors, i.e. 16 V. This is asking for trouble and at best an early failure, or blown capacitor.
The voltage rating should be between 1.5-2.0 times the voltage of the circuit, or better still (possible overkill), double the circuit voltage and then use the next voltage rating.
So, for a 12 V circuit, use a 25 V rated capacitor, or 35 V. The 16 V is a bit of a no-no, and besides you don't want to mix voltage ratings for the same circuit, not a good idea, unless you actually want a common point of failure.
See sources: [Selecting voltage rate for capacitors](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/15700/selecting-voltage-rate-for-capacitors) and [High Voltage Capacitor, in a low voltage system?](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/13091/high-voltage-capacitor-in-a-low-voltage-system)
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/11/22 | 1,457 | 4,924 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a WiFi module that only needs two wires connection to work. These are RX and TX pins connected to Arduino or the CR-10S printer board but I don't know if there is any physical or software UARTs TX and RX pins. My goal is to add a Wifi support to the CR-10S printer. Since this is not Arduino and the pins are not labeled, it's hard to tell which TX and RX pins are not being used.
In the image of my motherboard below, any port or pin with line pointing to is considered as being used by the printing software so I can't used them.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gGGeo.jpg)
There are still ports or pins that are not used. Can any one tell if there is a TX and RX pin that is not being used from the image above? I need them to communicate with the printer wirelessly.<issue_comment>username_1: You are looking for a capacitor that must be connected to Pin 4 of the LM2596.
Maybe you could provide a better picture of that area so we could see the different tracks on the board.
The LM2596 is in the center of the right side of the board (it is also labeled with LM2596D). The pins should be counted from top to bottom (in your picture)
My guess is, the Elko you are looking for is connected to C31, and you must look for the positive pin.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1h1U6.png)
In this wiring diagram Cout is the capacitor you are looking for. The SMD Parts R1, R2 and CFF should be R31, R32 and C31 in your picture.
With the corresponging measurements I would say you do not need to replace the capacitors.
In comparison to the old board your board already has the "fix" implemented.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: You are looking at the wrong board
==================================
Your board might on the surface look like a Creality v 2.0 board, and is indeed from the same family of boards. After trying to discern the parts and finally resorting to google image search, I almost had to maniacally laugh:
The currently latest version is the [Creality 2.1](https://www.creality3d.shop/products/mainboard-upgraded-replacement-controller-board-latest-v2-1-version-motherboard-for-creality-cr-10s-s4-s5-3d-printer), but your board clearly is a pre 2.0 board, as the 2.0 and 2.1 are quite similar, almost identical in the areas in question. According to the standard nomenclature, a 2.X board should be a full new engineering or vastly re-engineered board. So I looked up a Creality 1.X board - And indeed, it looks somewhat closer to a CR-10 motherboard in the area around the black capacitor, but that is marked 150/151. So it is [not a Creality 1.1.2 / 1.1.3](https://www.creality3d.shop/collections/accessories/products/creality-cr-10-motherboard), also known as "CR-10" board.
My best guess (Confirmed by OP and [this](https://www.th3dstudio.com/knowledge-base/creality-cr-10-and-cr-10s-models-what-printer-do-you-have/)) is, that your board is an intermediate step between the Creality 1.1.x Board for the CR-10 and the *new* CR-10S 2.0/2.1, so by nomenclature a *proto-2.0*. Among Makers, it is called "original CR-10S" at times. Your numbers should thus be read from this board:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zgh0z.jpg)
There is a 100/35V/UT Capacity in the indicated spot in both the green and black renditions.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: ### An important note on Voltage Rating
Just to add to the existing answers.
If you are planning on upgrading the capacitors to some with larger capacitance, then assuming that they are for the *supply regulation/smoothing* then upping the capacitance shouldn't be (too much of) an issue. If they are used for *timing*, i.e. in an *RC* circuit (which seems unlikely in this particular case), then the capacitance should/must be kept the same.
However, the **main issue** that I see is that the existing capacitors are rating at 35 V, and you are planning on adding lower rating capacitors, i.e. 16 V. This is asking for trouble and at best an early failure, or blown capacitor.
The voltage rating should be between 1.5-2.0 times the voltage of the circuit, or better still (possible overkill), double the circuit voltage and then use the next voltage rating.
So, for a 12 V circuit, use a 25 V rated capacitor, or 35 V. The 16 V is a bit of a no-no, and besides you don't want to mix voltage ratings for the same circuit, not a good idea, unless you actually want a common point of failure.
See sources: [Selecting voltage rate for capacitors](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/15700/selecting-voltage-rate-for-capacitors) and [High Voltage Capacitor, in a low voltage system?](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/13091/high-voltage-capacitor-in-a-low-voltage-system)
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/11/24 | 989 | 4,258 | <issue_start>username_0: I am currently encountering a problem where under certain circumstances, the extruder stutters when it starts a new layer. I am printing on an Anycubic i3 Mega and am slicing with Cura 3.6.0. The problem seems to occur in the main part of prints, as well as in supports. However it seems to only occur after a retraction has taken place. I have taken a video of the stuttering which can be found here: <https://photos.app.goo.gl/G3TLKveMsLNRQmgv7>
When a print is done the stuttering results in walls looking like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AlAZQ.jpg)
Can anyone help me figure out what is causing the stuttering?
Thank you very much!<issue_comment>username_1: You retraction settings may be too high. Direct drive extruders require less retraction than Bowden style extruders. Typical retraction settings for direct drive are 1.5mm at 50mm/s and for Bowden, 4mm at 50mm/s. The speed usually makes more of a difference than distance beyond a certain point.
You can get away with smaller retraction settings if you increase travel speed because there will be less time to ooze. You could also try using Coasting as well.
Anyway, try reducing your retraction settings if they're higher than what I stated above. Another alternative is to set an extra prime distance so that extra filament is extruded after the retraction.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: *Definition: **Sparse layer fill** (called stuttering by the OP)*
---
Why a sparsely filled support structure... (at the support bottom)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Support structures are added by Ultimaker Cura as the first part of the layer before it progresses to the rest of the print object. The bottom part of the support structure is definitely showing under extrusion, as if there was not enough filament available to print the support solidly. Actually, that is exactly what is the problem, there is not enough filament available for printing as a result of a retraction and the following extrusion after movement of the filament. The bottom part of the support is most probably printed after ***the head stopped far from the support*** (end of the previous layer) while printing your object. This means that the filament needs to be retracted, the head moved to the support structure, filament extruded (de-retracted) and printing of the support structure starting. When retraction is not optimally tuned, the ***nozzle may not be primed correctly with filament and cause a sparsely printed support structure***. A similar reasoning could apply to support structures being printed at the final stage of the layer (as long as there are large movements to the support structure requiring the activation of the retraction).
Why is the support better printed higher up...
----------------------------------------------
You see that when Z advances above the thickness of the right part of the print, the support structure is better printed. This could be caused by the fact that the head now doesn't need to move far from the last position of the print to the support structure, this doesn't require a retraction action.
What to do to print better support structures...
------------------------------------------------
Try tune your retraction settings, see e.g. [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7004/) shows an image of a [calibration print](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1159886) to determine the optimal settings.
Note that you not only can play with the filament retraction settings (`Enable Retraction`, `Retraction Speed` and `Retraction Distance`), the option called `Enable Coasting` and `Coasting Volume` can also be used to stop extruding while the printer head prints the rest of the object to use the over-pressure of the molten filament in the nozzle and finally `Retraction Extra Prime Amount` can extrude some extra filament to prime the nozzle with some extra material so that the nozzle is optimally filled and ready for printing the support after the main print object. Also take care choosing the right `Support Speed`, too fast will result in lower quality.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/11/24 | 606 | 2,128 | <issue_start>username_0: I have designed a bread mark and printed it on the Prusa i3 MK3.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qs5PP.png)
I wanted it to have as sharp edges as possible, so I used a triangle:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AMTCP.png)
However, it seems that the print cut off layers that are too thin (x-y-wise) and instead of a 1 cm high bread mark, I only have 0.5 cm.
What is the X-Y-resolution of the Prusa i3 MK3? In Slic3r, can I make sure that any wall is made as thick as needed for it to be printed?
I have the default 0.4 mm nozzle.<issue_comment>username_1: This is dependent on the slicer and the nozzle diameter. Typically, you cannot print a wall smaller than twice the nozzle diameter because walls need an inner and outer line. Therefore, your slicer will make some cutoff and won't print walls below a certain threshold, in order to try to faithfully replicate your model.
Slic3r, I believe, will automatically go down to single line walls, but if you turn on "Detect thin walls" in Slic3r's Print Settings, more of the thin walls will be printed. Slic3r will actually reduce the plastic extruded to attempt to make even thinner walls, but there's still a limit.
With a 0.4 mm nozzle, you should design walls no smaller than 0.8 mm, or 0.4 mm at the very smallest.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The absolute minimum a slicer will allow existing in a g-code is one extrusion diameter, which is typically roundabout a nozzle diameter. So for a standard 0.4 mm nozzle, the model will be cut in a way that keeps at *least* 0.4 mm thick walls, or, if the slicer is extra careful, double that, as the model demands 2 walls next to each other. The result is, that the model with such sharp walls will be cut till the model does conform to the minimum wall thickness - in your case about half the height of the model.
I strongly encourage to further read [What special considerations must be taken when designing parts for 3D printing?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6830/8884)
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/11/24 | 1,464 | 5,165 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a small problem where plastic comes out of the nozzle while the printer is at a standstill (normally towards the end of heating the nozzle for a print), and whilst it moves from the line for clearing the nozzle on the left of the bed (Cura) before the actual print starts. This causes a slight problem where the first few millimetres of the printed line curls upwards when the nozzle comes back around again it goes over it but it causes a slight bump that makes a very small (but noticeable) skip or bump in the print on the bottom layer.
I am using the Ender 3 running Marling 1.1.9 with a Bltouch and a [glass bed](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comgrow-Glass-Creality-Printer-Ender-3/dp/B07DSC9TJQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543100048&sr=8-3&keywords=ender%203%20glass), I didn't seem to have this problem before I upgraded to the glass bed and Marlin for the Bltouch.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.<issue_comment>username_1: This effect is called oozing. At the end of heating up the hot end, left filament becomes so liquid that it oozes out of the nozzle. This left filament could be a left over from the previous print where an insufficient retract prior to the last print finish causes this (you could retract the filament a little further in your "end G-code" script, first reset the E to zero `G92 E0` and then retract `G1 E-3 F1500`, be sure that the priming length in your "start G-code" takes care of this distance).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: basics first
============
The viscosity of plastic is temperature dependent: the warmer it is, the lower it gets and thus the more "runny". The lower the viscosity is, the less force is needed to move it.
In printing, a pressure is applied to the filament from the extruder. Pressure is the force by area, thus for our look pretty much the same: the extruder exerts a force on the filament, to overcome the viscosity keeping it in the nozzle.
A secondary effect is, that heated material expands, depending on what kind of material is in the nozzle.
what happens
============
The whole problem starts with shutting off the printer after the print: as the filament cools it shrinks. As the motors are turned off, the solidifying and shrinking plastic pulls at the filament. The filament can change its location or be pulled a little through the extruder, keeping the space quite well filled without cavities. Bowden style can change the mere filament path a little to compensate some of the shrinkings by shifting its path from hugging the outer wall to doing the same on the inner wall.
As you start to heat up the printer, there is no force applied on the filament from the extruder to push it out of the nozzle. But when you shut it down, there was some filament in the nozzle.
The filament melts and its viscosity drops, but at the same time, it expands. The extruder does not yet apply force, but as the material expands, it pushes against the filament stuck above it. Newton's 3rd law is the iconic *Actioni contrariam semper et æqualem esse reactionem* or as we know it short: *Actio = Reactio*, the force you exert in one direction equals a force applied in the reverse direction. Thus, the expanding filament pressing back against the extruder *also* exerts a force against itself down against the nozzle. The same is true for the nozzle, but the nozzle has one difference: it has a hole, where the forces are bundled to force filament out.
At some point, the force from the expanding filament is big enough to overcome the viscosity keeping the filament in the nozzle and it oozes out.
fixes
=====
There are several ways to fix this in slicing, but I prefer the end-code method.
* Modify your **end code** to provide space in the nozzle while it is still hot. Simply add `G1 E-3 F1800` to retract quickly at the end of print. F1800 is rather fast.
* Modify your **start code** could help in preventing very runny filaments from oozing, but you usually need to zero the extruder first with `G92 E0` and you *might* also need to allow negative values with `G1 S1`. This isn't usable in all firmware versions, but one can use `G92 E3` to set it to 3, then extrude, then 0.
Example End Code
----------------
Watch line 2. This is what prevents my Ender 3 from oozing in the first place
```
G91 ;relative position set
G1 F1800 E-3 ; Retract 3 mm to prevent oozing on startup
G1 F3000 Z10 ; Move up 10 mm to clear the print
G90 ;absolute position set
G28 X0 Y0 ; home x and y axis to clear the print
M106 S0 ; turn off part cooling fan
M104 S0 ; turn off extruder
M140 S0 ; turn off bed
M84 ; disable motors
```
Example Start Code addition
---------------------------
This is just a snippet that forces retraction at the start, once the filament is hot. it *WILL* though make the first three millimeters of push come empty, thus should be combined with a cleaning that uses more than this - check out [Writing G-code : swiping at start of print](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6355/writing-g-code-swiping-at-start-of-print?s=1|65.5276) for better nozzle priming.
```
G92 E3
G1 E-3 F1000
G92 E0
```
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2018/11/26 | 1,608 | 6,047 | <issue_start>username_0: I was noticing on a print I had just done that the quality was not up to typical snuff. I had just started using a roll of PLA filament that I had been keeping on a shelf without a wrapper for a couple months. How long can you store filament before it gets too hydrated from the air to print? I expected more than a couple months but perhaps I am wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: In **theory**, most filaments don't go bad within a year. However, praxis shows, that averse conditions can impact the filaments over time and age them to unusability.
Among the damaging factors is heat, but most filaments also are hygroscopic and absorb water to some small degree, or even heavily like Nylon.
As a result, it always a good idea to at least try to store filament dry. To enforce this, some use racks in a well-heated room, others are blessed with very dry weather overall. And on some locations, like the coast, you might even be forced to use dryboxes for each and every filament to try to slow the degradation of steady hot humid air leaching out the additions from the filament.
Dryboxes can keep the filament reasonably isolated from the surrounding air and so prevent moisture interacting with them to some degree. It is also a good idea to store them out of direct sunlight, as UV light might destroy color and/or the plastic. More information on why to use them is for example at [this question](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6982/which-filaments-actually-do-need-to-be-stored-in-a-drybox?)
A couple construction videos using an IKEA box and a bit of foam were offered by [Tom (<NAME>)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY5n9q-wS7k) and [CNC Kitchen (<NAME>)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEFtUKGAd7k) in 2017.
But fear not: most filaments - PLA included - can be freshened up again if the damage is not to prolonged! Baking them at a low temperature or storing them in a dehumidifier has worked in some climates. For PLA, keep the temperature at below 80°C. A couple of hours should get some the moisture that has seeped in out again. The Quality might not get back to that of fresh filament in all cases, but you might at least regain reasonable to good printability.
[Also note, that different filaments are differently affected.](https://3dsolved.com/filaments-and-moisture-absorption/) ABS for example is a little less hygroscopic than PLA, while HIPS is one of the least hygroscopic filaments available.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The answer is that it depends on the climate you are in or the climate in your house. The more humid, and the higher the temperature, the faster the moisture is taken up in the filament (note also that 40 % RH on a warm day has **much** more moisture in the air than 60 % RH on a cold day).
I have obtained a spool of filament that has been left in the garage for a few months, this spool has taken up so much moisture that it has become very brittle (unspooling will break the filament). Note that once the filament has taken up moisture, you could de-hydrate it, but it will never reach the same properties anymore as the moisture will change the molecules (shorten them), once broken they will not fuse by hydrating. It will however get rid of the water content so that there will be no steam bubbles when you print the filament.
Note that there are many types and brands of PLA, each with their own formula. The quality of the PLA has improved much over the years, implying that the moisture intake also depends on the brand and time of purchase. It is therefore very difficult to answer your question with a specific time frame, it could be months, but it could also be a week.
My largest printer is located in a room where occasionally laundry is being dried, and although there is only a little ventilation, the large spools of PETG do not take up the moisture of the laundry. Basically, the moisture saturation is also depending on the type of filament.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: To answer your question: it depends on the relative humidity. Generally, a few weeks in a semi-arid environment. But, it'll still print really well. If you're looking for really tight filament diameter tolerances, a week or even less could change the diameter .001 or more if there is moisture in the air. I've used PLA that has been exposed to air for a few months and it's been fine, but with small issues.
If the filament has absorbed too much moisture, you'll typically hear popping coming from the hot extruder as the water is burned off at the nozzle. Sometimes steam comes out of the nozzle when printing as well with "wet" filament. Usually, you can still get great results even if it has absorbed moisture. If the filament diameter has been affected significantly, (if it jams, or the water keeps the plastic too cool when it's coming off the nozzle) you can dry it out in an oven for a few hours like @trish suggested. I keep my filaments in a plastic bag with desiccant inside a big storage bin. Probably overkill but my water softener is in the same room and introduces moisture to the air, and my a/c blows right at the setup.
Dust is probably worse because it can accumulate much faster and cause jams.
source and reading
<https://www.fusion3design.com/the-importance-of-properly-storing-your-3d-printing-filament/>
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: >
> I expected more than a couple months but perhaps I am wrong?
>
>
>
It depends on the filament, the shipping and the local conditions. I'm on an Island, so very high humidity.
We have several useless spools that never worked out of the box. They were shipped seafreight from China and had a couple of months journey. Only 2 spools out of 10 were useable.
With other filament seafreighted from Australia for 3 weeks filament here seems to last about a month at best, with 4 days being the lower limit so far. This is despite being kept in an airconditioned room most of the time.
We have had limited success with drying them out.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/11/26 | 1,775 | 6,371 | <issue_start>username_0: I bought a few new nozzles expecting them to come with that little tube that comes out of the nozzle. They didn't come with them after all, so I tried to reuse the tube I originally had in the printer. Turns out my old tube is 4mm OD and 2mm ID, but the new nozzles have 2mm holes for the tube to go in. I use 1.75mm filament, so it seems like to be able to fit the filament through the tube would be impossible barring a tube with an 0.125mm wall.
My question is, can I put the tube outside of the nozzle? That is, not stuck in the hole for the nozzle. In theory, the tube would still direct the filament into the right place. It looks like that might be the point of these new nozzles, since it seems so unlikely that someone would be able to stick a filament tube in the nozzle.
If not, where can I find the tubes I need? I've looked in a few different places and I can't find it. Or are the nozzles useless, and should I return them? Thanks for the help.<issue_comment>username_1: Let me clean up a little nomenclature
=====================================
The PTFE tube is either a Bowden Style Setup delivering the filament from the extruder down through the cool-end and to the heatbreak or just a liner in the cool-end and heatbreak for direct drive. In both cases they are to prevent clogs. In most setups it is *not* pushed into the nozzle which is in the heater block (they exist, see below).
The liner/Bowden tube guides the filament through the heatsink and into the proper Hotend/Meltzone. In the better designs intended for higher temperature like ABS (see left half), it ends in the heatbreak. This also has the added benefit of having less chance to leak if the tube slips a little bit.
Simple setups (see right half) butt it against the nozzle and thus limit the temperature range. This kind of butted setup can lead to leakage if the tube slips up. In either case, it is no problem to reuse the PTFE tube when changing nozzles, it is even advisable in the case of a Bowden setup as it might change the length of the path.
The nozzle is usually screwed into the heater block from below, and for best use, one screws it against the heatbreak in a heated state - this is called hot-tightening.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A1IvJ.png)
If you somehow end up destroying your PTFE Tube, you can get them under the keyword PTFE tube, Bowden tube or Pneumatic PTFE tube on the internet.
PTFE inside the nozzle?
=======================
Yes, these exist, OP has them, they look like this, and are not what has become the industry standard. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TNkrw.jpg)
I can think of no good reason to put an PTFE Sleeve *into* the nozzle, but someone did it, and it sis a valid approach. However, I see several problems with it:
* the PTFE tube degrades if pushed deep into the melt zone and can lead to clogs.
* the added PTFE is not a very good at transmitting heat, thus reducing the effectiveness of the melt zone. This can lead to needing either much lower printing speeds or a much higher printing temperature to achieve good prints
It should be of no issue to convert from this style into the butted-style (right) just by using a short length of PTFE in the heatbreak. I would prefer though to combine it with a heatbreak where the PTFE ends and making this what is commonly referred to as an "all metal hotend" (left).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: To answer your question directly, the PTFE tube (or a separate thin walled PTFE tube for the bottom part of the heatbreak) *generally* always is outside the nozzle, so yes (unless you have an all-metal hotend, then there is no PTFE tube up to the nozzle). But as read from your question, your setup has the tube included inside the nozzle (this is described in more detail below). However, you can change the nozzle for one that does not have the PTFE tube go into the nozzle but rest against the nozzle provided you can find the correct sized nozzle/tread for it.
The nozzles your printer uses are non standard nozzles that are featured on a few printer designs. It is called an "MK10" nozzle, but there is [no such thing as a standard "MK10" nozzle](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7366/5740). Different designs of the "MK10" nozzle exist. Originally, the "MK nozzles" are the creation of Makerbot; an excellent post found in [this thread](https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/wanhao-printer-3d/TEdslEknny4) (all credits for the MK history go to user "*vermon*") discuss the development over time of the "MK" nozzles. An answer based on this posting is found [here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5437/5740).
The nozzle your printer has is slightly larger than normal nozzles. The CEO of ToyBuilder labs explains the difference between an "MK10" and an MK8 in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnI0aeTw9iA). Take care of the thread size of such nozzles, the "MK10" uses M7 threads, while M6 is more common!
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ah8Od.png)
As explained in [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7498/5740), the use of the PTFE tube inside the nozzle is questionable. The heating zone in effect is reduced to the tip of the nozzle. The heat transfer from heating element, to heater block to nozzle is only possible because of the enlarged design and the flange that give extra surface area for heat conduction to take place. It is not expected that such nozzles are able to print optimally at high speeds.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Yes, you can use a direct drive hotend with a bowden tube, but it won't just plug together. You just need a way to secure the end of the bowden tube to be centered above and as close the the hotend mouth as possible. In a pinch, you can spin a 4mm nut onto the tube and secure it down against the hotend mount with zipties, otherwise I would print a nice bracket.
It may be more prone to jam on filament swaps than a proper bowden configured hotend but it will work fine in normal use.
Edit, I was under the impression you were speaking of the bowden tube between the extruder and the hotend, not the liner inside of the hotend.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/11/26 | 1,771 | 6,228 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to extend **all** my CR-10S wires. I have two long wire types: 22 and 18 AWG wires. I've done some research and found the following:
* Extruder heating element: 22 AWG or lower.
* Extruder thermistor sensor: 22 AWG or lower (Doesn't really need much amp).
* Fans: 24 AWG or lower (Doesn't really need much amp).
* Limit switch/filament sensor: 24 AWG or lower (Doesn't really need
much amp).
Here is where I've problems determining which wire gauge to use:
* Stepper motor wires: ?
* Bed heater wires: ?
What's the wire gauge needed for the stepper motor and bed heater wires? Obviously, the bed heater needs more amp so I expect lower wire gauge. Is my 18 gauge wire enough for this?
On the [Reprap](https://reprap.org/wiki/Heated_Bed#Wiring) site, it says that 18 AWG or lower is fine for the heating bed.<issue_comment>username_1: Let me clean up a little nomenclature
=====================================
The PTFE tube is either a Bowden Style Setup delivering the filament from the extruder down through the cool-end and to the heatbreak or just a liner in the cool-end and heatbreak for direct drive. In both cases they are to prevent clogs. In most setups it is *not* pushed into the nozzle which is in the heater block (they exist, see below).
The liner/Bowden tube guides the filament through the heatsink and into the proper Hotend/Meltzone. In the better designs intended for higher temperature like ABS (see left half), it ends in the heatbreak. This also has the added benefit of having less chance to leak if the tube slips a little bit.
Simple setups (see right half) butt it against the nozzle and thus limit the temperature range. This kind of butted setup can lead to leakage if the tube slips up. In either case, it is no problem to reuse the PTFE tube when changing nozzles, it is even advisable in the case of a Bowden setup as it might change the length of the path.
The nozzle is usually screwed into the heater block from below, and for best use, one screws it against the heatbreak in a heated state - this is called hot-tightening.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A1IvJ.png)
If you somehow end up destroying your PTFE Tube, you can get them under the keyword PTFE tube, Bowden tube or Pneumatic PTFE tube on the internet.
PTFE inside the nozzle?
=======================
Yes, these exist, OP has them, they look like this, and are not what has become the industry standard. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TNkrw.jpg)
I can think of no good reason to put an PTFE Sleeve *into* the nozzle, but someone did it, and it sis a valid approach. However, I see several problems with it:
* the PTFE tube degrades if pushed deep into the melt zone and can lead to clogs.
* the added PTFE is not a very good at transmitting heat, thus reducing the effectiveness of the melt zone. This can lead to needing either much lower printing speeds or a much higher printing temperature to achieve good prints
It should be of no issue to convert from this style into the butted-style (right) just by using a short length of PTFE in the heatbreak. I would prefer though to combine it with a heatbreak where the PTFE ends and making this what is commonly referred to as an "all metal hotend" (left).
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: To answer your question directly, the PTFE tube (or a separate thin walled PTFE tube for the bottom part of the heatbreak) *generally* always is outside the nozzle, so yes (unless you have an all-metal hotend, then there is no PTFE tube up to the nozzle). But as read from your question, your setup has the tube included inside the nozzle (this is described in more detail below). However, you can change the nozzle for one that does not have the PTFE tube go into the nozzle but rest against the nozzle provided you can find the correct sized nozzle/tread for it.
The nozzles your printer uses are non standard nozzles that are featured on a few printer designs. It is called an "MK10" nozzle, but there is [no such thing as a standard "MK10" nozzle](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7366/5740). Different designs of the "MK10" nozzle exist. Originally, the "MK nozzles" are the creation of Makerbot; an excellent post found in [this thread](https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/wanhao-printer-3d/TEdslEknny4) (all credits for the MK history go to user "*vermon*") discuss the development over time of the "MK" nozzles. An answer based on this posting is found [here](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5437/5740).
The nozzle your printer has is slightly larger than normal nozzles. The CEO of ToyBuilder labs explains the difference between an "MK10" and an MK8 in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnI0aeTw9iA). Take care of the thread size of such nozzles, the "MK10" uses M7 threads, while M6 is more common!
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ah8Od.png)
As explained in [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7498/5740), the use of the PTFE tube inside the nozzle is questionable. The heating zone in effect is reduced to the tip of the nozzle. The heat transfer from heating element, to heater block to nozzle is only possible because of the enlarged design and the flange that give extra surface area for heat conduction to take place. It is not expected that such nozzles are able to print optimally at high speeds.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Yes, you can use a direct drive hotend with a bowden tube, but it won't just plug together. You just need a way to secure the end of the bowden tube to be centered above and as close the the hotend mouth as possible. In a pinch, you can spin a 4mm nut onto the tube and secure it down against the hotend mount with zipties, otherwise I would print a nice bracket.
It may be more prone to jam on filament swaps than a proper bowden configured hotend but it will work fine in normal use.
Edit, I was under the impression you were speaking of the bowden tube between the extruder and the hotend, not the liner inside of the hotend.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/11/27 | 802 | 2,397 | <issue_start>username_0: Here is the sequence of my Gcode, printed in mid-air:
```
Print (E20)
Retract (E-20)
Dwell (G4 10,000)
Move away (E0)
Print (E20)
```
See the path on the printscreen below:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rbYqY.png)
When the printer dwells it oozes. How can i stop that?
I am using a WASP 3MT, pellet extrustion, 3mm nozzle, Marlin firmware, Gcode done on Silkworm for Grasshopper.
Gcode around the dwell:
```
G1 F300 X-25 Y-25 Z30 E15.96
G92 E0
G1 F0 X-25 Y-25 Z30
G1 F1000 X-25 Y-25 Z36 E-89.42
G92 E0
G4 P10000
G1 F0 X-25 Y-25 Z36
G1 F1000 X-25 Y-25 Z32 E0
G92 E0
```<issue_comment>username_1: Since you retracted the filament (very far), but stay at elevated temperature for almost 2 minutes, this must be left-over residue inside the nozzle/throat that is stuck to the wall that becomes liquid and oozes out of the nozzle because gravity pulls it downwards.
[This answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7489/5740) on the question ["Ender 3 extrudes plastic whilst at standstill, and while moving to start of print"](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7484/ender-3-extrudes-plastic-whilst-at-standstill-and-while-moving-to-start-of-prin) explains the oozing problem in detail.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Ooze is virtually unstoppable. This becomes apparent once you understand why an nozzle oozes. As the filament melts, its viscosity drops and the free flowing filament slowly makes it way out of the nozzle due to the action of gravity (and sometimes thermal expansion). If you make the throat air tight then you can use air pressure to keep the plastic from oozing out. Further you would have to immediately turn off the heat to the nozzle and cool the nozzle as fast as possible (possibly with a blower). Even if you retract the filament all the way out of the throat, there could still be some plastic left inside that will ooze out.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: You retract the filament, yet you keep the heater on while the dwell. As you pull the filament back, you pull only the non-molten filament. The retaining molten filament follows gravity and sags down.
It is fixable to some degree though: Turn off the heat to let the filament cool before having the machine hibernate. That can reduce the amount of oozing, but not fully.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/11/28 | 783 | 2,499 | <issue_start>username_0: So I just got a Da-Vinci 3-in-1 Junior Pro 3D Printer, and was excited to start printing my first model.
When I open my .STL File in the XYZWare that comes with the printer, and click print, it says that the cartridge inserted into my printer in not genuine, and that it won't print until I order a genuine cartridge. What is interesting is that the cartridge loaded into this printer came with the printer itself, so it is genuine.
Is there something I am doing wrong? Here is a picture of the cartridge in my printer -->
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cMo0l.jpg)
A Google search about this issue doesn't come up with any results that are of any use to me.<issue_comment>username_1: A [quick search on the internet](https://www.google.nl/search?q=Da-Vinci+3-in-1+Junior+Pro+3D+does+not+recognise+genuine+cartridge&rlz=1C1GCEA_en&oq=Da-Vinci+3-in-1+Junior+Pro+3D+does+not+recognise+genuine+cartridge&aqs=chrome..69i57.13982j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) showed that your experiences are shared by others.
Apparently, it has something to do with a faulty chip or the software.
From [this thread](https://www.3dhubs.com/talk/t/xyzprinting-aio-filament-cartridge-not-being-detected/4340):
>
> I had the same thing, the cop on the underside of the cartridge wasn’t
> programmed properly, if you have the latest firmware update and it
> still doesn’t work contact the seller and they should send you a
> replacement chip
>
>
>
>
> I had this happen 2x. It ended up being that I had xyzware open.
> Xyzware needs to restart in order to detect the new serial number of
> the filament.
>
>
>
You could ask for support from your supplier or restart the XYZ software.
You could also [hack](https://www.instructables.com/id/XYZ-Da-Vinci-Junior-jr-NFC-Tag-Filament-Reset-Hack/) the NFC chip that is inside the spool. (**DISCLAIMER**: *Do it at your own risk*!)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I managed to troubleshoot my printer's dilemma, rather quickly I might add.
It turns out that the printer's firmware that was shipped with the printer was too old for XYZWare to use. My theory was that the firmware was trying to use a sensor that wasn't on the printer to begin with, and therefore was throwing out the issue of non-genuine cartridges.
I updated the firmware on the Printer, and know it works just fine without any hitch!
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2018/11/28 | 2,440 | 7,678 | <issue_start>username_0: I thought as a fun project to make my own 3D printer out of a normal printer parts + some parts out of old CD-ROM drives that are lying around. The printer of my choice is an HP PSC 1315 one.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/aNHM2m.jpg)
But I have these questions:
1. Does this printer users stepper motors or is using a combination of DC ones and some sort of position sensor?
2. What kind of electronics and firmware I can use for this type of builds?<issue_comment>username_1: No, Printers are not good sources
=================================
Common printers contain at best one stepper motor **in the scanner**, and it is usually too weak for use as an X or Y stepper, but for a very slow printer they might be useable, especially if you could source 2 or 4 of the same type.
The main motors in the printer are almost universally DC motors that get their turning signal as a voltage from the main board, which again uses positional information from an encoder strip/disk. Using both of these to make a 3D printer is usually not feasible.
However, they usually have good rails (sadly often of non-standard diameter) and might be salvaged for a decent optical sensor. See also [Thomas Sanladerer's video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPhPP42CgY8) about this.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: *I'm in the process of making a printer out of DVD/CD drives. I haven't progressed particularly far (I have the stepper drivers and obtained three (non-identical) CD/DVD drives last night for 100 baht), but I can state what I know to date, and then update as I go along.*
**Note: I'm not using any recycled printer parts, so this answer skirts *that* issue entirely.**
---
Firstly, there are a number of resources out there, which I have attempted to consolidate here, [Something for nothing](https://gr33nonline.wordpress.com/2018/10/23/something-from-nothing/).
The principle recycled printer that most searches seem to throw up is the E-waste printer by <NAME>, [@mikel\_llc](https://twitter.com/mikel_llc), see [EWaste 60$ 3DPrinter by mikelllc in 3D-Printing](http://www.instructables.com/id/eWaste-60-3DPrinter/?ALLSTEPS). However, the blueprints are missing and the Instructable's guide is a bit sketchy at best. I am currently in communication with the designer on Twitter, and hopefully will obtain more details at a later date.
A far better Instructables guide is [Complete Newbie Step by Step, 3D Printer With All Parts Lists](https://www.instructables.com/id/Complete-newbie-step-by-step-3D-printer-with-all-p/). Very in-depth and informative indeed.
However, IMHO, the best guides that I found (and decided to follow) have been by [Tinkernut](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZDA1kA3y3EIg25BpcHSpwQ) and [Electronic Grenade](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJcjk44Wjpxf6yX5_XtCqAA). In particular:
* Electronic Grenade based on Tinkernut's printer, this really does seem to be the easiest printer to make, although it does employ the use of a 3D pen in place of a "real" extruder/hotend
+ [How I Built A 3d Printer From Cd Drives](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1il-3_FJtA8)
+ [Make a 3D Printer From Cd Drives || Part 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p8BP7B7Pmw)
+ [Make a 3D Printer From Cd Drives || Part 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSEPcFAYovI)
* Tinkernut's videos for 3D Printer and the CNC machine that it is based off:
+ Playlist: [Arduino CD-Rom 3D printer & CNC](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?annotation_id=annotation_1027946027&feature=iv&list=PLlg8lN4r9qWiAOUi3TW3CUr0LOI3S0zpZ&src_vid=anIy6eb1fW0)
+ [How To Make A Cheap 3D Printer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anIy6eb1fW0)
+ [Hack old CD-ROMs into a CNC Machine - Part 1: The Hardware](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFo5MKSrM-k)
+ [Hack old CD-ROM's into a CNC Machine - Part 2: The Software](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xMfkTrx_0U)
These printers require no laser cut frames, and apart from the three CD/DVD drives, you only seem to need:
* 1 x Arduino Uno
* 3 x A3967 stepper drivers
* 18 x Brass Motherboard standoffs and nuts
* 1 x Resistor (16 kΩ or 22 kΩ) or 50-100 kΩ trim pot
* 1 x Transistor 2n2222 or 2n3904
* 1 x PC power supply
* 1 x 3D Pen (which may or may not require pulling apart and hacking a bit - it is up to you)
Software wise, these printers use:
* [Xloader](https://russemotto.com/xloader/XLoader.zip)
* [GrblController-3.6.1.7z](https://github.com/zapmaker/GrblHoming/releases/download/v3.6.1/GrblController-3.6.1.7z)
* [Grbl v0.8c Atmega328p 16mhz 9600baud](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grbl/grbl-builds/master/builds/grbl_v0_8c_atmega328p_16mhz_9600.hex)
Obviously, with a little tinkering and calibration, you could use the standard Arduino Mega2560 and RAMPS1.4 setup, and your preferred firmware (i.e. Marlin, Repetitier, etc.).
Here is the A3967 stepper driver
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8dXP8.png "A3967 stepper driver")
### A note on the motors
* Apparently, some CD/DVD drives use DC motors rather than stepper motors, possibly in conjunction with endstops. While it is possible to use these types of drives, it seems much easier to employ the stepper motor type only.
* It is possible that some of the CD/DVD drives which employ steppers also have endstops, and it is a good idea to salvage these endstops, when pulling the unit apart. However, in the Tinkernut and Electronic Grenade models these aren't required, although they could be added later, I guess.
* To make life easy on yourself, try to get identical CD/DVD drives. Whilst a number of brands share common design/components and you may get lucky when using/opening different brands of drive and find the same parts, if you actually hunt around and get three or four drives of exactly the same make and model, things will be simpler (not amazingly so, but simpler and more consistent, nevertheless)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: ### "Yes" you can, but "No" it is not a good idea.
A colleague of me is building a Anet A8 clone from salvaged rods from a bunch of printers he had. The rods are 9 mm in diameter for which you cannot find affordable linear bearings. We printed bearing blocks from PLA with integrated glide surfaces to solve that.
