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thread-7464 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7464 | Anet A8 with 3DTouch does not home X in the center | 2018-11-21T11:53:53.633 | # Question
Title: Anet A8 with 3DTouch does not home X in the center
Working on getting my Anet A8 upgraded with some extra toys and although the sensor works, I can't get it to home correctly. I'm looking for some assistance to home the X in the center.
The probe is working and showing results, but when homing, it does not home to center (SAFE\_HOME is turned on, Y homes to center but X is about 3/4 from endstop) and the Z offset always reports as 0 when using M851. There is a clear gap of about 10 mm between the bed and the nozzle after G29 is ran.
I'm using the following mount:
Bed is anycubic ultrabase 220\*220
I have been using a combination of E3D configuration documents, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWDkZtWwd6I and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y\_1Kg45APko to try and get it working.
I've posted my Configuration.h here to see if anyone can spot what I've done wrong and possible explain it to me so I can learn.
# Answer
Your sensor offset for the X direction is incorrect.
`#define X_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER -28 // X offset: -left +right [of the nozzle]`
should be
`#define X_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER 28 // X offset: -left +right [of the nozzle]`
The hints in the comment already suggest that (left is negative, right is positive), your touch sensor clearly is located on the right side, hence +28 mm.
See also this hint in the configuration file:
```
* +-- BACK ---+
* | |
* L | (+) P | R -- probe (20,20)
* E | | I
* F | (-) N (+) | G -- nozzle (10,10)
* T | | H
* | (-) | T
* | |
* O-- FRONT --+
* (0,0)
```
Also, `#define Z_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER -1.05` is not really necessary. Many prefer this to be `0` and set the value later by using `M815 Z-1.05` (sent over USB or "printed" from .gcode file over SD card)
You also have not set the boundaries for the sensor to reach, I quote:
```
// Set the boundaries for probing (where the probe can reach).
//#define LEFT_PROBE_BED_POSITION MIN_PROBE_EDGE
//#define RIGHT_PROBE_BED_POSITION (X_BED_SIZE - MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
//#define FRONT_PROBE_BED_POSITION MIN_PROBE_EDGE
//#define BACK_PROBE_BED_POSITION (Y_BED_SIZE - MIN_PROBE_EDGE)
```
This can be found in How to set the boundaries for BLTouch probing.
After a `G29`, the head is raised as instructed by the configuration file to employ clearance.
An `M851` will report the actual value it is set to, if you have not set it (by using `M851 Z-x.xx`, or set it through the display using the menu) then it will report `0`, that is correct.
> 3 votes
---
Tags: marlin, anet-a8, bltouch
--- |
thread-7466 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7466 | Is endstop / z-probe wire required for BLTouch installation on CR-10S | 2018-11-21T21:45:44.417 | # Question
Title: Is endstop / z-probe wire required for BLTouch installation on CR-10S
I am confused about installing BLTouch on CR-10S.
This is my motherboard:
Below is a screenshot for the wiring of the BLTouch sensor:
See the circled sections in yellow.
Notice that the **Z-** socket is *also* used (black and white BLTouch wire) and that's normally where the endstop limit switch sensor is plugged in.
If I **unplug** the limit switch wire and simply plug **the** BLTouch wire to this:
**1**. How can the printer determine when it has reached home?
**2**. How does it know when to stop when it hits home?
**3**. I thought BLTouch is used to do some leveling on the surface... Does BLTouch have a sensor to stop the printer when it hits some?
**4**. Any way to install BLTouch without removing the Z limit switch sensor?
Sorry for the questions. I am just confused about BLTouch using pins of another sensor that's also required.
# Answer
A touch sensor is also a height limiting switch, so you sacrifice the Z- limit switch in favor of the touch sensor (or an inductive sensor). Furthermore, all your concerns are taken care of by the firmware. You configure the firmware so that the nozzle homes Z in the center of the build plate after X and Y are homed first.
It is advised to look up some videos of working touch sensors, then you will get an idea what actually happens. You could start with the inventor of the sensor.
> 2 votes
---
Tags: creality-cr-10, bltouch
--- |
thread-7473 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7473 | Ender 3 Won’t Start - flashing screen and blue LED on main board | 2018-11-22T22:23:25.560 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 Won’t Start - flashing screen and blue LED on main board
Just received my second Ender 3 (see my other questions for the problems that first one developed). Figured it best to have a spare while I upgrade my first one with an ABL.
I assembled it as normal, without any issues, but on applying power the LCD screen just flashes on and off continuously along with the blue LED on the main board. See photo.
When I power it off, the Ender 3 logo appears briefly before it goes black. I am in the U.K. and running 240v setting. Is this likely the power supply or the motherboard? I already tried another screen and same problem.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Just after I posted this I tried swapping various components with my other Ender 3.
It turns out a faulty power supply will produce this effect. When I swapped out the power supply it started normally.
---
Tags: electronics, creality-ender-3, power-supply
--- |
thread-7462 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7462 | Which capacitor to change on CR-10S S500 motherboard? | 2018-11-21T05:47:39.893 | # Question
Title: Which capacitor to change on CR-10S S500 motherboard?
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 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:
but mine looks different. Below is what it looks like:
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:
As Trish requested in the comment, below is also the back side of the motherboard.
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:
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"?
# Answer
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.
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.
> 3 votes
# Answer
### 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 and High Voltage Capacitor, in a low voltage system?
> 2 votes
# Answer
# 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, 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, also known as "CR-10" board.
My best guess (Confirmed by OP and this) 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:
There is a 100/35V/UT Capacity in the indicated spot in both the green and black renditions.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: heat-management, creality-cr-10, power-supply
--- |
thread-7472 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7472 | Bed heating from Pronterface works, but not from LCD menu nor from SD print | 2018-11-22T13:53:02.357 | # Question
Title: Bed heating from Pronterface works, but not from LCD menu nor from SD print
Running my Ultrabase (glass plate) through a MOSFET on an stock A8 board with Marlin 1.1.8. When I do PID tune through Pronterface (by using the `M303 E-1 C8 S70` command) the bed heats up no problem and completes the tune, but when printing from SD or using the Preheat PLA command on the printer to heat the bed, nothing happens and then I get "Bed heating failed".
As its working through Pronterface I know the wiring is okay.
Configuration.h
Configuration\_adv.h
Anet A8 Stock Board
Ultrabase 220x200 12v
PID Values extracted from Pronterface Via `M303 E-1 C8 S70` from cold bed
Message take about 1 minute to appear, seems to be a timeout as opposed to an instant error
Disabling PIDTEMPBED and enabling MAX\_BED\_POWER resolves the issue allowing the printer to heat the bed
Thermal protection for bed set to
```
#define WATCH_BED_TEMP_PERIOD 180 // Seconds
#define WATCH_BED_TEMP_INCREASE 2 // Degrees Celsius
```
When using PIDTEMPBED the LED on the bed does not light, but when using MAX\_BED\_POWER / PIDTUNE it does
# Answer
> 1 votes
I thought this was an easy problem to fix as the previous Configuration.h you shared had PID incorrectly configured.
I'm guessing that you experience this LCD screen:
What I experienced myself when PID tuning the bed is that it matters whether the bed is preheated or not. At first attempt the command such as the `M303 E-1 C8 S70` you used did result a failed PID tuning (note that you should perform the test from a cold bed).
Your PID values:
```
// PIDTune from Pronterface
#define DEFAULT_bedKp 305.95
#define DEFAULT_bedKi 60.24
#define DEFAULT_bedKd 388.4805
```
are similar results as I have for a 24V 300 x 300 x 3 mm bottom cork insulated heat plate with 3 mm glass.
You have not added the "Configuration\_adv.h", but this file contains the advanced settings for the printer and most probably contain:
```
#if ENABLED(THERMAL_PROTECTION_BED)
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_BED_PERIOD 20 // Seconds
#define THERMAL_PROTECTION_BED_HYSTERESIS 2 // Degrees Celsius
/**
* As described above, except for the bed (M140/M190/M303).
*/
#define WATCH_BED_TEMP_PERIOD 60 // Seconds
#define WATCH_BED_TEMP_INCREASE 2 // Degrees Celsius
#endif
```
This describes that the software waits for 60 seconds for the bed to increase 2 °C. If the temperature increase is not observed, there is no heat input to the bed, or it does not reach the set temperature. Please check your values.