Furthermore, practically nothing of interested can be obtained from a 2D printer/scanner. The steppers are too weak, the belts too flimsy, and the electronics are not useable. Only on optical sensor (used as an endstop), but these literally only cost about $0.40 (then you get the whole module including the cable). Also, linear rods of good quality are best obtained locally from a local (web) supplier, there are mixed experienced with those found on cheap internet auction sites.
Considering the amount of parts that can be salvaged from a 2D printer/scanner, and the part you actually need to order to complete the build, you better spend a few extra bucks and order all parts.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: You need not a "modern" inkjet printer, but an antique flatbed 2-D printer. These were the state-of-the art in the 1980s, and drove the print head (a felt pen clamped into a mount) in X & Y over the printable area.
You'd still need to hang the whole thing on some Z-drive, of course.
See info at the [HP museum](http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=82), or buy one on [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-7470A-Desktop-Pen-Plotter-2-pen-A-size-HPIB-GPIB-/113379622891) (Disclaimer: I just searched for that. I do not know the seller) .
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/11/29 | 1,815 | 6,144 | <issue_start>username_0: **TL;DR:** I'm looking to change the steps per mm but I'm not sure what to set it to. Do I decide on a temperature and change the rate based on the percentage for that temp? Or is there a more general setting I can put it to? Or is there a different underlying problem here?
I'm running into an issue with my Ender 3 where when I print PLA at different temperatures I'm getting different extrusion rates. I've done the test where marking it at 120 mm and then extruding using PronterFace 100 mm and measuring the distance and this is my results. I did two tests of each to confirm results
* 185 °C 80 mm left = 60 % under extrusion
* 200 °C 31 mm Left = 11 % Under Extrusion
* 210 °C 32 mm Left = 12 % Under Extrusion
* 220 °C 28 mm Left = 8 % Under Extrusion
* 230 °C 25 mm Left = 5 % Under Extrusion
When I feed 100 mm through the Bowden tube without the filament going through the hot end I get exactly 20 mm left meaning:
* 0% under Extrusion
```
echo: Steps per unit:
echo: M92 X80.00 Y80.00 Z400.00 E93.00
```
I have been having this problem since I started. I normally print at 210 °C at 50 mm/s with a flow rate of 103 % which seems to work well for most prints but on flat walls on prints it under extrudes in the same spot each time it comes around to that point.
Steps I have taken so far:
* Different PLA filaments. All perform the same
* Replaced the nozzle with a new one
* Checked all fittings with the bowen tube system
* Printed a spring spacer to make the spring tighter on the extruder gear
* Changed the Vref from 0.75 to 1 for the extruder stepper
The reason I changed the Vref on the extruder stepper is because the system would click back when printing as if the pressure was too great in the tube. Changing this has helped some of the under extrusion a bit.
So. depending on the temperature, it's harder or easier to push the filament by hand through the hot end. Maybe I need a better hot end?
[Examples](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mTbkn.jpg):
My test print to replicate the issue. The ripple bit is brittle and under extruded.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/udUdz.jpg "Test print - Image#1")
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/br6vA.jpg "Test print - Image#2")
This was a Prototype piece for an up-sized print I was planning. After going around it under extrudes at the same point each time 210 °C
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lPySW.jpg "Prototype piece")
Most of the print is fine just some parts are different. This is an inner wall.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qJNnr.jpg "Inner wall")
[Heat towers](https://imgur.com/4THD6eY)<issue_comment>username_1: Obviously, your extrusion process is troubled by a lot of pressure. This can be seen from the extensive experiment you conducted with PLA extrusion at different temperatures. Please do note that 230 °C is considered pretty high for PLA! Usually it should be in the range of [185 - 205 °C](https://rigid.ink/blogs/news/3d-printing-basics-how-to-get-the-best-results-with-pla-filament):
>
> In general, PLA filament settings have an optimal printing PLA
> temperature range from about 185C to about 205C. If you’re using
> 1.75mm as opposed to thicker 2.85mm (or 3.00mm) your optimal print will be closer to the lower end of this PLA filament temperature
> range.
>
>
>
The temperature dependency of filament diameter is explained that small diameter filament warms up way faster in the heating zone of the hotend than large diameter filament as the heat travels less far to the filament core. Basically, with 1.75 mm filament you should be able to print at 195 °C. The pressure that the filament exerts on the hotend and extruder is clearly too much and leads to skipped steps.
It is ***strongly discouraged*** to create a function of steps per millimeter (or an over-extrusion by specifying a more than 100% flow modifier). This is a mechanical issue that needs to be fixed by addressing the hardware problem. Usually this is done by:
* fixing the extruder;
+ is it skipping steps?
+ does the filament tension get too high that it skips back pass the extruder gear?
+ does increase the stepper current work?
* fixing the Bowden tube;
+ is it clean?
+ is there too much friction?
+ are there kinks?
* fixing the hotend;
+ is the temperature that is reported the correct one? (thermistor problem?)
+ is the heat conducting properly to the nozzle?
+ is there a tolerance issue in the hotend/heatbreak?
+ is the coldend properly cooled?
A few of these you already explored, others you have not. Unfortunately, you have to do a little more troubleshooting the get to the bottom of the actual problem that is causing this pressure preventing the extruder to extrude the proper commanded length.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: So I feel that I solved the problem thanks to a few sources. Thanks to username_1 for his quick response and help.
The problem was two fold. Mechanical problem causing blockage and slicer setting causing ripple.
1. The PTFE tube wasn't pushed all the way in as far as it could go causing too much pressure in the hotend. This seems to be a really common problem with stock Ender 3's Because of the gap the hotend needed to heat up into the heat break to melt the lump in the gap between the hot end and the PTFE tube.
2. The slicing settings in cura had combing enabled. I set it to not comb on skin but what it was doing is combing just behind the skin and as a result would leak out filament in little blobs that when it printed the outer layer would be pushed out causing a ripple effect. This caused under extrusion once it finished the move because there wasnt enough filament left in the end.
After I fixed these two things I was printing at 190c with no under extrusion, motor slipping, very little stringing and printing much better.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/11/29 | 724 | 2,871 | <issue_start>username_0: I've recently purchased an Ender 3 and have had great success with some Cura settings found on a YouTube Tutorial at 0.2 mm resolution.
So then I noticed that there were default settings in Cura for the Ender 3. Except printing at 0.2 mm it selects a 20 % infill, and when choosing 0.1 mm it changed the infill to 10 %.
I changed infill to 20 % and attempted to print this but there were gaps in the bottom layer and it won't stick to the bed. Is there anything else I need to change in the process?
The shape is essentially a cube with a circular hole in the middle, sliced in half.<issue_comment>username_1: Basically you have 2 issues, first, an adhesion in combination with layer thickness problem, second, an infill problem.
Starting with the infill issue, when you lower the layer height, without increasing the amount of layers for the "Top/Bottom Thickness", you get a very thin shell (unless the top bottom thickness is expressed in mm). A lower layer height should, because of the lesser amount of filament being extruded over the infill, should be accompanied with a higher infill value, but that is necessary for the top layers, your issue is with the bottom layer and adhesion. As said, a lower layer height also implies lower filament flow, for the first layer this lower flow causes an inconsistent flow to adhere the filament to the bed (probably caused by the gap between the nozzle and bed from leveling with a piece of paper). Most slicers will add some extra features to increase the change to get the filament to stick to the bed; one of those is an increased first layer height (e.g. in Ultimaker Cura, the first default layer height for Ultimaker 3 printers is laarger than the rest of the layers), others include modifying the flow by e.g. over-extruding for the first layer.
You could try to increase your first layer height to the value you create successful prints with, specify the thickness of the bottom and top (or increase the amount of layers for printing these) and increase the infill percentage.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: The more infill, the more material. The more material, the more stress is inside the part while it cools down from printing temperature to ambient temperature. Parts with higher infill density tend to warp more (the edges curl up).
But 20 % should be fine, you shouldn't have any issue at that percentage (unless you're printing with ABS/ASA).
I think it's a first layer issue, the 0.2 mm first layer gets more 'squished' onto the bed, thats why you get better adhesion. I'm using PrusaSlicer, every default print profile in PrusaSlicer uses a 0.2 mm first layer, maybe there is something like that in Cura too?
For example the 0.1 mm PrusaSlicer profile will squish a 0.2 mm first layer onto the bed and changes to 0.1 mm layers for the rest of the print.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/11/29 | 787 | 2,825 | <issue_start>username_0: I have designed this in Blender:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ucC7j.png)
The bottom is a regular n-gon with 0.8mm in height. In Slic3r, I see that the bottom-most layer is not solid:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5QkC7.png)
The green parts (of the first image) are going into that layer, because I wanted to ensure that I don't have air between the bottom and the green parts. Unfortunately they become printed non-solid / empty.
This does not only take extra time for printing, it's also not what I want. What seems to be the bottom here is in fact the top of something and I want it to be a flat surface.
How can I tell Slic3r to recognize overlapping items and generate them in a solid way?
I have already set the infill to 100%, but that doesn't change anything. The Boolean modifier of Blender is also not very helpful. It creates topologies with gaps.<issue_comment>username_1: Blender is not a preferred program to model solids, it is great though for many other visualizations. Apparently, the green parts are not solid models in your original Blender design, they are most probably surfaces, when you create an STL, the model is not solid, it contains surfaces. All this causes problems for your slicer (the slicer ignores the surfaces and makes an empty hole instead, hence the sliced image). You should look into the options, manuals or fora of Blender to create solid models. Otherwise, use a proper 3D modelling tool for creating solid models.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: I printed the thing for some layers to see what the printer actually does:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mwBgB.jpg)
There are clearly too many retractions and unretractions.
This can be seen in advance by letting Slic3r show the retractions and unretractions.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8Vo55.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fDdn7.jpg)
For the green "walls", it became clear that it prints them exactly onto the empty space, so in fact the seem to be floating.
That made it obvious to me: the normals were pointing into the wrong direction. Therefore, Slic3r seems to have interpreted the material side of the green parts inside out. I had the same issue on some other parts as well.
I went to Blender, selected the object(s), chose edit mode and found a function called "Recalculate normals". Since then, the bottom layer is solid.
Also printing time is reduced by half an hour.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kDh7y.png)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2018/11/30 | 890 | 3,319 | <issue_start>username_0: I am having an issue where several prints I downloaded from thingiverse causing my printer to freeze in the first minute of the print. The print head stops, pushes out a small amount of PLA and then does nothing. The control board continues to show the print progress bar continuing.
One thing that could be possible is I am using the wrong G-code flavor. I am running Cura 3.4.1 and I set the printer to use RepRap. I also tried Marlin. Which one of those is right for my printer? Could it be something else?
My MonoPrice printer firmware version is v35.110.2. The item I tried to print has the gcode from this page. <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2221657>.<issue_comment>username_1: The source of the files (thingiverse) is irrelevant -- what matters is what the slicing software creates for gcode. Since you're using Cura,go to [monoprice](https://www.mpselectmini.com/slicers/cura) for their advice.
There are a number of Cura + monoprice instructional vids on youtube as well.
not to mention several reddit channels.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: If you go to the Monoprice website you will find a dedicated page for [Ultimaker Cura](https://www.mpselectmini.com/slicers/cura).
From the page you can read that:
>
> Cura now includes profiles for the MP Select Mini V1 and V2. Go to
> “Settings”, “Printer”, “Add Printer…”, “Other”. Select the radio
> button next to the printer, then “Add Printer”.
>
>
>
So you must be able to configure it correctly for your printer (this must include the G-code flavor for your printer). Do note that Monoprice does nothing with the Ultimaker Cura installers, they simply link directly to the source at Ultimaker. Also note all the problems related to specific versions and how to fix them.
You write that the:
>
> The control board continues to show the print progress bar continuing.
>
>
>
This I have experiences myself (on a different printer with Marlin 1.1.8), so a non-printing printer while the progressbar progresses. I solved this myself by flashing to a newer firmware version. It appears to be a [bug in the firmware](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/issues/9636).
You might want to explore whether it is feasible for you to update, I read that there are issues with this printer concerning firmware updating (it appears that there are different hardware versions of this printer).
E.g. [from this reference](https://www.thingiverse.com/groups/monoprice-select-mini-owners/forums/general/topic:19510):
>
> * If your MPSM V2 currently has Motion Controller v34 or higher
> installed then you can update with this firmware.
> * If your MPSM V2 currently has Motion Controller v30 or lower, do NOT update with this firmware.
> * If you have Motion Controller versions 31, 32, or 33 please
> ask before updating with this firmware.
>
>
>
Although the changelog does not mention your problems, you may benefit from a firmware update. Please do this at your own risk, take precautions and read in the matter if your printer is able to be updated. It is best to first look into your settings how the printer is configured in Ultimaker Cura. Preferably, delete the current printer configuration and add a new configuration as described [here](https://www.mpselectmini.com/slicers/cura).
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/02 | 768 | 2,852 | <issue_start>username_0: I like Tinkercad so far for it's very simple UI. (I'm new to 3D modeling and very confused by Blender and the like.) However, I'm not using it to do 3D printing just yet. For I'd like to be able to be to slap textures on the models I make and get images of that. What is the easiest beginner way to do that (for Linux OS)?
Alternately, displaying the .obj directly in the browser with a texture would be great, too.<issue_comment>username_1: For your purposes, consider that Meshmixer (free) can open .OBJ files and display them in any position you desire.
I use Meshmixer quite a bit for model editing, but have not used it for .OBJ files with textures. I searched my drive and found quite a few .OBJ files, but was not able to present or add textures, due to my own ignorance, I'm sure.
I found a useful link to a [support page](https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/meshmixer/obj-import-in-meshmixer-without-texture/td-p/8007101) on the 'net which indicates that there has to be a texture file as well as a definition file (.MTL) in order to display the textures in Meshmixer. Using that reference, I was able to add a randomly selected .PNG file and apply the texture to a test model.
If your creations do not include those support files, this may not be a good answer. There's little to lose, however, as the program is free and you may find use for it in the future, or you may find that it works as you require.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: If you need just a graphical 3D look at them, opening them in any slicing program should create a graphic visualization in relation to the print grid - in glorious 3D. Slicers don't allow to place textures on them though.
One of the most common slicers among hobbyists, Ultimaker Cura, comes also as a linux distribution, just like a couple more reviewed on [all3dp.com](https://all3dp.com/1/best-3d-slicer-software-3d-printer/)
If slapping textures on your model is a strict demand, then you have to get a proper graphic-design program. Blender, which is a mess, as you mentioned, is one of the most powerful ones out there. But even with blender you don't need to go all deep into learning: if you just want to check out a rough fit of the looks, it can be used for a 3D visualization. It can be helpful to use the vertex-paint mode to mark some areas as you spin the model around. And if you dig deeper into the matter, you can make an UV-map easily.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Consider using Clara.io (100% free):
* Export your Tinkercad project as OBJ.
* Import in Clara.io
* Texture and render.
Clara.io is 100% web based. It is simple to learn if you have prior experience with other 3D renderers. If you don't, the learning curve might be steep though...
But : you have access to VRAY which in a free-to-use package, is simply awesome...
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/03 | 1,671 | 6,321 | <issue_start>username_0: I built a cheap Delta printer with ATMega board and 1.8° motors. The micro stepping is limitied to 1/16. Beside a decent print quality, I observe a moire effect on flat surfaces. The moire is clearly caused by a combination of both, the 1.8° motors steps and the low microstepping.
I thought about using 0.9° stepper motors together with a combination of board and drivers which support < 1/32 micro stepping. Is there a comparison somewhere illustrating potential quality differences on larger delta printers and is this the way to remove the moire effect? For cartesian printers I would not bother using such motors, but I noticed that a higher holding torque at smaller steps is desirable for delta printers.
**Example**
Not one of my prints, but this is how it looks
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ao5PD.png)<issue_comment>username_1: Delta bots always need all motors to step to maintain a straight level. [Microstepping](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/5796/full-steps-mode-for-z-axis-stepper-controller), is not magic, the **incremental torque** decreases per step so that you will be more likely to miss a few micro-steps. Furthermore, the signal that creates voltages for the micro-step positioning is usually not perfectly sinusoidal (pulse-width voltage modulation is used to achieve micro-stepping by controlling the current; the driver sends two voltage sine waves, 90 degrees out of phase to the motor windings), micro-stepping drives can only **approximate** a **true sine wave**. This means that some torque ripples, resonance, and noise remains and hence resulting in odd stepper behavior, like seen below from [this ref.](https://hackaday.com/2016/08/29/how-accurate-is-microstepping-really/) (after the half step the stepper jumps to the full step and maintains that value for a while):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ICxJV.jpg)
This is seen as a [Moiré](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moir%C3%A9_pattern) pattern in your printed products. As an example, if the head is moved in Z direction by micro-step, you will almost certainly notice that the head doesn't move on every micro-step, but only every 3rd or 4th micro-step (as an example). When using higher resolution steppers like the 0.9° stepper motors, you will still miss micro-steps (e.g. the same, so also on every 3rd or 4th micro-step the head moves), but as the micro-step is half the size of that one of a 1.8° stepper motor, the accuracy as in precision and resolution is higher.
In that sense, if you change your stepper drivers for higher micro-stepping drivers (from 1/16 to 1/32 as you mention), it will not help you improve the resolution much because the incremental torque from one to another 1/32 micro-step is lower than for 1/16 micro-steps as can be seen in the figure below (taken from [this ref.](https://www.micromo.com/media/wysiwyg/Technical-library/Stepper/6_Microstepping%20WP.pdf)).
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mBonI.png)
So, using 0.9° motors (and keeping 1/16 micro-stepping) improves positioning accuracy as described above, it will also reduce the noise, because the torque per unit angular error is nearly doubled. Also remember that if you are using 8-bit electronics (you hint to an ATMega board), then even 1/32 micro-stepping burdens the processor to achieve reasonable travel speeds. With 8-bit electronics, it is usually suggested to use 1/16 stepping.
Upgrading an existing printer from 1.8° to 0.9° stepper motors is probably not worth for the majority of users (note that the maximum allowable speed also reduces when using 0.9° stepper motors). Unless you are designing and building a new delta, or aren't on a tight budget you could opt for the additional costs of buying 0.9° stepper motors.
Note that updating to higher micro-stepping values not necessarily implies that the quality of your products also increase. See e.g. [this reference](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/159/5740).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: What you're seeing there is commonly referred to as "salmon skin" and isn't a result of the motor stepping, but due to power backfeeding from the motors. Install a set of flyback diodes on each axis (you can buy these premade specifically for printer motors, normally in sets of 8 diodes per motor) and you should find the issue either minimised or eliminated entirely. It's a very cheap upgrade and I'm surprised it's not a standard feature on printers that have affected drivers these days.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I am looking at the example print you supplied and trying to understand the defects. Was the object printed vertically, so that the object Z-axis is running from top to bottom in the picture?
If so, then the horizontal defects look like resonance artifacts, which could be caused by the issue you raise of the stepper motor not responding to small movement commands. The only thing that will prevent the motor from responding is stiction, or difficulty starting a movement. Stiction is a non-linear aspect of friction in which the "starting" friction is higher than the "sliding" friction. It might be worth checking for surfaces which must slide against each other, and assure they are lubricated with a dry, non-tacky lubricant.
A typical delta machine behaves the same way on each layer. The equations which govern how high on the tower the top of the delta-leg should be for each x,y, and z point is linear in Z, but non-linear in X and Y. With that in mind, I have no hypothesis to describe the defects that would be described as cathedrals if they were wood grain.
Or, perhaps the object was printed so that the surface shown is parallel to the bed? If so, the defects looks like more than a couple of microsteps. Is it possible that one drive is not working correctly? If so, I would suggest that the motor on the tower pointed to (or pointed from) by the cathedrals is not working like the others. It could be binding too tightly to the tower, or the pully may be loose, or the driver isn't working correctly for one of the two coils.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/03 | 679 | 2,586 | <issue_start>username_0: I am trying to print my first test but my Creality Ender 3 starts printing near the front edge and within 10 seconds is printing in front of the tray (off onto my table). I really think it should be starting the print in the middle and then never going so close to the edge and even over it
What can I do?<issue_comment>username_1: When a print is not printing on the build platform, you either:
1. Have the incorrect settings in the slicer (e.g. Ultimaker Cura, [a common mistake is that the "origin at center" option is active](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6450/5740)), or
2. Have the center of the bed incorrectly stored in your firmware. (See: [How to center my prints on the build platform? (Re-calibrate homing offset)](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6375/how-to-center-my-prints-on-the-build-platform) or [Recalibrating Home-position](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6399/recalibrating-home-position)).
Note that the most simple change (after you verified the slicer settings and confirmed that it still does not print in the center) is adjusting the settings in the slicer (bed settings, of start G-code script), this way you do not need to compile and upload new firmware (e.g. if you are uncomfortable or inexperienced in doing so), but, fixing it in the firmware is the best solution. Why? If you change the offset in the slicer you force the bed dimensions to a new position that *you know* where it is, while if changed in the firmware, the printer "*knows*" the actual size and the limits.
---
*To fully answer your question, we need a little more information what slicer you use and what the current settings are. From your question it sounds as if the offset is more than a few millimeters. Usually this hints to an incorrect slicer setting (frequently Ultimaker Cura).*
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The Ender 3 has its standard homing position not set to a point on the build plate but rather at the physical position of the endstops. That is a couple millimeter in front and at the side of the *front left* corner. To make it clear, *home* or *(0,0,0)* is *not* the center of the build plate but some millimeters off the *front-left corner*.
To move the home position away from the physical switch positions and onto the build plate's front left corner - should you want to - you will need to switch the firmware of your printer.
A walkthrough I had with an Ender3 (the same machine type) is at [Recalibrating Home Position](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6660/8884)
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/12/05 | 901 | 3,708 | <issue_start>username_0: First post here, so please forgive me for any silly mistakes.
Recently the y-axis (I think, forward-backward) has started skipping forward when printing the first layer of my print. It prints the raft with no issues at all, sticks the bed nice and flat and the raft is perfect every time.
Then it starts to print the actual item, but every time it starts to the print the back right corner the Y-Axis jumps or skips on the gears and makes a loud grinding noise. The amount it jumps varies on the print, but always jumps towards the front of the print. It doesn't matter on the size of the print or the position, it always jumps forward never back.
The printer is a Makerbot Replikator clone, from eBay. The X & Y moves the extruder. I have tried upgrading and downgrading the software (which uses Makerbot software) I am unsure if I can update the firmware.
Any help much appreciated.
UPDATE:
Image has been attached of the failed part, excuse the colour, I use it for my test prints. This is orientation it printed on the bed. First 3 blocks printed fine, 4th one jumped It printed in the following order 1. top-left, 2. bottom left, 3. bottom right, 4. top right.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/bIkxe.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: Layer shifting is a result of the use of open-loop control systems. This means that the printer just instructs the head to go to certain positions without checking that it actually did arrive at that position. If something happens along the path, like hitting some part of the print or the printer, the motors could loose steps or the belts may skip teeth without the printer knowing it, so it continues further without correcting this.
There are a couple of causes for the skipping to occur. Usually it is a mechanical issue, but it can also be related to an electrical problem or a print settings problem (if e.g. your print speed it too high, the steppers could miss steps).
Looking closely at the image, you will see that the infill of the first layer does not touch the outer lines. This could be a hint that your belts are not tight enough (mechanical issue). Too loose belts cause the stepper driving pulley to skip. Also check the pulley whether it is securely fastened so that the pulley is not slipping when subjected to an increased torque. The nozzle most probably hits the raft (ABS? as it curls up and detaches, you see some irregularities on the left of the bottom right product in your image). Do note that too tight belts are also not wanted as they stress the stepper by an increased torque load. If the issue is electronically related, you could thick of increasing the torque by increasing the current through the stepper (and driver). Too much current will overheat the stepper driver though, so make sure that these do not exceed their rated maximum and properly cool the stepper drivers.
To solve your issues it is recommended to first try printing at lower speeds (this can be skipped if you already have low print speeds), then check the mechanical system of the printer, and finally, if this does not fix the problem, you could look into the electronics.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I'm guessing that the bed in the offending corner is farther away and your raft is curling and lifting off the bed in that corner, and your nozzle it hitting it. Try releveling your bed, paying particular close attention to that corner. In addition, work on bed adhesion in general. Clean the bed, make sure fan is off on first layer, and go slow on first layer, and use proper bed temp for the material. You can also try glue stick.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/05 | 479 | 1,464 | <issue_start>username_0: I am trying to print with clay.
These are my Slic3r speed settings,
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FE115.png "Slic3r speed settings")
Other information;
* Nozzle: 1.4 mm
* First layer height: 0.9 mm
* layer height: 1 mm
* Filament dia: 1.8 mm
* perimeter: 3
When I print, the first layer is printed faster than remaining layers and in the remaining layers, the two inner perimeters are printed much slower than the outer perimeter.
* Video: [print video](https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UE2MFhjTXpVEirsNK3KlALi4Fb5Ca8rX)
* G-code: [gcode](https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GMyNPaX8YiB3-P2UNHGC3gTZC3M3oilm)
Isn't this strange since I give the same print speed for all?<issue_comment>username_1: Make sure that on the Print Settings tab, under Advanced, you have set the Extrusion widths for your custom nozzle settings.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: No, you did not set all the settings to the same speed, there are 2 different print speeds defined:
* Infill Solid: **60** mm/s
* First Layer Speed: **30%**
This means, that some walls will be printed 10 mm/s faster than the others, and that *first layer* should be printed at 30% of 50 mm/s, so at 15 mm/s - try to define it as a speed. Make sure to save and apply the settings and only *then* slice your model, as you might have sliced the model with the previous settings.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/07 | 326 | 1,173 | <issue_start>username_0: I've been making some ABS prints, but it's really hard to remove it afterwards.
I've read a lot of different ways of removing it, including using the included chisel/spatula, using air duster, 50/50 alcohol/water, reheating the bed...
I've also read about using a flexible bed that can flex it out. I'm eager to try this approach but don't know what magnetic bed I should get that's compatible with it.
But if you have other tricks for it, please let me know. Thanks!<issue_comment>username_1: Make sure that on the Print Settings tab, under Advanced, you have set the Extrusion widths for your custom nozzle settings.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: No, you did not set all the settings to the same speed, there are 2 different print speeds defined:
* Infill Solid: **60** mm/s
* First Layer Speed: **30%**
This means, that some walls will be printed 10 mm/s faster than the others, and that *first layer* should be printed at 30% of 50 mm/s, so at 15 mm/s - try to define it as a speed. Make sure to save and apply the settings and only *then* slice your model, as you might have sliced the model with the previous settings.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/07 | 1,128 | 4,168 | <issue_start>username_0: A while ago bought a Bowden extruder to replace the old built-in one (It was malfunctioning or something that I cannot remember well). This one in particular has been acquired:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LF28s.jpg)
The thing is, that almost a year has passed since the printer did something rather than getting jammed and not work properly. The extruder itself seems to work properly, when I heats up and push the filament by hand seems to pass properly.
When assembled and start to print, the printer at first seems to work, but after a minute or so, it stops extruding (gets jammed or something).
The last time that I removed the filament and I've found out that it was coiled inside (Very strange):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wBjnr.jpg)
My first thought was that the filament was thinner than the extruder's specs, but the seller says that is for 1.75mm, and all my filaments have that diameter.
What I am missing? Something maybe that is not properly mounted?
The product is not official, bought on Amazon (I didn't know about e3d v6).
Printing temperature should be 180ºC but I've seen now that Cura sets the first layers to print at 200ºC. Material: PLA
My printer is a [BQ Prusa i3 Hephestos](https://www.bq.com/en/support/prusa/support-sheet).<issue_comment>username_1: As long as there is no more information about the printer itself (I searched a bit and around half of buyers were severely unhappy with the result), I'd advise you to make a full check of all of the important parts that make up a 3D printer making ok prints:
* Are motors moving as they should?
* Is the extruder actually extrude filament when told so (do the check "2cm" = 2cm extruded)?
* Is the Z calibration ok (<- VERY important, will make tons of weird problems if extruder is too close to the bed, believe me, don't skip out on this one. A blue tape or not a blue tape makes a world of difference).
Also of course check your filament (no variations too big of the diameter).
For the temperature, IMO go for the higher for starters (maybe no, see "heat creep" below), you won't be able to bridge / less good quality etc. but you'll get pieces done.
NOW, the image you posted shows a twisted (I don't know how to handle that) or a grinded filament.
When I say 'grinded' I mean that the filament got stuck somewhere (see below) and the (cogged) wheel pushing the filament is so strong that is grinds off plastic from it, forming waves on the filament. Eating away parts so it looks like your photo.
If that's the case, then you should check out "heat creep", it's basically the heat in the lowest part of the extruder (the thing you call a bowden extruder) will heat up the filament and make it melt Above the heat block, making a blob of half melt plastic stopping the forward movement of the filament.
This is usually mitigated by two things, that lacks more or less in cheap chinese knock offs:
\* The fan and it's cooling efficiency (the fan must blow when the heat block is hot, even if there is no printing going on. Even if the heat block is no longer heating. I shut the fan off at around 60°C).
\* The Heat break: if it's heavy it will conduct too much heat, if it's thin it might work but will break easily.
3D Printing is not obvious or easy, but spend some time and it'll start to work well!
Cheers
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: If you converted a printer from direct to Bowden feed, it is possible that the cold side of the hot end is too hot, and you are suffering from heat creap. Simple, less expensive printers often use the extruder stepper and the extruder stepper mount as part of the cooling system.
If there is any sort of a heat-sink on the cold side of the hot-end, try to rig a fan to blow through the heat sink. If there isn't a heat sink, find one and add it. Heat sinks made for round transistor cases can sometime be fitted to the cold side. A little heat sink great, a couple of transistor heat sinks, and a fan may completely solve your problem.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/09 | 936 | 3,435 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm having issues getting PETG to print nicely. I have encountered pretty much every issue because when I fix one thing another issue pops up. I see people saying that you should "just copy your PLA settings", but that *definitely* did not work for me, with issues from bed adhesion, stringing, globbing, and especially issues with the top layers. At the moment I am getting very decent quality prints from PETG, however the one issue that remains is the top of the print.
Infill looks fine, it is printing fast, so that is where I would expect the filament to glob to the extruder. But that happens on the very first top layer. The printer goes over the honeycomb, and the filament gets oozy and starts forming in globs on the edge of each inner wall. This takes a few layers to print over, and even after 5 layers at 0.25 mm layer height it has holes.
**Software:** I am using Slic3r PE 1.41.2, on Repetier Host 2.1.3.
**Printer:** Wanhao DI3 or Monoprice Maker Select Plus.
**Filament:** Amazon Basics branded Navy Blue PETG.
**Settings:**
* 40 mm/s print speed,
* 0.2 mm layer height,
* 70 °C heat bed,
* 235 °C hot end,
* 15 % honeycomb infill,
* 20 % - 50 % automatic fan speed.
I would like to solve this without increasing infill percentage because the parts are already quite dense with 15 % honeycomb and I don't want to waste material and time.<issue_comment>username_1: Five top layers should normally be more than enough to create a seamless top layer.
Indeed, PETG prints a little differently than PLA. It requires a higher hot end temperature, less part cooling (to improve sticking to previous layers), a higher build plate temperature and usually care in choosing the right initial layer height. Once the printer needs to create the top surface layers, too much temperature, too less cooling and too low of an infill percentage can cause the top bridging over the infill to fail. Your settings seem to be fine except for the low percentage of infill, 15% is very low.
Other possible causes could be under-extrusion and too fast printing, but in this case the low infill percentage is probably the main reason. To get a better top layer you could first try to increase the infill percentage. If you go to 20 or 30 % infill, you would only marginally "waste" filament. More filament and time is wasted when whole prints fail as of a bad top layer.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I have been having the same issue with PETG when printing but I have found that if I slow the printer down to 50% speed that left me with a perfect top layer. I have a 20% infill with 4 top layers and at 50% speed I am printing at roughly 32mm/m. I am sure that will help give you better top layers.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: If you're using Slic3r, check what line widths it's using. By default it extrudes with dynamic widths up to considerably wider than the nozzle size. PETG is only borderline-printable at 40 mm/s with 0.4 mm line width and 0.2 mm layer height. If Slic3r increased some of the line widths to 0.55 mm or so like it typically does, you're likely getting underextrusion, and need to either go slower, constraint the line width narrower, use thinner layers, or find some way to increase the amount of material you can push through the nozzle per unit time (maybe going hotter or using a higher-power hotend).
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/09 | 381 | 1,391 | <issue_start>username_0: I keep hearing about vase mode, but I have some problem figuring out how to set it up in my slicer; I use Cura slicer.
So, I'd like to get some settings to do it in Ultimaker Cura, using PLA if the material is important, plus any advice on how to properly do it and ensure that the print retains it's shape on print.<issue_comment>username_1: Vase Mode changed the name in some version before 3.5. Now you can achieve this with 2 modes: "Surface Mode" and "Spiralize Outer Contour". To turn it on do this:
* Choose the Custom setting menu on the right
* click a gear to set up what settings you want to see
* Under the header "Special Modes" you find both Surface Mode and Spiralize Outer Contour
* set the checkmarks on both
Turning on the Surface mode to `Surface` and checking `Spiralize Outer Contour` gets the "classic" Vase Mode.
Turning on `Surface` without `Spiralize Outer Contour` gets an infill-less outer perimeter
Now, the *classic* Vase mode will only print the *single most outer perimeter* of a print, so your model will have to be very limited with angles and contain no bridges - with one perimeter, you will only be able to print at best 45° angles!
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Option `Spiralize` makes your model one layer thick on outer edges.
What I do for a vase is set the top layer count to zero.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/10 | 2,999 | 10,602 | <issue_start>username_0: Earlier today I successfully completed a small print (less than 1 hour) on our Tevo Tarantula. When it came time to print the next one, I started preheating for PLA and got an "E1 Thermal Runaway" error. I replaced the heating element with a backup and got no error on preheat.
With an estimated 5+ hrs printing time, the print got about 1 hour in before it quit with another "E1 Thermal Runaway" error. This is with a brand new heating element, the third in about as many months, and I don't do much printing at all.
Is this normal for the elements to be so shoddy or are there settings I need to be changing? I still have the first 2 elements that I thought had died but maybe that's not the issue at all so I'll hang onto them in case I'm overlooking some code to change in Marlin.
I've tried connecting and reconnecting both the wires for the heating element and for the thermistor. I've tightened and loosened the screw holding the thermistor in the heating block. While it did heat up momentarily, the error popped up again after less than a minute:
```
23:40:57.529 : echo:DEBUG:INFO,ERRORS
23:41:04.974 : PID Autotune start
23:41:37.274 : Error:Heating failed, system stopped! Heater_ID: 0
23:41:37.274 : Error:Printer halted. kill() called!
```
How can I find out what is wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: 1 PID Tune
==========
Changing the thermosensor or the heater cartridge is a big change in the system: each of these items has internal errors differing them from each other item. If your thermosensor has a different standard resistance by a small way than the one before, if the resistance of the cartridge is different, then the chip gets readings it does not expect. This is why a change of either of these components (or to a different heater block size/material for the matter) one should run a PID tune, teaching the chip how the new sensor/cartridge behave.
To do this, connect to your Printer via an USB Cable and run a software that can send raw gcode. I prefer Repetier Host, but other software also works. I like to follow the instructions of the [e3D v6 assembly manual](https://e3d-online.dozuki.com/Guide/V6+Assembly/6?lang=en#s87), but the video by [Tom (<NAME>)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APzJfYAgFkQ) and the [RepRap Wiki](https://reprap.org/wiki/PID_Tuning) have excellent explanations too.
* Send `M303 E0 S200 C8`
* wait for finishing
* send `M301` with the values you just got returned. One example might read `M301 P17.28 I0.63 D118.87`
* sent `M500` to update your EEPROM
---
If this doesn't help, we might have a bigger problem, so let's go troubleshooting! Hardware first, then Firmware.
A few useful hints that <NAME> found [when he was checking his printers for fire hazards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckQ9UWlmdVA):
* A shorted out thermosensor (closed loop, 0-Resistance) triggers Maxtemp
* A burnt out thermosensor (open loop) triggers Mintemp
* A non-connected or burnt out (open loop) Cartridge triggers thermal runaway, as does any other error with the cartridge that leads to abnormal heating.
2 Check the Hardware
====================
Hardware can fail, we all know that. But luckily there are only 5 items involved that could fail:
2.1 Check all connections
-------------------------
If the heater cartridge is not connected properly, that will result in a Thermal Runaway Error, as the thermosensor does not detect any change.
A non connected thermosensor will trigger a mintemp error, a shorted thermosensor will trigger maxtemp error.
2.2 Check the resistance of the heater cartridge
------------------------------------------------
A broken heater cartridge can have two results: either it conducts no electricity at all (for example if a lead is broken), or it acts as a jumper and has no resistance at all. To check this, use a multimeter and measure the resistance in Ohm by connecting it to the leads of the cartridge while it is dismounted. A broken circuit in the cartridge triggers Thermal Runaway, a shorted out cartridge can break the board in worst case. [A pictoral guide for analogue Multimeters.](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6LBUV.jpg)
My e3D light6 in my 12 V TronXY has a resistance of about 5.2 Ω. The Value you will get depends on what kind of heater cartridge you use. For reference: e3D Heater Cartridges are [documented](https://e3d-online.dozuki.com/Guide/V6+Assembly/6?lang=en#s87) to be around 4.8 Ω for 12 V & 30 W, 3.6 Ω for 12 V & 40 W, 19.2 Ω for 24 V 30 W and 14.4 Ω for 24 V 40 W.
If your Value is given as infinite or near 0 Ω, your heater cartridge is broken - Though having 3 defect heater cartridges seems unlikely on first glance, unless something shortens their lifespan considerably.
2.3 Check your supply voltage
-----------------------------
Now comes a thing that can be **dangerous** for you will measure a live circuit. Be aware that you are working with **live current** when you do this. Do **NOT** bring your fingers into contact with unshielded wires!
Set your Multimeter to check the Voltage. Connect the test probes to the output of the power supply that runs into the board. Power up the voltage supply. It should read close to 12 or 24V, depending on your machine.
2.4 Check the voltage given by the board
----------------------------------------
Again, this is measuring **live current** and can be **dangerous**. Use maximum care not to fry yourself!
If your Power supply is working, then it might be the board that is not allowing the current to get the heater cartridge. So we need to measure if it gets power. Since I=U/R, and we have established that R is not 0 or infinity (see above), we can establish if there is I by simply measuring U, which is the voltage.
Mount the tips of your multimeter into the clamps that should take the leads for the heater cartridge and set it to measure the Voltage. Make sure they have contact. Connect the machine to power and start it up. Order it to heat up the cartridge. It should show a voltage that is similar to your supply voltage (12/24V).
2.5 Thermosensor
----------------
The Thermosensor *might* trigger an error if it is faulty but not entirely broken. A broken thermosensor should trigger `MINTEMP` for a broken open and `MAXTEMP` for a shorted out sensor. The only way to test this would be to measure it against items of known temperature, for example using the bed sensor as Benchmark.
3 Check the Firmware
====================
3.1 Thermosensor settings
-------------------------
In some cases, the temperature tables of the thermosensors are not compatible and one has to change the settings for that in the firmware. One of the best rundowns I know is in the e3D [light6](https://e3d-online.dozuki.com/Guide/Lite6+Marlin+Configuration/27?lang=en)/[v6](https://e3d-online.dozuki.com/Guide/V6+Marlin+Configuration/5?lang=en) firmware manual, if you need more help than this.
In the Marlin 1.9 you do this in `Configuation.h`, under the header Thermal Settings. In my Ender 3 this is done in line 289:
```
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 5
```
That means, that my temperature sensor 0 (the one in the hotend) is of type 5, where type 5 is defined in the block above. The relevant line 256 of my file reads:
```
* 5 : 100K thermistor - ATC Semitec 104GT-2 (Used in ParCan & J-Head) (4.7k pullup)
```
The most common choice in Chinese hotends to use this very 4.7-kiloohm pullup thermistor table, and the actual specific table for most of these is reasonably close to the 5. Other thermosensors can be reasonably overlapping, but in case you change the style of thermosensor, it is generally advised to change this value accordingly1. **Always** run a PID tuning after changing the thermosensor table!
3.2 Thermal Runaway Protection
------------------------------
The settings for the Thermal Runaway Protection might be worth a look. Maybe it is a little trigger happy? `Configuration_adv.h` contains a block titled Thermal Settings, containing when to trigger the emergency shutdown. For my Ender3 it reads like this:
```
#if ENABLED(THERMAL_PROTECTION_HOTENDS)
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_PERIOD 40 // Seconds
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_HYSTERESIS 4 // Degrees Celsius
```
From your error log, I guess that your printer has the second line as 30 seconds. It would be technically safe to increase this time to up to 120 seconds, but I strongly suggest not to go over 60 seconds.
1 - I had switched the whole hotend on my TronXY X1 for an e3D light6, and it only needed a PID tune, but in *theory* I should have also swapped the Firmware to reflect that - but, as said, luckily many Chinese printers use the table 5 even if they are not using the sensor. Table 5 was *made* for the thermosensors used by e3D.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: @username_1 gives a lot of good info, but:
**I don't think your heating element is the problem, I think the thermistor is, or a flaky connection between it and your board.**
The termistor senses the temperature of your heater (you also have one on a heat bed), and tells the electronics when to heat, and when it's hot enough. Now imagine if the sensor is broken or the cable gets loose: the electronics will think it's too cold and just heat forever.
This causes a fire hasard, so most electronics doesn't let the heater go full out for too long time, and ends it all with a "Thermal Runaway" if it happens.
So check that your temp is read correctly, even when you move the cables, and if that isn't it, buy a pack of thermistors (or what's compatible with your printer).
Good luck!
Source: been there done that :-)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Check the wires going into the board for the heater core. That was the problem with mine. They didn't remove enough of the insulation for the wires to get current.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: I had this problem of "Thermal Runaway E1" always at the same layer each time, when printing TPU. TPU prints at a higher temperature than usual PLA printing. I was printing it at 245 °C. (I also tried 230 and 250 °C). It turned out to be the part-cooling fan was coming on at 91 % on that layer. Which was cooling the nozzle more than the PID tuning was used to. (I had changed the nozzle for a different type and the cooling duct was blowing directly on it.) Reducing the fan speed during the slicing step printed the project just fine. A better fix in this case will be printing a new cooling duct and installing a silicone sock to help retain that nozzle heat (and yet another PID tune once that's done).
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/12 | 763 | 3,043 | <issue_start>username_0: We're printing on a WASP 3MT pellet extruder with PLA. To save time, we're leaving the hotend at 160 °C between prints but realized that the print quality varies, from one print to the another, when using the same G-code file.
Could it be that leaving the temperature at 160 °C constantly creates more fluid PLA and therefore affects the following print?<issue_comment>username_1: PLA starts to change its properties at above its glass transition temperature of 60-65 °C, if stored there too long. Keeping it at 160°C, close to the melting temperature (173-178 °C) can degrade the material relatively rapidly. During an extrusion, this is usually mitigated by filling fresh material into the melt while the older material gets extruded, but keeping the machine stagnant at the high temperature has not only creep the heat up from the designated melt zone (thus preheating material that should not be preheated yet) but also can damage the material deep in the melt zone. Together with this possible material degradation, the preheated material melts faster and might overshoot the aimed at print temperature until the normal temperature is reached again. Both effects can lead to reduced print quality in the lower layers.
The time saving from keeping the filament heated up for an extended period of time is, **in my opinion**, not worth the quality reduction that can come from using non-uniform material. You pay *more* in lost prints than you save in time for heating up the head.
If it is impossible to not keep the hotend heated between prints, it might be advisable try these:
* Starting every print with a larger purging operation might get rid of degraded material. It would be as simple as extruding some quantity of material before starting the actual print at the edge of the build plate.
* Aside from purging, it might be a good idea to reduce the hold temperature from 160 °C to a lower temperature, allowing the melt to partly solidify and keep the heat creep in check.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: With a bottoming value of being printable at 180 °C you are basically cooking the filament at 160 °C. If done a prolonged time, carbonization will take place as the more volatile parts will slowly be gassed out and part from the melt first.
When you start extruding after a certain time, you will need to get rid of the goo inside, this can lead to (partial) clogs and inconsistent printing. You should either lower it much further or not leaving it on at all.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I leave the extruder working at 190°C between printings up to for 20 minutes while I made the change; this only provoques that the nozzle gets empty; nothing gets burned or clogged. Once to start againg just feed a little more of filament manualy or waits to the skirt do the cleaning and refilling the nozzle.
Normally at this temperature (190°C) the nozzle gets empty in the next 2 minutes due normal melting flow. I can assure that your printings will be like water drops.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/13 | 344 | 1,331 | <issue_start>username_0: Is a home 3D printer capable of printing a good bicycle air pump?
I've searched the Internet and there is very limited info on it. Things need to be rigid and very minutious in the valve part of the pump. I could give an example of what I thought in the image [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cFuku.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: depends
=======
You certainly can print *parts* of **a** bicycle pump, for example, the outer case and maybe the inner piston, maybe even the housing for the connection valves.
However, you cant print the buffer spring or the valves itself. You will have trouble printing the adapters. And you will have to print in ABS to smooth the inside of your pump with acetone vapor, so you have a smooth surface that forms an air seal under operation.
It would be cheaper and more durable to just print just the fittings and use a PVC Pipe as the cylinder itself.
As in all things, if this is a **good** pump depends a lot on design and your machine.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: It should be possible to print such a product. You should be printing this in a tough material at a fine layer resolution and probably need to machine the inside of the cylinder or use grease and use a rubber valve.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/13 | 358 | 1,511 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm using a Monoprice Maker Select v2 (a Monoprice-branded Wanhao i3 duplicator) and would like to calibrate temperature readings for my hotend.
I used a thermal probe on my multimeter to determine the hotend is running about 5 degrees C above it's reported temperature (setting it to 200 degrees reads 205 on the multimeter). I measured this by placing the thermal problem partly into the hole where the printers thermistor resides.
I use Marlin 1.9 for firmware and ideally would calibrate it there--I'd prefer the readouts to be accurate rather than relying on offsets to compensate. What's the process for recalibrating the hotend temperature readings?<issue_comment>username_1: Unless you are using a calibrated temperature sensor, it is a question what the temperature will be.
Actually it doesn't really matter what the temperature exactly is, you just need to find the sweet spot for your filaments on your machine. With respect to reported temperatures by others, your settings may differ a little, but that does not matter.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Temperature from thermosensors gets collected as a resistance value that changes with temperature. The chip in your board decides the temperature from this value based on a temperature-resistance table.
If you are using Marlin Firmware, the setting which table is referenced by your machine to get its values is written under the header Thermal Settings inside `Confinguration.h`.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/13 | 473 | 1,805 | <issue_start>username_0: I tried out printing a "bridge" for the first time using this [Bridge Calibration model](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:284380). The model creator suggests printing, tweaking settings, and printing again until it works "properly."
My first try worked reasonably well, but the underside of the bridge is pretty rough and stringy. But I don't know what a "good bridge" is supposed to look like.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/htfAV.jpg)
How smooth should the underside of the bridge be? Any suggestions for what changes I should make to my slicer settings? Here is what I have currently:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/87qVV.png)
Here is a picture of my hotend on my Monoprice Maker Select Plus, as requested:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JxNbw.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: Unless you are using a calibrated temperature sensor, it is a question what the temperature will be.
Actually it doesn't really matter what the temperature exactly is, you just need to find the sweet spot for your filaments on your machine. With respect to reported temperatures by others, your settings may differ a little, but that does not matter.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Temperature from thermosensors gets collected as a resistance value that changes with temperature. The chip in your board decides the temperature from this value based on a temperature-resistance table.
If you are using Marlin Firmware, the setting which table is referenced by your machine to get its values is written under the header Thermal Settings inside `Confinguration.h`.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/14 | 532 | 2,045 | <issue_start>username_0: A couple of prints after leveling the bed (<10), I noticed some weird sound, and saw the nozzle scratching the build-plate.
What is really weird, is that I noticed (My printer is in quite a dark edge, so the build plate isn't really illuminated), that there were some scratches from a print before, but it worked fine with the prints in between.
So my question is, how that might have happened, could it be also software issues (Maybe some mistakes converting to gcode?), or is this propably purely a mechanical issue?
Furthermore, I'd like to ask whether this may cause any problems, e.g. massively reducing print quality, or weakening the grip of the prints.
I'm using the Tevo Michelangelo 3D, with manual leveling (it drives to the positions, but one has to tighten/loose the screws).
Note that [I might have overtightened the screws in the beginning](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7332/tevo-michelangelo-nozzle-below-build-plate). Another thing I noticed is that the screws on one side tend to be more loose than the other ones.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ROEST.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: I currently have a couple scratches on the base of my Cr-10. They may have come, for me, from using tape on the bed as well as the nozzle being too close and rubbing. I have not noticed any quality difference during my prints. Noting Oscar, warping could also cause the nozzle to scrape the build plate when it goes over it. I am attempting to fix this problem on own printer.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: As the question continued in comments, it can be read that the build plate had over-tight screws and loose screws on the build plate. This uneven tension could lead to stresses that warp the bed, e.g. lower corner and bulging out in the middle of the bed. When levelling on the corners, the nozzle could hit the bulge in the middle when printing. Furthermore, an endstop may have shifted during operation.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2018/12/14 | 788 | 3,039 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm attemping my first print where I pause the print, change the filament, and resume to achieve a two-color print. My first attempt failed when the printer resumed printing over a centimeter away from where it should have on the X axis. My second attempt was much better, but still resumed about 1.5mm off-target.
Here's specifically what I did:
1. Loaded the STL in Cura, the design has a 1mm "base" with an additional 1mm design on top of the base.
2. I used Cura's "Pause at Height" feature to specify the printer should pause after completing the first 1mm.
3. I sent the print to Octoprint, via the Cura plugin.
4. The pause began and went as-expected for the first 1mm. It paused after finishing the layer, as expected.
5. To switch filament I used the controls to raise the nozzle by 1cm, then moved it to home (X/Y, away from the print). I swapped filaments, hand-feeding the 2nd color until the old color was no longer coming out the nozzle, then gently cleaned up the nozzle.
6. I lowered the nozzle back to the height it paused at (down 1cm), then resumed the print. The printer moved the X/Y back to the print and resumed.
I'm guessing either I shouldn't move the printer head away from the print when changing filament, or perhaps need to re-home after the new filament is in.
What should I do to resume a print precisely where it paused? Is there a better approach?<issue_comment>username_1: You may have moved the nozzle in the X or Y direction a bit. Instead of resuming right away (that is, after step 5), send it to the X/Y home.
Additionally, if you have a removable build plate like in Prusas, you can remove the print, send the model to the X/Y/Z home, raise the nozzle very high, then replace the print
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: You are out of luck:
Print gcode is written in relative coordinates. If you move the printhead manually, the printer does not know this, and will just follow its relative path from the new position - which is what commonly is called layer-shifting.
To try to mitigate this, there are ways, but they are a little tricky:
1. If your printer has a *change filament* option, then choose that - this saves the absolute position of the printhead before moving it to X0Y0, then usually extracts the filament and waits for the new filament to be inserted and the printer waits till given a resume-OK. Then it will move to the saves absolute position, and resume the code from the point it paused.
2. If your printer has a *pause* option that moves the printhead to X0Y0, this can be used, using a manual extraction. Resuming the print will be easy.
3. Some slicers support to call "Change filament at layer X", which will call a move to X0Y0 and pause, allowing manual change even if the normal pause behavior is not to move to X0Y0.
As you see: NO manual commands are given here! You can not move the printhead up/down/sideways without having a good chance of inducing a layer shift.
The Pause behavior can be adjusted in the firmware.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/12/15 | 807 | 3,020 | <issue_start>username_0: I am trying to get my first layer calibrating done but no matter what I do, I can not get the lines sticking to the bed.
My first question is the distance of the P.I.N.D.A. What I did was what Prusa recommends on [this pic](https://d17kynu4zpq5hy.cloudfront.net/igi/prusa3d/KtMljQEIWfs5QXJV.medium):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dIH7j.jpg "Annotated photo of leveling probe and printbed")
I am using Prusa Slic3r with PLA and all default values. I am doing the first layer calibration of the setup menu and got the lines which you can remove and the last square which the nozzle is picking up so you don't have it on the print bed. The very first line on the left corner is not really squeezed. I am looking for some greenhorn help here.<issue_comment>username_1: Calibrating the first layer height involves two steps:
The first step, as illustrated in that picture, is to adjust the PINDA probe to be roughly the right distance above the nozzle. The PINDA only has a sensing range of about a millimeter, so if it's too high, it can't detect the printbed; if it's too low, it will interfere with the printed object.
The second step, which you're having trouble with, is to calibrate the exact distance between the PINDA and the nozzle tip. The printer prints out a test pattern; while it's printing, you turn the the dial on the printer control panel to adjust the "live-Z" value. Typical values for a properly-assembled printer are between -0.5 and -1.0 (more-negative values are closer to the print bed). If the live-Z value is outside that range, you need to adjust the position of the PINDA probe.
The official Prusa procedure is good for getting a rough calibration. If you want more precision, the "[Life adjust Z - my way](https://shop.prusa3d.com/forum/assembly-and-first-prints-troubleshooting-f62/life-adjust-z-my-way-t2981.html)" procedure on the Prusa forums is good. Basically, you print out a large one-layer square, adjust the live-Z value halfway through, and see which half has a better first layer. Repeat until satisfied.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Your problem is that you need to define the sensor to nozzle level offset and store it in the printers memory.
When you have homed the printer, you should end up with the nozzle at a certain level where the sensor trigger point is now defined in relation to the bed. Next step is to relate the trigger point to the nozzle level, instruct the nozzle to go down to the build plate (placing a sheet of paper on the plate) by using the buttons of the menu to move the Z axis. When you feel friction when you pull the piece of paper, you reached the correct offset. Now store the value you read from the Z axis display as Z offset in the menu. Alternatively use G-code `M851 Z-x.xx`, where x.xx is the value you read from the display. `M500` will store it in memory.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/15 | 676 | 2,582 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a Monoprice Maker Ultimate 3D printer (a rebranded Wanhao Duplicator 6) and out of the box the hotend temps when set to 200 would vary between 190 and 210. I used repetier-host to run [PID tuning](https://reprap.org/wiki/PID_Tuning) and stored the last set of values it gave when it finished, however I'm still seeing around 5 degree temp swings.
Here's a screenshot of the temp during a Benchy print from Octoprint:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/I3HxO.png)
I tried PID tuning again, which gave different values, but basically the same results. Is there anything I can do to improve this? The Maker Select Plus I had only seemed to vary +/- 1 degree so I'm assuming this is more than expected. (I don't actually know what the implications are, so I don't know whether it is/will affect my print quality).
Is there another way of tuning (I don't fancy manually tweaking numbers and testing for hours), or if I do more than 8 cycles (the default on the Wiki page linked above) would that improve the accuracy?<issue_comment>username_1: Software
========
You might want to look at your firmware. When running a PID tune, the firmware decides on a smoothing.
in Marlin, `configuration.h` contains a line that determines how much the machine shall try to work out the curves. For my ender 3 it reads:
```
#define PID_K1 0.95 // Smoothing factor within the PID
```
Playing with the value carefully might result in better calibration.
Hardware
========
A different trick to *widen* the waves might come from adjusting the physical properties of the printer:
* Make sure that no draft from the cool end fans runs over the heater block. If it does, a shroud or a little tinfoil can help to dampen the changes.
* e3D uses a silicon sock to isolate their heater blocks and prevent air drafting over them.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are sure that PID is enabled (and not using bang-bang heating, as this gives a very similar heating profile) and did not fix the fluctuations, the best guess for this phenomenon is that the printer board has incorrect capacitors installed on the printer board. This is not very uncommon and can be found on the internet. You should at least show the graph to the vendor and ask for support.
If incorrect or faulty capacitors are the cause it requires desoldering, and resoldering new ones. If this is out of your comfort zone, it is better to steer your communication with the vendor to replacing the board.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2018/12/16 | 685 | 2,548 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm setting up my first 3D Printer, a Prusa i3 MK2 clone.
When I try to heat the bed, nothing happens. Then Marlin throws this error after a while:
```
Bed Heating Failed
PRINTER HALTED
Please reset
```
In Pronterface I see this in the console:
```
Error:Heating failed, system stopped! Heater_ID: bed
[ERROR] Error:Heating failed, system stopped! Heater_ID: bed
Error:Printer halted. kill() called!
[ERROR] Error:Printer halted. kill() called!
```
There is 0 voltage across D8 on the Ramps board, where it is connected. When I heat up the hotend, on the other hand, which is connected to D10, I see 12V across the board's D10 terminals.
The bed is MK42 type.
My axes, extruder hotend and fans are working OK.
I previously burned out the 5 V regulator on my Arduino Mega by misconnecting one of the end stops. I replaced the regulator on the board and the 5 V supply seems to be working OK again. However I wondered if I might have damaged the board in some other respect? Or is there a config setting in Marlin I should change?<issue_comment>username_1: Software
========
You might want to look at your firmware. When running a PID tune, the firmware decides on a smoothing.
in Marlin, `configuration.h` contains a line that determines how much the machine shall try to work out the curves. For my ender 3 it reads:
```
#define PID_K1 0.95 // Smoothing factor within the PID
```
Playing with the value carefully might result in better calibration.
Hardware
========
A different trick to *widen* the waves might come from adjusting the physical properties of the printer:
* Make sure that no draft from the cool end fans runs over the heater block. If it does, a shroud or a little tinfoil can help to dampen the changes.
* e3D uses a silicon sock to isolate their heater blocks and prevent air drafting over them.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: If you are sure that PID is enabled (and not using bang-bang heating, as this gives a very similar heating profile) and did not fix the fluctuations, the best guess for this phenomenon is that the printer board has incorrect capacitors installed on the printer board. This is not very uncommon and can be found on the internet. You should at least show the graph to the vendor and ask for support.
If incorrect or faulty capacitors are the cause it requires desoldering, and resoldering new ones. If this is out of your comfort zone, it is better to steer your communication with the vendor to replacing the board.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2018/12/17 | 2,435 | 7,373 | <issue_start>username_0: Where is the correct Marlin firmware file and location to add code that I want to shop up in the LCD menu of my printer, and then execute the function I write when the button is pressed?
For example I want to add a menu item that says "Preheat Custom" that is in the same menu as "preheat PLA" and "preheat ABS" and then runs code to heat to values I specify.
*I'm running Marlin Firmware version 1.1.9 on a Creality Ender 3.*<issue_comment>username_1: The answer to your question (baring in mind that the question is raised for Marlin 1.1.9) is the file [ultralcd.cpp](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/ultralcd.cpp). Nowadays, you can also enable extra option through the [Configuration\_adv.h](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/Configuration_adv.h#L1546) file, just enable:
```
#define CUSTOM_USER_MENUS
```
and edit the options beneath it to your needs (otherwise it will use the preset values from the [Configuration.h](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/Configuration.h#L1255) file).
---
**Add custom items using ultralcd.cpp**
This is how I used to do it if you want to add items to the menu in Marlin Firmware through the ultralcd.cpp. It is best to first look at the current implementation of the menu items. As you already mention `Preheat PLA`, that would be the first to search for. Searching in files is easy when you go to the github website with the Marlin firmware sources, functionality is available for searching in the files. Alternatively, download a copy of the firmware and use a free "grep" utility to search in files.
Searching for `Preheat PLA` will show you a bunch of language translation files. These point to the use of a constant `MSG_PREHEAT_1` which finds its presence in [ultralcd.cpp](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/ultralcd.cpp). This hints to function `lcd_preheat_m1_menu` that is called by `MENU_ITEM` which adds menu items to LCD. You could start there to add your own option.
---
**Demonstration**
As a quick demonstration, I've added a `CUSTOM PREHEAT` item by copying the `lcd_preheat_m2_menu` function in [ultralcd.cpp](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/ultralcd.cpp) and renamed this `lcd_preheat_m3_menu` (a full functional item needs changes within the `lcd_preheat_m3_menu` as it now uses the constants from the ABS preheat option).
You then add the item to the menu by changing this part of the code:
```
//
// Preheat for Material 1 and 2
//
#if TEMP_SENSOR_1 != 0 || TEMP_SENSOR_2 != 0 || TEMP_SENSOR_3 != 0 || TEMP_SENSOR_4 != 0 || HAS_HEATED_BED
MENU_ITEM(submenu, MSG_PREHEAT_1, lcd_preheat_m1_menu);
MENU_ITEM(submenu, MSG_PREHEAT_2, lcd_preheat_m2_menu);
// ADD THIS LINE:
MENU_ITEM(submenu, "CUSTOM PREHEAT", lcd_preheat_m3_menu);
#else
MENU_ITEM(function, MSG_PREHEAT_1, lcd_preheat_m1_e0_only);
MENU_ITEM(function, MSG_PREHEAT_2, lcd_preheat_m2_e0_only);
#endif
```
After compiling and uploading to the printer board, enter the `Prepare` menu and scroll down to see:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/X5eUD.jpg)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: There might be a better solution.
Marlin supports custom user menus, in `configuration_adv.h`, you probably should try to keep your changes limited to the `configuration*.h` files.
The menu code is kind of ugly and you can easily break things.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: As username_2 said, Marlin supports a number of menu items in it's advanced configuration. These items are meant to run custom G-code, which in this case (adding a preheat action with custom target extruder and bed temp) is enough to fill your needs. So, let's see that advanced configuration file: Configuration\_adv.h. The section we are looking for is almost at the end of the file, you can ctrl+f for "CUSTOM\_USER\_MENUS" to find it.
```
#define CUSTOM_USER_MENUS
#if ENABLED(CUSTOM_USER_MENUS)
#define USER_SCRIPT_DONE "M117 User Script Done"
#define USER_SCRIPT_AUDIBLE_FEEDBACK
//#define USER_SCRIPT_RETURN // Return to status screen after a script
#define USER_DESC_1 "Do the trick"
#define USER_GCODE_1 "G91\nG0 z5\nG0 y10"
#define USER_DESC_2 "Park"
#define USER_GCODE_2 "G27 P2"
//#define USER_DESC_2 "Preheat for PLA"
//#define USER_GCODE_2 "M140 S" STRINGIFY(PREHEAT_1_TEMP_BED) "\nM104 S" STRINGIFY(PREHEAT_1_TEMP_HOTEND)
//#define USER_DESC_3 "Preheat for ABS"
//#define USER_GCODE_3 "M140 S" STRINGIFY(PREHEAT_2_TEMP_BED) "\nM104 S" STRINGIFY(PREHEAT_2_TEMP_HOTEND)
//#define USER_DESC_4 "Heat Bed/Home/Level"
//#define USER_GCODE_4 "M140 S" STRINGIFY(PREHEAT_2_TEMP_BED) "\nG28\nG29"
//#define USER_DESC_5 "Home & Info"
//#define USER_GCODE_5 "G28\nM503"
#endif
```
The source code downloaded from the official repo actually comes with some examples (the ones commented) and I added two more just for fun.
To get your custom preheat menu item working you'll make use of the following Gcodes:
* M140: set target bed temperature (visit
<http://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M140.html> for some more data)
* M104: set hot end target temperature (visit
<http://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M104.html> for some more data)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: The supplement on how to proceed with custom menus in practice:
Enable (uncomment) this line in `configuration_adv.h`:
```
#define CUSTOM_USER_MENUS
```
Below there are 5 sample entries, later you can change them or remove/comment out.
You can add new, for example:
```
#define USER_DESC_6 "Home Z (0.2)"
#define USER_GCODE_6 "G28 Z\nG0 Z0.2"
#define USER_DESC_7 "Fan on"
#define USER_GCODE_7 "M106 S255"
#define USER_DESC_8 "Fan off"
#define USER_GCODE_8 "M107"
```
Marlin currently (v2.0.7.2) supports up to 25 menu items (see menu\_custom.cpp). There may be gaps in these numbers, so you can comment out some unnecesary options without fixing numbering of others, which could be really convenient.
Custom commands can be executed in runtime (when already printing). I could use the above "home Z" after manually tuning Z endstop to correct first layer's height quickly, without restarting the print. So you can actually make harm to ongoing print as well.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: Preheat Constants - Up to 5 are supported without changing the code just add a new one and then build
```
#define PREHEAT_1_LABEL "PLA"
#define PREHEAT_1_TEMP_HOTEND 215
#define PREHEAT_1_TEMP_BED 70
#define PREHEAT_1_TEMP_CHAMBER 35
#define PREHEAT_1_FAN_SPEED 0 // Value from 0 to 255
#define PREHEAT_2_LABEL "PETG"
#define PREHEAT_2_TEMP_HOTEND 235
#define PREHEAT_2_TEMP_BED 70
#define PREHEAT_2_TEMP_CHAMBER 35
#define PREHEAT_2_FAN_SPEED 0 // Value from 0 to 255
#define PREHEAT_3_LABEL "ABS"
#define PREHEAT_3_TEMP_HOTEND 270
#define PREHEAT_3_TEMP_BED 100
#define PREHEAT_3_TEMP_CHAMBER 35
#define PREHEAT_3_FAN_SPEED 0 // Value from 0 to 255
#define PREHEAT_4_LABEL "NYLON"
#define PREHEAT_4_TEMP_HOTEND 260
#define PREHEAT_4_TEMP_BED 65
#define PREHEAT_4_TEMP_CHAMBER 35
#define PREHEAT_4_FAN_SPEED 0 // Value from 0 to 255
```
```
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/17 | 1,855 | 7,364 | <issue_start>username_0: My Flashforge Adventurer 3 is not printing properly. Filament feeder makes repetitive loud thumping noise and not enough filament is extruded. Resulting print (if completed) is not solid.
Results vary with filament. Flashforge brand (red) PLA works best. Any other filament fails completely unless I print at High quality, with head temperature at 235 degrees. Nozzle has been un-clogged repeatedly, but right from the start, when feeding filament in, it does not flow through properly.
I had used the included tool to clear blockages in the extruder several times before now, but after posting this question I tried again. Ordinary use of the tool made no difference. So I applied more force, and, pushed filament through by hand directly into the extruder and used a pin to try to clear the extruder. It now appears to be working adequately Not perfectly. I am able to print with default settings. It still thumps -or ticks- a bit. I am alarmed at the amount of force I had to use to clear the extruder blockage.<issue_comment>username_1: PLA should not be printed at 235 °C. If your printer requires such high temperatures to make the filament very fluid, you have too much friction in your system, e.g. this can be caused by clogs or too low layer height printing the first few layers. Note that such high temperatures are also a cause for obstructions as the filament can carbonise creating clogs. On the other side, too low temperatures also cause too much friction or resistance.
The sound you are hearing is often referred to as "clicking" and can be caused by steps being missed or the extruder hobbed gear to skip back as a result of the friction/resistance.
Now that clicking is introduced, please look into [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/3205/5740) and [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5687/5740) to answer your problem.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: My Flashforge Adventurer 3 showed similar symptoms at the start of a print. I found that the z-axis was out of calibration, causing the print head to touch the platform, meaning that the filament could not extrude. The solution was to calibrate by slipping a piece of paper under the extruder and adjusting the z-offset until it was just touching. Worked fine after that. Hope this helps.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Advice from another source suggested thoroughly cleaning the feed gear on the bowden extruder. When I looked closely there were plastic flakes all over the mechanism. I used compressed air and a brush to clean it.
I also discovered expert mode in the FlashPrint software, which enabled me to slow down the speed at which fill is laid down.
Now I have good printing results with any filament.
EDIT AND UPDATE::
I have continued to have problems with PLA. For most of the last year I printed using ABS with no similar problems. I guess that PLA is simply rougher, scratchier than ABS and catches in the tube. I found a comment that putting olive oil on the filament fixes it. I used Vaseline. Things were fine for a while, but a retailer said this would lead to other problems.
So far, no permanent answer to this question.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I had an identical problem, flashforge provided me with a setup that helped (mostly going much slower) but I still needed high temperature and had a lot of failures.
Eventually I dismantled the extruder hot end and found that there is a tiny metal ferrule that secures the plastic tube the filament feeds through to get to the hot end. This had failed and been drawn into the tube.
The high temperatures and slow speeds were basically just softening the PLA enough to squeeze past the blockage.
I cut the piece of metal out of the side of the plastic tube and reassembled without it.
The printer now works fine at high speeds and with any filament :)
I’ve not yet seen adverse any effect from removing this ferrule, I guess the extruder may fail eventually at which point at least I know I just need a new extruder.
There are four plastic clips you need to push in with a screwdriver if you want to try this, I was able to open it up without causing any damage as the clips are quite strong.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I had a lot of thumps lately after I moved my printer location.
Turns out my printer wasn't level and the extruder was pushing harder (further down) on different places, causing thumps.
This really shows because the calibration is only in 1 spot.
I used some printer paper and a bubble level then recalibrated.
Not a single thump since.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: After a couple of hundred hours of successful (mostly) prints, I heard weird thumping of the feeder and though it fed filament it would not extract it completely for a color change. Tried a number of tricks to fix that without success. Then I read here about just using compressed air to clean the wheels and the feed channel. Voila! Success. Maybe that won't solve it the next time but it cleared this problem.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I had this problem and thought I'd put my solution here.
The nozzle (at least my nozzle) is not actually an 0.4 mm nozzle. You can tell just by comparing it side by side to another one. Mine seems to be a 0.3 mm nozzle, despite being sold as 0.4 mm.
Once I set the `Path Width` in FlashPrint to 0.3 mm, my thumping noise (extruder skipping) and subsequent under-extrusion were **completely gone**.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: Your nozzle might be blocked. Check that.
My printer worked fine for the first ~500 g ABS. Then I started to hear the clicking/popping when the print required high material flow. The hose connector that attaches to the top of the extruder ended up giving up the ghost and it released the PTFE tube, creating spaghetti in the printer before I got a chance to stop it.
So, I replaced the hose connector, but the printer was still popping when material flow was high. I followed the steps for clearing out the nozzle. I wanted to clear it until I could see light coming through the nozzle, so removed the nozzle and used heated needles to poke through. This is where I figured out that there was something stuck in the nozzle...
I looked at my broken hose connector, and sure enough, the clamping/retaining ring inside of the hose connector was broken and fragmented. It would appear that a chunk of the ring got lodged in my nozzle. I couldn't figure out a way to clear the nozzle so I just bought a new one.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_9: I have had the same issue with mine. And the clicking was indeed calibration. When you're doing the paper part, I make sure I move the axis up one point from the bed allowing enough room for the filament to lay and adhere. If it still thumps after, check for a clogged nozzle (which you’ll have to do anyway if you have attempted countless failed prints from not being calibrated correctly) I can guarantee there’s a blockage at that point it’s just a given if you think about it. Also, I did read above that someone experienced the nozzle being in fact .3 mm instead of .4 mm.
I believe this to be true as well. All of their models seem to not be sized right. Therefore, path extrusion needs to be adjusted as well when all is said and done. Good luck
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/18 | 1,695 | 6,688 | <issue_start>username_0: I've just printed my very first part and it did not want to come loose from the build plate, it fact, it just broke instead.
I can heat the bed up again and work it off, but I wondered if a release agent would be better?
I have a silicon release spray (like those use with molds). Could I spray the base with that before starting printing?<issue_comment>username_1: PLA should not be printed at 235 °C. If your printer requires such high temperatures to make the filament very fluid, you have too much friction in your system, e.g. this can be caused by clogs or too low layer height printing the first few layers. Note that such high temperatures are also a cause for obstructions as the filament can carbonise creating clogs. On the other side, too low temperatures also cause too much friction or resistance.
The sound you are hearing is often referred to as "clicking" and can be caused by steps being missed or the extruder hobbed gear to skip back as a result of the friction/resistance.
Now that clicking is introduced, please look into [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/3205/5740) and [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5687/5740) to answer your problem.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: My Flashforge Adventurer 3 showed similar symptoms at the start of a print. I found that the z-axis was out of calibration, causing the print head to touch the platform, meaning that the filament could not extrude. The solution was to calibrate by slipping a piece of paper under the extruder and adjusting the z-offset until it was just touching. Worked fine after that. Hope this helps.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Advice from another source suggested thoroughly cleaning the feed gear on the bowden extruder. When I looked closely there were plastic flakes all over the mechanism. I used compressed air and a brush to clean it.
I also discovered expert mode in the FlashPrint software, which enabled me to slow down the speed at which fill is laid down.
Now I have good printing results with any filament.
EDIT AND UPDATE::
I have continued to have problems with PLA. For most of the last year I printed using ABS with no similar problems. I guess that PLA is simply rougher, scratchier than ABS and catches in the tube. I found a comment that putting olive oil on the filament fixes it. I used Vaseline. Things were fine for a while, but a retailer said this would lead to other problems.
So far, no permanent answer to this question.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: I had an identical problem, flashforge provided me with a setup that helped (mostly going much slower) but I still needed high temperature and had a lot of failures.
Eventually I dismantled the extruder hot end and found that there is a tiny metal ferrule that secures the plastic tube the filament feeds through to get to the hot end. This had failed and been drawn into the tube.
The high temperatures and slow speeds were basically just softening the PLA enough to squeeze past the blockage.
I cut the piece of metal out of the side of the plastic tube and reassembled without it.
The printer now works fine at high speeds and with any filament :)
I’ve not yet seen adverse any effect from removing this ferrule, I guess the extruder may fail eventually at which point at least I know I just need a new extruder.
There are four plastic clips you need to push in with a screwdriver if you want to try this, I was able to open it up without causing any damage as the clips are quite strong.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I had a lot of thumps lately after I moved my printer location.
Turns out my printer wasn't level and the extruder was pushing harder (further down) on different places, causing thumps.
This really shows because the calibration is only in 1 spot.
I used some printer paper and a bubble level then recalibrated.
Not a single thump since.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: After a couple of hundred hours of successful (mostly) prints, I heard weird thumping of the feeder and though it fed filament it would not extract it completely for a color change. Tried a number of tricks to fix that without success. Then I read here about just using compressed air to clean the wheels and the feed channel. Voila! Success. Maybe that won't solve it the next time but it cleared this problem.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I had this problem and thought I'd put my solution here.
The nozzle (at least my nozzle) is not actually an 0.4 mm nozzle. You can tell just by comparing it side by side to another one. Mine seems to be a 0.3 mm nozzle, despite being sold as 0.4 mm.
Once I set the `Path Width` in FlashPrint to 0.3 mm, my thumping noise (extruder skipping) and subsequent under-extrusion were **completely gone**.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_8: Your nozzle might be blocked. Check that.
My printer worked fine for the first ~500 g ABS. Then I started to hear the clicking/popping when the print required high material flow. The hose connector that attaches to the top of the extruder ended up giving up the ghost and it released the PTFE tube, creating spaghetti in the printer before I got a chance to stop it.
So, I replaced the hose connector, but the printer was still popping when material flow was high. I followed the steps for clearing out the nozzle. I wanted to clear it until I could see light coming through the nozzle, so removed the nozzle and used heated needles to poke through. This is where I figured out that there was something stuck in the nozzle...