---
Tags: marlin, heated-bed, anet-a8, firmware
--- |
thread-7477 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7477 | How to enable EMERGENCY_PARSER in Marlin firmware? | 2018-11-23T13:30:01.763 | # Question
Title: How to enable EMERGENCY_PARSER in Marlin firmware?
In the documentation of some commands of the Marlin firmware (like M112 - Emergency Stop), it says that the `EMERGENCY_PARSER` should be enabled to execute them instantaneously.
The thing is, I didn't find any information there of **how to enable** that `EMERGENCY_PARSER` or how it works.
Any help will be appreciated.
# Answer
> 6 votes
The constant `EMERGENCY_PARSER` is located in the advanced printer configuration file Marlin/Configuration\_adv.h:
```
// Enable an emergency-command parser to intercept certain commands as they
// enter the serial receive buffer, so they cannot be blocked.
// Currently handles M108, M112, M410
// Does not work on boards using AT90USB (USBCON) processors!
//#define EMERGENCY_PARSER
```
To enable the `EMERGENCY_PARSER`, you need to remove the `//` before `#define EMERGENCY_PARSER` and recompile the sources.
Normally your printer will execute a command until it is ready to accept a next instruction. Without the `EMERGENCY_PARSER` set, the printer finishes the instruction that it is executing at the moment, if set, the execution is interrupted and immediately sent and thus not waiting for a clear space in the buffer.
---
Tags: marlin
--- |
thread-7455 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7455 | How to re-program NEW Prusa MK3 MMU2 to accept taller Z axis | 2018-11-19T22:10:06.197 | # Question
Title: How to re-program NEW Prusa MK3 MMU2 to accept taller Z axis
In a previous question, 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) MMU2 (firmware 1.0.1). The source code on Github is found here.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Basically, the answer on your previous question 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 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. 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" 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.
## 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" 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 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) 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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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.
---
Tags: prusa-i3, firmware, z-axis, prusa-mmu
--- |
thread-7484 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7484 | Ender 3 extrudes plastic whilst at standstill, and while moving to start of print | 2018-11-24T22:55:41.020 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 extrudes plastic whilst at standstill, and while moving to start of print
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, 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.
# Answer
> 5 votes
# 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 for better nozzle priming.
```
G92 E3
G1 E-3 F1000
G92 E0
```
# Answer
> 3 votes
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).
---
Tags: marlin, extrusion, creality-ender-3
--- |
thread-7486 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7486 | Anet A8 won't print properly | 2018-11-24T23:20:56.270 | # Question
Title: Anet A8 won't print properly
I recently bought the Anet A8 from Gearbest. Everything so far seems in order, but one big problem.
No matter which filament I used (PLA and ABS), the result is always like this:
In the picture there are the PLA and ABS I've been trying to print. What I tried to actually print is a simple arrow.
One of the things that caused it was manually trying to push the filament, because the extruder gear doesn't really push it. It doesn't seem like it's stuck, but it just won't move. Then I move it manually, it does this.
I have tried different methods for the gear to push it and different printing temperatures (first the presets, then PLA 190°C / ABS 240°C) but it does the same thing.
# Answer
> because the extruder gear doesn't really push it. It doesn't seem like it's stuck, but it just won't move.
It looks like stepper issue.
* Did you check stepper connections? Maybe there is a loose wire?
* Maybe your extruder is assembled incorrectly? Please check google images to see how extruder should be assembled and/or give us some photos of your extruder.
* Maybe your printer is setup wrong, there is small potentiometer on mainboard which sets stepper current, I had problems when it was rotated slightly too far. Try commanding your printer to extrude slowly for several seconds and in this time turn pot at least one time (it wraps around) until it starts to extrude (do not move printhead during this, turning this pot WILL make motors skip and crash into home/end). If you don't have problems with other motors, this may not be your issue but is worth checking.
* Try homing your axes first, sometimes after startup motors won't work correctly until homing axes.
* Try pressing reset once after starting printer.
How to find that pot? It's just to the side of capacitor which is near "Z-Motor2" connector.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: filament, extruder, anet-a8, heat-management, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-7495 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7495 | Tronxy X5S losing steps during print | 2018-11-26T11:47:41.900 | # Question
Title: Tronxy X5S losing steps during print
This is my first printer, a core xy (Tronxy X5S) printer, and it is losing steps during diagonal movements. The curious thing its that fail is even, I've printed 2 calibration cubes and they are almost equals:
When it lose the step, you can ear a "toc" sound, as in this footage at 3s: https://youtu.be/aRJB--QBMC4 This is my realy first print, and I don't have much experience with 3d printing, thanks in advance for any information!
# Answer
I had the same issue with my X5S when I first got it assembled. Because it's CoreXY, if one pulley slips, you'll skip steps in the diagonal. Check both set screws on your pulleys for the X and Y.
> 3 votes
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Tags: belt, tronxy-x5, corexy
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thread-7501 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7501 | Proper wire gauges for extending all CR-10S wires | 2018-11-26T23:38:43.527 | # Question
Title: Proper wire gauges for extending all CR-10S wires
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 site, it says that 18 AWG or lower is fine for the heating bed.
# Answer
If my calculations are correct, a typical ceramic heating element for the extruder heating block runs 40 W. At 12 V dc, that equates to 3.33 A. A 24 awg wire is rated for 3.5 A, which means it barely covers the draw from the heater. A high torque Nema 17 motor will draw 2 A (which is probably heavier than most standard stepper motors in most 3D printing applications). Seeing as how the 18 awg wire is rated to 9.5 A, you should have no issue extending your wires using this gauge of wire for all of the extensions.
> 2 votes
# Answer
*This answer expands on the heat bed wires question which is not addressed in this answer and gives a foundation for the edit of the question stating that AWG 18 or lower is sufficient.*
---
The current depends on the voltage your machine uses. The question does not state whether you modified the power supply or not. Typical values for the resistance of the bed are in the range of 1.2 - 1.8 Ω (Ohms). This implies a maximum current of $\frac{12}{1.2}=10 A$ (the stock power supply is 12 V, if the power supply is changed to 24 V, the current doubles). From this reference you can look up the ampacity (maximum current through a wire) which wire gauge fits the current for your application depending on the maximum temperature you want it to reach. For 10 Amps, you will see that AWG 18 can be used for a single wire when you allow the wire to heat up to 60 °C. Note that bundling wires lowers the ampacity of a wire, because the cooling is less optimal for bundled wires (this is called de-rating).
Please be careful when you read that certain wires are sufficient for your application. It is best to calculate the current your specific application draws from the power supply rather than relying on somebody else's calculation, it could well be that the assumptions are different than in your specific case. A multimeter or multitester is a valuable asset to aid in your calculations.
> 2 votes
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Tags: heated-bed, stepper-driver, creality-cr-10, wire-type
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thread-2772 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/2772 | How to debond cyanoacrylate glue from pla | 2016-09-14T16:54:34.943 | # Question
Title: How to debond cyanoacrylate glue from pla
I have used cyanoacrylate glue aka superglue to bond PLA. I have created several electronics enclosures. (Definitely the most time-consuming part of the project.)
Now my question is which debonder/solvent can I use to separate the pieces again without destroying the PLA parts?
Wikipedia proposes the following:
* nitromethane
* dimethyl sulfoxide,
* methylene chloride,
* gamma-Butyrolactone.
# Answer
**Acetone**
Acetone will dissolve cynoacrylate (superglue) and should weaken it enough to be able to separate the parts.
A readily available cheap source of acetone is nail varnish remover (just make sure you don't buy the acetone free version!).
Give the pieces a soak in nail varnish remover for 10-20 minutes and they should come apart with some prying.
Acetone does not dissolve PLA, so the PLA parts should be undamaged. If you were to try this on ABS parts however, they would begin to dissolve.
> 5 votes
# Answer
Gamma butyrolactone is by far the best product to remove cyanoacrylate and also great to dissolve PLA.
> -2 votes
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Tags: pla
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thread-7502 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7502 | Gizmo3D SLA + Monocure resins not curing | 2018-11-27T00:11:47.243 | # Question
Title: Gizmo3D SLA + Monocure resins not curing
I am working with a "Gizmo3D" type DLP resin printer, and using Monocure "General Grey" resin. I'm having some issues with getting this resin to cure to the build plate well enough to prevent it from "wandering" across during the print, without "cooking" the resin and distorting it.
Does anyone have experience using this family of resin that could suggest some of their process details? I am getting acceptable quality incremental print with 100 micron (0.1 mm) layer thickness and a resin temp of 25 °C but I am having issues with the layers of the model "peeling away" from the base layers that get put down on the build plate first.