I looked at my broken hose connector, and sure enough, the clamping/retaining ring inside of the hose connector was broken and fragmented. It would appear that a chunk of the ring got lodged in my nozzle. I couldn't figure out a way to clear the nozzle so I just bought a new one.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_9: I have had the same issue with mine. And the clicking was indeed calibration. When you're doing the paper part, I make sure I move the axis up one point from the bed allowing enough room for the filament to lay and adhere. If it still thumps after, check for a clogged nozzle (which you’ll have to do anyway if you have attempted countless failed prints from not being calibrated correctly) I can guarantee there’s a blockage at that point it’s just a given if you think about it. Also, I did read above that someone experienced the nozzle being in fact .3 mm instead of .4 mm.
I believe this to be true as well. All of their models seem to not be sized right. Therefore, path extrusion needs to be adjusted as well when all is said and done. Good luck
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/18 | 430 | 1,608 | <issue_start>username_0: While printing a simple model, my printer starts to layer-shift the build in a direction suddenly. I used the default setting for ultimaker Cura 3.4.1. It has done this same thing for multiple different prints. I would guess it is the software.
How do I fix the issue?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/xVXO2.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pDCZm.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: You have a case of layer shift. Layer shifts happened to me in 3 ways:
1. The movement of the axis is hindered. Check if all cables run freely and without any chance to catch! improper cable chains can cause binding and stop the printhead or bed in movement and thus induce a shift.
2. The acceleration might be too fast. Shift the acceleration of the printer movements down a notch. Don't print faster than ~60 to keep the acceleration in check, as the printer will try to reach the top speed as fast as possible, thus limiting top speed also limits acceleration.
3. The model might be broken. Re-slice the model *just in case*.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In addition to [the other answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7700/5740) to complete the overview, your stepper motor may not get enough power and misses steps, increasing the current by adjusting the stepper driver voltage could also solve the issue (when the current is too low that is! **never just increase this to try out**, you could damage the stepper, the drivers or the board, so beware).
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/12/19 | 733 | 2,963 | <issue_start>username_0: Some prints take a long time and, as I'm not in a workshop, I need to pause the print sometimes.
Are there any special considerations I should take when pausing, or can I literally just click pause, leave it for twelve hours or so, and it'll continue without any ill effects?
I'm using PLA at present.<issue_comment>username_1: If you keep the head hot during the pause, and over the print, you will melt the material already deposited.
If you move to X0 Y0 (like on a layer change) and pause there, you can cool off the head (or not), but will want to prime (advance) some material before resuming your print - or risk an initial void, as the heated material will expand and drip to some extent.
If you move to X0 Y0, retract, and cool off for your pause, you should be able to heat up, advance, and resume with few issues. You will probably still need to some manual cleaning where the resume was, as there is likely to be some buildup.
Also, if you let the bed cool during your pause, your print may become unstuck from the bed.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: It is not recommended to pause prints a considerable amount of time as the printed model will shrink and might warp during the pause. Also, layer bonding between the old and the new art after resuming will be weak, but this can be used to induce planned breaking layers.
On the other hand, **if** you have set up your printer properly, it is quite safe to leave the room even during the print:
* Maxtemp and Thermal Runaway Protection need to be set
* a smoke detector over the printer should be installed
* the printer should be placed in a way that no flammable objects can get in contact with it
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Pausing a print: A vital aspect to anyone who tries to do something advanced with 3d printing.
There are three (3) things:
* Never pause over the print. Your pause "script" should lift the head up from the model and rapidly move it over to a parking region, which is clear of the bed (ideally).
* Keep the bed warm, but retract the filament. Ensure that the filament gets retracted prior to the pause. Also the bed must stay hot/warm to ensure the part doesn't loose adhesion, and doesn't begin to warp out of shape (in the case of ABS).
* Do not shut off the motors. If you are pausing so that you can insert objects into the print (screws, washers, electronics etc) then touching the print can cause the bed to shift. Keeping the motors running will help resist any movement of the build plate during said operation. If you are pausing to do a filament change then keeping the motors energized will help resist the back driving of the lead screw (or belts or whatever is moving the z axis) so that you don't accidentally push the z axis out of position.
Of course the most important thing is the resume command. It should "undo" the movements of the pause command and return the machine to a printing state.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/12/20 | 383 | 1,565 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to hook up an Arduino to my Creality printer running Marlin firmware, such that I can have a few physical buttons mounted on the machine that will execute commands such as preheat, home, disable steppers, and so on, so that I don't have to navigate through the clunky LCD screen.
Ideally it would work in addition to the normal LCD and serial functionality, so it would not impede me from using Ultimaker Cura to print via USB, etc.
What is the best way to do this?<issue_comment>username_1: One option would be to have your printer controlled by an Octoprint server. You would then use the [Octoprint Api plugin](https://github.com/chunkysteveo/OctoPrintAPI) to use your arduino to send commands to octoprint - and from there, your printer. Octoprint has a fairly fully-featured rest api that allows you to send arbitrary GCODE to your printer ([see here](http://docs.octoprint.org/en/master/api/printer.html#send-an-arbitrary-command-to-the-printer)). You would then hook up your buttons to some code that sends the gcode commands to the printer when pressed. It's certainly not as simple as installing a plugin - you'll have to write some interface code, but it looks like those APIs should be able to do what you want, without interfering with the standard controls at all.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: There's already Arduino inside the printer (to be precise: the printer board with spare pins). Im sure its possible to hook up a switch then change firmware to send G-codes; 1 pin per series of commands?
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/20 | 952 | 3,839 | <issue_start>username_0: Why is it that if I execute a gcode command that causes the stepper motor to turn in reverse (any negative move on the X axis), after the step it will emit a high pitched whine until it gets another command to rotate in its forward direction?
Executing multiple reverse commands will cause the tone to vary in frequency each step, and always it goes away after another step in the opposite (forward) direction.
Sometimes.
And other times it does it in both directions, but only on every other step. One step +X its there, next step its gone, next step its back, and so on...
Then they also make a different noise when idle, before I disable them with the "disable steppers" command.
What are these noises?
And is it bad to leave the motors in this state? Will it burn them out?<issue_comment>username_1: this is normalISH for stepper motors. they have a fair ammount of current pulsing through them at relatively high frequencies, coils and other parts that will vibrate. if it quite loud you can look into the boards that drive them, depending on your printer they are replaceable, and better 'drivers' send cleaner signals that make less noise. however: if your motors get hot or start making clicking noises, or stop randomly, or acting up more significantly, you should look adjusting how much current they are getting. search for stepper motor calibration, basically you need to adjust the ammount of current the motors are getting, but if the machine prints normally, then this is not something you want to play with. you can also probably find the data sheet for your motor, they are usually rated to operate up to about 50C
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: When idle, the stepper is stationary, no rotation.
Normal standard electric motors will start spinning as soon as you apply power to them. However, steppers only rotate when a magnetic field is applied1):
>
> Stepper motors effectively have multiple "toothed" electromagnets
> arranged around a central gear-shaped piece of iron. The
> electromagnets are energized by an external driver circuit or a micro
> controller. To make the motor shaft turn, first, one electromagnet is
> given power, which magnetically attracts the gear's teeth. When the
> gear's teeth are aligned to the first electromagnet, they are slightly
> offset from the next electromagnet. This means that when the next
> electromagnet is turned on and the first is turned off, the gear
> rotates slightly to align with the next one. From there the process is
> repeated. Each of those rotations is called a "step", with an integer
> number of steps making a full rotation. In that way, the motor can be
> turned by a precise angle.
>
>
> The motor's position can then be commanded to move and hold at one of
> these steps without any position sensor for feedback (an open-loop
> controller), as long as the motor is carefully sized to the
> application in respect to torque and speed.
>
>
>
When you power the printer and energyze the steppers there is no movement, but, the magnetic coils in the stepper are activated to hold the rotor in position. This is controlled by the stepper driver. The creation of the signal for the magnetic coils is causing the noise. It is a function of the driver type, micro-stepping setting, the stepper motor inductance, current setting and supply voltage.
If the stepper motor, stepper driver and power supply can take it, increasing the current setting of the driver may lower the noise.
Turning off the steppers (disabling them with [G-code](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code) using `M2`, `M18`, or `M84` depending on your firmware) will stop the noise, but you will easily lose the current position as it is not hold into place anymore.
---
1) source [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepper_motor)
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/20 | 327 | 1,337 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm working with a project involving 3D printing's terminology, but I'm not such an expert... so I was asking myself if someone can explain the meaning of the "downstream" adjective in this field.
More precisely, I'm dealing with this sentence: "Handle any downstream task", which I really can't understand because it has a very poor context.
I also have this sentence with the adjective that I'm having trouble with:
>
> Confidently send your surfaces downstream knowing your results are usable design surfaces.
>
>
><issue_comment>username_1: Without more anymore context "downstream" could be in reference to a print that would be sent to another machine for post-processing. The post-processing machine is "downstream" from the machine used to make the print in the first place.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Imagine an assembly line and the flow of the material along that line. That flow is analogous to a river, and therefore any machining/processing following on from *any point* along that line is considered to be downstream of *that point*.
From [Wikipedia - Downstream (Manufacturing)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downstream_(manufacturing))
>
> Downstream in manufacturing refers to processes that occur later on in a production sequence or production line.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/21 | 940 | 3,569 | <issue_start>username_0: The first layer is very patchy indeed. I've calibrated the build plate pretty accurately but even if it was a badly calibrated build plate I don't think it would have this effect.
[](https://imgur.com/S4KsNA3.png)
It doesn't *seem* to have a negative effect on the print.
1. Should I be concerned about this?
2. Is this due to a the build plate fault?<issue_comment>username_1: First things first:
Don't Panic
===========
Your heated bed is made from metal with some sort of Build-Tak-Clone surface. It is not broken from what I can see. Your print is **not failed**, however, the quality does suffer a little bit.
Your bed does warp a little under heating. That is perfectly **normal**, and you should actually calibrate your layer thickness against a hot heatbed, not a cold one as metal that is heatbed extends - especially over the heating elements. The main heating element is usually in the center, so it "bulges" a little there, and if the heat has not equalized everywhere, it can show a dimple around it. So it warps slightly. The extent of the warping is determined by a couple factors, but from what your print looks like, it is not in a worrisome amount - the second and third layers will even it out.
I can't tell how much time passed between reaching the print temperature of the bed and the start of the print, but you might want to make sure the heating behavior heats the bed *first* and the hotend *second*, allowing the heat energy in the bed to spread more evenly. A tiny `G4 P20000 ; wait 20 seconds` [(see here)](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/526/8884)` in the pre-print code, before [cleaning & priming](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/6355/8884) the nozzle might also help.
You can try to get more even first layers by positioning the parts in areas that do not suffer from warping.
As [Tom](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7744/8884) mentioned, you might get better base layers if you increase the first layer thickness. I usually print with about 0.15 to 0.2 mm for the first layer, *regardless* of the following layer thickness to even out small miscalibrations and unevenness in the heating.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: It looks like your first layer is way too close to the bed. The printer is trying to squash the plastic down very thinly, resulting in inconsistent extrusion. You will likely see better results if you move the nozzle away from the bed a little bit. Increasing the thickness of the first layer might help as well (this is a setting in your slicer).
Keep in mind that if you're trying to print (e.g.) a first layer with a thickness of 0.05mm then a 0.025mm variation in the height of the build plate will result in very strong variation in the thickness of the extrusion on the first layer; in some places it will only be half as thick as in other places. If instead you used a 0.2mm first layer, then the 0.025mm variation barely makes a difference.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: I'm having the same problem but worse.
--------------------------------------
Some parts of the print are squished and towards the middle I will have bad or no bed adhesion. I always have to print with a raft or else the first layer will fail.
### Borosilicate glass
From what I've read online the best solution it to replace the build plate or add a pad on top of your build surface. The most recommended one is borosilicate glass. It has good heat conductivity and is very stiff.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/21 | 1,690 | 5,513 | <issue_start>username_0: Before the print has actually started I have set up Auto Bed Leveling using a BLTouch sensor, during the period that this runs I find that material leaks out of the nozzle and curls back onto itself and by the time it finishes it is substantial enough to cause problems when the nozzle is primed drawing the line to the left of the print. The material that leaks out catches on the material extruded to prime the nozzle, before printing the model so when the first line of the model are extruded to very quickly pulls up off the bed and becomes a massive tangle of material.
I try to catch it my self using various thin instruments to scrape it off the nozzle as it starts the priming but this isn't always successful and is far from ideal. I have also tried adding a retraction before the bed levelling starts suing the gcode commands added to the beginning of every print, at the moment however I find that a retraction large enough to stop the leaking material also means that material doesn't come out for the priming in time so the first lines of the print don't work.
The gcode at the beginning of the print is as follows:
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Extruder temperature
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Heat Bed temperature
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Extruder temperature
G28 ; Home all axes
G1 F1800 E-3 ; Retract filament 3 mm to prevent oozing
G29 ; BLTOUCH Mesh Generation
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
```
I am using an Ender 3 running Marlin 1.1.9 with BlTouch Auto Leveling, With slicing done by CURA 3.5.6
Any suggestions you have that would help to stop this would be greatly appreciated.<issue_comment>username_1: The oozing is due to hot-end getting hot before the bed leveling procedure: if you move the hot-end warm up command **after** the `G29` line you avoid that oozing
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Extruder temperature
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Heat Bed temperature
G28 ; Home all axes
G29 ; BLTOUCH Mesh Generation
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Extruder temperature
G1 F1800 E-3 ; Retract filament 3 mm to prevent oozing
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
```
The above code will activate the heating elements but starts homing and leveling procedure without waiting for the elements to get up to temperature. Only after the bed leveling is finished the printer will pause and wait for the heating elements reach the desired temperature.
This will prevent oozing on a cold start, but you will still be affected if you start a print right after another print, when the hot-end is still close to melting temperature.
If you prefer to avoid that condition you might want to also move the `M104` and `M140` commands after the `G29` bed leveling command.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have noticed that leveling with a heated nozzle and bed is different than leveling cold. If you want to level with a hot plate and nozzle, another more simple solution is to retract more filament at the finishing of a print, you could add an increased retraction of filament in the "end G-code" script of your slicer.
As an example, an "end G-code" script could look like:
```
M140 S0 ;heated bed heater off
M104 S0 ;extruder heater off
G92 E0 ; set extruder value back to 0
G1 E-5 F300 ;retract 5 mm filament speed 300
G1 X0 Y210 ; park the machine
```
Be sure to update the "start G-code" to counteract this retraction in your additional priming section of the nozzle.
```
...
; Prime the nozzle
G92 E0 ; set extruder value back to 0
G1 E5 F300 ; extract 5 mm filament at speed 300
; additionally, extract more at elevated height and wipe the nozzle...
...
```
Alternatively, but less accurate (as it does not compensate for layer height) is to have a minimum length of your skirt (this will work if you always use the same first layer height, just calculate how many millimeters you require for the skirt to compensate the retracted volume, you could add some extra distance to the skirt).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The best solution would be to heat the bed, but not the nozzle at startup. If you level with a cold bed, your ABL mesh is going to be off, since the aluminum heated bed plate expands considerably once the heat is applied.
You could also issue a retract command before leveling, and then add a counteracting filament feed command after ABL is complete. I have no idea how that code would look though. Just my 2 cents.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/21 | 1,269 | 4,267 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a 3D printer at home, the Colido Compact, and for some reason when I 3D print big flat surfaces a really weird thing happens. I'm using some PLA from Colido too I think
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/QOMPF.jpg "Weeeird surface artefacts")
It almost seems as if the bottom layer does perfectly but when it starts printing out the top surface this happens, because the one on the bottom left is in two parts because the upper part is the bottom one and that one is perfectly flat, then I took them apart and the weird thing just stayed with the top part... and also on the weird warps there are bits of brown goo or something? I don't know it looks as if the filament was burned...
It only appears on pretty big surfaces because smaller ones don't seem to have the problem.
Anyone knows what is happening?<issue_comment>username_1: The oozing is due to hot-end getting hot before the bed leveling procedure: if you move the hot-end warm up command **after** the `G29` line you avoid that oozing
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Extruder temperature
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Heat Bed temperature
G28 ; Home all axes
G29 ; BLTOUCH Mesh Generation
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Extruder temperature
G1 F1800 E-3 ; Retract filament 3 mm to prevent oozing
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
```
The above code will activate the heating elements but starts homing and leveling procedure without waiting for the elements to get up to temperature. Only after the bed leveling is finished the printer will pause and wait for the heating elements reach the desired temperature.
This will prevent oozing on a cold start, but you will still be affected if you start a print right after another print, when the hot-end is still close to melting temperature.
If you prefer to avoid that condition you might want to also move the `M104` and `M140` commands after the `G29` bed leveling command.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have noticed that leveling with a heated nozzle and bed is different than leveling cold. If you want to level with a hot plate and nozzle, another more simple solution is to retract more filament at the finishing of a print, you could add an increased retraction of filament in the "end G-code" script of your slicer.
As an example, an "end G-code" script could look like:
```
M140 S0 ;heated bed heater off
M104 S0 ;extruder heater off
G92 E0 ; set extruder value back to 0
G1 E-5 F300 ;retract 5 mm filament speed 300
G1 X0 Y210 ; park the machine
```
Be sure to update the "start G-code" to counteract this retraction in your additional priming section of the nozzle.
```
...
; Prime the nozzle
G92 E0 ; set extruder value back to 0
G1 E5 F300 ; extract 5 mm filament at speed 300
; additionally, extract more at elevated height and wipe the nozzle...
...
```
Alternatively, but less accurate (as it does not compensate for layer height) is to have a minimum length of your skirt (this will work if you always use the same first layer height, just calculate how many millimeters you require for the skirt to compensate the retracted volume, you could add some extra distance to the skirt).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The best solution would be to heat the bed, but not the nozzle at startup. If you level with a cold bed, your ABL mesh is going to be off, since the aluminum heated bed plate expands considerably once the heat is applied.
You could also issue a retract command before leveling, and then add a counteracting filament feed command after ABL is complete. I have no idea how that code would look though. Just my 2 cents.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/22 | 1,229 | 3,988 | <issue_start>username_0: I printed out this calibration shape from [Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2656594) with an unexpectedly catastrophic failure. It looks like there are *a lot* of things wrong here.
I used the `Normal` profile in Ultimaker Cura.
There's so much bad in this print that I'm not sure where to start.
1. It appears that walls weren't printed at all.
2. Resolution is way below par.
3. Overhangs are collapsing (not sure if that would be expected at those angles)
4. The in-filling is inconsistent and "blobby".<issue_comment>username_1: The oozing is due to hot-end getting hot before the bed leveling procedure: if you move the hot-end warm up command **after** the `G29` line you avoid that oozing
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Extruder temperature
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Set Heat Bed temperature
G28 ; Home all axes
G29 ; BLTOUCH Mesh Generation
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Heat Bed temperature
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ; Wait for Extruder temperature
G1 F1800 E-3 ; Retract filament 3 mm to prevent oozing
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z5.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
```
The above code will activate the heating elements but starts homing and leveling procedure without waiting for the elements to get up to temperature. Only after the bed leveling is finished the printer will pause and wait for the heating elements reach the desired temperature.
This will prevent oozing on a cold start, but you will still be affected if you start a print right after another print, when the hot-end is still close to melting temperature.
If you prefer to avoid that condition you might want to also move the `M104` and `M140` commands after the `G29` bed leveling command.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I have noticed that leveling with a heated nozzle and bed is different than leveling cold. If you want to level with a hot plate and nozzle, another more simple solution is to retract more filament at the finishing of a print, you could add an increased retraction of filament in the "end G-code" script of your slicer.
As an example, an "end G-code" script could look like:
```
M140 S0 ;heated bed heater off
M104 S0 ;extruder heater off
G92 E0 ; set extruder value back to 0
G1 E-5 F300 ;retract 5 mm filament speed 300
G1 X0 Y210 ; park the machine
```
Be sure to update the "start G-code" to counteract this retraction in your additional priming section of the nozzle.
```
...
; Prime the nozzle
G92 E0 ; set extruder value back to 0
G1 E5 F300 ; extract 5 mm filament at speed 300
; additionally, extract more at elevated height and wipe the nozzle...
...
```
Alternatively, but less accurate (as it does not compensate for layer height) is to have a minimum length of your skirt (this will work if you always use the same first layer height, just calculate how many millimeters you require for the skirt to compensate the retracted volume, you could add some extra distance to the skirt).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The best solution would be to heat the bed, but not the nozzle at startup. If you level with a cold bed, your ABL mesh is going to be off, since the aluminum heated bed plate expands considerably once the heat is applied.
You could also issue a retract command before leveling, and then add a counteracting filament feed command after ABL is complete. I have no idea how that code would look though. Just my 2 cents.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/22 | 1,449 | 5,317 | <issue_start>username_0: Current main problem is that at various points during a print, one layer doesn’t attach well to the layer below it. That is what appears to be causing the artifacts in the second picture below, but the picture may not show it clearly.
Background
----------
I have a Makerbot Replicator 5th generation printer. This is the one that is very locked down. As far as I know it can only use the slicer it comes with, Makerbot print, but I'd be happy to be told otherwise. It only prints in PLA and @Trish gave some good advice on drying out the filament. I've also leveled the print bed. Prints have improved from where they couldn't even finish to now where they just aren't very good quality.
The issue I'm having now seems to be primarily that one build layer sometimes doesn't stick to the one below it very well. Then they peel up and the nozzle pulls them and re-melts them into a blob. I've attached two pictures. It's worse in the first one, then I lowered the first model layer fan setting from 50% to 45% and it improved and I was able to get the print in the second picture.
Any help on what settings I can change would be great. Is this because it is underextruding? I think I'm stuck with whatever setting options are available in the Makerbot.print software.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wJZOS.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Htl1j.jpg)
Print settings
--------------
The default print temp for this printer is 215. This is at 210 degrees, but those blobs aren't actually burned they are a mix of the previous red filament that was on the outside of the nozzle. The travel speed is 150 mm/s, First model layer print speed is 30mm/s, Raft to model shell vertical offset is 0.26mm, Raft to model vertical offset is 0.33mm (I can't tell what the different between those is), z-offset is 0 (default), Layer height is 0.14mm. In the second picture the print was attached but separated easily from the raft.
A couple more settings that might matter is the Print speed: Outlines is 20mm/s, and the Print Speed: Infill is 90mm/s
Update 3/15/19
--------------
I made several of the changes suggested including lowering the temperature, leveling the bed, adjusting the Z-offset, and lowering the infill speed. I also continued to dry the filament in a dry box with a lot of desicant that I dry periodically. The desicant seemed to make much more difference than drying the filament at 50C for a couple hours. Print quality has improved a lot, but isn't great. I'm coming to the conclusion that the filament has been damaged by poor storage. It has been left in a drawer in a humid, hot room over the past summer or more.
I'm still using a raft because prints fail completely without it and work reasonably well with one so I have no problem using a raft. Now most of my problem is blobs of filament that I think are running down the nozzle from the heater core. I may have to take some timelapse video to figure that part out. I'm also having some stringing which may be a filament quality issue and some layer shifting.<issue_comment>username_1: Your printer is improperly leveled with respect to the distance of the nozzle to the bed. This, and a high raft to print part distance, causes consecutive layers to not adhere well.
PLA should not need that high temperatures to print nor does it need a raft. Rafts are interesting when printing filaments that have high shrinkage. Furthermore, a 90 mm/s infill speed is pretty high, and do not use the part cooling fan for the first few layers (if you cool too much it can curl up).
You need to re-level the bed and make sure that the nozzle to build plate distance is the thickness of a sheet of A4 paper when `Z = 0`.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Reading your print settings, I noticed some oddities:
* 215 °C
* raft
These are settings one does not expect for PLA but seem reasonable for ABS. The 215 °C could be reasonable if
* the melt zone is extremely short and partially insulated (Makerbot Mk 10 style)
* the PLA is a blend with a particularly high melting temperature
Common PLA is printed with
* 190-200°C nozzle temperature in most e3d-v6 derivates and "Mk 8"\*
* 60 °C bed temperature, when available
* no raft but possibly a brim to aid in getting a spatula under the print
* cleaning the build platform of residual fingerprints with Isopropyic alcohol or acetone is always adviseable
* a glass or metal print surface might get better adhesion from priming it with:
+ PVA-Gluestick/3dLac/Hairspray
+ a fresh painters tape, but you **need** to re-level to include it!
* a BuildTak (or clone) surface does *not* need additional settings
\* As far as I know, that Mk 8 does not reference which manufacturer designed this thing, which makes it a kinda nonsensical naming. Mk 8 is short for Mark 8, so by definition the 8th iteration of a specific product.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: You can use other slicers with a Makerbot Replicator 5th gen. [Simplify](https://www.simplify3d.com) works pretty well so I'd look into that. It's not free but a good program.
*All* the slicer needs to be able to do is export in `.makerbot` so Simplify is the only other slicer I have found.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/23 | 1,011 | 3,629 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an Anet A8 and I currently try to improve the y-axis (with a tensioner and a frame to support the structure). Now after I dis- and reassembled the y-axis, I get a loud rattling noise when homing the y-axis (and also when moving it stepwise from within the firmware). After the rattling goes on for a second or two, the printer halts and asks to reset. During the rattling, the print bed moves much slower. It appears to only rattle at the end of the axis, close to the endstop, however the point at which it starts to rattle appears random.
I tried a tighter and looser belt and aligning the frame. When moving the bed manually, it does require some force, but it does not appear to be tighter at the back side of the axis. Also nothing seems to block the path of movement.
I noticed that with a tighter belt the rattling starts only closer to the end stop, however it appears like I have to overtighten it to work properly. I got it to hit the end stop this way without halting, however it still produced the rattling sound. Also the y-stepper motor made a high pitched humming noise after this operation.
What else could I check or do about it?
This is a video showing the print bed with the rattling sound:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Xhz2GtUYQ>
View from below:
<https://youtu.be/oTEuZUWD0ZM>
This is the motor mount:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7xmJM.jpg)
And this is the tensioner with the support frame:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5wz8u.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: With the second video and the photos I could identify, that the sound in part stems from the belt:
* It is too loose and swing **sideways** as it pulls.
Tighten the belt till it sounds *at least* like a C3 or D3 (130/146 Hz) and possibly higher. My Ender3 is *tuned* to something like A3 (220 Hz). It should be tight and show no sideways swinging on using the motor.
It seems also, that the belt is not running parallel but skewed - that would induce sideways swing too. Make sure the axis of the motor and the pully are parallel and the mounting point of the carriage is not sideways of the belt path, as this will rub the belt against the gear.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: From your video, it sounds to me as though the stepper motor is fighting against the bed movement. That would indicate to me the bed rails on the X-axis are not square to the bed movement, which would cause binding of the linear bearings on the bed.
To see if this is the issue, loosen the threaded rods in all six places (three placed times two rods). Loosen the belt tensioner so it is not causing any issues. Then see how the bed moves. If the bed is freed up, tighten the nuts on the threaded rods two at a time on the same plane (each plate of the frame). At each tightening, ensure the bed continues to move freely. Measure the distance as accurately as possible to ensure the frame continues to stay square and are parallel to each other. Once you have tightened all of the nuts on the threaded rod, then re-tighten the belt tensioner.
If none of this solves it, it could also be an issue with your linear bearings. If your Anet A8 is a Chinesium clone, the bearings are not what I'd call "top notch". I replaced mine with Igus Drylin bearings and have not regretted the $10 investment. There are other printed options you could go with as well, which you can find on [thingiverse.com](https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=linear+bearings&dwh=965c1f9d491dd88).
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/23 | 667 | 2,761 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm in dire need to reprint a small chunk of a print that got messed up during print because the support for it broke which I cannot explain whatsoever.
Anyway. I need to edit the STL file and I don't know what tool to use since Blender is definitely not user friendly for just a simple cut and past.
Anyone got an idea on what I should try to do? Reprinting is definitely out of question since that would take at least another 20 hours, that I haven't got, to reprint the whole thing and I would also just waste a lot of PLA.<issue_comment>username_1: You could import the STL file in a 3D CAD modelling program and edit it there.
To not give an opinionated answer, there are many free or paid alternatives available. Loading the STL generally requires it to be scaled down to one tenth of the imported size and transform the surface model into a solid. Once you have the solid you can cut away what you do not need.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Alright so I asked in my facebook group and a friendly fellow game me the tip to use Meshmixer from AutoCAD and then check a video on Plane cut. I only needed 3 simple cuts and the piece I needed was all ready to print. :) 40 Minutes to print and only 3g of PLA to spend :)
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Most slicers like Cura allow doing a Z-Plane cut by pushing the model "into" the base or setting a negative Z position. This is usually very helpful if a print fails on a known layer.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: I would recommend to use FlashForge in the future(I know that you already solved the problem, but still), the slicer program that I use as well. Blender is not very good for tasks like slicing, as it is rather for creating the actual models you would like to print. Programs like FlashForge provide you with a kind of preview of the model, which is better for slicing as you can see the expected result.
Another good thing about FlashForge is that you can push models you created with Blender down in the Z-axis and then slice it off at Z=0 , so you can just use your old model without having to change/modify anything about it.
However, as you didn't specify on what printer you are using, I couldn't make sure if FlashForge is compatible with your device. Please send me a comment so that I can come back to this later on, if it is not compatible, there will still probably be a comparable program to FlashForge.
Please also keep in mind that in order to fit the two prints together to get the model you would like in the first place, you need PLA glue or something like that for assembling the two pieces, as well as a roughened surface to apply it to.
I hope this helps you in the future, Kind regards, Max
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/24 | 665 | 2,537 | <issue_start>username_0: My Anet A8 suddenly had issues with being unable to heat the bed. After ruling out software issues, I disconnected the connector and found this (sorry for the terrible quality):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7WYfE.jpg)
The left most pin on the male connector (bed) is also charred. How could I best repair this?<issue_comment>username_1: New Bed (Connection)
====================
You will at least need a new female connector, but as the connector burnt, you have some underlying problem that made the connector burn in the first place: either the board is sending bad signals to the bed, or the bed is not rated for the board or you *just* had a faulty connector (the most usual culprit). Honestly? Replace the whole connector for a properly rated and intact pair - these pin connectors are not rated for 12 V at all but for 5 V!
If you don't use a beefier connector, solder the wires *directly* to the bed.
Safety first!
=============
Anet isn't known for good firmware implementation of safety, so make twice sure that you **run a firmware that has Thermal Runaway Protection enabled!**
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Owning an Anet A8 I confirm that the connectors are not rated for the amount of current that pass through them. **You do not need a new bed unless the heat element has burned through** (but that is pretty uncommon, it usually is the connector). This burning of the bed connectors is a very well known problem of the Anet A8 printers; these connectors are just not rated for the current and the movement of the bed. It is best not to use a connector at all! And yes, the Anet A8 default printer firmware does not have any build in protection for [thermal runaway](/q/8466)! It is always advised to immediately flash another firmware, e.g. [Marlin firmware](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/tree/1.1.x/Marlin).
The best repair is to get some high quality silicone AWG 14/16 wires and solder these directly onto the back of the pins of the connector. Also crimp forks to the other end to connect the wires correctly to the printer board.
What I did was cutting up the connector to leave only the 2 middle pins (for connecting the bed thermistor, which does not use much power) and soldered the red wire to the left 2 pins and the black to the right 2 pins. You can do that at the back side of the socket where the pins make an angle.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2018/12/24 | 1,440 | 5,308 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an object that has cutouts in it (alignment pins fit in the cutouts). The shape of the hole is a right triangle with the point clipped off to create a flat surface in the deep part of the hole.
When I print the object in vertical orientation the wall in the deepest part of the cutout is printed properly. But when I print the same object laying down flat on the build plate, the internal wall is not printed and I can see the infill grid through the hole where the wall is supposed to be.
I sliced the object with a slicer based off a recent Cura version. I'm using the same STL to print the object vertically and horizontally.
Why is this occurring? Is there anything I can do about it other than printing vertically? (Because I have a need to print the real part horizontally. The part shown here is just a thin test piece.) Thank you
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/s3p0E.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/LB0ES.jpg)
Here is a picture showing what the (Cura-derived) slicer does with the model in horizontally-printed position. I checked the layer display in the vertically-printed instance, and the missing wall was correctly rendered and visible.
I guess this is some kind of a slicer bug.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/f3hg3.jpg)
Here is a large-scale picture of what the cutout shape looks like. This picture is of the protrusion tab that fits into the hole. But the same shape was used to cut the hole in the object.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/v07oz.jpg)
Here is another instance of the same problem. This time, I made up a simple block component, a simple cylinder component, aligned the cylinder into the block volume, and did a combine/cut operation in Fusion to cut a hole in the block (visible in the STL file). As you can see from the (Cura-derived) slicer layer image below, the same problem exists - no wall at the back of the cut when printing in the horizontal position. If I draw a sketch on the block and extrude/cut into the block, I get the same results. I also tried cutting the cylindrical hole, creating a "tin can" shell cylinder with an explicit bottom-of-the-can surface, sliding the open can into the cut hole, and joining the can to the block. Same results. The explicit bottom 0.5 mm surface of the can disappears in the horizontal slicing position. Strange.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/162io.jpg)
UPDATE:
The test object is just a simple block with a cylinder extruded into the block as a cutout. As simple as simple can be. I have determined that Cura 3.5.0 works properly (Cura v3.6.0 is available).
I am using the Qidi slicer v5.0.7 latest, which uses an earlier version of Cura (I don't know which one; I have sent them an email to find out).
I have determined that the Qidi slicer behaves properly if the cutout cylinder diameter is 6mm or larger. But at 5mm, the slicer will not generate a back wall in the cut. The square/triangular cutouts in the example objects below are all 5 mm or less. My installed Cura 3.5.0 generates a proper back wall even at 5 mm. Therefore, it must be a bug in the Qidi slicer, which uses an older version of Cura.
As a workaround, I will increase the size of my cutouts to 6 mm. When Qidi updates to a newer version of Cura (they are currently using 3.3), the problem should go away.<issue_comment>username_1: I think this is caused by the shape of the hole. The shape is parabolic or circular, this means that if you slice it as in the green part, the slicer determines the placing of the layers along the curvature. If it has a shallow curvature, and slicing layer height is relatively thick, the curvature of the object cannot be followed. But, if you have more than 1 top layer, this usually should not be visible. I don't think that you have a single layer, so this is a pretty odd anomaly that I have not seen yet (that you look at the infill without top layers).
You could get past this by using a local different infill, e.g. 100 % infill. You can look at [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6523/5740) of [the question: "Different infill in the same part"](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/6522/5740). This should help you out printing in your preferred orientation.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I found the answer with the help and inspiration of other people above. Their words reminded me that I could check Cura too, to see if it had the problem. Cura v 3.5.0 did not have the problem. The Qidi slicer v5.0.7 (based on Cura 3.3) correctly generated a back wall if the cutout was 6 mm or larger. At 5 mm, the Qidi/Cura slicer did not generate a back wall. I entered a ticket with Qidi about the problem. I expect the problem will be resolved in their next version. Thank you to everyone for your help.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2018/12/25 | 559 | 1,970 | <issue_start>username_0: I printed a test cube with ABS on my Ender 3 and after some tuning, I still have a problem I cannot solve. Two of the vertical edges (I believe they are the ones on the X+ side) are slightly squished in. Could this be due to warping or something else? I printed it at 0.1 mm layer height, 235/110 °C hotend/bed temperatures.
Here is a picture:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A45Rn.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: I think this is caused by the shape of the hole. The shape is parabolic or circular, this means that if you slice it as in the green part, the slicer determines the placing of the layers along the curvature. If it has a shallow curvature, and slicing layer height is relatively thick, the curvature of the object cannot be followed. But, if you have more than 1 top layer, this usually should not be visible. I don't think that you have a single layer, so this is a pretty odd anomaly that I have not seen yet (that you look at the infill without top layers).
You could get past this by using a local different infill, e.g. 100 % infill. You can look at [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6523/5740) of [the question: "Different infill in the same part"](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/6522/5740). This should help you out printing in your preferred orientation.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I found the answer with the help and inspiration of other people above. Their words reminded me that I could check Cura too, to see if it had the problem. Cura v 3.5.0 did not have the problem. The Qidi slicer v5.0.7 (based on Cura 3.3) correctly generated a back wall if the cutout was 6 mm or larger. At 5 mm, the Qidi/Cura slicer did not generate a back wall. I entered a ticket with Qidi about the problem. I expect the problem will be resolved in their next version. Thank you to everyone for your help.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2018/12/26 | 3,431 | 13,198 | <issue_start>username_0: Can I Print models from Sources like [Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/) and sell them ?
I will be only charging the print costs and will provide full credits and attributes to the original creator of the model (with links to their profiles) in my web-page.
There are websites like [3dhubs](https://www.3dhubs.com/) where the seller will print any file the user uploads. Similarly I want to charge only for the printing services.<issue_comment>username_1: I've informed myself a bit about this and found out the following:
**It is good that you state the Name/Website or any Reference about original creator**
Creative Commons absolutely requires this, even if you don't charge anything for your prints.
So, whether you are trying selling your print or not, you should still always do this.
**You are not allowed to sell your prints**
Creative Commons License dictates that you are not allowed to commercialize products that are based on any of their sources. This means, even if you are only charging the printing costs, you are not allowed to sell them, as you are profiting of their sources because you did not design the prints yourself.
For further information on this, you should probably check out the official page for this, <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/>
I hope this helps, Max
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I am not an attorney, so this isn't legal advice. Like any legal question, you should consult with an actual attorney, who can consider all the gory details.
That said, it seems like you've got the BY and SA parts covered. "Non-commercial" is more difficult: does a sale that's not for profit count as "commercial"?