# Answer
I get best results from sun curing by putting it in water in the sun for 20-30 min.
I personally do not like Monocure Red one. I find the Nova3D prints better, has a lower oder, and cheaper.
> 1 votes
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Tags: print-quality, sla, dlp, resin
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thread-7509 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7509 | When dwelling G4, my printer is oozing, how can i stop that? | 2018-11-27T19:22:23.510 | # Question
Title: When dwelling G4, my printer is oozing, how can i stop that?
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:
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
```
# Answer
> 3 votes
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.
# Answer
> 2 votes
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 on the question "Ender 3 extrudes plastic whilst at standstill, and while moving to start of print" explains the oozing problem in detail.
# Answer
> 2 votes
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.
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Tags: g-code
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thread-7497 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7497 | Can the filament tube be outside of the nozzle? | 2018-11-26T19:29:51.323 | # Question
Title: Can the filament tube be outside of the nozzle?
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.
# Answer
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. Different designs of the "MK10" nozzle exist. Originally, the "MK nozzles" are the creation of Makerbot; an excellent post found in this thread (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.
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. Take care of the thread size of such nozzles, the "MK10" uses M7 threads, while M6 is more common!
As explained in this answer, 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.
> 5 votes
# Answer
# 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.
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.
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).
> 5 votes
# Answer
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.
> 0 votes
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Tags: filament, nozzle, ptfe-tube
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thread-107 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/107 | What can I use to "sand" my ABS prints? | 2016-01-13T00:41:32.907 | # Question
Title: What can I use to "sand" my ABS prints?
I have a 3d printer that uses ABS filament. The software I use will generate vertical supports for my objects before printing that can be easily broken off after they have been used during print to hold sharp angles up that would normally fall.
After breaking off the stints, the print is far from smooth. Is there a material that is best suited for "sanding" down prints without damaging the print?
# Answer
> 15 votes
I have a bunch of solutions to this problem but I'm always looking for additional ideas. I usually start by slicing as much as possible off with a hobby knife. The more than can be removed before sanding the better.
For big prints I like big generic sandpaper sheets from the hardware store. Starting with the highest grit and moving down. Make sure you're discarding your sheets when they get totally gunked up (which can happen pretty fast) or you won't get much done.
For smaller nooks and crannies I have a set of needle files. They do a pretty good job clearing out screw holes and smaller features on printed sculptures.
I've also had some success sanding with my Dremel when it comes to annoying stuck on supports or other imperfections. Having some horsepower behind your sanding can be a nice break. I've also seen the wire brush attachments used for finishing Bronze and Copper-fill prints. Just keep an eye on your speed or you'll sand a hole in your print.
Lastly (and one I haven't tried) are these sanding sticks They were recommended by a friend and look like they would be pretty easy to use/swap out used sandpaper.
# Answer
> 7 votes
I use normal wet/dry sandpaper and it works just fine. If I remember correctly, I usually start with 220 and then work my way up to 400, 600, and 800.
There are also foam or rubber sanding pads available that work really well when you're sanding something organically shaped.
The grits you start and finish with will depend on how rough your surface is.
# Answer
> 7 votes
I use nail files. They're easy to get, cheap and have different grits on either side. You can lay them flat or hold them in your hand and they have some stability making it fairly easy to sand something that is or should become flat.
Plus, you can fix any nails you damage while removing support structures.
# Answer
> 4 votes
Another method that you could try is an acetone vapor bath.
(All credit to them, by the way)
Just so you know, this is a very **risky** method, but the outcome is *very* nice. Remember that I warned you... And please, *please* watch cautionary videos and practice ***extreme*** caution. I cannot stress that enough.
All you have to do is get a heating pad (or anything that can heat up to the necessary temperatures) out into a well-ventilated environment. Then, get a large glass jar that you probably won't need in the future that can fit the 3D Model and pour some acetone inside. Afterward, you should place a small platform inside, just as in the video. Place the jar onto the heating pad. Now, place the 3D Model inside onto the platform.
Now, remember that acetone is a *solvent*. That means that it basically melts off the details off of the 3D Model. So, if your model is moreover detailed, you should leave the 3D Model in the jar for a small amount of time (i.e. about 30 seconds *at most*). If your model is not as detailed, you can put it in for a much longer amount of time, such as five minutes. Remember, the longer it is inside, the less the details!
Also, make sure to take the model out without using your hands, as it could possibly be harmful. You could use a wire hanger attached to a piece of tin foil to take it out, just as in the video.
I hope this helps; be safe!
***Seriously, exercise EXTREME caution while handling the vapor, as it is incredibly flammable, and can build up in poorly ventilated areas!***
# Answer
> 2 votes
It should be noted that the suggested methods in other answers all have the following disadvantages:
* The vapor just seems to weaken the print to much faster than print smooths.
* Sanding melts the plastic pretty easily and just rips the print apart.
* Filing helps but leaves blemishes that require the whole print to be sanded and/or painted.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I normally deburr with a deburring tool:
Then I file if needed, then I hit it with a scotch brite pad:
And then I give it a quick pass with a heat gun to darken all the areas that have turned lighter from the abrasion.
Video showing heat gun (but not scotch brite): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aj9WCabPgw
# Answer
> 1 votes
I've noticed if I'm printing too close too the bed or if the bed isn't level to nozzle across the whole bed the supports will leave marks on the print where the print was 'smushed' by the nozzle being slightly closer on that side. Also, in Simplify3d you can increase the vertical and horizontal distance between the part and the support, which makes a big difference as far as cleanup, too far though and the support doesn't support. I also increase the speed of support printing, since it directly affects layer adhesion. The faster the speed the less likely to bond to the model.
I use small files for small quick imperfections, and sometimes small knives for stubborn brims. For smoothing I now use a quick acetone dip on my parts. Usually 10-30 seconds completely submerged at most. Then without touching the print (it's very mushy) place it down or hang (outside) to dry out the acetone for about two hours for every hour printed or so. You can handle small parts within 10 minutes if you dipped less than 15 seconds. The acetone evaporates over time and the abs print regains its strength completely once all the acetone is gone. This can take days if it's a big part (maybe 9" x 9") and was dipped in acetone for longer than 30 seconds. If the part smells like acetone, it's still evaporating.
Don't over dip the part in acetone, you can't go back. You don't want to lose the form of your print. You can always dip again. Forget the heat acetone method or cool acetone vapor method that takes hours. Recommend doing it OUTDOORS and perhaps a gas mask and eye protection, acetone is very thin and splashes no matter how careful you are. I tried brushing it on but the results were not very consistent. ABS floats in acetone so consider how your going to get the part submerged and then subsequently out without leaving huge finger prints. Practice on a few small prints or even scrap models and failed prints. Strangely, nobody suggests this method in forums. It's much faster and easier than the other vapor methods. The dry out time isn't fast but you don't have to watch it the whole time.
Always be safe and keep acetone away from any ignition source such as an open flame and ensure proper ventilation. 100% Acetone is used in millions of salons every day, safely. Heating acetone up in an enclosed space has severely injured people so I don't recommend adding any heat source.
Acetone evaporates in water at the same rate as not in water (open air) so I'm going to try mixing water and acetone to slow the smoothing for better control and a larger bath. Even medium sized parts need a good deal of acetone to completely submerge them. Also, you can try doing one side and recording the seconds submerged. Then when it's dried out, dip the other side the same amount of time.
Edit:
Sure! I just did two scrap pieces since you asked. It's very difficult to capture gloss. These were about 15 seconds in acetone rotating them to get even coverage in acetone since the bath wasn't large enough to fully submerge them. This method can leave blemishes but these are warped or failed prints anyway. I enhanced one picture to try to show layer detail.
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Tags: abs, post-processing, support-structures, support-material, surface
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thread-7519 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7519 | Printing refusing to print, citing non-genuine cartridges? | 2018-11-28T12:27:42.440 | # Question
Title: Printing refusing to print, citing non-genuine cartridges?
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 --\>
A Google search about this issue doesn't come up with any results that are of any use to me.
# Answer
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!
> 4 votes
# Answer
A quick search on the internet showed that your experiences are shared by others.
Apparently, it has something to do with a faulty chip or the software.
From this thread:
> 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 the NFC chip that is inside the spool. (**DISCLAIMER**: *Do it at your own risk*!)