The Creative Commons site (<https://creativecommons.org/faq/#does-my-use-violate-the-noncommercial-clause-of-the-licenses>) explains it a bit more, as pasted below. But perhaps the best thing is to just drop an email to the originator and ask. Probably you'll get an email back saying it's fine; and who knows, maybe you'll make a new friend, too. I've been on both ends of exchanges like that, and it's generally worked just fine.
>
> Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?
>
>
> CC's NonCommercial (NC) licenses prohibit uses that are "primarily
> intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary
> compensation." This is intended to capture the intention of the
> NC-using community without placing detailed restrictions that are
> either too broad or too narrow. Please note that CC's definition does
> not turn on the type of user: if you are a nonprofit or charitable
> organization, your use of an NC-licensed work could still run afoul of
> the NC restriction, and if you are a for-profit entity, your use of an
> NC-licensed work does not necessarily mean you have violated the term.
> Whether a use is commercial will depend on the specifics of the
> situation and the intentions of the user.
>
>
> In CC's experience, it is usually relatively easy to determine whether
> a use is permitted, and known conflicts are relatively few considering
> the popularity of the NC licenses. However, there will always be uses
> that are challenging to categorize as commercial or noncommercial. CC
> cannot advise you on what is and is not commercial use. If you are
> unsure, you should either contact the rights holder for clarification,
> or search for works that permit commercial uses.
>
>
> CC has a brief guide to interpretation of the NC license that goes
> into more detail about the meaning of the NC license and some key
> points to pay attention to. Additionally, in 2008, Creative Commons
> published results from a survey on meanings of commercial and
> noncommercial use generally. Note that the results of the study are
> not intended to serve as CC's official interpretation of what is and
> is not commercial use under our licenses, and the results should not
> be relied upon as such.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Preface
=======
**I am Not a Lawyer, the stack does not give legal advice, consult a licensing lawyer and the maker to check your use is within the licensing agreeming or make a seperate one**
[Read your license](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/)
=======================================================================
The license CreativeCommons specifies BY-NC-SA as:
* BY = Attribute. You may share and modifiy it, as long as you **tell who made it**.
* NC = **Non Commercial**
* SA = Share Alike. You may **not change the license**
Non Commercial
==============
The Non Commercial clause [explained in the FAQ](https://creativecommons.org/faq/#does-my-use-violate-the-noncommercial-clause-of-the-licenses) says:
>
> CC's NonCommercial (NC) licenses prohibit uses that are "primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation." [...] Whether a use is commercial will depend on the specifics of the situation and the intentions of the user.
>
>
> [...] If you are unsure, you should either contact the rights holder for clarification, or search for works that permit commercial uses.
>
>
>
It also provides a [CC-Wiki entry](https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/NonCommercial_interpretation) what NC is meant to be (pretty much the same as the FAQ), and a [survey on it](https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Defining_Noncommercial).
What is NC?
===========
Ok, let's look at the NC part of the CC... When is something breaking the NC license? As soon as it is "primarily intended toward monetary gain" it is commercial (short version), and any commercial use is prhibited. What is this? well, let's read [the report](https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Defining_Noncommercial)...
>
> Specifically excluded from the prohibition against
> noncommercial use in the NC licenses is the exchange of a CC-licensed work for
> any other copyrighted work, whether by means of peer-to-peer digital file-sharing
> or otherwise, provided no monetary compensation is involved.p.17
>
>
> Most[significantly>50%] participants thought that “noncommercial use” had no
> legal definition, or were not sure. Some[<50%] participants believed noncommercial use to be
> more likely a fair use than not, and some conflated noncommercial use and fair
> use. Some participants also mentioned personal or private use as being both
> legally and pragmatically a noncommercial use, though they were not certain of
> any law defining “personal use.”p.30
>
>
> When asked to share their understandings of noncommercial use, no participant
> could provide a definition of noncommercial use that worked for everyone in their
> particular group, although there was much agreement on elements of many of
> the definitions. Through discussion, it emerged that creators take a variety of
> factors into account when determining what constitutes noncommercial use.
> These factors are often considered on a case-by-case basis[...]p.30
>
>
> However, participants across communities were able to articulate a list of factors
> they generally agreed as a group were relevant to creators’ understanding of
> whether a use of a work is commercial or noncommercial.p.31
>
>
> Qualitative Research Consideration Factorsp.31
>
>
> * Perceived economic value of the content
> * The status of the user as an individual, an amateur or professional, a for-profit or
> not-for-profit organization, etc.
> * Whether the use makes money (and if
> so, whether revenues are profit or recovery of costs associated with
> use)
> * Whether the use generates promotional value for the creator or
> the user
> * Whether the use is personal or private
> * Whether the use is
> for a charitable purpose or other social or public good
> * Whether the
> use is supported by advertising or not
> * Whether the content is used in
> part or in whole
> * Whether the use has an impact on the market or is by
> a competitor
>
>
>
Of particular interest are these paragraphs:
>
> Creators in the groups recognized that they consider some factors more
> important than others, and they also weigh the factors differently. Some consider
> certain factors to be “gatekeeping” questions, the answer to which settles the
> matter. Some creators consider a use commercial if there is any advertising in
> connection with it, for example. Others consider certain factors to be questions of
> degree. For example, **some creators consider recovery of costs to distribute a
> work a noncommercial use, but not if salaries or other overhead are calculated
> as part of cost recovery**. Rather than constituting a simple checklist, for many
> creators the factors exist within a matrix in which the type of use (for example,
> promotional or advertising use) and the context or community-based nature of
> the use (for example, charitable use, or use in a public school) are important
> vectors. In sum, the decision-making process is not clear-cut.p.32
>
>
> In the quantitative surveys for both Phase 2 (creators) and Phase 3 (users), the
> first mention of “noncommercial use” appears in an open-ended question asking
> respondents how they would define the difference between a commercial use
> and a noncommercial use of a work, in their own words and without consulting
> other sources. Creators and users provided an answer in the same ratio –
> approximately 7 in 10 from each group.p.49
>
>
> A
> large majority of both creators and users define a commercial use as one in
> which money is made (73% of creators, 76% of users). [...] Neither group expresses a majority consensus on an
> understanding of noncommercial use. [...] the most common mention of a
> noncommercial use by both creators and users is some use by an individual
> (19% of creators, 33% of users), including personal and private uses.p.50
>
>
> **Gatekeeping Factors**p.54
>
>
> [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XsbfC.png)
>
>
> **Making Money**
>
>
> The figure below provides a visual summary of the anchor point exercise
> measuring responses to uses that make money.
>
>
> [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uuTwI.png)
>
>
> On the question of making money for cost recovery, creators think covering
> distribution costs only is slightly more commercial than covering operating costs,
> or raising money for an endowment fund. Users tend to agree, but overall see
> these uses as rather more commercial than creators.p.60
>
>
>
Conclusion
==========
**Contakt the maker that designed the part what is OK with them**. But be warned: The broad idea the report gives is that around 3 of 4 of the makers and 4 of 5 users deem a "For Profit-Company selling [a thing] to cover distribution costs" as breaking the NC clause, as they deem it *commercial use*
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: According to [Weinberg, 2013](https://www.publicknowledge.org/files/What%27s%20the%20Deal%20with%20Copyright_%20Final%20version2.pdf), artistic works are copyrightable: if you're printing an action figure or such a useless pretty piece of art, it's protected by copyright.
For utilitarian things, the copyrightable portion must be severable: if you're printing a video game controller with an artistic design drawn upon its case—not an artistic shape, but a design that could be lifted from the surface and applied as a separate artistic display—then that design is protected, and the controller that happens to be an aesthetically-pleasing shape is not (i.e. you could wipe away the design details and have the blunt shape of the thing and that would not be protected).
Purely-utilitarian things are not copyrightable. If you're printing a lamp or a cup holder or whatnot, there are no rights to extend over that.
This is important: copyright allows you to make decisions about what rights you will extend. If you don't have the right to copyright, you can't simply slap a license on something and assert you do in fact have that right. CC-NC licensing prevents you from making a derivative or a collection *and selling it*, but there is no right to the printed object upon which to extend to the user the right to sell the printed object. That means, conversely, that there is no right to the printed object to prohibit the user from selling it.
That actually creates some odd situations, e.g. CC-BY doesn't apply, either. You can't strip the author's name off the file and pass it off as your own, but you don't have to credit them for the physical object. It is, however, potentially asinine to do that. Even that can be a judgment call: it's likely socially-acceptable to print e.g. an ABS gear for a particular machine that strips its ABS gears and sell a repair kit without crediting whoever posted it on Thingaverse; but if somebody made a more unique object, such as a fancy planter for house plants, it might not be copyrightable as an *object*, but it's certainly not a copy of a gear that goes into a machine and is instead a *unique* creation of the user who created it.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/12/28 | 777 | 2,888 | <issue_start>username_0: I started a print on my Monoprice Select v2 and let it run.
I'm printing with Dikale PLA at 200 °C extruder and 60 °C build plate temperatures. My initial layer speed is 30mm/s then 60mm/s after that.
Although the Monoprice comes with an aluminum build plate, I put on a [FYSETC magnetic bed plate](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B07HPXGJVT) which says it's suitable for PLA printing between 50 °C - 80 °C.
When I returned home, the print had been lifted off the build plate. I used a brim and even applied magigoo gluestick to help it stick but that didn't do the trick.
I also noticed it's charred at one corner. Any idea of what this might be a symptom of?
Here's what was printed
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2eMLy.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: You have more than one problem going on. As for the print lifting up, that could be for a multitude of reasons. Clearly better bed adhesion is required. It also appears the printer stopped printing at one layer. Now for the charred part, I think it could've been caused by the nozzle staying in one area for too long (possibly when the printer stopped printing.). This causes the plastic touching the nozzle to overheat and burn up. The charred section can usually be pulled off pretty easily. However, since it definitely appears you have more than one issue here you should pursue some research (perhaps other questions on the site) on the matter.
Hope this helps!
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: 1) You have a layer shift. I guess the shift is caused by an *overheating* stepper driver, because it started relatively late, but could be also a mechanical issue.
2) Print bed adhesion is a minor problem. Just test your printer with a simpler shape (large ground area).
3) After carbonization, your nozzle might be clogged. Make sure there is an even extrusion.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: I have a guess and a suggestion. It looks like your bottom most layer is ver thick. Even though most people suggest thick first layer, if it is thicker than 0.25 for 0.4 nozzle it cannot reliably squeeze the plaatic so that it would stick to the bed. I prefer lowering z height in the software (Slic3r allows this) to squish the first layer.
Another suggestion I would make is to set bed temperature to 55. 60c is glass tranaition temperature of PLA. At that temperature, PLA softens and if you have even the slightest over extrusion, the pressure from nozzle can topple tall objects.
And for charring you may want to print a little colder. Not all thermistors are equal and printing too hot causes lots of quality issues. I personally print around 170-180c. If you have layers separating, you are printing too cold. You might want to print some calibration pieces to find parameters for your printer.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/28 | 2,314 | 7,581 | <issue_start>username_0: I am a physics graduate student and I want to create some 3D models for my crystal samples. We have an X-ray diffractometer in our lab. It comes with a goniometer inside it, so basically I can take as many photos as needed from any angles. (I have included a gif animation made of 10 photos taken by the machine as an example below)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HHvM8.gif)
My problem is, given these 2D photos, am I able to construct 3D models for my crystals in AutoCAD or similar software so that I can determine angles, edge lengths and volume more precisely.
I am new to 3D printing section. I just thought maybe someone here has encountered with a similar problem. It would be very helpful if anyone could tell me any Github codes, MATLAB scripts, Mathematica scripts or software that can finish this kind of job. I can try to figure it out myself.<issue_comment>username_1: YES, it is possible to make a model from several shots, if you know the angle of rotation between the pictures.
most CAD programs allow to insert a picture, for example as backdrop or to trace it. We are interested in the later use:
We insert the picture, trace it in the picture's layer, then insert the next picture, rotated around the axis of rotation of the picture, and trace that. This we repeat again and again. The resulting cloud of outlines approximates the photographed body to a good degree.
There is a big caveat though: all photos must be in the same scale and distance, the rotation of the object has to be around one axis of the item itself (no wobble) and the rotation between the pictures has to be known quite exact. This principle is pretty much used by raster scanning by the way.
With a very hard contrast between the crystal and the backdrop, software might be able to automate the tracing process (for example use a white background and a black crystal and make sure no reflection hits the camera).
Example using Fusion360
=======================
Let's assume I have a perfect crystal like this octahedron with two cut tips
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7t0op.png)
To model this, we need at least a photo of the XZ and YZ shape (that is, 90° rotation to each other), which look like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pSkDB.png)[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xogdh.png)
But that shape would also match a double-cone! So we'll need some intermediary photos, in this case, the 45° shot that lies on the plane of (XY-diagonal)Z Plane
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Bncfa.png)[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/w67LL.png)
As you see, the more outlines you have, the more detailed the pseudo-body becomes - it is just a gathering of vertices and lines yet though! But, we can take 3 points and create a construction area on these, then draw the face to merge all points on these faces...
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6NsGu.png)
Now, we turn these construction faces into modeling faces, then create a too large object and cut out the whole thing out...
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/k4XIh.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wl5Xb.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3LukB.png)
The whole workflow looked like this for 4 pictures (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/U05Ss.png)
The actual f3D design file is [here](https://www.dropbox.com/s/y70bpjnk6d9oyrw/Model%20v0.f3d?dl=0).
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Inspired by the answer given by @username_1 and the following [YouTube video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=GmIkOJmBv_c), I finally worked out the way to reconstruct the 3D crystal model in AutoCAD.
1. Import 6 images into AutoCAD. The photos are taken from 6 different angles with 30 degrees separation.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/VuPPQ.png)
2. Draw 6 lines of length 100 along Y axis in the XY plane.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MSWjt.png)
3. Use ALINE command to align the rotation axis in the photos to the added vertical lines.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/44Mht.png)
4. Use SCALE command to rescale all 6 photos into a uniform size.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cVGeA.png)
5. Use POLYLINE command to trace the cross sections from 6 raster images.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KF6pk.png)
6. Use 3DROTATE command to rotate 6 images and the corresponding rotation axes and traced cross sections along Y axis. The first picture was rotated 75 degrees clockwise when viewed along the +Y axis, the second 45 degrees, the third 15 degrees, the fourth -15 degrees... (Tips: The rotation gizmo will only show in a 3D view. If you didn't see the gizmo, drag the view cube on the right-top to change the view point and try again.)
(view from Y axis)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RP6Cj.png)
(view from Z axis)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A7T3z.png)
7. Use 3DMOVE command to move 6 images so that the rotation axis of each image is aligned in a same circle on the YZ plane. (You would need a little bit calculation to finish this step)
(view from Y axis)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SDFcw.png)
(view from Z axis)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8zNym.png)
8. Use EXTRUDE command to extrude 6 cross sections into 6 cylinders, the height of each cylinder should be long enough so that 6 cylinders will intersect.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JuKo3.png)
9. Use INTERSECT command to get the intersected part from 6 cylinders, this would be the wanted crystal model.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hg7II.png)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: You may want to do a search for "photogrammetry". This is software that uses many photos to build a 3D model. Dr. Falkingham did a good review of free software on his blog:
<https://peterfalkingham.com/2016/09/14/trying-all-the-free-photogrammetry/>
<https://peterfalkingham.com/2017/12/17/free-photogrammetry-software-review-2017/>
His conclusion that works very well for me uses COLMAP to take the photos and build a point cloud, then OpenMVS to build and texture a mesh from the point cloud.
<https://colmap.github.io/>
<https://github.com/cdcseacave/openMVS/wiki/Usage>
I have not used many commercial packages, but Pix4D has worked very well for me.
<https://www.pix4d.com/>
I hope that gets you started.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/29 | 687 | 2,442 | <issue_start>username_0: So I am trying to fix a custom built 3D printer for my institute and am running into a problem I can't wrap my head around.
So the limit switches for Y-axis and Z-Axis work just fine, but the X-Axis does not.
All three switches are Makerbot (3-pin), and all three light up the LED when they get pressed. However the X-axis does not get recognized by Marlin. When I diagnose with `M119` command it does not show as triggered even though the LED is on. All the other ones do.
All three switches are connected to min (X-min, Y-min, and Z-min).
Could this be a firmware problem? Or perhaps my RAMPS 1.4 has burned out the X-axis signaling? (I doubt this because the LED on the switch still turns on).
Let me know if you need any more info to diagnose the problem.
*P.S. I have also replaced the X-Axis limit switch with a brand new one and the same result happens: LED turns on upon activation but it doesn't get recognized by the machine.*<issue_comment>username_1: To rule out problem with the switches itself, you can change the Z-min and swap it with the Y- or Z-min. Once you found out that you get the same issues you know that your X endstop module is working (unless they both are faulty, but the odds are small for that), but the signal change is not registered by the board. This could be a faulty port/pin of the X-min port / attached microprocessor pin. What you could do to try to diagnose that is using the X-max header on the board. In order to use that header for X-min, you need to change some code in [pins\_RAMPS.h](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/pins_RAMPS.h), change:
```
//
// Limit Switches
//
#define X_MIN_PIN 3
#ifndef X_MAX_PIN
#define X_MAX_PIN 2
#endif
```
to:
```
//
// Limit Switches
//
#define X_MIN_PIN 2
#ifndef X_MAX_PIN
#define X_MAX_PIN 3
#endif
```
Recompile and upload. Please use the latest sources, 1.1.9, 1.1.0 is very old.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Considering you're having issues with the board, and the limit switches appear to be registering, but the board isn't doing anything about it, a first good step would be to update the firmware to 1.1.9 as @username_1 states. If the update in the firmware doesn't do the trick, then move on to doing as he suggests with changing the Xmax/min stuff around. This just seems like a good first logical step to getting it fixed.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/29 | 1,013 | 3,417 | <issue_start>username_0: Could you use a 3D printer to make a 3D printer's parts? What is the most of a 3D printer that can be made this way? Could parts that break be replaced this way?<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, you can print most of the parts (electronics, linear guide rails, ball bearings and nuts and bolts, etc cannot be printed). Actually this was exactly the purpose of [RepRap.org](https://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap):
>
> RepRap is humanity's first general-purpose self-replicating
> manufacturing machine.
>
>
>
and:
>
> Since many parts of RepRap are made from plastic and RepRap prints
> those parts, RepRap self-replicates by making a kit of itself - a kit
> that anyone can assemble given time and materials.
>
>
>
There have been attempts in the past to even replicate the frames of printers (e.g. [Dollo 3D](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/dollo-3d-printer-kickstarter/amp/) or [Snappy](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=2ahUKEwiDrK3Ew8nfAhWBEVAKHcT8CKYQwqsBMAN6BAgLEAU&usg=AOvVaw0VTJzWxrN8ZFOD4xbU2nov), but such designs are not very successful, printed frames are more flexible than metal frames.
---
*I have built 2 custom printers myself using other printers to print parts and printed all printer parts for several others. It is possible to print [your own linear bearings from POM](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2476782), I prefer these over the noisy metal bearings.*
Upvotes: 4 <issue_comment>username_2: Yes, printers can print printer parts. With the right design, all non-metal/non-electronic parts can be printed on an FDM printer, and a laser-sintering based printer (SLS/DMLS) can even produce metal parts, as long as they fit the printbed. The fact, that a printer can create all the fastenings to build a new printer with just the electronics and linger extrusions/rods/rails is actually the core of the [RepRap](https://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap) philosophy.
Some early printers, like the Mendel, did use just materials from home depot and printed joiners together with the electronics.
As a result, all joiners can be printed as replacements or improvements. There is a second limit though: Very small printers might not be able to print parts of the size needed to replicate the parts that they are made from. A common 200x200x200 mm printer can replicate almost all fasteners that comprise it, but the frame will have to be made from sheets of metal, wood, extrusions or rods and the movement system will need rails, rods or extrusions.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: >
> Can a 3D printer make a 3D printer?
>
>
>
Not without a bunch of other parts
>
> Could you use a 3D printer to make 3D printers parts?
>
>
>
To some extent.
>
> What is the most of a 3D printer that can be built this way
>
>
>
Basically you you can't print the precision mechanical guides, you can't print the electronics, you can't print the parts that need to get hot, you can't print the motors, you can't print the lead-screws or toothed belts. Printing the whole main frame doesn't seem to be very practical either.
Afaict what you are left with is mostly printing the pieces that join all the functional elements of the printer together.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: You can print some of it but not all, as 3d printers can't print metal or silicon to make the boards and frame.
Upvotes: 1 |
2018/12/29 | 817 | 3,013 | <issue_start>username_0: So, the wife got me a Creality Ender-3 Pro 3d Printer for Christmas.
Assembly was easy, axis movements are all solid... when I go to print the [test-dog.gcode](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2879047) file provided with the machine, it comes out looking... flat.
Not kind of flat. TOTALLY flat.
The Z-Axis motor works - I can move it with the machine's control panel - and it moves on it's own for repositioning of the head for printing purposes, but it doesn't seem to be moving 'up' for each new layer. Layer height is set for 0.1 mm, nozzle is .4 mm. No settings changed in the G-code, or on the machine (and I did a "reset to failsafe" before attempting to print anything).
I'm relatively new to additive manufacturing, can someone help out here?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CQRlC.png)<issue_comment>username_1: Check the following:
* Is the lead screw bent? remove it from the assembly and have it roll down a very slightly angled plate - if it rolls at uneven speed, it is bent.
* are the motor perfectly aligned with the brass nut? The lead screw needs to slot into the coupling without any force or need to move it just from gravity alone.
* is the Z-axis nut spin easily? I gave mine a droplet or two of machine oil, motor it up and down the whole length twice. Some residue grease from the factory can bind up the motor.
If all the physical side is known to be OK: re-slice your object, you might have faulty g-code.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: It turned out that there's something wrong with the G-code file that came with my printer.
I downloaded a calibration cube from Thingiverse and printed it - while it wasn't 100%, it did print viable. Now I need to get into details as to quality, and I suspect that too will be a factor for the G-code used in the printer. I'm looking at "Ultimaker Cura" to figure out the changes in G-code based on option changes.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I had the same problem on an Ender 3. Totally bewildering, because G-code commands `G0` & `G1` moved Z as expected, as did Pronterface commands, but Z did not advance during printing.
It turned out to be binding in the Z-axis lead screw caused by installing a BondTech style extruder. Previously, it had caused no problems but reinstallation saw it interfering with the screw. A quick workout on the Dremel created sufficient clearance.
The clear conclusion is that during printing power to the Z-motor decreases for whatever reason.
Check your machine's alignment. The Z screw should turn easily by hand, the nylon wheels of the X gantry the same. The bracket mounting the extruder and lead screw is well known to be non-square. Check by releasing the lead screw from motor coupling and seeing where its 'natural' position is vs the coupling. If it won't fall close to the coupling naturally that could be the cause.
Then RTFM or punish yourself with 1000 YouTube instructionals.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/29 | 752 | 2,496 | <issue_start>username_0: I recently got a Dremel 3D20, and I understand it only takes PLA filament according to the Dremel site. However, I was wondering if anyone has successfully used TPU filament or knows it will work fine. I’m more than happy to use other software to change the temperature, I just don’t want to gunk up or otherwise ruin my printer.<issue_comment>username_1: TPU wants in general two things of your printer:
* A Printing Temperature of (over many makers) 195-230 °C
* A Direct Drive (extruder on the printhead)
>
> Bowden extruders are not ideal for printing flexible filaments such as NinjaFlex due to the excessive
> distance between the stepper motor and the extruder head. However, some users have generated
> successful prints using reduced speeds.[ninjaflex handout](http://www.fennerdrives.com/FetchFile.ashx?id=a272e483-39da-48c2-b16a-b5d899189867)
>
>
>
Check the temperature you can reach, and you are lucky, as some of the smaller Dremels use Bowden but the 3d20 is apparently direct drive.
If you want to try to run a Bowden with flexible filaments, dial down speed down really low (20-30 mm/s at most) and pray.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I've never used a Dremel printer, thus I cannot guarantee that my solution will work fine, but you might want to give a try to the [Ultimaker Cura](https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ultimaker-cura-software) slicer.
Ultimaker printers have Bowden tubes, like the Dremel, unless I am mistaken, and I've been able to successfully print TPU on my Ultimaker 3 Extended printer. I also know that many Ultimaker users have printed using Ninjaflex without much problems on their Ultimaker machines, both old and new.
Ultimaker Cura comes with pre-programmed settings for TPU95, which is the Ultimaker brand of TPU, then I guess you'll have to fiddle a bit with settings to find what works best with your Dremel. Take a look around [Ultimaker's forums](https://community.ultimaker.com/), many users have other printers beyond their Ultimaker printers, you might be lucky and find some useful information. The 'search' feature of the forum works quite nicely.
Quick summary of the settings for TPU95A in Ultimaker Cura for a 2.85 mm Bowden setup:
* Layer Height: 0.2mm
* Printing Temperature: 225°C
* Print Speed: 25 mm/s
* Cooling Fan Speed: 20%
Depending on how the Dremel performs and the quality of your TPU, you might want to disable retractions, it's been known to help.
Upvotes: 2 |
2018/12/31 | 651 | 2,307 | <issue_start>username_0: Recently got an Anycubic I3 Mega Printer and I've been playing with what it can do, but after a model is done it leaves residue on the build plate behind that is bugging me. Do I NEED to remove it? If so, how? Thanks! (I'm using PLA if that matters)
My Problem:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pupIz.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: You should remove it because it can and will affect the quality of future prints. Residue can mix up with new filament and create a ugly of colors and also prevent adhesion in places, thus potentially ruining your next print.
You have several solutions to clean up the bed:
* Scrape it off: usually works, but you risk chipping the surface if you're not careful or if you stumble upon a bit of residue that is stubborn and you need to apply strength to get rid of it. I think a scraper is included with the printer.
* Sponge and soap: Since the bed cannot be removed, as far as I can tell, you'll need to make sure that the sponge isn't dripping or put towel paper around to avoid damaging the components below, including the heating unit. Rub it gently on the residue until it soften and detaches. It might take a bit to work.
* [Yellow glass cleaner from Karcher](https://www.kaercher.com/fr/home-garden/produits-de-nettoyage-et-d-entretien/reinigungs-pflegemittel/batterie-pour-nettoyeur-de-vitres/nettoyant-vitres/nettoyant-vitres-concentre-62953020.html): my favourite, the one I use on my printer and it never failed me. Spray it on a cloth or something, and rub it on the bed until the residue softens and detaches. It might take a bit to work, but you don't run the risk of dripping liquid on any component, and it works way better than soap and without the risk of chipping the bed like when you use a scraper.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: I have had moderate success with a product called [Goo Gone](https://googone.com) (don't laugh). It quite remarkably lifts off any number of "sticky" items from various surfaces.
I work with PLA filament that is very hard and stubborn to remove from any surface.
I own a FlashForge Adventurer 3 that appears to have a carbon fiber build plate. Nothing, except a #11 XActo blade, can harm that.
Upvotes: 0 |
2018/12/31 | 1,331 | 4,799 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a few issues with the blue tape, which I'm trying out for the first time.
The tape seems to warp, bubble and lift from the aluminum plate when it heats and cools and during printing.
I put some clips on it, but not sure if this is standard.
It also seems the print is lifting off the tape itself (bottom left corner). I applied some magigoo glue to it. Maybe I shouldn't have done that.
I feel like this print isn't going to make it...
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iM8A2.jpg)
I'm printing with a Monoprice Select V2, with AmazonBasics ABS with 100 °C bed and 250 °C extruder temperature, at 15 mm/s initial layer speed and 60 mm/s print speed sliced with Ultimaker Cura.<issue_comment>username_1: My Dad uses prittstick on the bed before the print and the bed keeps the prittstick just abbout the right temp for it to stick.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/23Uem.jpg)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Your printer has a build-tac clone surface. Blue tape does not stick well to that: you would get better results printing directly to the Build-Tac clone.
Painter's tape I use only on a flat surface: it works well directly on glass, aluminium or an unheated fiberglass surface, but you absolutely need to include its thickness in the leveling.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: The tape probably would stick better to the Aluminum bed than the BuildTak clone sheet you have as it would have had more surface area to bond to.
What I found that works best is to print on the bare aluminum bed using a PVA based spray, this can be hairspray or a specific 3D printer product like 3DLAC, or just glue stick. I ditched tape after day one (for reasons you mention) and solely print on aluminium or on glass without a problem, sometimes it sticks too well and the bed needs to cool down to room temperature before I can remove the print. This has been described as an [answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6861/5740) to: [Should you use hairspray on a metal bed 3D printer?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3710/should-you-use-hairspray-on-a-metal-bed-3d-printer).
Removing the BuildTak clone sheet may be quite laborious if a very sticky adhesive is used (it took me a long time and lots of solvents to remove the goo/glue from a PEI sheet I used once) it is better to try and print on the BuildTak sheet, maybe use PVA based (hair)spray or glue stick.
Furthermore, ABS is more difficult to print than PLA or PETG. Printing ABS is difficult because of the relative large shrinkage when the filament cools. It therefore requires careful heat management (no part cooling, no draft, enclosure, etc.). This filament needs a good surface to build on and requires brims, "mouse ears", adhesive spray or glue to get the first layer to stick and not curl up. Tape at temperatures of 100 °C will become soft and loose its power to stick. Kapton tape might work better.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: The absolute best way to solve sticking problem is Overture build surface. I could not get anything to stick. Got a free build sheet when I bought some filament from them. What a difference, everything sticks now, just clean with alcohol between uses.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_5: Old thread, but I have a direct answer to the specific question asked. This is a technique I haven't seen documented elsewhere and works quite well for me.
* Clean glass plate with an isopropyl alcohol swab - allow to air dry thoroughly.
* Apply blue tape (two best known, big-name brands work best) to glass plate assuring no overlaps - slight gaps OK.
* Put the plate on the heated bed, tape side down.
* Turn bed heat on to 50 °C for about 3 minutes.
* Quickly remove the plate and firmly roll the entire surface of the tape with a wallpaper seam roller while the tape adhesive is still warm.
* Proceed normally, with or without a glue stick on the tape.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_6: While the other answers are correct, I would say that another correct answer is: you don't keep it from lifting up.
If it lifts up it means that the part is warping significantly, and blue tape has never been meant to deal with those.
Blue tape was introduced in the 3D printing when PLA took over ABS (like 8-10 years ago), therefore specifically because with PLA you didn't incur in the warping ABS had.
If the part is curling up, go for better solutions. You already have the PEI, so use that one.
If you print ABS with an open printer, which is totally possible, you should ditch the blue tape and check my [other answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/16538/2338).
Upvotes: 1 |
2019/01/01 | 1,721 | 6,410 | <issue_start>username_0: It feels like my print is almost there, I spent a long time fine tuning the calibration with a fantastic set of G-code files from [<NAME>](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EfWVUJjBdA).
I am using an Ender 3, on which I have modified the heatbed to carry a glass sheet, otherwise factory standard. The prints are done on the bare glass. When I printed a window some 14 feet (~4.5 meters) away was open to the cold New York winter. The cooling fan on the Ender 3 is mounted on the right side of the hotend and uses a simple declector, it can be seen in picture 2.
However, my print is not perfect yet. I'm using 1.75 mm PLA at a temperature of 200 °C for the 0.4 mm nozzle and a bed temperature of 60 °C. Out of the 4 corners, 3 printed perfectly, the back-left one did lift.
What do I need to do to fix the bed adhesion issue?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uLYsM.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/NA5I2.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eCuVz.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/k8Ehk.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: I work with a glass surface on my machine and use a drop of superglue to attach the
corners after the first layer is complete. The biggest contributors to not sticking are :
1. Bed not level.
2. Temperature of filament not hot enough.
3. First layer print speed is too fast.
4. Heated Bed not hot enough to compensate for cold room. Try enclosing print area.
5. Head is snagging on print edges (no retraction when moving) and ripping print loose.
6. Print bed surface is not clean. Use acetone or ammonia for cleaning glass. Alcohol leaves an oily residue.
If you are printing on painters tape, make sure the bed is very clean when you put the tape
down. Then make sure you rub the tape down well so it doesn't pull off of the print bed
surface during printing. Then clean the tape surface to get the oil from your hands off of
the tape.
I use Glass Build Plate Wizard spray for delicate prints and a heated bed. It releases after the print plate cools down. That eliminates the need to chip the print loose. It releases itself after a few minutes.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: Based on the pictures, this looks like the bed wasn't clean enough, thus why it didn't adhere correctly in some spots. The lifted corner is the worst, but I can see a couple more spots where the PLA didn't stick well enough, though the brim prevented it to completely lift off the bed.
I would advise you to not print with the window open, even if it's only slightly ajar. Weather conditions and temperature will affect the quality of the print, even if it's only a small variation in temperature. I've had enough failed prints due to a shift in temperature to know that, even though PLA isn't affected as much than ABS by temperature changes through a print.
You might also try to increase the bed temperature a bit, up to 70°C or 80°C. I've looked at the recommended temperature for PLA with my UM3E and it says 80°C for the glass bed.
You should always make sure that the glass bed is clean: ie no dust on it and no grease. Yes, touching it with your fingers will leave a thin greasy residue in the form of fingerprints, and even one fingerprint can prevent good adhesion and result in the problem you had.
There are various products to clean glass beds, I've personally found out that the cheap yellow-colored window cleaner from Karcher works wonder. Do not use the standard blue colored window cleaner products: the blue one has a chemical in it that is made with the express intent to prevent anything to adhere to the glass, which is obviously not what we want. The yellow-colored cleaner doesn't have that chemical, and it cleans without depositing an anti-adhesion film on the glass.
If a thorough cleaning isn't sufficient, you can look into various adhesive products. While there is quite a lot of adhesive solutions marketed as being specifically for 3D printing, with insane prices most of the time, I've found that a simple UHU glue stick works wonders. I usually do not need glue when printing PLA, but I use it for Nylon, ABS and other filament that absolutely require it and it's a breeze to work with, and it cleans easily with soap and warm water.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: This is a standard adhesion problem with glass beds:
Glass beds are super level, but they transfer heat less good than metal and BuildTak. This also means that not every spot always has the exact same temperature, which can come from a lot of things, for example, a draft from the open window jitting that corner and causing lifting.
There are some super easy and cheap solutions:
* Painters Tape adds a little *bite* to the surface, but you need to level to its top.
* a thin PVA (Gluestick, wood glue, hairspray, or specifically designed sprays for 3D printing) bonds the first layers much better to the glass
* for ABS, ABS-in-acetone-slurry is a known bed adhesive
* measure the top of the bed temperature - you will find out that the increased thermal capacity of the bed+glass sheet means that your set bed temperature is not reached on the bed surface. Adjust as needed!
* prevent any and all draft (close windows and doors)
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: Despite all advice to the contrary, I've had no luck with glue or masking tape. I print directly onto a glass bed.
The glass is much thicker than the surface that was originally on the heat plate, because of this heat takes longer to reach the surface of the glass and the temperature probe on the plate is even more inaccurate than it was originally.
Using a laser thermometer, I found that pre-heating the plate before the build starts solves the problem as this give the temperature time to even out.
Clamp the glass firmly to the heat plate with as many plastic clamps as you can fit (metal ones are too heavy those post office crocodile clips might work). This will give it a better thermal connection.
If that do any work, increase the bed heat to 60° and/or nozzle to 210°.
Also, clean the glass with washing up liquid and then window cleaner and only hold it with a clean tissue after.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/01 | 1,490 | 5,487 | <issue_start>username_0: Does anyone notice that when they upgrade from an MK8Makerbot(?) to a E3D V6 hotend that when using the same settings and bed-leveling/z-distance-setting procedures, that the filament is much more likely to be pulled up and bunch up around the nozzle while printing the first layer?
It occurs mostly when printing small details, such as 3 mm bolt holes, and not so much when laying down long lines.
Is this due to the shape of the nozzle, which on the V6 is much more flat when compared to the MK8 which is more sharp, or is it due to something else that can be easily fixed?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/w5div.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iuepN.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: Turns out this can be fixed by increasing the bed temp to 65-70 °C and of course increasing the extruder temp by 30 °C or so, which is standard for the all metal hotends (no idea why)
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: So many things wrong with that last statement. First off, lets get the first layer adhesion out of the way... ANY time you work on your hotend, you need to adjust your Z offset because things rarely go back to the exact same. Even just a different torque spec (your hand is not a torque wrench nor is it as consistent as one) changes it. 10 degrees more turn on the thread from harder cranking and now youre higher off the bed. Believe it or not metal does actually flex when you tighten, especially aluminium and soft copper alloys like brass and bronze.
Secondly, the E3D V6 head is shorter than the mark 8. Thus you will need to adjust offset closer, by default, when switching to a V6.
That will fix bed adhesion in most cases. Follow procedure and recalibrate when you make changes and youll be fine. Now, as for temps... raising bed that high is a bandaid setting. We dont use bandaids. Fix the root, stated above, not a symptom of it. This prevents other problems. In this case your bed temp (assuming you're on PLA) is above glass transition. Thats a no-no. Even with proper offset, that causes other issues like the "other" type of elephant's foot. From the bottom layers being fluid and having a taller and more diffuse heat gradient. Basically the bed layer stays put and then layers above it shrink. Till about 5 or 10 layers up. Giving it a bow at the base of the print. You want it hot. But not melted. In regular PLA, thats 55c. 60c is glass transition. You can go to 59c with disgression, but generally you wanna keep 5c away from GT. Be careful with forums and FB posts, people say "do 75c" etc... these are beginners. Be careful taking advice from someone in their first few years of printint. FDM is tricky. It will fool you and teach you bad habits, and you wont realize its hurting you till much later on when you start moving out of the box.