> 5 votes
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Tags: software
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thread-7524 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7524 | 3D printer out of normal printer (HP PSC 1315) | 2018-11-28T21:08:53.260 | # Question
Title: 3D printer out of normal printer (HP PSC 1315)
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.
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?
# Answer
> 5 votes
# 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 about this.
# Answer
> 4 votes
### "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 $0.40 (then you get the whole module including the cable). Also, linear rods of good quality are best obtained locally from a local (web) supplier, there are mixed experienced with those found on cheap internet auction sites.
Considering the amount of parts that can be salvaged from a 2D printer/scanner, and the part you actually need to order to complete the build, you better spend a few extra bucks and order all parts.
# Answer
> 1 votes
*I'm in the process of making a printer out of DVD/CD drives. I haven't progressed particularly far (I have the stepper drivers and obtained three (non-identical) CD/DVD drives last night for 100 baht), but I can state what I know to date, and then update as I go along.*
**Note: I'm not using any recycled printer parts, so this answer skirts *that* issue entirely.**
---
Firstly, there are a number of resources out there, which I have attempted to consolidate here, Something for nothing.
The principle recycled printer that most searches seem to throw up is the E-waste printer by Miquel Lloveras, @mikel\_llc, see EWaste 60$ 3DPrinter by mikelllc in 3D-Printing. 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. Very in-depth and informative indeed.
However, IMHO, the best guides that I found (and decided to follow) have been by Tinkernut and Electronic Grenade. In particular:
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:
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
### 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)
# Answer
> 0 votes
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, or buy one on eBay (Disclaimer: I just searched for that. I do not know the seller) .
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Tags: diy-3d-printer, printer-building, e-waste
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thread-7494 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7494 | How to paint ABS to look like wood | 2018-11-26T11:23:30.187 | # Question
Title: How to paint ABS to look like wood
I have a piece printed in white ABS, which is a half-scale replica of an unvarnished oak sculpture. After sanding off the worst of the layer lines, I'd like to paint it to get a nice wood finish. I believe that most hobby paints should stick fine, but how should I paint it to get a nice oaky appearance? Should I do layers of different colours? Will I get better results with spray or brush paints?
# Answer
I found step-by-step instructions on Instructables specific to 3D-printed parts. In summary:
1. Sand and brush with acetone for a smooth finish (I guess the acetone vapour treatment would work as well.)
2. Prime with plastic primer
3. Spray-paint with a satin, nutmeg-coloured base coat
4. Add grain with darker, acrylic paint using a fine brush
> 1 votes
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Tags: abs, post-processing, color
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thread-7535 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7535 | Why are my lowest layers not solid? | 2018-11-29T18:34:58.660 | # Question
Title: Why are my lowest layers not solid?
I have designed this in Blender:
The bottom is a regular n-gon with 0.8mm in height. In Slic3r, I see that the bottom-most layer is not solid:
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.
# Answer
I printed the thing for some layers to see what the printer actually does:
There are clearly too many retractions and unretractions.
This can be seen in advance by letting Slic3r show the retractions and unretractions.
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.
> 4 votes
# Answer
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.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: slic3r, blender
--- |
thread-7450 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7450 | Is there a difference between 3D printing and additive manufacturing? | 2018-11-19T09:28:33.463 | # Question
Title: Is there a difference between 3D printing and additive manufacturing?
Is there a difference between 3D printing and additive manufacturing if any then explain?
# Answer
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*.
> 3 votes
# Answer
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.
> 8 votes
# Answer
### Origin
3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) both refer to a range of processes where, opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies, materials are joined to create products. E.g. FFF, SLS, etc.
From this reference 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 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 Peter Zelinski 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**.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: terminology
--- |
thread-7540 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7540 | Print Lines Aren't Joining Together | 2018-11-29T23:39:32.877 | # Question
Title: Print Lines Aren't Joining Together
I have encountered a problem where the print lines are not joining together, when I remove it from the plate it turns into a stringy mess.
I am not sure what the problem is because I print out models that have successfully come out with properly joined lines previously, but now are failing. I am using the same nozzle and material that I have been using in past prints.
I am using the Ender 3 with Bltouch running Marlin 1.1.9. The settings I use are as follows:
* Material - PLA
* Nozzle - 210
* Bed - 60
* Speed - 60
* First Layer Speed - 30
* Line Width - 0.4
**EDIT**
I have included some higher quality photos as requested, between the original post and this edit I added an aluminium Bowden extruder and a new nozzle but the problem still persists. I have also re-tensioned the x-axis belt and re-flashed Marlin to the printer in case that had somehow corrupted. I have also tried increasing the flow rate in Cura but I had to increase to 130% for there to be any noticeable effect (i was able to print a slightly better model but it still has zero integrity). I also tried adjusting the z-axis height tuning but within a few steps up or down it would go from too close to the bed with not enough material coming out, to a decent height but with the original problem. I also cleaned out the hot end.
# Answer
It is hard to tell from the quality of the picture you added, but this appears to be an example of either an incorrect height setting for your nozzle to touch trigger point (too large) or an under-extrusion problem that could be related to incorrect filament diameter setting, nozzle blockage, too high speed, slipping extruder gear, too less spring force on the extruder roller, etc.
As far as can be seen from the second picture, the filament is not properly squished to the build plate, so I expect that you gain from setting a smaller nozzle to sensor trigger point distance. This can be done with the `M851` command.
**Updated after posting high quality pictures:** From the pictures you can see that there is an extrusion problem. Your first layer brim starts with too less material, but seems to make adjoining lines in the brim because it is squished a little too much (nozzle is too close to the build plate). It is advised to calibrate the extruder. The lower walls look fine, these are printed at low speed, the infill however looks very weak, this is probably because of a high printing speed and high temperature. In order to solve the problem you need to lower the speeds, lower the hot end temperature to 200 °C, increase part cooling flow and check and calibrate the whole extruder system/path.
> 6 votes
---
Tags: print-quality, extrusion, creality-ender-3
--- |
thread-7543 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7543 | Building a cheap 3d printer with DC Motors? | 2018-11-30T13:46:06.583 | # Question
Title: Building a cheap 3d printer with DC Motors?
Because I do not own a 3d printer I am searching a way to build an affordable 3d printer. But paying a 200Euros for one seems too much for me.
So in my search for affordable 3d printer I thought to build one out of legos (for example this one) that I can find in bulk at reasonable price.
As for rods I can use out of old printers and skim them down to 8mm at a machine shop (at worst case).
But as for motors DC ones are easier to find/scavage that stepper ones but:
* Is it possible to build a 3d printer that uses DC motors instead of stepper ones and what kind of firmware is needed?
# Answer
> 4 votes
To use DC-motors instead of stepper motors, you would need to have some sort of encoder that tells the controlling machine where the printhead has moved.
On the arduino Forums they have discussed the problems and difficulties. The main problem is, that currently, there is little firmware for Arduino or similar chips that can do this. Another big problem is, that such a machine might need a different type of G-code, unless well done.
That is not to say that there is no firmware that does control DC motors via an encoder. Printers do so since ages. But to reverse engineer printer firmware is really really hard. It took a pair of hackers the better part of a half year to dissect the printer & Fax firmware for one printer, and they had mainly looked to dissect the fax protocol and had not looked at all at the motor control<sup>Defcon talk about it</sup>.
Luckily, as the RepRap tells though, somebody did hack together a DC motor control: Miguel Sanchez has a GitHub about it. You DO need proper encoders though.
---
Tags: diy-3d-printer, printer-building, e-waste
--- |
thread-7217 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7217 | What triggers Marlin's "Click to resume..."? | 2018-10-21T14:21:50.823 | # Question
Title: What triggers Marlin's "Click to resume..."?
I have a long print that keeps aborting. At some random point mid-print the printer says "Click to resume...". There is nothing in the G-code that asks for user confirmation. What could it be that triggers this? I noticed that sometimes (not every time) there is a blob of plastic in the way that should not be there.
On one occasion, after the "Click to resume...", the LCD showed the message `FY178.N16466` and again waited for a click.
The printer is an Anet A8 with Marlin 1.1.9. Slicer is Cura. I am printing via USB from Cura directly.
This is the error message:
# Answer
To answer your question directly, this action (`Click to resume...`) is triggered by a buffer overflow of the Marlin firmware that is caused by the repetitive sending of `M105` command by Ultimaker Cura (without checking the result).