Now all metal temps... who told you +30c? Thats not a thing. If you are having to heat up another 30c to print with all metal, you have a throat clog. Fix your throat cooling system. This can also be from incorrectly installing or assembling it. Same with steel nozzles needing to be hotter. This is a myth. They will equalize just as any other nozzle. The difference is steel has a lower rate of heat absorbtion, and thus takes longer to heat up. It also drops faster than brass as you get into speed printing. Think pouring water on red hot steel. The filament is the water. So \* *when* \* printing at very high rates of flow, which most people wont reach anyway, then yes, you run it hotter. But this is true for all hotends and nozzles during speed printing, not just because its steel. Speed printing often has nozzle temps above thermal breakdown of a material because it never has a chance to reach that due to rate of flow and time to heat, but still needs that abnormally high temp so the rapidly flowing filament can grab enough energy to melt in time. Larger bore nozzles also need a small bump because the core of the extrusion is farther from the walls of the nozzle.
But no, V6 and/or all metal hotends absolutely do not need extra temps under normal use (like 0.2 layers at 60mm/s). The run at the same temps. And so does the bed. If it still doesn't stick and you know for sure your z offset is good, and you preheated and all the stuff youre supposed to do when setting that offset, then your bed is dirty, wipe with alcohol. Or the coating is worn out. Or, on bare glass and large base prints, you need an adhesive like 3D Lac or gluestick (not regular white, or gel, you need Xtreme or extra strength, or purple). If you have to heat up the hotend to extrude on an all metal or nozzle change, figure out why youre having throat clogs, because thats not a normal thing for a well-functioning hotend and extruder. That indicates a problem somewhere. Either user error or poor throat cooling. It can even happen with really cheap and poorly made nozzles. V6 does not mean its genuine E3D. If you see V6 and its not directly from E3D or a company in a contract with them, then its a Chineese clone. Yes, it matters... Their geometry inside the hotend needs to be machined properly, not rushed out cheaply. Thats why genuine ones cost more, and its how they got their reputation for being amazing hotends. They take care with machining, and they test and refine stuff, in house, daily.
-The guy that started on a Cupcake back in 2008-2009 and now teaches it.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/02 | 719 | 2,482 | <issue_start>username_0: I bought a 32 GB SDHC (Sandisk) I'd like to use for my Monoprice 3D printer.
I have downloaded Partition Wizard and partitioned a 2GB primary partition formatted as FAT and it still does not show any files.
What am I doing wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: For an SD card to work with the printer firmware [Monoprice suggests to format the SD card to FAT32](https://monopricesupport.kayako.com/article/59-why-is-my-printer-not-reading-my-sd-card).
However, the Monoprice Select Mini V2 is not able to read SDHC memory cards, it is advised to use an SD card (smaller than 4 GB) instead.
According to the [Monoprice support website](https://monopricesupport.kayako.com/): ["Why is my printer not reading my SD card?"](https://monopricesupport.kayako.com/article/59-why-is-my-printer-not-reading-my-sd-card):
>
> If the SD card is not recognized on the printer or if the files are
> not reading, it could be an issue with the actual card itself. The
> first thing we recommend checking is that none of the print files on
> the SD card contain a space in their name. This shows in the printer
> as an unidentified character and can cause issues. If none of your
> prints contain spaces, we recommend reformatting your SD card.
>
>
> Note: If you choose to purchase an SD card, ***please make sure that it
> is not labeled HC (High Capacity)*** as it ***may not be compatible with the
> printer***. This means that ***the card must be smaller than 4GB in size***.
>
>
>
The last part of the support page is probably applicable to your card.
Some further information can be found in [What is the largest microSD card that a Monoprice Select Mini can read?](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/5247/what-is-the-largest-microsd-card-that-a-monoprice-select-mini-can-read), specifically [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/5311/5740). From this latter answer, I quote:
>
> Cards between 2 GB and 32 GB ***might*** work, depending on the specifics of
> the card
>
>
>
Basically there are no guarantees when using large cards.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I was having problems formatting micro SD cards for my Monoprice Mini v2. I have some 256 MB cards tried formatting them FAT FAT32 etc, no luck.
Then I downloaded a program called [SD Memory Card Formatter](https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/) did the format on the card with this and the card is now readable in the printer.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/02 | 577 | 2,054 | <issue_start>username_0: I dont want the part cooling fan on during preheat, especially when I'm only heating the bed, it is just unnecessarily loud and serves no purpose at that time.
However when I set `PREHEAT_1_FAN_SPEED` to 0 it has no effect, the fan still spins at full speed as soon as I preheat either the hotend or the bed.
So why is this setting not working and how do I fix this?
I am using the latest version of [Marlin](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/tree/1.1.x/Marlin).
The only one that is defined is the one that I am editing and it is the one that appears on line ~1260 of the stock configuration.h
```
#define PREHEAT_1_FAN_SPEED 0 // Value from 0 to 255
```
And this is the grep result of searching the entire firmware folder:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dJh5p.png)<issue_comment>username_1: *This answer is now obsolete now that the OP has updated the question with additional information. It is left here as a possible solution for those who have tinkered with there firmware.*
---
Part cooling fan speed during preheat (from menu) is controlled by the setting
```
#define PREHEAT_1_FAN_SPEED 0 // Value from 0 to 255
```
in [Configuration.h](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/blob/1.1.x/Marlin/Configuration.h) where a value of `0` implies no rotation, or 0 % and `255` implies 100 %.
If changing this value in your configuration does not result in a reduced fan speed, you could have this constant be defined somewhere else overriding this value.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Apparently, I forgot a critical step:
While I have completely reconfigured the LCD menus, setup custom 25-point mesh leveling, changed a bunch of other numerical values, and flashed the firmware dozens of times, certain values will never be updated unless you remember to **initialize the EEPROM** after the flash!
Honestly I kinda wish they would make it all or nothing but I guess there is limited space so particular things take priority.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/02 | 834 | 3,127 | <issue_start>username_0: I managed to tear my build plate trying to get some very stubborn plastic off it.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/fDqad.jpg)
I'll need to buy a new one, what characteristics are important for me to ensure it's compatable with my printer?
I can think of:
1. Dimensions
2. Power requirements
3. Connector types
4. That my printer moves the plate in the z axis (?)
---
*NB* I'm so new at this I didn't realise that this was just a sticker on the plate, so I just need to replace this sticker. However, as a question, I'm still curious as there's a good chance I will break it at some point.<issue_comment>username_1: If your printer's heated bed still works, but the sticker has been ripped in some places:
* You can try and remove the rest of the sticker, clean the metal plate under the sticker (perhaps with isopropyl alcohol) and then apply a new sticker once there is no adhesive remaining on the heated bed.
* You can remove the sticker with the method above, but instead of replacing it with a new sticker, you can buy a PEI sheet and cut it to size if required (read more about PEI [here](https://all3dp.com/2/pei-sheet-as-a-3d-printer-print-bed-sheet-a-guide/)) and then stick it to the metal plate.
Personally, I would recommend the latter option, since PEI is low maintenance and the prints automatically pop off the sheet once it cools down, however just make sure not to print PETG on it, since it sticks too much.
On the other hand, if your entire heated bed is broken, the best-case scenario is to look for a heated bed that was designed specifically for your printer. Especially since your printer's heated bed has 3 mounting screws instead of 4.
If you somehow have a solution for mounting a heated bed with 4 mounting screws on a printer that uses 3, the things you need to watch out for are the heated bed's operating voltage (it should be 24v) and the dimensions must be the same. If the wires are not provided with the heated bed, make sure to get wires that have high enough gauge so that it is able to handle the high currents that the heated bed will need.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I would say put a glass bed on it and you won't have to worry about tearing it ever again. Many places which sell picture frames can cut out a piece of 3 mm glass for very little (like 1-2 dollars). I've had a normal 3 mm glass bed (no expensive "heat glass" or anything) that's worked fine for 2 years of printing. You can use simple metal clips to hold the glass in place.
As an added bonus the prints pop off by themselves when the glass cools down. I'm usually impatient and remove the glass from my printer and cool it down under water. I wouldn't recommend doing that tho, since you risk cracking the glass due to the heat shock.
Only down side is that it might be a tiny bit tricker to get the print to stick, but I don't really have anything to compare to so I don't know for sure. I only have problems getting prints to stick when my initial layer height is wrong or when printing very small things.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/04 | 1,853 | 6,939 | <issue_start>username_0: Here's what it looks like
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XjFer.jpg)
This is the model
[thingiverse linky](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2991851)
It looks like it couldn't print the edge, but this happened many many hours after printing the brim.
This did not happen with my 1st attempt at this print. The last print lost adhesion and I had to scrap it. This time, adhesion looks good so not sure why this happened.
Printing with Monoprice Select V2 with ABS, sliced with Cura. 100C bed / 250C extruder. 15mm/s initial layer speed. 60 mm/s print speed.
**Update**
It looks like the printer is starting to smooth it out like so. Still not sure if this will lead to an ok print or will fail because of this layer.
And it seems the stringing area does not have a brim underneath it. Did Cura just not calculate the brim size correctly?
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kKMYw.jpg)
**Update2**
Here's a few screenshots from Cura to show that the model is lying completely flat.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iywA2.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DvtBr.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kc7Xh.png)
I let the print go on overnight and here's where I stopped it
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HPNrX.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6XRvv.jpg)
It almost seems like the print shifted completely after printing the initial layer. Have you ever seen anything like this or is there anything in my Cura model that would make it do this?<issue_comment>username_1: There are many problems caused with this. It could be a faulty motors, an unlevel bed, a dirty nozzle, or even something as simple as using the wrong filament settings. It would be best to go through a checklist of things that might be wrong with your printer. It could also just be caused by the wear and tear of a really old printer.
Upvotes: -1 <issue_comment>username_2: No, the print is lost.
======================
First thoughts after Update 1
-----------------------------
Your print will not perfectly recover from this stringing issue, which to me looks to be unsupported bridging. I postulate that your slicing seems to be made with the model not aligned flat on the bottom correctly.
The biggest indicator for this is, that the brim is passing right underneath the model, so in that area, the slicer did not detect the model touching the surface, which means it is considered floating.
Re-slice the model and check in layer view that you absolutely have the bottom touching to the sheet everywhere. Use the "lay flat" function (which should suffice) or enable at least 10% support to the build plate (which in this case should not be needed). Even though the model doesn't *need* this because the base is flat as to inspection, the last resort could be to move the item 0.1 mm into the sheet, cutting off any odd protrusion your slicer identifies that can result in parts of the object "floating" and demanding to bridge long ways into the unsupported nirvana.
New Thoughts/Revision after Update 2
------------------------------------
After the new photos, it became apparent that it was *not* a slicing issue of a slightly angled print but a **layer shift.**
You will have to check the tension of your bed belt and if anything might have come into your bed movement. On my Ender 3 I had tried a cable chain, which did hinder Y-Axis movement - make sure that it has not even a movement of short snagging.
Make sure that your nozzle does not snatch on the print as it moves. Maybe activate Z-hopping.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: No, ***your problem is not related to slicing***, ***this is a hardware problem***. Your complete print has shifted, this is called [layer shift](https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/#layer-shifting-or-misalignment).
This could happen when the nozzle hits an obstruction while printing while the Y stepper continues. This could lead to skipping teeth on the belts, slipping of the pulley or missing steps. This results in printing over air as the print progresses. This manifests itself as stringing, but in fact is unsupported printing (in the air). In this case it is unrecoverable as the printer has lost the reference frame, it just continues to print with the new reference frame caused by the layer shift.
A Prusa MK3, or any printerboard using trinamic stepper drivers would be able to recover (if the belt and pulley are correctly attached, and steps are missed) as the skipping of steps is detected, in case of a Prusa MK3 the machine will re-home when it detects skipped steps and continue printing. See also [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/6880/5740) for more details.
Possible solutions are increasing the belt tension, increase the stepper torque by increasing the current through the stepper drivers or re-tighten the pulley on the stepper of the Y belt.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Both @Oscar and @username_2 have identified the problem in their answers. Upon further investigation, I believe I found the root of the problem.
The Monoprice Select V2 has what I think is an inherent design flaw with how its wires are routed. The wire can sometimes (1) get caught on the frame (when the y-axis is moving towards its maximum position), (2) get caught between the frame and the print bed preventing the y-axis from reaching the minimum position, and (3) it even hits the y-limit-switch sometimes.
Here's a backview of the printer where you can see problem (1) where the wire can get caught by the frame. You can also see the y-limit-switch and I saw first-hand when the wire bundle caught it, forcing another layer shift in my print.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nrbpL.jpg)
For problem (1) above, I found this solution seems to help
[thingiverse link](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1218943)
To resolve all of the wiring issues, you have to unwrap the wires and reroute them. People online say this voids the warranty.
The wire jamming doesn't always happen. But when you printer moves back and forth along the y-axis hundreds of times for a large print, there's a high probability it snags at some point. This is very frustrating after many hours of printing. And I'm thinking of getting another printer for this reason.
I should note that it looks like Monoprice's next version printer, the Monoprice Select Plus, doesn't seem like it would have this problem since the control unit is integrated and the wires don't seem like they would be in the way.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/05 | 520 | 1,758 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a set of 2D pictures from a CT scan.
How can I convert them into a 3D model for 3D printing? An example looks like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/EV9Q8.jpg "CT-Scan of a mouse's bones")<issue_comment>username_1: Using the terms "convert CT scan to 3D model," I found a number of links of tutorials. One of them is described as free, with registration and appears to be web based. The link, [Embodi3D](https://www.embodi3d.com/blogs/entry/345-a-ridiculously-easy-way-to-convert-ct-scans-to-3d-printable-bone-stl-models-for-free-in-minutes/), appears to have a relatively comprehensive set of instructions to accomplish your goal.
[Instructables](https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-convert-medical-scan-data-into-a-3D-printab/) also has a similar tutorial. Should neither of these prove suitable, the search terms above may be of value.
Image below via Instructables:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/vgdRW.jpg)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Knowing the layer thickness, you can **manually** re-engineer/design the object:
* take your CAD or 3D modeling program of choice
1. import one picture into the XY axis
2. trace the outline on that layer
3. add a construction layer one layer thickness above
* Rinse 1-3 and repeat for all layers.
* Combine the outlines, method depending on your program
+ this might be quite easy in blender if you add the new *layer* by extruding the previous one up by one layer thickness and just move the vertices to match the new outline
* finally, export the model as `.stl` depending on your program, slice and print.
Upvotes: 1 |
2019/01/06 | 1,993 | 7,114 | <issue_start>username_0: When choosing a layer height, I know that often you go as fine as your printer will do for better precision, but sometimes you go a little thicker, for speed, for example.
I also see 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm as common thicknesses.
What are my options here? When I'm working on a part where I want to print a draft piece, and the quality matters less, can I set it to 0.15 mm? 0.11 mm? The Ultimaker Cura slicer I normally use will let me put in almost anything, but what can it really do? If I can use values in between simple 0.1 mm increments, are there reasons I might want to do so?
For reference, I have a Monoprice Maker Select Plus with a 0.4 mm nozzle and, again, Ultimaker Cura as the slicer. But more general answers for other printer types and slicers are also encouraged. I want to know about this generally, and not just for one printer.<issue_comment>username_1: You decide which layer height you want based on the quality you desire, but never go over about 75 % of your nozzle diameter, so with your 0.4 mm nozzle never choose layer heights larger than 0.3 mm. The rationale of this rule of thumb is that the filament leaves the nozzle as a tube and needs to be flattened to make it adhere to the previous layer.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Layer hight can be theoretically *anything* as long as it fits into these ranges:
* it needs to be at least one step for the Z-Axis motor to be physically possible
* it should be at max 3/4th of your nozzle diameter to create an adhesion surface
In praxis, the lowest setting for layer height due to physical limitations of the extrusion systems is around 0.05 mm.
Also, not *any* number is possible, it is dependant on the Z-axis system: since one or one-half step is the smallest rotation that the stepper can achieve, the raise that belongs to this partial rotation is how much one and the next layer height can be together. The step limitation usually is of no concern though, unless one has a very steep lead screw.
As a rule of thumb: doubling layer thickness results in *almost* half the print time. 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm are common because they allow easy checking the printed accuracy in Z-axis with calipers.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. The thicker the layer, the smaller the number of interlayer contact zones (this is a weak point), the higher the strength of the part.
2. For good interlayer adhesion, the thickness of the layer should not exceed half the diameter of the nozzle (this is pure geometry). The recommended value is 0.8 \* 0.5 \* D.
3. There is an opinion that the thickness of the layer should be a multiple of the height of the Z climb to one full engine step (in order to avoid accumulation of error).
Thus, for an engine with a step of 1.8 degrees and a screw with a step of 8 mm per revolution (most common configuration of Z-axis), the layer thickness must be a multiple of 0.04 mm. For a nozzle with a diameter of 0.4 mm, the recommended layer thickness is 0.16 mm, maximum valid is 0.2 mm.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Let's start with the stepper motors used to move the z-axis. Most printers use a Nema-17 motor, and [most Nema-17 motors turn 1.8° per step](https://reprap.org/wiki/NEMA_17_Stepper_motor). For the motors that don't use 1.8°, almost all of them are .9°, such that assuming 1.8° is pretty safe for most us (if you have a .9° motor and wrongly assume 1.8°, the motor will just take two steps instead of one).
But these motors don't move the print head or bed directly. Rather, they will turn a threaded rod to lift or lower the necessary part. We need to figure out the linear distance traveled along the rod per step.
There are two ways to determine this. First, we can look at the threads on the rod, and think about the linear distance traveled if the rod turns one complete revolution. Use a sharpie marker to trace a thread, and then measure the distance.
Alternatively, if we check the specs for the rod in terms of threads and pitch. Most 3D printers use 8 mm rods, but looking at my own printer these aren't standard metric threads. Indeed, [the pitch can vary quite a bit from printer to printer.](https://reprap.org/wiki/Threaded_rod) Both 2 mm and 3 mm pitch is common, with the number of threads on the rod varying from 1 to 4. To find the linear distance of a revolution, you multiply the threads by the pitch. A 3 mm pitch with 1 thread has a linear distance of 3 mm. A 2 mm pitch with 4 threads has a linear distance of 8 mm.
With either method, we know the linear distance for one complete revolution (360°). But a single step only moves a small portion of that: 1.8°. Thankfully, this works out to an even number: 360/1.8 = 200. There are 200 steps per revolution.
Now we know enough to figure out the step distance. The math looks like this:
```
StepDistance = (RodPitch*RodThreads) / 200
```
As an example 2 mm pitch and 4 threads produces this expression:
```
(2 * 4) / 200
```
and the final result is:
```
.04 mm per step
```
Those values are common, but not universal, so you need to know what numbers to plug in for your printer.
You should also be aware that many stepper motors can [take half steps or even divide a single step up to 256 times](https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/stepper-motors-and-drives-what-is-full-step-half-step-and-microstepping). If you can watch your printer smoothly move from very low to very high, or vice versa, without jerking for each step, this is what it's doing. That means your printer may be able to make adjustments as fine as .00015625mm. At this point, we're down in nano-meter territory. I think it's probably best to assume your printer wants to take at least a half step when moving from layer to layer.
Now lets look at applying this `.04 mm per step` value to a real printer. Please remember: this is just an example, where the .04 mm number is based off a specific rod type. *You need to know the values for your specific z-axis rods*.
Let's say you have a printer that advertises a .1 mm minimum layer height and a .4 mm nozzle. Given the .04 mm steps, you *might* do much better actually using .12 mm layers, which is an exact multiple of .04 mm. But then, if we consider half steps, .1 mm could be just fine. On the other end of the range, we don't really want to go above 75% of our nozzle width. That's .3 mm. Given a .04 mm step height, a better max is really .28 mm... but, again, considering half steps, we could in theory choose to do the exact .3 mm height.
The main thing I want to take away here is for when you're looking for an in-between layer height: .1 mm is too slow, but .2 mm is too course. It's probably best to bump up the layer in exact half-steps. For this example, that's .02 mm increments. So after .1 mm we try .12 mm, then .14 mm, and so on. Finer adjustments may be possible, but there's a power of two law at play here, so keep dividing things in half, rather than by 10ths. If you don't get good results this way, try assuming full steps, and start at .12 mm for the layer height, then go to .16 mm, and so on.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/06 | 2,232 | 7,924 | <issue_start>username_0: I have a Monoprice Select v2 that I just bought less than 2 months ago. I've manually leveled it on several prints prior.
I noticed a couple of holes in my print bed after my last print, like the extruder pushed into the sheet really hard. They're both on the same side.
I then noticed that the extruder's horizontal bar wasn't leveled so I leveled it. I did this by unplugging the wire to one motor and modified the z-position so that the other connected side would go up. (Is this the proper way of adjusting the horizontal bar?)
And then I moved the extruder back into its Home position at z-position 0.
That's when I noticed that it seems my extruder barely reaches my print bed even though I have the screws almost loosened to the point of detaching from the thread.
The extruder z-limit-switch (I think that's what it's called) seems to be pressed so the extruder is as far down as it can go. The controls also show that the z-position is at 0.
So I'm guessing my print bed somehow lowered. But I don't see how that could possibly be.
Any ideas?
Here are some photos but I'm not even sure what to show really
you can see the z-limit-switch in the right of this pic next to the letter A's
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jj6hS.jpg)
you can see my extruder still has some distance to go before reaching my print bed but you can also see that my screws are loosened as much as possible
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/NUOdX.jpg)
showing the horizontal extruder bar is now leveled
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RyK5o.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: You decide which layer height you want based on the quality you desire, but never go over about 75 % of your nozzle diameter, so with your 0.4 mm nozzle never choose layer heights larger than 0.3 mm. The rationale of this rule of thumb is that the filament leaves the nozzle as a tube and needs to be flattened to make it adhere to the previous layer.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Layer hight can be theoretically *anything* as long as it fits into these ranges:
* it needs to be at least one step for the Z-Axis motor to be physically possible
* it should be at max 3/4th of your nozzle diameter to create an adhesion surface
In praxis, the lowest setting for layer height due to physical limitations of the extrusion systems is around 0.05 mm.
Also, not *any* number is possible, it is dependant on the Z-axis system: since one or one-half step is the smallest rotation that the stepper can achieve, the raise that belongs to this partial rotation is how much one and the next layer height can be together. The step limitation usually is of no concern though, unless one has a very steep lead screw.
As a rule of thumb: doubling layer thickness results in *almost* half the print time. 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm are common because they allow easy checking the printed accuracy in Z-axis with calipers.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: 1. The thicker the layer, the smaller the number of interlayer contact zones (this is a weak point), the higher the strength of the part.
2. For good interlayer adhesion, the thickness of the layer should not exceed half the diameter of the nozzle (this is pure geometry). The recommended value is 0.8 \* 0.5 \* D.
3. There is an opinion that the thickness of the layer should be a multiple of the height of the Z climb to one full engine step (in order to avoid accumulation of error).
Thus, for an engine with a step of 1.8 degrees and a screw with a step of 8 mm per revolution (most common configuration of Z-axis), the layer thickness must be a multiple of 0.04 mm. For a nozzle with a diameter of 0.4 mm, the recommended layer thickness is 0.16 mm, maximum valid is 0.2 mm.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Let's start with the stepper motors used to move the z-axis. Most printers use a Nema-17 motor, and [most Nema-17 motors turn 1.8° per step](https://reprap.org/wiki/NEMA_17_Stepper_motor). For the motors that don't use 1.8°, almost all of them are .9°, such that assuming 1.8° is pretty safe for most us (if you have a .9° motor and wrongly assume 1.8°, the motor will just take two steps instead of one).
But these motors don't move the print head or bed directly. Rather, they will turn a threaded rod to lift or lower the necessary part. We need to figure out the linear distance traveled along the rod per step.
There are two ways to determine this. First, we can look at the threads on the rod, and think about the linear distance traveled if the rod turns one complete revolution. Use a sharpie marker to trace a thread, and then measure the distance.
Alternatively, if we check the specs for the rod in terms of threads and pitch. Most 3D printers use 8 mm rods, but looking at my own printer these aren't standard metric threads. Indeed, [the pitch can vary quite a bit from printer to printer.](https://reprap.org/wiki/Threaded_rod) Both 2 mm and 3 mm pitch is common, with the number of threads on the rod varying from 1 to 4. To find the linear distance of a revolution, you multiply the threads by the pitch. A 3 mm pitch with 1 thread has a linear distance of 3 mm. A 2 mm pitch with 4 threads has a linear distance of 8 mm.
With either method, we know the linear distance for one complete revolution (360°). But a single step only moves a small portion of that: 1.8°. Thankfully, this works out to an even number: 360/1.8 = 200. There are 200 steps per revolution.
Now we know enough to figure out the step distance. The math looks like this:
```
StepDistance = (RodPitch*RodThreads) / 200
```
As an example 2 mm pitch and 4 threads produces this expression:
```
(2 * 4) / 200
```
and the final result is:
```
.04 mm per step
```
Those values are common, but not universal, so you need to know what numbers to plug in for your printer.
You should also be aware that many stepper motors can [take half steps or even divide a single step up to 256 times](https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/stepper-motors-and-drives-what-is-full-step-half-step-and-microstepping). If you can watch your printer smoothly move from very low to very high, or vice versa, without jerking for each step, this is what it's doing. That means your printer may be able to make adjustments as fine as .00015625mm. At this point, we're down in nano-meter territory. I think it's probably best to assume your printer wants to take at least a half step when moving from layer to layer.
Now lets look at applying this `.04 mm per step` value to a real printer. Please remember: this is just an example, where the .04 mm number is based off a specific rod type. *You need to know the values for your specific z-axis rods*.
Let's say you have a printer that advertises a .1 mm minimum layer height and a .4 mm nozzle. Given the .04 mm steps, you *might* do much better actually using .12 mm layers, which is an exact multiple of .04 mm. But then, if we consider half steps, .1 mm could be just fine. On the other end of the range, we don't really want to go above 75% of our nozzle width. That's .3 mm. Given a .04 mm step height, a better max is really .28 mm... but, again, considering half steps, we could in theory choose to do the exact .3 mm height.
The main thing I want to take away here is for when you're looking for an in-between layer height: .1 mm is too slow, but .2 mm is too course. It's probably best to bump up the layer in exact half-steps. For this example, that's .02 mm increments. So after .1 mm we try .12 mm, then .14 mm, and so on. Finer adjustments may be possible, but there's a power of two law at play here, so keep dividing things in half, rather than by 10ths. If you don't get good results this way, try assuming full steps, and start at .12 mm for the layer height, then go to .16 mm, and so on.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/07 | 1,113 | 4,166 | <issue_start>username_0: I am trying to print an item with a rectangular grid (using PLA on Ultimaker 2+):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RHcqX.png)
Holes are 4x4 mm, distance between holes (wall thickness): 1mm. I am printing with 0.4 mm nozzle.
Unfortunately, Ultimaker Cura generates G-code which prints each rectangle on its own and in a quite a bad way:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/I7nE6.gif)
The printer head tries to draw a rectangle, then moves in the direction opposite to a last laid line, which with not perfect adhesion of single line messes up the print pretty badly: it often picks up last rectangle side and drags it.
Any way to change the way Ultimaker Cura approaches to lay out the grid? I would imagine that long lines that are connected to other lines would adhere to bed much better than individual squares, but I don't see any options that would allow to alter it.<issue_comment>username_1: This sounds like you have an adhesion problem if it catches laid down filament, you might want to address that first. E.g. use a PVA based glue or spray to get better adhesion. This will result in not dragging laid down filament.
To my knowledge, Ultimaker Cura has no option to choose how you print the squares (direction and start point). However, ***you could use Z-hop*** so that it will lift your nozzle (or lower your build plate in your case) prior to moving to the next rectangle.
It looks as though you are using an older version of Ultimaker Cura as it only prints one line of each of the small rectangular holes (or are you actually using a single wall/shell), in later versions of Ultimaker Cura this is fixed (e.g. the image below is created with Ultimaker Cura 3.4.1), it will print all walls/shells before commencing to the next small rectangular hole. This way you have more lines deposited which have a possible better adhesion to the increase of laid down material:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4uW0h.png)
Further investigation of your image shows that you are using a very fine grating (< 1 mm?) resulting in very limited amount of walls. In your case the version is not that important, but the latter information is just left as a possibility for people that use an older version of Ultimaker Cura.
Also note that there is an option to put the brim on the inside of your models (option called `Brim Only on Outside`), when disabled, this would also increase the surface area for better adhesion.
---
*There are also option available to start with the outer or inner wall (option `Outer Before Inner Walls`), but in this case that would not help you as there is only 1 wall at each side of the rectangular hole.*
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: 1. Use the latest stable Cura 3.6.0
2. Ensure that the setting "Wall Line Count" > 1, recommended value is 3-4
3. Uncheck the setting flag "Outer Before Inner Walls"
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: Slicers never create a grid by crossing the already printed lines - they print perimeters and thicken them into a shell. So if the picture that is to be printed is a #, it does not lay down first the || and then the = crossing over it, it lays down an inner square and then builds the rest to get to the shape. This operation rule is held for *shells*, but not for *infill* patterns.
As you describe the printer picking up the printed, you have adhesion problems and your first layer might be not level or too thick.
You might also want to enable "print thin walls" and use 2 or 3 perimeters.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: Try slicing with 0 perimeters (so it's all infill).
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Perhaps a slicer is not the ideal tool for this application. It should be possible to use the slicer to generate a 'framework' file, doing coordinate conversions, setup and such, and then write raw G-code or a script to do so.
Whether you find that a desirable approach is another question.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/07 | 538 | 1,956 | <issue_start>username_0: I can print a reasonably high quality print, but then there will be a millimetre or two of rubbish.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9ppdc.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/9kreD.jpg)
This can happen at the start of a print, in the middle or at the end.
It doesn't seem to be bad G-code as I can reprint with good results.
There seems to be a correlation between the bad layers and walls. They seem to occurs when there is a transition to printing a horizontal wall.
The latter if there two images if the tail end of a thirteen hour print.
1. What's causing this?
2. Is it something I can fix or is it that the (new) printer is failing?<issue_comment>username_1: One of the reasons for such a defect may be a local decrease in the diameter of the filament. Carefully check your filament.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: This can be caused by various problems, of which an [aforementioned](/a/7901/5740) filament diameter is only one of multiple possible causes.
The observed phenomenon is called ***under-extrusion***. Temporary under-extrusion can also be caused by filament friction on the spool, too low or too high filament extruder gear friction (pressure on the filament by the roller), or friction in a Bowden tube (dust particles).
Please ensure your spool unrolls freely (not entangled; entangled filament is audible like "ker-chunk" when the filament is rearranged on the spool by force of the extruder pulling) and check the extruder for friction or slip. If the extruder gear slips, this is also accompanied by an audible "click" that is called clicking. This generally implies that there is too much friction in the hot end, or an obstruction/clog.
Considering that your print recovers from the problem, and that it occurs randomly, the best guess is that your filament in entangled now and then.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/07 | 1,158 | 4,180 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm trying to build an assembly with one larger part (about 50 mm x 50 mm), two small parts (about 10 mm x 5 mm) each, and one part that starts with two 2 mm x 2 mm squares that eventually bridge into a sort of flap. The larger part has decent adhesion for a couple of layers, but the small parts are slipping off the table right away and the nozzle drags them onto the large part since it's the last part being printed in the group, resulting in some stringing.
My bed is adequately leveled and can print larger models well so my suspicion is that the small parts are too small for good bed adhesion and need a brim or a raft to increase the surface area. Is this correct? If so, is there a way in Cura to add a brim or raft to the small parts and not the large part? Ideally I would print all pieces at once instead of the large part separate since I will be doing batches of these assemblies in the future.
I'm using Ultimaker Cura 3.6, printing with PLA filament set to 200 °C at nozzle and 60 °C on the bed.<issue_comment>username_1: *This is a "No" and "Yes" answer, it depends on the version of Cura you are using!*
---
**No**, there are no options available to set the brim to some of the parts in Ultimaker Cura (at the time of writing this answer, pre Cura 4.5.0). You could however change the smaller model to include the brim in your design, or add so-called "Mouse Ears".
At the time of writing this answer, the image below shows the Ultimaker Cura interface for "per model" settings, basically different settings with respect to the other models. As can be seen, you cannot expand the `Build Plate Adhesion` (it already shows the arrow downwards, so expanded):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5YXXp.png "Pre Cura 4.5.0 per model settings example")
But, **yes** as of Cura 4.5.0 (see [this answer](/a/13293/)) the "per model" settings have changed and the `Build Plate Adhesion` is added with the option to add a `Brim Distance` to trick Cura into de-attaching the brim (it will print a brim, but it is not attached to the part):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/wzGPZ.png "Cura 4.8.0 per model settings example")
When applied to several models this could result in models with a brim attached and others without the brim attached:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/euEhG.jpg "Example showing brim attached and detached")
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: In the newest version of Cura (4.5.0), in the per model settings, the only thing you can change for options set `Build Plate Adhesion` is `Brim Distance`. What this allows you to do however is create a brim for everything with the distance of a millimeter or two, and then for the part that needs the brim, you just set the distance to zero in the individual part settings. It's a little janky, but you essentially create a skirt for the parts that don't need a brim.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_3: This post is quite old, but I describe how I solved this for anyone has the same problem I had: areas moved by the nozzle as the base of some appendices are too thin and tall.
In Cura 4.8 (I don't know since which version this feature is available) it is possible to add some custom shapes (cubes or cylinders) to your model. You can find this tool after move, resize, etc,, in the prepare page (left side icons).
So you can add some custom supports to protect from falling/moving some areas of a single model that need to be kept in place. These added parts can be moved and resized as you would do with the any other imported model.
I found this very useful to avoid that the nozzle moves parts with a small base area that are connected to the rest of the model on a higher level and the lower part is not stable enough. Especially when printing TPU or other flexible filaments.
Upvotes: 1 |
2019/01/07 | 340 | 1,186 | <issue_start>username_0: Whilst looking to fix a different problem I had I came across this video.
It's a filament reel holder, but at 02:40 the person uses a mysterious fluid. I haven't seen anything like this before (though had wondered).
[Mystery cleaning fluid.](https://youtu.be/X6ArZeWYSZE "Mystery cleaning fluid")
What practical problems would this cleaning fluid mitigate?<issue_comment>username_1: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gMDDx.png)
That's a filament cleaner/oiler combo. The black bottle is a variety of machine oil.
The effect of oilers on prints is heavily disputed in the community. The suggestion of plant oils is a very bad one as they can create residue that stays in the hotend and create clogs.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: For really long Bowden tubes, some people use Teflon lubricant in a cleaner bead.
Never used it myself, since I use a small tube my printer with the stepper on top of one of the Z axis steel rod mounting plates (Anet A8).
Off topic, but by cooking and being a vaper, I vouch that organic compounds leave gunky residues on hot surfaces/parts.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/08 | 604 | 2,258 | <issue_start>username_0: I get an `error: printer halted. (kill() called!` Any time I home my machine's X or Y axis. I have just installed a 3D touch auto bed level sensor, ironically it works fine. I was using Sprinter firmware but it doesn't support auto bed level, so thus I'm using Marlin. I am using the latest version of Marlin and it gave me nothing but issues, printer wouldn't move or home at all. I used the latest Marlin 1.1.x bug fix edition (1.1.9) and now everything is working correctly except X and Y homing, the machine throws the `error: printer halted. (kill() called!` on Repetier-Host.
When I use the `M119` command all endstops (optical, not mechanical) show as open unless triggered, the endstops are working correctly. When I home the X and or Y it will do as it should and stop when it hits the endstop but that is when the errors pop up and the printer freezes/no longer to gives commands without disconnecting and reconnecting to the printer again.
If I home my Z axis it will deploy the probe and come down and touch the bed 2x and no error code and I can still manually move the printer around with the program movements after homing Z axis. I'm not sure what would cause this to happen only on X and Y but any help would be appreciated.
I use Repetier-Host but I downloaded Printrun just to see what would happen and it shows the exact same effect/errors. I also tried the Marlin bugfix 2.0 and it gave the same errors too.<issue_comment>username_1: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gMDDx.png)
That's a filament cleaner/oiler combo. The black bottle is a variety of machine oil.
The effect of oilers on prints is heavily disputed in the community. The suggestion of plant oils is a very bad one as they can create residue that stays in the hotend and create clogs.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: For really long Bowden tubes, some people use Teflon lubricant in a cleaner bead.
Never used it myself, since I use a small tube my printer with the stepper on top of one of the Z axis steel rod mounting plates (Anet A8).
Off topic, but by cooking and being a vaper, I vouch that organic compounds leave gunky residues on hot surfaces/parts.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/08 | 891 | 3,375 | <issue_start>username_0: In the context of a personal project I would like to reproduce the appearance of a commercial product of which I send you a cropped image.
I would also like to point out that I do not have the object in question, but it would seem that it is made from a polymer.
The product is a case with an embedded electronical card, so heat dissipation is important.
I'm interested by what kind of plastic is really used here. I plan to have the part manufactured by a company, so I think the method used will be SLS
I therefore rely on your expertise in the field of 3D printing to try to identify the material used.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3WtzK.png)
Thanks<issue_comment>username_1: Is there anything else about this object, but its picture? Softening temperature, biodegradability, is it stiff of flexible, hard or soft, anything could help identifying its material.
Also, post-processing (sanding down or chemicals like acetone bath) greatly enhances the range of filaments that can be used.