This problem is a reported problem and fixed in the next release of Ultimaker Cura (please do note that as of posting this answer, the 3.6 Beta release is available for download). It appears to be a communication problem between Ultimaker Cura 3.4+ and 1.1.8+ versions of the Marlin firmware and has to to with polling of the temperature (`M105`). The link above also states it is fixed in the 3.6 release (which is the next release) as the fix has been integrated in the main code base.
This describes the problem:
> To update the temperatures in the monitor, Cura sends M105 pings every 2 seconds. It seems that if this is done during a print without waiting for an `OK` from the printer, the serial buffer on the printer may still overflow eventually (causing Marlin to complain/pause).
and this describes the solution:
> During some operations, such as preheating, the printer responds to new commands with `echo:busy`. While it is busy, it does send temperature messages, but these are not prepended with an `ok`, because the `ok` is supposed to show that a command was received and executed. So the two patches I wrote do the following:
>
> * the pattern matching no longer looks for `ok` messages, but looks for temperature updates (this fixes the temperature updating while the printer is preheating)
> * once the printer has said that it is busy, stop asking for temperature updates until the next `ok` is received (this prevents the serial buffer overflowing while preheating)
---
*Old answer centered around the firmware (based on the text of the OP, no photo with the actual error message was added yet):*
The text `click to resume print` cannot be found (with case insensitive search) in the latest sources of Marlin 1.1.9 down to Marlin 1.1.6. This means that you are using a different fork, an older version of Marlin or the message is not displayed as such.
The text message `Resume print` can be found, and is part of the message constant `MSG_RESUME_PRINT`
```
#define MSG_RESUME_PRINT _UxGT("Resume print")
```
But, this cannot be found in some sort of a concatenation using `MSG_RESUME_PRINT`!
> 6 votes
# Answer
*This is not an answer/explanation per se, but it might help you track down the cause.*
---
It *might* be worth enabling logging `M928` to the SD card (ensure that the R/W tab on the SD card is set appropriately), so that (after this has happened a few times) then you can look through the log to see what the command preceding the abort was, and if it is consistently the same (sequence of) commands that cause this to happen.
```
M928 filename
```
If that doesn't throw up anything obvious, then, in conjunction with logging, you could enable debugging, see `M111` Debug level. For example:
```
M111 S7 ; ECHO, ERRORS, INFO
```
Then run through the long print again. As before, after a few of the *click to resume print* messages, then go back and check the log for anything that might indicate why this is happening.
To subsequently disable the debugging:
```
M111 S0
```
> 2 votes
# Answer
For your information, this problem has occurred for me with Cura 3.6.0 (yesterday and 2 days ago)
I thought the problem was occurring with Marlin since 1.8.
My Marlin version is 1.3 (... just discover that because of that issue!)
As my printer works perfectly with 1.3, I'd prefer not to upgrade.
I had the 'click to resume' problem twice.
I've printed tons of ABS models without problem, two days ago, I've printed PLA models and had this issue. (70 °C 200 °C).
For sure if the problem occurs again, I'll upgrade to Marlin 1.9 (or even 2.0 even if still in beta) because it seems that you *have* found the problem and already solved it; I was surprised to read that it was fixed in Cura 3.6 since I had the problem with that version.
My printer is a Tevo Tarentula (modified, I've removed the pseudo bed leveling options because I prefer to level manually (no z move while printing)).
One more information is that in parallel, I've decided to print the first layer at a very low speed (adhesion problems).
I've changed from 30 mm/s (ABS with big adhesion problems) to 10 mm/s with PLA + Cura 3.6 and went into this bug (yes one could argue that I may print faster etc., but that's not the point here). Maybe I have the problem because I'm printing the 1st layer at a this slow speed (thus making the full buffer problem more critical).
The bug does not occur each time I print, even when printing the same model with same parameters...
@HuguesDug reported the same problem 14 days ago and @Leeb answered him that running with Marlin 1.9 solved the problem.
> 2 votes
# Answer
Tonight I had faced the same problem.
I've read somewhere (can't find the source now) that this is a Cura bug that has been fixed in Cura 3.6 beta
> 1 votes
---
Tags: firmware, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-7556 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7556 | First time assemble of Anet A6 printer. Only fan works | 2018-12-01T17:54:11.863 | # Question
Title: First time assemble of Anet A6 printer. Only fan works
I bought an Anet A6-L printer *(after some research I discovered that this is not a genuine Anet A6)* and assembled it. The first time I plugged it in, the fan (fan 2, I believe) is the only thing that turns on. Also, the LCD screen (LCD2004 5 button display) only had 1 cord, and 1 jack for the cord to plug in on the back of the screen, but 2 openings on the motherboard. The fan turns on for around 30 seconds, then turns off. I have the anet A6 printer, with the V1-5 motherboard. I have everything else (fans, motors, hotbed, power) plugged into the right ports. I haven't plugged in the micro SD (TF) card yet, I turned it on to test it.
I am using a modified part that replaces the windpipe/fan duct (white) and redirects the airflow around it and inwards from a ring around the tip, but that is the only modification I have made. I have not messed with the power supply (other than wiring it in). Same with the motherboard. I tested it also without the modification for the fan duct but it still has the same problem.
# Answer
> 5 votes
This definitely sounds like a problem with your wiring if you have a genuine Anet A6, the genuine A6 comes with a 12864 full graphic display. For sure, you are missing 1 flat ribbon cable (see below). Maybe this is causing the LCD not to light up and the SD card not functioning. As the "fan 2" is working, the board is powered by the power supply (this fan is using the constant power feed of the supply of the board). What you are actually describing as a boot sequence is the actual boot sequence of a printer. Once you power the printer, the fan that is cooling the cold end of the extruder should start spinning and keep spinning while the part cooling fan usually spins up but then powers down to standstill. While this is happening, the LCD should come alive and show the boot screen and finally the printer menu. If your screen is not showing any light, this **implies that your screen is** either **broken**, **not powered** or **wrongly connected**.
You could connect the printer over USB and control the printer from an external program, e.g. Pronterface, OctoPrint, Repetier-host, etc. and see if the printer works (then you know that the display is broken).
From a search on AliExpress I found that there are auto leveling printers sold with the Anet A6 branding that differ from the standard Anet A6 as written in Chinglish:
> Different Auto leveling A6 and Normal A6:
>
> 1.The auto-leveling version uses a proximity sensor to detect the aluminum print bed where the normal version of the printer uses a micro-switch to detect the end of travel for the Z-Axis movement (vertical limits).
>
> 2.**Auto leveling A6-L work with LCD2004 screen**, A6 work with LCD12864 screen
The second remark from the quote above suggests that there is a 2004 LCD version that is only used by the Anet A6-L version (probably because they need a free pin for the auto leveling sensor). Such a display only has a single connection socket and needs to be connected to a single socket on the Anet printer board (named "LCD", not "J3")
Note that **automatic bed levelling is not magic**, and a little **more complicated** to start with, if you order a printer without an auto bed levelling sensor, you will be able to update to one later. E.g. from here:
> It uses the "LED pin" which is an unused pin on the A8 (using the stock 5 button 2004 LCD). That is the third wire counted from below (where the red marker is on the cable). I simply spliced the cable and cut that wire. This will be the servo signal (yellow).
---
### If you have an Anet A6 adapted for auto levelling with a 2004 display
When the LCD does not light up, this could be caused by incorrect placement of the flat cable, be sure to use the correct socket on the printer board and take care of the orientation. Once you have checked this, and it does not work and you are in the possession of a multimeter, you could measure the voltage over the "VSS" and the "VDD" pin; also look into the voltage over the "VSS" and the "VE" (see pin layout below). If there is power, but no light, the LCD is probably defective. You could try to hook up a computer to the board using a USB cable and use a program like Pronterface to interface with the printer to see if it works at all, the display is not required for printing (e.i. if you can access the printer over USB).
---
### If you have a genuine Anet A6
It is advised to ***install an extra flat ribbon cable*** and ***check all the wires***, please do check for correct polarity and correct installment.
Please do note the the installation of the Anet A6 LCD display (see this movie and the screenshot from this video below) requires 2 flat ribbon cables to function properly.