Just from the picture, my first guess would be: it looks very much like what ceramic powder added filaments can yield with when you sand them down afterwards. Take a look at pictures of prints with LayBrick, CERAMO, etc.
On second thought, **the answer is: Polyamide/Nylon**. It must be either a polyamide case or polyamide coating of some other material. For home projects, MJF polyamide prints can easily be ordered online. Ordering polyamide coating of plastic parts can be trickier depending on your location, although definitely doable.
Going with Nylon at home prints may require a non-basic 3D printer and some expertise.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: If you want to 3D print this, you could try post processing with some acrylic or fiber glass filler, and then use some stone texture spray paint like [this one](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plasti-kote-9444-400ml-Stone-Touch/dp/B001GU6HKU/ref=pd_aw_lpo_60_bs_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=11SDZXMB4RXA3XX1GFAS).
Edit: SLS printing will never be heat efficient, if that product (in your example image) is an electronic case, it was either machined or molded, and the finish is some sort of paint with a ruff or stone like finish.
However, you might be able to pull it of with air flow redesign, and as long as the temperature does not exceed the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic or resin used, you should not face any deformations on the case.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: Surface finish does not really map to the substrate material, Visually, what you have shown could be glass, ceramic, plastic, epoxy or metal.
The surface finish is a combination of the shaping process, any post processing, and any surface finishing. Most significantly, there are a wide variety of custom paints which are designed to mimic specific surface finishes. This means you could carve an object out of clay, then spray it to give the appearance of being sand-blasted steel (to give a specific example).
The underlying material is mostly irrelevant to the appearance. It will be driven by mechanical/thermal considerations (is this a mock-up, or does it need to have functional wall-thickness), and production volume/cost considerations (is it a one off, or are you making hundreds/millions)?
Upvotes: 1 |
2019/01/08 | 1,180 | 4,184 | <issue_start>username_0: I've been having some bed adhesion problems that I have been trying to solve by leveling the bed. I think that it's pretty level now but when I start a print the lines seem pretty flat. Is this true? I used a feeler gauge to have a 0.2 mm gap between the bed and nozzle, but the center feels as though there's more space, despite the tape (ie I didn't feel any resistance when leveling the center) so I'm not sure if the plastic is too squished or not.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GKkPC.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3SbVq.jpg)
I am printing PLA with 210 °C at Nozzle and 60 °C on bed. I also used a 130% extrusion factor for the first layer on a Creality CR-10S. It did come without a black print surface but with a glass sheet and a roll of painters tape instead, so I opted for Blue-tape.
Also, I see some stringing, which seems to happen with skirts and brims (this is my first brim) and a bit of under extrusion in the center. But those are probably concerns fit for a separate question.<issue_comment>username_1: **No**, the **bed does not look too close to the nozzle**, it could well be that it is **too far** from the nozzle. However, the brim looks okay, but the method you follow is questionable.
Using a feeler gauge of 0.2 mm is larger than the recommended paper method which is in the order of half that value (0.1 mm). You compensate this larger leveling gap with an over-extrusion of 130 %. The preferred method is using a thinner feeler gauge or a sheet of paper without over-extrusion. The reasoning is that if you have a 0.2 mm to start with, adding the first layer thickness (e.g. 0.2 mm) would imply that you are already starting at a 0.4 mm gap on your first layer. You now try to push out more filament to fill that gap (resulting in not really pressing the filament to the plate).
Furthermore, your tape does not look like it is laid down next to each other, it looks as though it is laid over each other. This creates an uneven bed surface.
Finalizing, you should do whatever you do to get the filament to stick to the build plate, if it works for you, use it. If it doesn't produce viable prints, or you are not satisfied with the surface finish, change it.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: After clarifying the printer type and specs, I have to go d'accord with username_1's [answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7919/8884) about the bed leveling thickness: try to go down to 0.1 mm.
About the bed adhesion I have a couple of pieces of advice though:
* Go with what works for you (Rule #1: Never change a *running* system)
* Try out the bare glass bed coated in...
+ Gluestick left to dry a little (that is PVA!)
+ a super thin layer of Wood Glue (also PVA)
+ Hairspray (also PVA)
+ 3D-Lac (PVA again)
* When sticking with tape (pun!), lay it down side by side with no overlap. Wider tape is better.
+ try different brands of tape, I prefer the rougher surface tapes
* don't fear to use your heatbed! 60°C is the common PLA print bed temperature.
+ if you can, take a thermosensor/thermometer and check what the temperature on top of the glass actually is: you might need to adjust the heater setting up to get a bed surface of 60°C.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I cannot stress enough how much purple glue stick helps with this exact problem.
I had a cheap XYZ printer that I used nearly half a spool of filament on trying to align and get prints to stick. After ten hours straight of hair pulling and desperation, I smeared some purple glue stick across the build plate -- worked like a charm. Works great even just on bare glass, although I usually use blue tape underneath.
Also had one of those cheap Monoprice MP Mini and a 3D Solutions Cube which both benefited greatly from the glue stick.
I've had a few cheap printers that I carried with me for educational purposes in a backpack and I'm sure the alignment wasn't ideal, but the glue always made it work perfectly.
Elmer's makes one, I picked up a 3 pack of cheap ones on Amazon with great success.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/08 | 2,407 | 8,966 | <issue_start>username_0: After a brownout a print failed and it got the whole hotend covered in PLA. I am now in the process of replacing some parts on the hotend (one of the thermistor legs broke of) and also wanted to take the heater cartridge out. The problem is that the bolt that locks the heater cartridge is stuck and I am now afraid to strip the head.
Is there a trick to remove the bolt with the smallest probability of stripping the head? Is it better to apply heat or not? Should I soak it in Acetone or some other solvent? etc.<issue_comment>username_1: Acetone will not dissolve PLA, there are other nasty solvents that do that, but it is not recommended to go that way.
You could apply 12 V (if the cartridge is 12 V that is) directly. As the thermistor does not work, you cannot use the printer board. You should take caution not to heat it too far or too hot, but from your experience with your own machine you should know approximately how long it takes to heat up the hotend to working temperature. E.g. start with a minute and try to pry off the lump of plastic with pliers. If you can reach the bolt/worm screw, try heating until you are able to insert the hex key or screw driver.
[This video](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=0ahUKEwj-p_qI5t7fAhVRDOwKHYUVD7QQxa8BCCYwAA&usg=AOvVaw0VTJzWxrN8ZFOD4xbU2nov) from Jose<NAME> shows exactly what you need to do what is described above. The only difference is that you need to connect the heater element directly to the power supply as your thermistor is broken. So don't leave it on too long or you will bake the filament to carbonization, which is much harder to remove. Try to cycle it on/off.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Don't Panic!
============
First of all, a printhead caked in PLA is usually not a death sentence, it is often a temporary setback. Let's start in steps!
Step 1: remove the extruder
---------------------------
We want to work on the hotend, so we remove the extruder feed first. For direct drive, we unload it, then remove it depending on your printer, so the cooling of the hotend remains. For a Bowden, unload and, if possible, remove the Bowden tube from the cooling block. If not disconnect it from the extruder.
Step 2: remove from the carriage
--------------------------------
Now that we have the whole hotend assembly bared, we remove it from the carriage. Usually, it is 2 to 3 bolts, more if the cooling solution is mounted separately and has to be removed to access it.
Step 3: remove the cool-end
---------------------------
If you can, remove the cooling fins - we want to have the heatbreak to hold on to.
Step 4: Clamp it up
-------------------
Take a fire-proof surface (ceramic tile!) and put down the hotend. Rig it up that it can't jump away, best with a small vise. **Don't** bend the cables!
Step 5: Free the thermosensor
-----------------------------
Let's start to clean! If your cartridge still works, get 12V onto the heater and let the stuff melt a little. Use pliers and a scraping tool to clean the thermistor cartridge.
As you have no heat control **only heat in short bursts** to prevent fire and destroying the cartridge too.
As an alternative and if you can't get the cartridge to work, use a hot air gun or a hot-air soldering station. A soldering iron with a broad tip also works well to scrape off the plastic with controlled heat an as a scraper to remove large chunks.
If you use an external heat source, free the heater cartridge first and remove it, hoping that it is not also dead.
As soon as you can, get the thermosensor out. If you run on the heater cartridge, install a fresh Thermosensor, even into the goopy heater block, and wire it to the board to regain temperature control and use the board to provide the power.
Step 6: Finish cleaning
-----------------------
I usually clean up the final stretch (and as far as I can: all steps) under board controlled heat:
Make sure that heater cartridge and thermosensor are installed well and working. Set the hotend to 170 to 180°C and do the last cleaning under the use of regulated temperatre.
Step 7: Do steps 1 to 4 in reverse order.
-----------------------------------------
Reassemble, following the steps backwards.
Step 8: Hot Tighten!
--------------------
Heat the assembled hotend to 240°C, then tighten the nozzle against the heatbreak to ensure tightness. Let cool, done.
Alternative
===========
Replacement/Upgrade!
--------------------
One could go down to step 3 and replace the hotend assembly (Heaterblock, Thermosensor, heatbreak, nozzle) with fresh parts and reassemble. This is much more expensive than reusing but cleaner and faster - if you need to print *now*, you might want to keep one hotend assembly on hand as spare and clean the one replaced while the machine runs.
External heat sources
---------------------
As mentioned, a hot air gun or soldering iron can provide heat to remove the plastic caking.
The soldering iron has the benefit of doubling as a scraping tool and providing localized heat, allowing to possibly free the thermosensor without unsoldering anything in it, and it won't melt the heater block.
A heat gun provides gentle, overall heating of the beater block, but needs extra care where the hot air is going - it can easily char wood and might remove the solder from the heater cartridge.
A gas torch might be used to burn off any residue on a totally stripped heater block, but it also would be able to melt and deform an aluminium heater block! Do not use it on a still assembled heater block, or it will melt any solder in the heater cartridge and destroy it.
In any case, working on a fireproof surface is mandatory!
Chemically cleaning (for non-PLA)
---------------------------------
PLA can be removed chemically, but the solvents are rather nasty and some take quite some time to work. Very toxic dichloromethane was used to make a solution of PLA to create thin layers used in [this paper](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/app.38833), and most other solvents the study mentions are at least [equally nasty](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7866/8884). The available working options - ethyl acetate and propylene carbonate - have high price tags associated with them. So chemically cleaning *PLA* from cheap nozzles is not an *economically* viable option. However, it is a viable option to use acetone if you have your hotend caked in *ABS*.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: If you use a brass heating block (which is a bit heavier than aluminum), you can first use a heat gun to soften the residues to remove the cartridge/sensor.
After removing all electronics, you can use a gas torch and burn the residues off. However, the far best option would be to use a heat block made of stainless steel. I guess heat conductivity is anyway not very important on the hotend as long as the cartridge is powerful enough.
Using a torch makes cleaning very fast. In five minutes you are typically done.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_4: I have just gone through this with an E3D v6 Aero hot end.
Working on the hot end while hot is the best way, but using the internal heater is filled with several problems:
1. The thermister may be broken
2. The heater may be broken
3. The electronics of the heating loop (sense, decide, control heater) may be broken
4. The wires may be too short to make it easy to work on.
It is best to remove the hot end and work on it on your bench -- not inside the printer.
Someone recommended a torch. This is possible, but it is hard to control the heat with a torch. The flame may be hot enough to melt the metals.
Instead, I use a hot air gun. It gets hot enough, but the maximum temperature and the rate of heating is lower. The heat source is more diffuse.
I had an immoveable thermister set screw, which responded well to heat. When reassembling, the heater clamp screw was filled with some plastic which prevented me from clamping the heater while cold. After heating, it screwed in easily.
Don't be afraid to strip the hot end down to the basic parts. Probably you'll be doing it several times over the printer's life, and knowing how to fits together makes everything easier.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: I got a blob of around 5 x 8 cm out of PETG! Setting extruder temp to PETG or even a little higher. I did it all with an older soldering iron.
Simply (but carefully!) go with the point into the blob and take it slowly off. With a copper 'toothbrush', I cleaned the extruder and nozzle more times.
After mostly all was down I started with the first layer test (Prusa MK3S+)
That was surprisingly almost perfect. Then started to print not very high subjects like rings etc. With that several burned drops came down during printing. Use the 'toothbrush' as many times you can between the first prints!
Done without any damage to the printer as a whole!
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/09 | 900 | 3,364 | <issue_start>username_0: Today I was printing some parts and I got these burn marks at the corners:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/D8b3n.jpg)
This is the first time I see this on this printer (Anycubic I3 Mega). I was using more or less the same settings (in Cura) as always, although I was using a new roll of PLA from a brand I haven't used before.
I was printing several parts in one job:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/p56Kp.jpg)
Most of them are somewhat affected:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8MqTq.jpg)
```
Printing temperature: 200 °C
Build Plate Temperature: 60 °C
Printing Speed: 60 mm/s
Travel speed: 200 mm/s
```<issue_comment>username_1: There are several possibilities:
* Could be burnt material on the extruder getting dislodged when the head changes orientation on the corners,
* Could be that the extruder stays a bit too long on the corner,
* Could be that you have a bit of overextrusion and the material get burned as it stay in contact with the extruder for a bit too long.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: Looks like overheating and insufficient airflow at the same time.
Try to reduce the temperature of the nozzle by 5-10 °C and increase print part cooling.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: In addition to [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7933/5740) which addresses ***what*** is actually the cause (*but doesn't explain where the burnt corners come from*), I've added some information ***why*** this is showing burnt corners.
You are printing PLA at a too high of a temperature and do not have sufficient print part cooling enabled (either in the slicer or limited by the fan duct design). The ***higher the temperature the larger the shrinkage*** of the filament is. When printing overhangs like the slanted models you print, the last deposited layer has less surface contact area with the previous layer and therefore the shrink stresses may overcome the adhering stresses (it is also more easily weakened by the heat input of the last layer). This results in curling up, especially in corners as the heat input comes from two sides. When the corners curl up, the change of hitting the sides of the nozzle increases. When the outside of the nozzle is covered in burnt filament, the curling corners may pick that up. This results as if the corners are actually burnt.
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_4: There are two problems here. One as was mentioned earlier is that your temperature is too high and the cooling is not sufficient. The fact that one corener is affected more than the other can point to non uniform cooling (try using a cooling shroud like: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2004629> for more uniform cooling)
Another problem could be that your flow multiplier is off, this is often more noticeable in the corners. Try reducing the flow multiplier in your slicer settings.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Could be a dirty nozzle and temperature too high. When the head changes direction on the corner, the nozzle wipes off burnt PLA. This might explain why there are no dark marks on the long runs and only the corners.
Heat nozzle up and clean with acetone and then see if the problem persists.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/11 | 1,863 | 7,941 | <issue_start>username_0: I have been working on a printer project that basically is a 2D printer (dot matrix type). We are using solenoids as actuators to make impressions on the paper. We are now in the process of designing custom software. But a problem that we have encountered is that we have no idea how to design software as we are a bunch of beginners in this field.
An idea we are working on is based on position-acknowledge technique. In this technique the computer sends G-code to the controller. The controller after reaching the position defined in code sends an acknowledgement and the computer then sends the next signal. This is the model we are currently working on.
* Can anyone suggest any other ideas to make this work?
* Is Our approach right?
* Do 3D printers work using same technique?<issue_comment>username_1: 3D printer firmware use gcode that is derived from CNC and no acknowledgment. They send movement commands to the stepper motors like `G1 X10 Y10` to move the printhead 10 mm along the X and Y.
You could use a ready 3D printer firmware like Marlin on a 3d printer board and use the X-axis or extruder output to couple to your solenoid, sending a `G1 Z0.1` or `G1 E0.1`, which will actuate it for a short time. You might even use E and Z on different solenoids.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Are you interested in receiving the instructions correctly, or interested in how the instructions are executed by the hardware? This answer doesn't go into the software communication between controller board and software that sends the instruction from another software/hardware platform (see [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7947/)), this answer addresses the positioning/movement.
Most of current 3D printers do not track the position of the print head. The software instructs the head to go somewhere, but it never checks if it actually arrives at that exact position. Problems like missing steps of the stepper or skipping notches on the belt are not detected and the printer will continue thinking it has reached the position.
Skipping of belts is a mechanical issue and should not occur (nor can be detected unless there are stepper steps missed), but skipping of steps is something that can be detected by certain type of stepper drivers (trinamic). Steppers do not use a feedback loop to check the final position. Servos, opposed to steppers, use a feedback loop, and as such are able to reach the position as instructed, but this comes a an increased cost, servo's are more expensive and hence not found in most of the "cheaper" 3D printing machines.
It is up to the designer of a 3D machine to choose the motors for the positioning system, if it is not highly loaded, you go for steppers without a feedback loop, or in higher loaded machines for servo's (basically steppers with some positioning electronics for the feedback). In case of a stepper you hope that it reaches the destination you tell it to go to, for a servo, you known that it reaches that exact position.
To get back on topic of your question, there is no feedback on reaching the position (you call this acknowledgement), you just send the G-codes sequentially or in a buffer to the printer electronics which executes the statements one at the time (this is done by the firmware, this [this answer](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7947/5740) for replies of the machine on the code it receives). It is your choice of the hardware that actually determines whether this is executed like instructed. Do note that most machines are not highly loaded (the 3D printhead is not very heavy and *normally* does not hit any obstruction in its path as Z advances) justifying the use of steppers without the need for feedback. CNC machines, certainly the larger ones, that position a highly loaded cutting tool need such a feedback loop as the positioning needs to be very exact. You need to consider the forces at play in your paper punch machine, but from my point of view, your machine does not seem to be highly loaded. In such a case you are not in need for a more expensive positioning system, nor the need for the processing of a return/feedback signal in your custom software.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: You appear to be asking about rate-limiting the stream of G-code provided by the computer, but some more context in your question will help if this is not the case.
Printers tend to work in two ways.
1. Read G-code from local storage as a text file. Here, the parser/control engine is in full control.
2. Stream G-code over a serial port using an 'ack' handshake.
The reference for G-code used in 3D printing is the [RepRap Wiki](https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code#Replies_from_the_RepRap_machine_to_the_host_computer). Here you will find responses such as `ok` `resend` and `fatal`, these indicate when a previous command is processed and something else can be sent, if the previous message was identified as corrupt, or if recovery is impossible.
The basic rule for this style of handshake is that after every host to slave transaction, the host **must** wait for some response before sending another transaction. The slave could send either ACK responses, or other asynchronous transactions if you can design the system to avoid or not care about overrun in the slave to host direction.
When designing a handshake like this, you can consider all possible ways for something to go wrong (assume the interface is imperfect). How can you handle a request being missed and no ACK ever? When there is a timeout, can you make a 'benign' request to see if the printer is still connected, etc.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: The CNC system, and simplifying intentionally, is divided into several steps:
1. **Acquisition of the g-code**: This depends on the platform, whether is a file from an USB flash-memory, network or direct input from the operator. G-code operations needs to be buffered in a quantity enough to allow some "look-ahead" in the program.
2. **Parsing of the g-code**: Parsing of any formal language is based on "formal grammars" theory <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_grammar>. Fortunately, g-code is one of the simplest grammar of the Chomsky hierarchy. Language parsing is a full topic in itself, and it follows lexical, syntactical and semantical analysis.
3. **Driving**: It exists several different strategies:
* **Open-loop vs closed loop**: In closed-loop CNC, sensors provide a feedback from the movement, allowing the driver to fix deviations (e.g. no step lots). Those systems are more expensive and usually not available in cheap 3D printers. In open-loop CNC, the driver send signals and "hope" the machine will follow, this is the case of most cheap 3D-printers, where if you block the head, it will lose steps.
* **Synchronous vs asynchronous** (not sure about this naming): In synchronous systems, the driver send a single step for each axis each loop (one step forward, no step, or one step backward for each of the x, y, z, a... axis). In each iteration, the driver establish which steps need to be activated and send it; the speed of the movement depends on how fast this loop is performed. In Asynchronous driving, the loop run at a specific speed and apply steps as needed to correct the distance between the previous/detected position and the expected position.
Acquisition and parsing of g-code can be performed in soft real-time, however the driving needs hard real-time, which precision determine the maximum speed that your CNC can manage.
The servos/steppers usually cannot manage infinite acceleration, this is why the system needs to read g-code instructions ahead to anticipate closed angles or changes in direction. It should then reduce the indicated speed down to something which allows the next instruction.
I hope this give a quick introduction to the topic, obviously, each aspect needs further reading.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/11 | 616 | 2,436 | <issue_start>username_0: So I've had my CR-10 Mini for some months now, and I've been continually having strange problems with bed leveling. Basically, after leveling the bed and printing a part, the bed is no longer leveled for printing again.
Just now, I auto-homed, leveled the bed to where there was a pretty good amount of friction between the nozzle and a piece of paper, and started a print. The first layer didn't look like it was getting squished just that little bit that it should be, so I stopped the print, auto-homed again and checked the leveling with the paper. Low and behold, there was **no friction at all** between the nozzle and the paper. I re-leveled again and restarted the print, and then the first layer went down OK.
So what I'd like to know is why the heck am I having so many leveling problems?!? I've checked to make sure all my set screws are tight, my belts properly tensioned, and the rollers on the bed adjusted to slide smoothly but still have a good amount of grab. Help?<issue_comment>username_1: The Creality CR-10 Mini is a **portal printer** using a **single Z lead screw at one side** of the portal to move the whole X axis gantry. This implies that the X gantry needs to be very stiff when raised and lowered from one side and also have a minimum of play on the rollers (especially on the lead screw driven side).
I have seen many complaints from experience of people complaining that the gantry is not stiff enough, or that there is too much play on the rollers on either side of the gantry to result in a skew gantry. Consistent leveling is very hard on such machines. A colleague of me added an extra stepper (and split the original stepper connector) to have it raised and lowered from both sides. Do understand that this is also not optimal, missed steps on one of either sides can also cause the X gantry to become skew. A better solution is to create a belt driven extra lead screw that is powered by one stepper, you will not experience a skew gantry as the gantry is integrally moved.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: I know this is a bit late, but I just saw it. I have had my Mini for about 2 months now. I noticed a similar problem and found that when I level the bed, I need to hit all 5 spots (4 corners and center) about 4 or 5 times. Just the slightest adjustment on one corner can throw another corner off. It's tedious, but worth it once the bed is level.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/12 | 1,079 | 3,992 | <issue_start>username_0: My ender3 came with a BuildTak-clone surface, and as I was a little too vigorous in getting the print off the bed (I had failed to level right and printed a bit too tight to the bed, resulting in SUPER strong adhesion), I needed to replace it.
Peeling off the black was easy. The plastic sheet that held the glue was easy too... but how to clean up the bed to get the residue glue off and prepare for the new 3M sticker?<issue_comment>username_1: Cleaning up the aluminium build platform was rather easy in a three step process as I figured out:
### Preparation
Get the old bed-surface off and any film layers that stick to the original glue. Don't bother to try to scrape off the glue, it is wasted time.
### Solvent
To remove the sticker's residue, I first tried heat and 70% isopropyl alcohol (aka isopropanol, 2-propanol), which was not very effective.
What did prove effective was nail-polish remover on the base of **acetone**. It worked like a charm to turn the sticky film into easily removable, goopy clumps. With small doses and a lot of rubbing/massaging it into the residue and careful use of the scraper, all the glue was gone after about half to three-quarters of an hour of work.
In subsequent replacement, I used **paint thinner**, which is more effective in goopifying the glue and allowing to scrape it off much faster. 10 minutes max.
### Cleanup
After applying the generous amounts of nail polish remover, I thought that it might be best to get any of the additives that were meant to protect the skin off the bed - as well as the slight blue coloring - before applying the new tape. So I gave the aluminium a good wipe down with isopropanol.
In subsequent replacements I used ethanol 98 % to clean the bed before applying, just to make sure no fingerprints or glue residue creates bumps.
Applying the new bed surface was easy afterwards, and after a quick bed leveling, the printer runs like a charm again.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: In my experience, we deal with 3M™ Adhesive Transfer Tape 468MP; high-temperature glue residue. To remove the leftover glue from my Aluminium build plate I found that it works best if I apply [paint thinner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint_thinner).
I ran out of acetone for one refurbishment so I tried thinner and white (cleaning) spirit; the latter option did not work well. However, thinner worked very well. I got a bottle of "thinner" at the hardware store's house brand and found it to be more aggressive stuff than turpentine or acetone. I had tried those latter 2 but found that "thinner" works best.
Putting the thinner fluid on paper cloth directly to clean the glue did not work well. I applied the thinner directly onto the glue (splash it on), waited for a while to let it soak in to weaken the bonds after which you can remove it with a spatula and kitchen paper towel.
The exact contents of paint thinners are not always available but they contain various hydrocarbons.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: Following up from [<NAME>'s comment](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7960/how-to-clean-up-my-build-plate-for-a-new-build-surface#comment20164_7960), I can confirm that adhesive remover containing [D-limonene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonene) is an effective way of removing remaining glue when replacing an Ender-3 platform sticker. While “Goo Gone” was named in the comment, I used a similar product, Goo Buster.
Goo Buster turned the glue residue into a water soluble gel that was easily removed using a plastic scraper, with final clean up using a wet paper towel. While D-Limonene has a pleasant citrus fragrance, it is an irritant, and these adhesive removers typically also contain petroleum products and surfactants.
As ever, use care when using solvents near electrical devices such as 3D printers. Ensure the device is isolated from power and all parts are clean and dry before operating.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/12 | 626 | 2,288 | <issue_start>username_0: I just switched to the Duet Wifi board (used MKS Gen L 1.0 before) and now small structures look terrible. From my observations the hot end moves correctly, but almost no filament gets extruded. On the other hand larger structures look very good. With the MKS board the exact same G-code worked fine.
After that I gradually disabled many features like coasting, wiping and even retractions altogether, the quality only improved by a tiny margin.
Example print (the two towers should be cylinders):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/jE94g.jpg)
Additional information:
* Printer: JGAurora A5
* Material: PETG
* Slicer: Simplify3D
More info (edit):
* Hot end temperature: 225 °C (for the affected layers)
* Bed temperature: 60 °C (I corrected the thermistor data, it's equivalent to 70-75 °C on other JGAurora A5 printers)
* Nozzle diameter: 0.4 mm
* Part cooling fan: 100% (improved cooler duct by Da Hai Zhu)
* Print speed: 50 mm/s (50% for outline)
* The cylinder is printed hollow because of my infill settings
* Lubricant is fresh, belts are tightened, so there should be no mechanical issues<issue_comment>username_1: This actually just looks like heating issues. Cura has an option to set a minimum layer time and speed, and any layer that takes less than that amount of time it'll lift the head away from the print to allow the plastic to cool.
Unfortunately, the only things I can find for Simplify3D around head lift and minimum layer times are software feature request posts from 2017, or some features around scaling print speed for small layers, but unfortunately that'll just print the same object much slower and may not properly allow the part to cool as the melting-temperature print head is still sitting directly on top of the part.
I hate to be someone to suggest a software change, but you might try using Cura and seeing if you get better results with features such as this.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The OP found the solution and shared this in comments but has not written a proper answer. The OP found:
>
> To complete this, the issue was related to the part cooling fan not spinning correctly. After replacing it the problem was gone.
>
>
>
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer] |
2019/01/14 | 1,734 | 6,983 | <issue_start>username_0: I understand how slicer programs create sets of closed-loop polygons to print on a layer-by-layer basis. For a given closed loop polygon which needs to be printed, the tool path generator will know the coordinates and how those coordinates are connected to each other, such that traversing a set of segments in that order will bring the extruder head back to the first coordinate to complete the closed loop.
My question is: By what mechanism does the tool path generator decide which direction to traverse the closed loop? As it is a loop, that loop could be printed "clockwise" or "counter-clockwise", as it were. Any details, and links to further explanations of how some of the big-name slicer programs determine this is much appreciated.<issue_comment>username_1: Math
----
In math, there is a way how a path is to be followed, and that is usually counterclockwise:
Assuming a perimeter path of a circle with $r=1$ around $(2,2)$, then the path can be defined as $f(p)={{\cos(p)+2}\choose{\sin(p)+2}}$ - where $p$ is the path parameter, in this case an angle of 0 to 360°, and just increasing the angle rotates right hand around. If we had the same path but a different starting point, a shift by $\theta$, then the path would read $f(p)={{\cos(p+\theta)+2}\choose{\sin(p+\theta)+2}}$. So math is usually *counterclockwise*.
Slicers
-------
Every slicer is applying math. As far as I can tell, any Slicer generates a perimeter path, which is always performed in the same way if sliced with the same settings. For one case look at this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nSlg7.png)
Counterclockwise starting from a 7 o clock position in this case. However, other slicers or other objects on the printbed might use other engines, thus doing it not that way. They might go clockwise since solving a path with $p=0°\to360°$ and solving it $p=360°\to0°$ results in producing the exact same print, just opposed print direction of the perimeter.
As long as the perimeter of an object is solved as being done as one closed loop, the perimeter will need to have just one, prescribed direction. This direction will be clockwise or counterclockwise depending on how the slicer exactly solves its calculations. Since both directions are equally valid, it is a programmer's decision. A programmer might even prescribe clockwise or counterclockwise solution based on any factor they wanted. They might use layer number (for alternating directions) or a user setting or even an RNG, if they wanted to.
On the other hand, how the memory is operated and written can also result in the path and the math looking differently. Two examples:
* Solving the path correctly counterclockwise and putting the slicing into a FILO memory, resulting in a clockwise operation starting from the last solved point.
* Solving counterclockwise and saving into FIFO, running counterclockwise.
Conclusion
----------
Slicers for 3D printing have a hard-coded way to choose the direction that is followed when producing G-code. Any and all perimeters will be printed, starting from some arbitrary point, into that direction. In the end, it is a choice of the *programmer* of the slicing engine that determines if the path is to be run down "forward" or "backward" in mathematical sense.
Addendum
--------
Slicers are derived from CAM programming. CAM - computer assisted machining - takes into account one more thing when solving the tool path that is not relevant to a 3D printer: The direction of the fluting of the tool. In fact, this one will determine into which direction the path will give a better cut and changing the fluting should swap the path direction to ensure best results.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: While [this](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/a/7972/8884) answer makes a valid attempt at answering the question, it is based on personal experience.
I went to the literature and directly to the source code in Cura to find the answer. In the academic article "[Identifying the Directions of a Set of 2D Contours for Additive Manufacturing Process Planning](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00170-012-4706-y)", Volpato et al. describe several methods for identifying the arbitrary directions of each contour in each layer, and additionally identifying which contours were "internal" and which were "external". I quote from the paper:
>
> The information regarding contour
> direction, which is either clockwise (CW — internal) or
> counterclockwise (CCW — external), is needed for path
> planning for material processing.
>
>
>
They go on to explain the importance of identifying which contours are external, and which are internal, such that the path planning algorithm can later determine where infill should be placed. Infill is placed internal to any external contours, and external to any internal contours.
>
> When the normal vectors in STL models
> are assumed to be correct, a simple way to identify whether
> a 2D contour is CW or CCW is to analyze the vector (cross)
> product between a normal vector and a vector obtained from
> two vertices of the facet.
>
>
>
This assumes the slicer has already determined intersection points between slicing planes and the STL file, and has sorted those intersection points into closed-contours. This initial intersection point gathering and contour construction leads to an arbitrary directionality:
>
> As any line segment of a contour can be the first in the
> sequence when the segments are connected, its orientation
> will dictate the direction of the contour. Hence, the 2D contours
> formed are classified randomly, and an external contour, for
> example, might be assigned a CW or CCW direction. Therefore, this step is unable to correctly identify the directions of the contours generated.
>
>
> The ray-tracing method, which is actually based on the
> point-in-polygon test, determines which contours are
> contained by others, and the orientation of each contour is
> then alternated between CCW and CW, the outermost contours being oriented CCW.
>
>
>
So, the default directionality of a closed contour generated by a slicing program for FDM additive manufacturing turns out to be CCW based on cross products described above (and based on additional methods outlined in the paper). Of course the standard directionality of a PRINTED contour does not HAVE to be this way, it appears to be a standard adopted by the AM community. However, when a model produces contours inside of contours, the arbitrary directionality of those contours is determined, and then alternated from outside to inside, starting with CCW.
As confirmation, according to a simple comment in the CURA source code:
```
/*!
* Outer polygons should be counter-clockwise,
* inner hole polygons should be clockwise.
* (When negative X is to the left and negative Y is downward.)
*/
```
Upvotes: 3 |
2019/01/15 | 692 | 2,131 | <issue_start>username_0: I want to print this [heat tower calibration test](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2213410).
The instructions say to change the temperature every 25 layers. It also tells me to use G-Code command `M104 Sxxx`
First, is there a way to specify this command using Ultimaker Cura?
If not, how do I do so in the G-code file?
I see that the G-code file is just a plain text file with a command per line presumably. Do I just insert `M104 S225` at one point and then `M104 S220`...?
If so, how do I know where the 25th layer is?<issue_comment>username_1: Every time you see a Z movement that matches the layer height (eg. 0.20 mm) you can assume that is the end/start of one "layer".
It should have a line like:
```
;Layer count: 17
;LAYER:0. ; mine has this as the first layer
M107
G0 F2400 X67.175 Y61.730 Z0.250. ; moves to Z0.250 mm for the first layer, with layer thickness 0.25 mm
```
Then later:
```
;LAYER:1
M106 S255
G0 F2400 X78.078 Y69.627 Z0.550 ; 2nd layer.
```
So search for "Z" or "Layer" and once you've seen 25 of these "small" movements (comparing to previous Z movement?), insert your line of code at the end of the layer commands. Don't confuse it with large Z-movements, that may correspond to move up/retract filaments.
Depending on your goals for the print, maybe you also want to insert a wait time - say a minute or two for the new temp to stabilize? Here is the line for that:
```
G4 P200 ; Sit still doing nothing for 200 milliseconds.
```
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Under the Extensions menu in Ultimaker Cura, there's an option to add [post-processing scripts](https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/20442-post-processing-plugins). One of these is called TweakAtZ, and it allows you to override certain print settings when the printer reaches a certain Z height. Multiple overrides can be specified for different heights.
TweakAtZ has been bundled with the standard Ultimaker Cura download for some time, but if your version doesn't have it, you can [download it from GitHub](https://github.com/Dim3nsioneer/Cura-Plugins/wiki/Tweak-At-Z-plugin).
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/15 | 586 | 2,126 | <issue_start>username_0: I flashed the TH3D unified firmware (R2.7) yesterday and so far everything works. I printed the 20 mm cube using the same G-code file I used for my very first print ever. However, with TH3D firmware I noticed that the print head was ridiculously fast compared to the previous firmware. The new cube has layer shifting and more noticeable ghosting so I know it's not just my imagination/faulty memory.
The slicer should have everything moving at 60 mm/s but I feel like the printer is going like 80+ mm/s. I only uncommented my printer model and a couple of features of the firmware; nothing involving speed (mainly the mesh bed leveling). Is it possible that the new firmware thinks 60 mm/s is a different speed than the original?
---
Note: This question isn't about print quality. While the cube had flaws, it was just testing that the printer would actually print. And, of course, I can just dial things down. This question's scope is just about the input of the G-code and the output of an actual speed of printer head facilitated by the firmware.<issue_comment>username_1: Yes, the limits are often subject to some "interpretation" in the limiting algorithms, even if they are totally unchanged values. Eg, your speed may remain higher around corners if the momentum calculations were optimized to take into account print head weight and extrusion instead of only per axis speed curves.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: I agree with @username_1, but also wanted to point out that maybe the acceleration values on the old firmware you had were different from the default in TH3D R2.7.
The current settings can be retrieved using the M503 command, which should return the values from the eeprom:
```
Maximum Acceleration (units/s2):
M201 X1000 Y1000 Z100 E10000
Acceleration (units/s2): P R T
M204 P400.00 R1000.00 T1000.00
```
You can then lookup the default settings for your printer model and use [M201](http://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M201.html) and [M204](http://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M204.html) to set the new values. Then M500 to save the new settings to the EEPROM.
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/15 | 886 | 3,177 | <issue_start>username_0: Printer: Monoprice Select V2.
I've done several prints already and swapped out filaments many times but in my most recent swap, I can't feed my PLA through any more.
I first preheat my extruder for PLA temps (185 °C). Then I press the plastic thingy to allow me to push as much of the filament into the hole as possible. Then I adjust my extruder position to try to suck it in. Usually after a few mm, I start to see the filament come out of the extruder and I also feel a pull on the filament from the top. But nothing is happening now.
However, if I adjust the extruder position in the opposite direction, it eventually pushes the filament back up and out, so I guess the "stepper motor" (is that what it's called?) is working (at least in one direction).
I'm getting ready to open the extruder module up to see what's going on, but wanted to see if anyone had any simple ideas for me to try before I unscrew anything.<issue_comment>username_1: Maybe some PLA is stuck in the throat above the heat break. Can you feed a very small wire all the way through it, or see light through the filament path?
185 is a little on the cold side. I would suggest trying to feed at 195 before taking more drastic measures.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Try turning the temperature up to 260 °C and pushing it through.
Also, cut of a few centimetres for I'm the end of the PLA in case the drive wheel isn't able to grab it due to a greasy bit of filament.
If you get it all working, run cleaning filament throughout it and to a cold pull with it. That removed an annoying but of grit from my Monoprice.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: I figured out the issue. I think I was shoving it in the wrong hole.
I took apart my extruder component. There's a good video on it [here](https://youtu.be/37df_c2hqYE?t=194).
But basically, you just have to loosen the two bottom screws on the side fan like this:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KAO15.jpg)
I checked everything out first. I cleaned the extruder head with the included pin. I also shoved the filament through the heated area and filament came out ok.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/uLz5D.jpg)
But then I discovered the filament could go in the wrong way sometimes through the extruder.