---
<sub> *Sidemark on fan ducts:<br>Both the stock and most ring type ducts are not aerodynamically designed fan ducts. The stock fan converges too much, this narrowing of the duct causes extra pressure build-up which these fans are not able to handle, so they stall, causing a reduced flow output of the fan. The (semi) circular fan ducts usually also have a design problem. The (semi) circular ones all (but one that I have seen) have the same deficiency that the main passage area does not decrease when the duct loses air through a slot/ejector; this means that the velocity in the main ring decreases after each bleed slot! Note that these fans move air and do not build up a high pressure difference that is large enough to overcome the friction of those designs.*</sub>
---
Tags: diy-3d-printer, power-supply, anet-a6, fans
--- |
thread-6654 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6654 | How to install a .hex firmware? | 2018-08-13T19:51:37.393 | # Question
Title: How to install a .hex firmware?
Creality does offer its firmware on creality3d.cn as .hex files. These are pretty good as backups as one can't alter and destroy them by accident.
But... How do you install them?!
---
This is about installing firmware *directly* and *without* another microcontroller. To use another mictrocontroller is How to install new firmware via a Microcontroller?
# Answer
Creality also does provide an installation PDF. The process they propose is twofold and might need different settings on other machines<sup>1</sup>. Spots where I assume you might need to adjust are noted with<sup>A</sup>. Note that **this solution depends on CURA**.
## 1. Install the printer as a periphery machine.
This part is specific for Windows. If you use Linux or a MAC, you will need to use a different setup, but you might get the same results.
1. Turn on the power on the printer and connect it from the MircoUSB to a USB of the computer. This should automatically install the driver. If not, the Driver is on the SD card provided with the Printer<sup>2</sup>.
* To manually install `windows Key` \+ "`MANAGER`" and choose *Device manager*. Find the serial port that shows yellow, Right-click, choose `Update driver software > Browse my computer for driver software`. Now `Browse`, find the location of USB driver on the SD card and click `Next`.
* Generally,the serial port(COM) you need update has the biggest number, but can change.
* A good idea is to confirm the correct port with a software like Repetier Host, with which you can control the printer directly - if it works, you got the drivers and the port correct. Also, you know the correct Baudrate.
2. After the driver installation, launch CURA to do some settings. In `File > Preferences`:
* Print Window is "Pronterface UI"<sup>A</sup>
3. Switch to `Machine > Machine Settings`:
* Serial Port: choose the one that just was updated
* Baudrate: 115200<sup>A</sup>
## 2. Upload the .hex file via cura
1. `Machine > Install custom Firmware`
2. Make sure the printer is connected, then `OK`
3. find the .hex file on your PC, then confirm.
4. Wait for the process to finish.
---
<sup>1 - most likely, you will have to change the baudrate</sup>
<sup>2 - This might not be true for all manufacturers, but is for creality. Other manufacturers might have different sources for these.</sup>
<sup>A - Adjust as needed!</sup>
> 3 votes
# Answer
A major part of the Arduino IDE is sort of semi-hidden, and that is some guy called avrdude. Actually, AVRDUDE – AVR Downloader/UploaDEr is a standalone binary.
As an aside, there is also `gcc` which does the compiling, but that is another matter. The `avrdude` uploads the compiled binary provided by `gcc` on to the Arduino, via the USB port (COM port).
You can invoke this from the command line (assuming that you have the Arduino IDE installed).
You will need to specify (see command line option descriptions):
* The baud rate of the COM port (`-b`)
* The COM port (`-P`)
* The processor used in the board (for the Arduino Mega2560 board: ATmega2560) (`-p`)
* The path to the `.hex` file (`-U`)
* The path to the `.conf` file of avrdude itself (`-C`)
* Verbose mode, so see what is happening (`-v`)
* Specify the programmer to be used (`-c`). See the -c option on command line option descriptions for more information.
* Disable auto erase for flash (`-D`)
The command will be of the form:
```
<path to arduino>/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude
-C<path to arduino>/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf
-v -patmega2560 -carduino -b 115200 -cstk500v2
-P<name of serial port>
-D -Uflash:w:<path to hex file>:i
```
This example above:
1. Specifies the full path to the `avrdude` binary
2. Specifies the full path to the `avrdude` `.conf` configuration file
3. Verbose mode
4. The ATmega2560 processor used in the Arduino Mega2560 board
5. The Arduino programmer
6. The baud rate of the USB port
7. The Atmel STK500 Version 2.x firmware programmer (may not be required)
8. The port to which the Arduino board is connected
9. Disables auto-flash as it is not required – Auto erase is not used for ATxmega devices as these devices can use page erase before writing each page so no explicit chip erase is required. Note however that any page not affected by the current operation will retain its previous contents.
10. The memory to be uploaded to and the path to the .hex file (see the -U option on command line option descriptions for more information):
1. `flash` specifies the flash ROM of the device.
2. `w:` read the specified file and write it to the specified device memory
3. `:i` specifies Intel Hex
### Examples
For Windows
```
C:\dev\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\bin\avrdude
-CC:\dev\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\etc\avrdude.conf
-v -patmega2560 -carduino -b115200 -cstk500v2
-P\\.\COM1
-D -Uflash:w:C:\Users\<username>\Documents\firmware.hex:i
```
For OSX
```
/Applications/Arduino/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude
-C/Applications/Arduino/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega2560 -carduino -b115200 -cstk500v2 -P\\.\COM1 -D -Uflash:w:/Users/<username>/Documents/Arduino/firmware.hex:i
```
## Alternatives
If you are not comfortable using a command line interface (CLI) it might be easier to use a GUI solution…
### XLoader
For a Windows only solution, see Uploading Arduino HEX files with XLoader
From the author’s website:
> I’ve made a small program that can be used to upload your own \*.hex files to arduino boards using the bootloader. That means you don’t need a flash programmer. I made it for my own use and found it pretty useful. So now I’ve made a more user friendly version.. To use it compile you’re code in something like AvrStudio. Then simply start XLoader.exe, pick a hex file and press upload. That’s it. Good news it now also supports Arduino Uno.
### Arduino Builder
From Arduino Builder – standalone utility for building and uploading Arduino sketches
> 1. Choose file, either a sketch file (.ino), an HEX file (.hex) or an ELF file (.elf)
> 2. Choose the board type in the dropdown list.
> 3. Click on the serial port (or USBASP button) and theuploading will be proceeded.
### Arduino Uploader
From the same page, there is Arduino Uploader which is a command line version of Arduino Builder.
> 6 votes
# Answer
The Prusa i3 MK3 comes with Slic3r, Prusa Edition. It has a menu for flashing the firmware, which takes a HEX file as input.
You can then select the HEX file. It will auto-detect the printer, if connected via USB.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: firmware
--- |
thread-7557 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7557 | Upgrade firmware without Slic3r and USB connection? | 2018-12-01T19:54:54.297 | # Question
Title: Upgrade firmware without Slic3r and USB connection?
When printing a part today on my Prusa i3 MK3, I was prompted to upgrade the firmware. I went to the website and downloaded the firmware as a .hex file.
When reading the attached firmware upgrade instructions, it seems there's only one way: use Slic3r and connect the printer via USB. These instructions are also available online.
However, my printer is too far away from my PC and I'm printing from SD card only. Can I upgrade from SD card as well?
Hopefully next week I'll get the Raspberry Pi Zero W so I can use Octoprint for printing. Does that combination support upgrading the firmware?
I have tried:
* this Prusa forum post suggests that upgrading via SD card is not possible.
* this Prusa forum post mentions that there once was a way to upgrade the firmware via Octoprint, but the post is very old (last entry from January 2017)
* it's not a duplicate of this 3D Printing question, since all solutions require a USB or serial connection.
# Answer
> 3 votes
No, you cannot update the firmware from an SD card.
Yes you can update from a Raspberry Pi (RPi). A RPi runs a Linux distribution, when you install the correct tools you should be able to update through USB using the RPi.
For simplicity and time it would be an idea to lend a laptop for a few minutes.
---
Tags: prusa-i3, firmware
--- |
thread-7555 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7555 | How do I keep the .stl files from being resized while exporting? | 2018-12-01T17:38:06.567 | # Question
Title: How do I keep the .stl files from being resized while exporting?
I made a few models in Autodesk Inventor. When I tried to get them printed, the printer created a model smaller than the model I made in Inventor (270mm x 200mm). Is there a way to keep them from getting resized?
Here is the model in Inventor: And here is the model being visualized by the printer driver:
# Answer
# .stl Basics
The .stl format has no inherent sense of which units you use. items are to scale to an ambiguous 1, which could be 1 meter, one millimeter, one lightyear or one inch. To a .stl, only the *relative* sizing matters. All these faces you see are compared to a line with the length of 1-unit that is
# Slicer-Modeling Software interaction
The most common graphic design programs export in millimeters, but some US ones just assume inches, which is a factor of 1"=25.4mm.
Cura, Netfabb, and Slic3r expect that the 1-unit line is one **millimeter** long - but if it is an inch instead, then the model is shrunk by 1/25.4 or to about 4% of the right size. Scaling up by 2540% one would return to the millimeter scale.
But then there are other programs that use other choices of scales. Blender for example assumes a scene is in meters by default.
# Inventor
Inventor can export .stl in a variety of scales, which all just serve as how the length of the inherent but invisible 1-unit line is drawn. The default choice is **centimeters**, so a scaling factor of 1cm=10mm, which would explain the models being only 1/10th of the expected size in Slic3r. to change the scaling, follow the manual:
* upon exporting a .stl, click `Options`
* under Units, choose `mm`
> 3 votes
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Tags: cad, stl
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thread-7446 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7446 | Density of GEL-LAY and LAYWOO 3D print material? | 2018-11-18T20:46:12.157 | # Question
Title: Density of GEL-LAY and LAYWOO 3D print material?
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.
# Answer
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 * r<sup>2</sup> * l
>
> v = pi * (0.175 cm/2)<sup>2</sup> * 1000 cm
>
> v = 24.05 cm<sup>3</sup>
Density is mass divided by volume. If your sample weighs 18 g, this would be
> d = m / v
>
> d = 18.0 g / 24.05 cm<sup>3</sup>
>
> d = 0.748 g/cm<sup>3</sup>
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.
> 4 votes
# Answer
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. 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! :)*
> 2 votes
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Tags: filament, print-material, tpe, pva
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thread-7541 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7541 | Monoprice Select Mini v2 - Some Prints Freeze | 2018-11-30T02:41:03.770 | # Question
Title: Monoprice Select Mini v2 - Some Prints Freeze
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.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If you go to the Monoprice website you will find a dedicated page for Ultimaker 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.
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:
> * 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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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 for their advice.
There are a number of Cura + monoprice instructional vids on youtube as well.
not to mention several reddit channels.
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, monoprice-select-mini
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thread-7564 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7564 | Prevent stopping and heating in the middle of the print | 2018-12-02T21:41:46.783 | # Question
Title: Prevent stopping and heating in the middle of the print
In my latest 3D model, the Prusa i3 MK3 stops, heats and then continues the print. However, there's no noticeable drop in temperature. The display shows 210 °C/90 °C (nozzle/bed) as expected. I have printed the same part 3 times now and the behavior is similar. I've seen a maximum of 211 °C/90 °C and a minimum of 209 °C/89 °C.
Unfortunatly, it seems that stopping the head seems no good idea. The nozzle is very close to the object and it seems as if either there's a bit of filament leaking, causing too much filament, or the existing filament is melting.
The irregularities are always in the same XYZ positions. The print is still usable for my needs, but I'd like to understand this behavior better and find a fix, if possible. My meterial is HDGlass (PETG) and I'm printing with default settings, 20 % infill and first layer 200 °C, following layers 210 °C.
I've looked up the print quality troubleshooting guide. It looks a bit like blobs and zits, just much less and much more subtle than in the example there. Also, the solution is not applicable, because Slic3r does not show a planned retraction in those positions.
My model is available online and the issue appears near the large bottom layers and the large top layers.
My questions are:
* what is the problem called / what problem category do I have here?
* what is a potential fix?
* since the filament also extrudes at 200 °C, can I prevent the printer from stopping the movements unless the nozzle temperature drops below e.g. 207 °C, although the nominal temperature should be 210 °C?
# Answer
> 2 votes
# Your allowable temperature tolerance might be too low.
You have seen what I call emergency-halt the print on getting too far away from the set print-temperature. As described, the allowable tolerance seems to be 1 degree, which means pretty much any variation in the printer head's temperature will trigger the stop before the software even can counteract it.
To counteract this, you might try to increase your allowable range slightly, for example to about 2.5 of more degrees, either way, giving the printer time to compensate without halting the print.
# How the tolerance area works
* Let's assume the printer has 210 degrees with a stable heat input from the cartridge and monitored by the thermosensor.
* conditions are met to start printing.
* Filament is pushed into the nozzle, picking up heat energy from the heater block.
* The temperature of the heater block drops, as the thermal energy (=heat) input from the cartridge did not yet include the new thermal energy drain in the shape of the filament.
* The Thermosensor registers the thermal drop a little bit later and notifies the chip
* The chip increases the voltage on the heater cartridge with a little time difference
+ With a very low tolerance, it is possible to fall below the threshold before the cartridge could heat up to compensate
* the cartridge pumps in way more heat than needed, raising the temperature rapidly back into the print-temperature tolerance area...
* ...and overshoots the aimed for 210 degrees.
* The thermosensor only registers the aimed temperature with a short delay
* the chip cuts the voltage to the heater cartridge lower
* but there is still a lot of extra thermal energy banked in the heater cartridge, heating the block over the aimed 210 degrees
+ which again can trigger the stop for the temperature rose over the allowable tolerance.
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Tags: print-quality, prusa-i3
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thread-7573 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7573 | Creality Ender 3 - printing in front of the build plate | 2018-12-03T22:39:27.650 | # Question
Title: Creality Ender 3 - printing in front of the build plate
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?
# Answer
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), 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) or 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).*
> 4 votes
# Answer
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
> 2 votes
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Tags: calibration, build-plate
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thread-223 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/223 | How thin can I make the wall of a pipe? | 2016-01-13T21:23:20.463 | # Question
Title: How thin can I make the wall of a pipe?
For a science project, I'm 3D-printing some custom pipes and tubes to regulate the flow of gas (a combination of ethyl alcohol and water vapor) through an apparatus. They need to be pretty small, as the entire experiment is designed on a small scale. I'd also like the use a little filament as possible.
How thin can I make the walls of these pipes and tubes before either they collapse or gas leaks out? I know that's possibly an engineering issue, but I'd also need to take resolution into consideration. Ideally, the pipes would be about two centimeters in diameter, possibly a little larger or a little smaller in some parts. I'd most likely use ABS, but PLA is my backup in case there's some unforeseen reaction between the gas and the pipes.
The printer I'm using is an FDM printer, a version of the MakerBot Replicator.
# Answer
The thinnest wall your printer can print is determined by its nozzle size, and will be a little thicker than that nozzle size.
A great challenge when dealing with thin, hollow cylinders is that the cross-section has very little surface area and it can delaminate easily, especially if the tube is long.
You could try printing the tube with a very thick extrusion with, and using only a single perimeter. That would give better gas-tightness and layer adhesion than two, thinner perimeters, but it may turn out too fragile for your application. In that case, you'll need to print additional perimeters. Sticking to thicker extrusion widths would still be beneficial.
At a two centimeter diameter I'd say the single perimeter has a decent chance of working if you handle them gingerly.
> 10 votes
# Answer
The thinnest possible will be a single outline, so the best you can possibly do is slightly larger than your nozzle size.
The biggest issues I see in terms of making a thin airtight tubes are:
* Complex geometry: anywhere you have overhangs you may need to increase the wall thickness to ensure a sealed overlap. Bridging will need extra layers to ensure good layer adhesion and any supports will have to be removed carefully to not damage the surface.
* Perimeter start/end: The joint where the perimeter starts/ends not only has to seal to the layer below but it has to seal with the now cooling start point. This could be especially problematic if all of your layers are started at the same point (which visually produces a vertical seam) because you don't have a smooth perimeter on the previous layer and any imperfections in the joint are compounded.
Thoughts:
* Print on end where possible: You'll get a higher quality outer perimeter if your layers are full rings instead of printing up both sides of a pipe on its side.
* If you can manage a single perimeter when printing on end try using the "spiral vase" setting, which will smoothly raise the z position and print as a spiral instead of printing discrete layers. This removes any issues related to sealing the start/end of a perimeter.
* If you're printing with multiple perimeters increment the wall thickness in multiples of the nozzle size to ensure the perimeters are sealed together. Having the perimeters not bound together increases the chance of leaks and reduces stiffness.
* Do the pipes have to have the same thickness all along them? You can probably reduce thickness to save material for simple geometry (straight sections) if you change thickness gently.
> 6 votes
# Answer
When printing thin cylinders vertically,
* Slow print speed, to avoid rocking the model.
* no shells, just one nozzle thick, so you don't need fill. Fill can easily rock the print.