This is the correct way for the filament to go through. It should come out of that plastic hole.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/m0aaR.jpg)
But once in awhile, I accidentally pushed the filament through this way.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1BxoK.jpg)
If the filament was bent and I pushed the lever too hard, it would often find its way down the wrong path.
So I played around with how much force I should be holding down the lever and how hard I should be pushing the filament through.
I don't know if other 3D printer extruder feeders are designed this way, but seems error prone. Or maybe it's just me.
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer] |
2019/01/16 | 1,684 | 6,558 | <issue_start>username_0: I've been 3D printing for a while and I've noticed that, when printing small parts, my colored plastics (PLA, PLA+ and ABS) have better layer adhesion than black ones.
Did you notice this?
What could be the cause?<issue_comment>username_1: Not inherently.
There are two things at work that might cause one color to test weaker than others even as its properties otherwise are functionally identical:
1. A bad print among good ones.
2. A bad roll among good ones.
Let's take a look at both, then do a little excursus into plastics and color.
A bad print
-----------
There are probably thousands of reasons a print might fail, but bad layer bonding and squish-ability under torsion strongly hint to under extrusion. Now, under extrusion itself can be caused by a plethora of reasons: a clogged nozzle is equally as possible as too thinner diameter as is just a bad temperature. The last one is, in my opinion, the most likely culprit: filaments may look the same and feel the same and bond the same, but in different colors, they sometimes demand different print settings.
As an example, I print most of my Kaisertech PLAs at 200°C, as that offers a quite good result for all of them. Yet when I started I had a white China PLA and a crystal clear PLA from the same manufacturer, both came from the same warehouse in the same shipment. The clear one is quite more brittle on the roll, but their starting-to-print temperature differs by 5°C - the white started to extrude at 180°C decently and printed ok at 195°C-200°C, while the clear needed only 175°C to start to be extrudeable and was really printable at 190°C. Yet recently I tried the same roll again to achieve fully clear prints, and with 210°C and lots of overextrusion, I managed to go almost solid-clear. Because of such experience, I suggest tweaking the settings.
A Bad Filament
--------------
There are several reasons why one roll might resulting in bad prints, but the most prominent are that the roll has *gone* bad over bad storage. It might be stored too hot or too humid, making it brittle or bubble in the hotend. Aging under UV plays a role (it degrades PLA). And dimensional accuracy plays a role because it affects the whole roll of filament. This is why tests should always be performed with equally treated and measured samples to achieve comparability.
Excursus: Plastics and color
----------------------------
What gives a plastic its color? Pigments added to it. Now, pigments can be of varied kinds. Usually, they are embedded in the plastic (=not bonded to the carrier plastic), and the plastic polymer is often either inherently transparent(ish) or white. Let's take some examples to look at...
* **Yellow**. Yellow can be made from a lot of stuff but many yellow pigments react to UV light by decay more than other colors, leading to yellow to fade quickly in comparison to other colors. It has varied chemical compositions, often they can become quite complex.
* **Black**. Black pigment is typically the most simplistic coloration to achieve: pure powdered carbon is one of our most potent black pigments, and also one of the cheapest, making black plastic one of the most common plastics. In contrast to other colors, carbon can't fade. But the plastic around it decomposes and turns white, fading the color this way.
Now, most colorings are - in physical terms - sizeable. Some few to a couple dozen atoms, making them range in the *Angström* (~Atom diameter) to *few nanometer* area overall. However, even something as complex as $C\_{22}H\_{20}O\_{13}$ (Carmine) is relatively small compared to the $(C\_3H\_4O\_2)\_n$ of **Poly**LacticAcid, aka PLA. Poly tells us that n is at least 100, because shorter chains are *oligo*mers, not *poly*mers. In comparison, our red carmine pigment is more dense, much more compact in fact. As a result, a 100-chain of PLA is not just in the *Angstöm* area but in the *dozen nanometer* to *micrometer* range - a magnitude of at least 2 larger. Unless we have a huge excess of pigment or a pigment that reacts with the plastic under heat, then the impact of it on the strength should be neglectible to the other fillers often used.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Your heading is about how brittle the material is, but the question is asking about layer adhesion. I'll go ahead and tackle the layer adhesion portion. There are many variables at play here but unless you are using two filaments fresh out of the box, I would guess moisture might be the issue.
### Moisture
The filaments pick up moisture as they are left out or even just store. I've tried to prevent it, but nothing seems to work. When this happens you generally need to run the same filament a bit hotter to get the same results as a new roll. Comparing a new roll to an old roll, or even two rolls of questionable quality, will result in slight changes.
### Bad Quality
Filament quality goes a long ways to making sure the print comes out consistently. Dimensional sizing is the main one the gets thrown around, but once again, moisture may creep in if the manufacturer is questionable. I use Hatchbox mainly and have not had an issue on either of these fronts. Poor dimensional quality will cause either under or over extrusion which can make the layers appear worse and is impossible to fix without buying a new roll as the filament itself is the issue.
### Color
Can color make a difference? Perhaps. I've wondered if black heats up quicker than white filament. I have gone through quite a bit of white and black PLA from the same manufacturer and so far have notice no major difference between the two.
### Brittleness and Layer Adhesion
I don't see how these two would have much to do with each other. There are too many variables between the heating and the cooling of the material for brittleness to have a major effect. For example, PLA is brittle but prints well. TPU is very flexible and prints well - it all depends on what your setup is.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: I have some experience in the textile industry and it is known that items, whether piece goods or yarn, which are black (for most fibers) it is likely an over-dye; colors that failed to match the color that was intended, goes into a pile for black re-dye. It is easy for most fibers to over-dye something black. I imagine that for filaments it is something similar. My experience with black filaments is generally one where black breaks easier, and generally you can find PLA on sale if it is black.
Upvotes: 2 [selected_answer] |
2019/01/16 | 1,205 | 4,735 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm having a lot of difficulty removing support material without damaging the print.
Are there any tips/tricks to doing this or is it just a case of sanding, cutting, chopping and then cleaning it up as best I can?
**Settings**
* Printer: Monoprice Ultimate
* Filament Temp: 200 °C
* Plate Temp: 60 °C
* Material: PLA
* Slicer: Ultimaker Cura
+ Placement: Everywhere
+ Angle: 20°
+ Pattern: Concentric<issue_comment>username_1: Print/material specific settings
--------------------------------
If you are printing ***too hot with too less distance***, ***the support just fuses to the print object***. Extra cooling, lower print temperature and support distance should be in balance to create easy to remove support structures with respect to an acceptable print object surface. If temperature and cooling cannot be balanced to prevent fused support structures (e.g. for high temperature filament materials that cannot take too much cooling as that would result in less structural solid prints), there is an option in Cura to override the fan speed for the first layer above the support (`Fan Speed Override`). If this fails to produce easy removable supports, you can resort to changing the support distance between the support and the print object.
Support settings
----------------
Most of the used slicers have an option to determine how much distance (in terms of layers) you want between your support and your product, you could add an extra layer as space to try out if that works better for you. E.g. the default Cura setting for `Support Bottom Distance` (which is a sub-setting of `Support Z Distance`) is the layer thickness specified in `Layer Height`. If you have a layer height of 0.2 mm, the `Support Bottom Distance` is also 0.2 mm. For the top, option `Support Top Distance` this is two layer heights, so 0.4 mm in this example. These options are visible in the expert mode, you can search for them in the search box, see image below.
---
**Why should you want air in between your part and the support?**
You'll soon find out when you want to **remove supports**, if no gap is used, the support will fuse to the print part. This is only interesting (no gap between print part and support structure) when you use a different filament for support like PVA or break-away filament; e.g. PVA dissolves in water in a dual nozzle printer setup (not that you can make the biggest part of the support except the top and bottom layer from the print object material, e.g. PLA for the main part of the support and PVA for the bottom and top layer: settings `First Layer Support Extruder`, `Support Interface Extruder`, `Support Roof Extruder` and `Support Floor Extruder`).
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/vnlrY.png)
Upvotes: 4 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_2: Test out a couple different types and z distances. I've found that the 'lines' type on Cura turns out very well - they are generally easy to remove and leave few artifacts on the part. Some types of support I've found to be much more difficult to remove than others, I would recommend 'lines' or 'zig zag'. See the link at the bottom for all possible values.
### Z distance
Beyond switching over to 'lines' instead of 'concentric' this is the one that I've found has the most impact on the how easy it is to remove supports. You want this to be as large as possible while still providing sufficient support. Do a couple test print, increasing this value until the detail start to get bad, then lower it just a bit.
### Current link for Cura setting explanations
<https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/20422-cura-support-settings>
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: Changing slicer settings will ultimately help with future prints, but there is a tool that has been an absolute god send to me for cleaning up hard to clean up prints.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sFViG.jpg "Deburring tool")
Please, go pick one up. You won't regret it. They make life so much easier to clean up prints from hard to clean up materials.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_4: It’s possible to use a heat gun to smooth it off after removing the majority of the supports. It creates a glossy effect as well.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: It is recommended that you try "tree support" in the "experimental" module of settings.Also,before removing the support, blowing with a hot air gun to soften the support material connected to the model may achieve good results.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/16 | 2,273 | 8,387 | <issue_start>username_0: I own a Creality CR-10 (using Ultimaker Cura for slicing) and I am experiencing terrible printing problems.
My problem: I am not able to print anything that takes several hours to print. For parts printed in 30 minutes or so, my printer usually works.
The prints end up like this (unfinished and with a lot of stringing)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OyQrG.jpg)
This below is actually the best result I got so far.. (important note: there is no under extrusion during the print, it suddenly stops out of nowhere..)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CGeTY.jpg)
(Although I have to use terrible retraction settings and need a lot of post processing because of all the stringing - you might have an answer for that too.. I just couldnt get the 3d printer to print parts properly with good retraction settings.)
**The problem is that at some point of the print, no more (PLA) material is extruded and the printer moves without actually printing anything. The first couple of layers usually work (you can see that in the images) but after wasting almost 600 grams of PLA, I am not able to find a solution myself.**
.
**I have some suspicions:**
Could the problem be the angle, the PLA is inserted into the feeder? (so that it is almost a 90 degree bend)? The filament comes from a spool in the right hand side. But I dont think that this would cause such a problem..
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7CHIe.jpg)
Is it a software problem? Here are all my cura settings (I even reduced the printing speed to 30mm/s at 205°C - still didnt work..) :-(
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qKcvg.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kXKwS.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/lpbKs.jpg)
Could the length of the bowden tube and it tangling up be a problem? (as you can see in the image below)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2SoCm.jpg)
**And annother important thing: The feeder always grinds into the filament (even at those low retraction settings) and it is always very hard to pull the filament out of the bowden after a failed print. Sometimes its almost impossible and i have to use heavy tools for it.. that should be the probelem**
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oZnhq.jpg)
I already did some atomic pulls, replaced the nozzle and switched the bowden tube.
**I have a dream: My printer printing a part without any stringing and actually finishing the print. Please help me to achieve this dream..**
Thank you for your help in advance. :)
(and the filament I used, sorry for the bad quality of the pic)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/vzH9u.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: **Stringing?**
The stringing is explained by your relatively low retraction settings, 1.5 mm is not much for a Bowden setup. As do too high printing temperatures.
**Stopping mid printing?**
What you are experiencing is called clogging, the extruder cannot push the filament through the hotend and cause the grinding you report. Clogging mid printing is usually caused by insufficient cooling (for the temperature you print at) of the cold end (causing heat creep; slowly increasing temperature of the heat break), especially all-metal hotend assemblies are notoriously known for this problem.
Your Bowden tube does make a lot of kinks, maybe you can improve the path of the Bowden tube. Also if you are concerned about the sharp filament intake angle, you could print a filament guide:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4E5Gk.jpg)
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: I've had a similar issue once. It was caused by very slight misconfiguration in filament feed rate (my printer tried to push through too much filament). While it was technically overextruding, I didn't realize that until I measured my extrusion lengths. Overextrusion could also contribute to stringing.
When you pull out the filament from your extruder after a print failure, does it have a thicker end? If so, it could be a sign of trying to push too much filament.
On the left is the filament I pulled from the extruder after a normal print - you can see it only gets thinner and has a long end. In the middle is a very pathological case - that shouldn't happen unless something is very wrong. On the right is how the filament was when I had my extruder feed rate misconfigured - you can see the dents from gear biting too hard into it, and a slight bulge.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/smY0E.png)
What I think happened in my case, is that filament gets melted in the hotend, some of it gets pushed through the nozzle, the excess wells up into the heatbreak, where it solidifies and bonds to walls, causing blockage and difficulties pulling it out.
As to how to fix it (if it's indeed the cause) - if you configured printer's firmware yourself, **you may need to tweak steps/mm for the extruder**.
It looks like your printer runs Marlin firmware, which allows you to configure steps/mm from your LCD. You could also use PC software such as [Pronterface](http://www.pronterface.com/) to connect to your printer and tweak steps/mm parameters (alongside with other things). Here's [a guide for checking and adjusting extruder steps/mm value](http://3daddict.com/3d-printer-extruder-calibration-steps/). Though thick marker lines are not the best for measurement.
You can also measure how much filament exits your bowden tube with calipers when you move it from printer LCD.
If you don't want to mess around with firmware and steps/mm settings, you can **adjust flow rate** in Cura, although in that case you'll have to experiment with it and waste even more filament. I'd advise you to check for other possible issues first.
As the other answer has said, this could be caused by temperature creep too, with similar symptoms - filament melting in the heatbreak.
A long and bendy bowden tube could cause issues, but I'd expect underextrusion+grinding from that, whereas you don't see any underextrusion. Just to be sure, you could try pushing filament by hand (with other hand holding the lever on your extruder to release the filament) - it shouldn't take much force to move it all the way to extruder, and it shouldn't take much force to push it through the hotend either.
Yet another thing to check is whether your **filament gets dented by the extruder gear** during normal print. Just insert it until the hotend without holding the lever on extruder and pull it out - it should be as smooth and round as it was before insertion. If it has dents from the extruder gear, that could also be the source of your problems. In that case, you'll need to reduce tension on your extruder spring, or if it's non-adjustable, then get another spring or shorten the existing one.
As the last thing to check, does this happen with other filaments, especially single-color ones? Maybe this particular filament doesn't play nice with your hotend because of those black dot inclusions.
So, **short list of things to check**:
1. Check extruder steps/mm
2. Check force on pushing filament through bowden tube (by hand)
3. Check extruder gear tension
4. Try another filament
Upvotes: 3 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I had the same thing! On my anycubic I3 mega.
Tried a lot of stuff and got so sick of it so I installed a 10:1 gearbox on my extruder motor. So now it provides 10x more torque and since I havent got the issue anymore where the extruder is just grinding on the filament and the motor is just skipping steps.
No because of this and because my anycubic won't connect to a pc I can't change settings on my printer so I resolve the ratio with 1000% flow in my cura settings. And other stuff is also affected.
But at least it won't stop and just be sitting there and skipping steps.
Upvotes: -1 |
2019/01/17 | 662 | 2,398 | <issue_start>username_0: I am in college and am doing a team competition to print PPSU filament, and get the best results. This is being put on by the Solvay company, who makes the material. Our team signed up and the university bought us an [Intamsys](https://www.intamsys.com/) [Funmat HT](https://www.intamsys.com/funmat-ht-3d-printer/) 3D Printer, which said it was capable of printing PPSU. However, the company doing the competition did not release the information that the bed plate must be a high temperature to avoid warping (Greater than 200 °C). However, our plate only reaches a temperature of 160. Does anyone know of any aftermarket heaters that would work with this printer?
Maximum temperatures according to Intamys: Chamber 90 °C, Magnetic Build Plate 160 °C, Extruder 450 °C<issue_comment>username_1: If you're a brave individual you might try insulating the bottom of your heated bed. You're going to want to get fiberglass or something that can actually withstand the temperatures you're trying to reach; anything past about 230 °C and you'll get organic things like cork and cotton starting to smoke. 200 °C is pretty absurd for a print bed temperature unless you're printing some pretty exotic materials.
Aside from insulating the bottom of the bed to aid in heat retention, you might also try getting an external FET chip for your heated bed, like is recommended for the RAMPS1.4 boards since their connectors don't handle high amperage loads well. External FET plus a 24 V PSU might give you the kind of temperature range you're apparently aiming for. Best of luck with that, and try not to set your entire setup on fire, 200 °C really is kind of absurd for an entire print plate.
**TL;DR:**
1. Insulate
2. External FET chip
3. 24V PSU
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: Inspired by the answer from username_1, according to my back of the notepad radiative emission approximation, you need about a 3x increase in bed dissipation to get from $ \Delta T$ of 130 °C up to 170 °C. So that would correspond to an increase from 12 V *at the bed* to 18 V. As the current increases, the wire losses would also increase.
Sounds like a high power laptop charger could possibly fit the bill at 19V. Obviously this leaves a risk that the bed will be damaged, but I think it is better to aim for a steady load rather than pwm and a higher peak energy than necessary.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/19 | 1,131 | 3,673 | <issue_start>username_0: I'm new to 3D printing, but I've solved all of my problems except for this rough surface shown in the image of a Benchy print:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rhJhL.jpg)
Any suggestions are appreciated.
* Printer (new): Raptor 2 (400x400x700 mm)
* Bed Temp: 65 °C
* Extruder Temp: 210 °C
* Filament: PLA (1.75 mm) right out of the package (came with printer from
Formbot)
* 200 degrees extruder; 60-degree hotbed - print success, bow issue
persists. speed: 100
* fade height: 0
* nozzle: 200
* bed: 60
* fan speed: 255
* flow: 100 probe offset: -1.4
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/hxVrS.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5oLV6.jpg)<issue_comment>username_1: You print too hot and probably with not enough cooling. These typical defects are caused by too much heat input into your model. You see this best at the overhang of the bow of Benchy, it should be smooth like the bottom part of the side of your Benchy. It clearly shows heat induced defects. Lower the temperature at least 10 °C. Know that PLA usually is printable at about 190 °C, also 65 °C for the hotbed is quite high, Depending on the surface you could aim for a temperature between 50 - 60 °C,
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_2: The artifact your bow clearly shows is usually a result of very high print temperature - the filament sags unevenly as it is not cooling to solidification fast enough.
You might want to reduce your print temperature for PLA a little. Try one or two 5° steps. I print my PLA usually at 200 °C, some blends even lower. Do the same for the print bed - 60 °C is the usual temperature in many machines.
When I unpack 210 °C that's only in conjunction with 100 % infill and deliberate over-extrusion for what would be best described as a "cast-solid" result. It's because under that condition I want the filament to melt and merge with everything super tight.
It also might help to change the print cooling geometry to better cool the printed parts - and check if all fans are on.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_3: If you printed Benchy upright, this is an overhang. You didn't state the print speed that you used, but I found that I can **improve overhang quality considerably by printing them slower**.
If you're otherwise satisfied with the print quality, you probably don't want to waste time by printing the whole model slower. If you're using Ultimaker Cura there is a setting in the *Experimental* section (don't worry, it works fine) to print only overhangs slower:
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eg83k.png)
(Those are very conservative settings, a larger angle, like 30°, would probably be fine, too.)
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Try to re-compile the gcode, sometimes the slicer "freaks out" whilst writing the file. Which slicer are you using? (Cura, Slic3r, Repetier, etc.)
I sometimes have that errors, and giving that they do seem quite consistent in shape in the pics I would say that's the issue.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_5: Turns out the blower on the extruder was not plugged in at the factory. Now it's printing fine. Thank you all for the help and support. [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qNkBE.jpg)
Upvotes: 2 |
2019/01/20 | 1,700 | 5,789 | <issue_start>username_0: [](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Bujra.png)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gCYkr.png)
* These lines exist on all prints, PLA, ABS.
* They're 0.8 mm apart [20T 2GT pulley, 1.8°/step motor = 1 line/4 full-steps]
* Start to disappear above 75 mm/s but will still appear on slower axis when printing diagonal lines or curves
* Custom built frame, cross bar (Ultimaker style) using linear rails
* dual-motor (4 total on X-Y) + separate driver (1 motor/driver)
* Running Smoothieware on Smoothieboard 5X [A5984 drivers, 32 microstep]
Tried all these with no improvement:
**TL;DR problem is somewhere between drivers and motors**
* Switched to 6.625:1 geared extruder
* Tried parallel, series, single coil on the 8 wires motor and 2 other different motors
* Enable fast decay mode on A5984
* Motor current from 0.5 A to 1.8 A
* PLA temp from 170~200 °C
* Acceleration as low as 100 mm/s2
* \*\*Changed 20T to 16T pulleys. The pattern scaled down proportional to the change in tooth count. Ruled out mechanical issues.<issue_comment>username_1: This is a great blog post, [Taxonomy of Z axis artifacts in extrusion-based 3d printing](https://www.evernote.com/shard/s211/client/snv?noteGuid=701c36c4-ddd5-4669-a482-953d8924c71d¬eKey=<KEY>&sn=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.evernote.com%2Fshard%2Fs211%2Fsh%2F701c36c4-ddd5-4669-a482-953d8924c71d%2F1ef992988295487c98c268dcdd2d687e&title=Taxonomy%2Bof%2BZ%2Baxis%2Bartifacts%2Bin%2Bextrusion-based%2B3d%2Bprinting), explaining what I think I am seeing, although I'm not entirely sure what I'm seeing in your photos.
The short version is if your z-rods are threaded in an imperial unit, inches/fractions of inches, instead of metric, you get a repeating decimal value (think about converting 1/3 to decimal), which can lead to a rounding error depending on the chosen layer height.
Without knowing how exactly you built your machine it's hard to say more but the post goes over a number of things I almost did wrong (like anti-wobble caps on top of the z rods for Prusa i3s...)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: The fact that these are all perfectly spaced, and don't mirror the edges of irregular prints, makes me think it's definitely not ghosting. That said, I can't see the Y direction on either print, just the X direction, so this all assumes it's only happening in one direction.
One thing to think about: Your motors have typically 2 opposing coils, and they get activated by taking 4 steps: (North, off, South):
N/o
o/N
S/o
o/S
If these are spaced out exactly 4 steps apart, that would imply that one of your coils is either underpowered or overpowered on the motor controlling that direction's movement. That would lead to your motor torque dipping and increasing, leading to slightly uneven print speed. This is 100% speculative and might be a goose chase since you've got 4 X/Y motors and it seems to happen in both the X and Y axis. The chances of having that many motors exhibit the same deficiency is astronomical.
That said, I've got little experience with multiple motors per axis. Another thing you might look into is whether the motors are fighting each other at all. If, for example, the motor-side pulley isn't aligned exactly the same way on both X motors, or the motors get out of sync with each other, because of the way the motor's holding torque falls as you get away from a full step position, you might find that one motor is holding the other back slightly, or pulling it forward towards the nearest full step. Again, this is all speculative, but it might be worth looking into. You can typically figure out the full step location by killing power to the machine and letting the motors settle into a full step on their own without the belts or other drive mechanisms attached. I'd unhook the belts, kill the power, get the motors settled (with a bit of a nudge if necessary), and then see if your belt perfectly settles into both pulleys in that location. You might find that the belt teeth don't quite line up on both pulleys, and the only way I can think of that would fix that specific problem is spinning the motor until it matches, or even physically relocating the motor closer or farther relative to the other on the same axis.
YMMV, best of luck.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_3: I know this is a pretty old discussion, but I had the same trouble recently. In my case, it think it could be a pattern caused by the extruder gears biting into the filament. I found that the problem seemed to be worse with increased retractions. That makes some sense to me, the more retractions you let the slicer make, the more the extruder gears are going to go back and forth through the same length of filament.
To try and confirm this, I turned off retraction completely and cut off and removed the filament that was already past the extruder (this length of filament was presumably marred by many retractions, the filament outside of the extruder would've been clean). My resulting print still had the pattern but not nearly as contrasted and obvious.
I did try adjusting accel, jerk and print speed and the pattern didn't seem to change in frequency with any of that, so that led me to the extruder gears which are constant. I was also going to test if my hotend fan was contributing vibration artifacts but haven't gotten around to it.
Not sure there's much else that can be done with this. Maybe some filaments would have less of an issue than others. It's possible the issue is more obvious on a dual gear extruder? A single gear extruder will only bite into one side, which might be a bit more hidden.
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/20 | 2,590 | 10,181 | <issue_start>username_0: I have an Ender 3 that I have been pretty happy with so far, however it recently started an odd behavior and I can't figure out what's causing it.
What happens is that the first ~3 mm of the print comes out "sloppy". After that, everything clears up and it prints fine for the rest of the print. (Although it perhaps looks a little under extruded on the top layer)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0UAfD.jpg)
It looks almost like it's over extruding. But if that's the case, why would it only be for the first 3 mm? Then the top layer looking under extruded makes that possibility even more unlikely.
This is consistently happening regardless of what I am printing, the brand of filament (I only print PLA), or the bed temp or hot end temp. I've tried tweaking with the bed leveling and giving a little more gap on the first layer, but that doesn't seem to change anything either. I also calibrated the extrusion multiplier and it's spot on now.
I use Ultimaker Cura 3.6 as my slicer. I tried resetting back to defaults to see if maybe I had inadvertently changed something but that didn't help either.
I have done a few upgrades - Marlin firmware, Capricorn tubing, glass bed, replaced the (broken) plastic extruder with one of the metal ones, new PTFE fittings. I didn't notice the problem until recently so I can't say if it started corresponding with any of those upgrades.
When I first got it, the prints came out beautifully from the first layer, so this is really frustrating me. I'd like to get it back the way it was.
Any suggestions on where to look?
Update: I did some slightly more controlled experimemts and I did get it looking a little better. It does seem related mostly to bed tempurature. The cooler I make the bed, the better it looks. However as it gets cooler, the prints are also starting to warp and break loose, so the print ends up failing completely. I had a hard time getting a successful print below about 45 degrees, and even at that temperature it still isn't completely clean. I'm using glue stick for adhesion and it just doesn't seem able to hold it without some heat. I traditionally have run around 50 degrees before this problem started though, so it seems odd I have to drop below that now.
Also, for more info, the cube dimensions are pretty close in the X and Y, but were about .5mm short in the Z. So the layers do seem to be settling.
I did check the bed temp with a non-contact thermometer and it was consistent with what the printer reported, so it doesnt seem to be a bad thermostat throwing things off.<issue_comment>username_1: It looks like you need to calibrate your Z0 by adjusting your endstop height. It's starting too low.
I think you are printing your first layer too low, and underextruding to compensate. Do the paper test with your Z at 0, confirm it's good. Do the 100 mm extrude test and confirm it's pulling in exactly 100 mm. Measure your filament diameter in several places and make sure the slicer value matches.
Upvotes: 1 <issue_comment>username_2: After much trial and error, I think I finally figured out the solution.
Even though I could get better prints by tweaking with the temperatures, I could never totally eliminate the problem. The better I made it look by cooling down the bed, the more likely it would break free and the print would fail completely.
At one point though I happened to print something taller, and interestingly enough a similar band of ugly layers appeared higher up in the print as well.
So I started a closer inspection of the Z axis rollers. The Ender 3 has a funky setup where there are 3 rollers at each end of the X axis. Two are fixed and one can be adjusted to change the tension of the rollers against the Z rails. What I discovered was that a couple of the non-adjustable rollers weren't terribly tight and could be turned by fairly easily with my fingers. At the same time, the adjustable rollers are starting to wear a groove.
On a hunch, I decided to try re-adjusting the tension so that I could no longer turn any of them with my fingers. It definitely had an effect...now the bed was too high and it would no longer extrude the first layer because the nozzle was too close. This required going through the complete bed leveling process to get it back in spec.
Once I got it re-leveled, low and behold it's printing like new! The height is coming out spot-on too.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/81uYN.jpg)
I suspect what was happening is that the rollers were too loose and at certain heights they we allowing movement in the Z axis. Perhaps there is a flat spot that was allowing the X rail to droop, then once it got past the flat spot it would print cleanly again.
I haven't printed anything tall enough yet to see if the bad layers still show up higher in the print, if they do, I think it is probably a sign that I need to replace some rollers. In the mean time, I'm thrilled to be getting decent prints again!
Update: This ended up NOT being the solution to my problem. However it does seem to be related. As I mentioned in the comments, the problem returned after a few days of the printer sitting unused. I have since been able to get it printing better by going the opposite route - loosening up the Z axis bearings. At the moment it is printing somewhat better, but still not perfect. I am also having under extrusion issues when may or may not be related. I have ordered some new rollers to see if that helps since some of them had a pretty good groove worn in them.
Another Update: I replaced several of the Z rollers that had become grooved with some that claimed to be a little harder material. So far this seems to have mostly cleared up the issue. I have now completed several large print jobs and the first layers have been coming out pretty good.
I also ended up taking out the Capricorn tubing on the extruder. The extruder skips were becoming quite bad and causing under extrusion issues throughout the print. The Capricorn has a little smaller inside diameter than the stock tubing and I wondered if it was too tight on some filaments. I went back to some plain white cheap PTFE and that problem mostly went away as well. I still hear the "click" once in a while, but it is fairly rare. I may try tweaking the motor current a little to see if I can get rid of that. All in all though, the printer seems to be printing about as good as it ever has.
Upvotes: 5 [selected_answer]<issue_comment>username_3: I had the exact same problem as you. And after trying all of your ideas (Thanks so much for the amound of information!!!), I discovered that in my case, the problem was actually the printer skipping a step every other layer (at the beginning), which lead to the exact same thing, the bottom layers being "compressed", leading to a lower height in general (and overextrusion at the bottom). In my case the solution was to tighten the screws that hold the Z-Motor in place (as well as printing a spacer for the motor, so that the axis-screw (no idea how that thing is called) wouldn't bend: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2925230>) as the Z-Motor would push itself down and lift itself up every other step, resulting in a loss of a layer.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_4: Same problem with my Ender 3, although not as severe as the OP, its about 0.5 mm over the first 1 mm that is lost.
After checking my motor as suggested, it was solid. However as with the OP, one of my adjustable wheels was loose on the Z axis, and could be turned by hand. Tightening the eccentric wheels on both sides to remove any slop has resolved the issue. Multiple test cubes have come out perfectly.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_5: I had similar problem with my Tevo Tarantula. Tried all the options mentioned above as well. It seemed to be Z-axis height related. Changed my Z-axis flexible coupling to a solid coupling which solved it for me.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_6: I had trouble with the first few layers looking like over extruding (they were just compressed). Turns out the X axis was loose. On zeroing for a new print the arm would be sloped like this |/| as the Z axis lifted it would slowly end up |\| over the duration of the print.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_7: I too have a TEVO Tarantula Pro, two infact, the both did this out of the box (so to say).
I think I just solved it for me.
The comment above from Robet made me remember there was a small O-ring washer placed inside the flexi coupler when I built the printers.
The O-ring is the exact height of my first layer issues.
I removed it and made sure that the motor shaft and the lead screw made hard contact. (Yes, I know thats not how they are meant to be, but all my previous printers are like that and they are fine). Even stretching the flexi coupler a few mm before clamping it to the lead screw.
And now my issue is completely fixed!
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pwRQI.jpg)
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XVtCc.jpg)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_8: I had this problem as well, the problem is not *too much* give on the Z axis, it's that there is not *enough* give, so loosen the Z-axis wheels on both sides till you can freely move one of the wheels with your hands.
This solved it for me.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_9: I solved the problem by adding a second Z-axis leadscrew. The problem was that I could have either too tight Z-axis rollers or a sagging gantry. Both of this lead to the nozzle rubbing over the print. In case of sagging, rubbing on the right hand side of the print and a too large distance on the left. In case of too tight rollers, rubbing on the whole print or on whichever side had the tight rollers.
If you don't want to invest in a dual leadscrew setup, turn the excentric nuts that fix the rollers of the gantry to the Z-axis; making sure that they are tight enough but not overtight.
Upvotes: 1 |
2019/01/21 | 1,504 | 5,869 | <issue_start>username_0: My CR-10 is starting prints, BUT then makes weird spiral pattern, layers go up vertically with large gaps. Hollow infill.
I don’t know if it’s:
- My Slicing skills
- original files
- the printer itself
Long explanation. Questions at the end. I’ve had beautiful normal prints. Then I’ve had these abnormal spiral layer prints with infill issues and spaghetti monsters (the images don’t show but, where the prints pictured end, is not the full print, it did the weird spiral then just stopped layering altogether). I’m semi-new to printing and don’t have too much of a tech background apart from average use. Been researching a couple months, I’ve only been printing for about a week. I’ve had an amazing couple prints. Baby groot was flawless, barely noticeable layers. The test print (a rather thick disk with deep grid marks and a puppy on top) that came with the printer was the same smooth flawless, it wasn’t my first print though. So the behavior seems erratic. The two prints pictured had several successful print in between them.
I do know:
The elder wand file was in several tutorials and was printed successfully. Its in two parts. The first part, which is way shorter and thicker printed Amazingly. The second part pictured was double the height+ and 1/4 the thickness. I even printed it successfully once before going horizontally and flat against the bed. BUT I had to run the print three times because the filament would not stick to the glass. It was just being dragged along behind the nozzle. But I was observing so I ended the print before it went too far. All I did to change this was add a brim and supports. Which gave a “successful print” except the fact that one of the knobs has a flat spot and the support remnants were very noticeable. Resolution was terrible too. Hence why I decided to try printing it vertically.
The bigger print pictured is the base of a hufflepuff horecrux cup, the first time I printed it was with cura slicer, it came out beautifully but the stem snapped right under the base of the cup part st some point, and the left handle had some wierd stringing issues, like 7 pure strands of filament hanging out one corner, and the print failed s fee layers from top. However the file description only had one previous make listed and the thing with the top of the handle and print failed about the same with that persons print.
Sorry for the long post. I’d just really appreciate any help, and I wanted to give all the details.<issue_comment>username_1: This is partial answer and comment as it was too big to fit the comment section, it will be a proper answer once the question is updated by the OP.
What you call a weird spiral pattern is the result of under-extrusion. When there is under-extrusion, the resulting print is sparsely filled. The reason for this under-extrusion is most probably partial clogging of the nozzle, or an issue with the extruder itself. One explanation could be that you are suffering from heat creep, but the information you provide is not enough to explain this or any other solution further in detail. Clogging can e.g. be caused by retraction settings and/or temperature settings, without your settings it is a guess what this is actually causing this.
---
Looking at the print deteriorate the higher the Z becomes this is most probably a heat creep issue, so you print too hot with too large retraction settings.
Upvotes: 3 <issue_comment>username_2: While uncommon, this issue could be caused by having no minimum layer time set. This could lead to printing on a still very hot surface, which in turn ripples and moves, creating a little wave pattern. The wave pattern then can grow into this diagonal pattern.
You might manage to reduce the issue by setting a minimum layer time of 10 to 15 seconds.
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_3: This intermittent underextrusion can be caused by a broken part in the extruder on the CR-10 / Ender 3. Check if the plastic mount that holds the idler wheel in place is torn. Depending on the height and the resulting varying tension from the filament the idler wheel gets in and out of alignment.
Upvotes: 2 <issue_comment>username_4: Using a CR-10S which printed fine for about 6 months (PLA, 200/58°C), then similar problems started: Interestingly, the height of the "problem zone" appeared to be related to the melting point of the PLA used: lower melting point = problems appear at a lower height. Suspecting heat creep, I swapped both hot-end fans... but things got only marginally better.
As I could rule out extruder issues (metal extruder, new gear), the bowden tube (replaced, upgraded couplings), I looked at the hotend again. There was clearly not enough "melting power" (25mm/sec would print ok, but not 50mm/sec). I then checked the INSIDE temperature of the heater block (butting a thermocouple right behind the nozzle, with the bowden tube removed)... turns out that 200°C (set in Cura and shown on the display) are more like 180°C! In order to get near 200°C, I had to set 220°C in the slicer - and printing DID improve (underextrusions greatly reduced).
I'm still not happy with the situation, b/c deviations like this usually don't come out of the blue... it's not the first time that I read about CR10/CR10S hotend temperatures not being read correctly, so I suspect that this might be the reason for many "mysteriously" unter-extruding CR10s... (BTW: my temp values don't fluctuate and I have the correct capacitor on the mainboard).
Upvotes: 0 |
2019/01/21 | 453 | 1,715 | <issue_start>username_0: I got myself a Creality Ender 3 and just finished assembling it and I noticed that the home position is at the right instead of the left. It also is about about 3 mm in front of the right corner.
Anyone could maybe help me to understand what is wrong?<issue_comment>username_1: Did you make sure that the x,y,z and other cords / connectors, were connected to the right areas? TO clarify, the things that connect into the motors.[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/05zAt.jpg)
Upvotes: 0 <issue_comment>username_2: Homing is the process where the machine finds all the limits of the 3 axis (at the endstop switches), to have a common reference point for each axis. From the endstops, firmware defined values exist to give the printer head the offset to the home position, also known as origin (X=0, Y=0). If the origin position is in front of the plate, wrong offsets may be defined, but you can [re-adjust the position](/q/6375).
If the stepper is driving the printer head away from the endstop on a particular axis on homing (in your case the X direction), there might be a few possible problems at hand:
1. The stepper cables are plugged in reversed
2. The wires in the stepper cable are switched
3. The stepper direction is reversed in firmware (this is not very probable for a kit or bought printer)
4. The stepper motor itself is build mirrored (not uncommon mistake for Y stepper motors on the Anet A8)
A quick fix would be to rotate the connector 180° of the cable going into the X stepper, if this works, you can disassemble the cable and properly arrange the stepper wires.
Upvotes: 2 |
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