* Print at least 2 at a time at the smallest layer thickness you can do. This causes the hot end to have to move away from one cylinder to get to the next. This gives each cylinder layer some extra time too cool and harden before the next layer goes on. I generally print .1 or .05 for cylinders.
* Your slicer may have a setting that tells it to wait between layers so the plastic has more time to cool. I think the setting is called ORBIT on mine.
Consider following up with an acetone vapor bath to help seal the pores in the print.
> 2 votes
# Answer
This is difficult to give a definitive answer, but I have some thoughts.
For a vertical wall, the minimum thickness is determined by your nozzle size, typically 0.4mm. If you are able to print entirely in a vertical orientation (a pipe standing on end), you may consider using "vase mode" with no top or bottom to print. This can help simplify the CAD modeling, as you don't have to model the hollow interior and wall thickness.
For a horizontal wall, in theory this could be a single layer height, about 0.1mm depending on the printer and settings. Realistically, you will probably need 2 to 4 layers to get something "solid". However, this is not likely to have good results for a hollow pipe due to performance of the printer in bridging and overhangs. A thin, round pipe laying on its side is not likely to be successfully printable.
For printing in a horizontal orientation, I'd recommend a non-circular shape; the specific shape would depend on your overall design and goals. A "teardrop" or "flat teardrop shape can help with horizontal holes through parts.
Also, rather than individual pipes, perhaps you could design a block with hollow passages. This could allow thicker walls, make it much stronger, reduce assembly needs, allow for extremely complex routing and internal connections, and may even allow for functional parts like valves or sensors to be installed.
Finally, I would not expect an FDM-printed part to be airtight. There will most likely be some small gaps between layers and where layers start and stop. As an example, I tried making an ice mold, but almost all the water seeped through before it froze.
Another poster recommended an acetone vapor bath, which should help seal any pores. This only works with ABS. Another idea might be to coat the inner surfaces of the pipes with a resin that can seal everything up.
> 1 votes
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Tags: fdm, abs, makerbot
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thread-7580 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7580 | Layer shifting on product printing after raft support structure | 2018-12-05T09:18:17.647 | # Question
Title: Layer shifting on product printing after raft support structure
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.
# Answer
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.
> 2 votes
# Answer
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.
> 0 votes
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Tags: troubleshooting, y-axis
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thread-7589 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7589 | Moving the Z-axis stepper motors below Z 0.0 | 2018-12-06T22:19:42.150 | # Question
Title: Moving the Z-axis stepper motors below Z 0.0
My Prusa i3 MK3 forgot his home position and it now assumes that the Z 0.0 position is right at the top of the printer. I've asked about this in the Prusa forum before and at that time, I accidentally found a solution using Pronterface.
So I am now in the same situation again. The printer head is at the very top. It assumes that this is Z 0.0, so I can't move it down.
Calibrating Z does not help. It will always display
> Some problem encounteres, Z-leveling enforced ...
and some time later, it calibrates Z again, resulting in the same problem and so on (endless loop).
The Pronterface trick (pressing the home button) does not work any more. However, Pronterface seems to accept raw G-Code.
**Which G-Code command would I need to send to the printer to let the head move down?** That would need to be a command that just rotates the stepper motor and does not consider the Z-axis value, so that the head effectively moves to negative Z values.
I have also tried:
* moving the head down manually while the printer was turned off. I'd like to avoid that. It just doesn't feel right. However, it worked after the third attempt and I was able to do a XYZ calibration. However, during bed leveling, it failed and went into the "some problem encountered" state again.
# Answer
To allow negative axis values, usually, the way is to use `G1 S1` to disable boundary checks and `G1 S0` to enable them.
Another way is to force homing Z, which means moving till an endstop triggers and then moving back up the specified motion via `G28 Z`
Another alternative would be to send `G92 Z50` to set the Z-hight to 50, then `G1 Z-50 F200` to move that much down, rinse and repeat.
> 1 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, calibration
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thread-7591 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7591 | What is this part and does it have to do with my my z-position is messed up? | 2018-12-07T02:57:07.357 | # Question
Title: What is this part and does it have to do with my my z-position is messed up?
I recently bought my first 3d printer, a monoprice maker select v2.
After a couple of print jobs, this piece fell out.
I have no idea where it came from.
But afterwards, I notice that my Z-positioning is all screwed up.
When I select "Home All" to reset all positions to do bed leveling, the extruder tries to push down pass the build-platform, puncturing a hole into the plastic bed cover. There was a lot of clicking from the motor so I immediately turned it off.
I turned it back on and then tried to move the z-position back up. But it moves only about an inch up before the motor starts clicking again.
I was reading some other posts about a "Z-axis limiter switch". Could that be what the little metal fork-like piece is? Where does it go and how do I put it back? And how do I reset my z-position?
Any help appreciated.
# Answer
> 6 votes
# Limiter Switch/Endstop
That is the lever that is meant to trigger your Z-Endstop. The variant used in your case is on the cheaper end and is meant to look similar to this QIAOH KN12-1 limit switch:
You will either exchange the endstop as a whole, somehow reattach the/a lever or change the physical position of the endstop so that the moving X-axis is triggering it (again).
# Replacement & Wiring advice
Pretty much any switch that can have both an NC/NO (normally closed/normally open) state will function in its state, but it is usually a good idea to have all safety switches (like limit switches) be NC types and have the firmware detect the loss of signal as a safety feature. In case of a broken cable, this will automatically force the machine to halt, instead of keeping the machine moving despite having reached the maximum position.
## Normally Open/Closed
It is even possible to wire up a number of redundant switches into one circuit. For NC setup, all the switches need to go in series, so that any switch getting toggled cuts the signal at that point. On the other hand, if only NO switches are used, they have to be wired in parallel: the signal passes when any number of switches is closed.
NO switches, because they are parallel, do cost us in the security department, as a broken lead does not halt the machine's use, but they are easier to troubleshoot as a broken component only takes out its specific arm of the parallel circuit. On the other hand, the NC-series does give us the broken lead security, but a single broken component that stays switched to open disables the whole series and identifying the broken component can take more time.
## NOT-Gates
As you can imagine, some clever electronics allow us to use us to turn an NO into an NC and vice versa. This clever piece is a NOT-gate, sometimes also called inverter. They take a logic signal and a supply voltage lead, and only allow the supply voltage to pass into their output if there is no signal in their input side. So, they allow using a NO switch as an NC switch or vice versa. In any case, the NOT-gate needs to be on the *output* side the switch(es) it shall invert as it only inverts the signal that happens before it in the circuit.
With this clever piece, one can use a combination of NO and NC switches, if one so desires: The NO and NC parts are to be wired separately in groups (the NC group in series, the NO group(s) in parallel). To combine the two signals, there are two ways: Either run the NO output through the NOT-gate into the NC circuit's input, putting it into the series (and making it technically function as a single NC-element), or put the NC group output signal into the NOT-gate and put both groups in parallel. In either case, the NOT-gate 'flips' the function of the switches to behave as if they were the other type: from NC to NO and vice versa.
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Tags: z-axis, endstop, monoprice-maker-select
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thread-7483 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7483 | How small may I design objects for the Prusa i3 MK3? | 2018-11-24T21:11:33.500 | # Question
Title: How small may I design objects for the Prusa i3 MK3?
I have designed a bread mark and printed it on the Prusa i3 MK3.
I wanted it to have as sharp edges as possible, so I used a triangle:
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.
# Answer
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.
> 1 votes
# Answer
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?
> 0 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, resolution
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thread-7582 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7582 | Why does my DIY printer start printing in air? | 2018-12-05T22:59:22.830 | # Question
Title: Why does my DIY printer start printing in air?
I've built a DIY 3D printer similar to Prusa i3. It does *homing* and *bed leveling* very well with a PNP Lj12a3\_4\_Z\_BY sensor using `G28` and `G29`.
However, when I push the print button on Pronterface or Simplify3D, Z axis goes up about 20mm and starts printing in air. I can't figure out what is going wrong.
# Answer
If the cad model was imported from Solidworks into Simplify3D. Push "Center and Arrange" button to place the model in the middle of the Heat Bed. There might be a gap between the object and bed level that is hard to see.
> 3 votes
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Tags: z-axis, bed-leveling, simplify3d, z-probe, pronterface
--- |
thread-7592 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7592 | What do you recommend for removing prints from Monoprice Maker Select bed? | 2018-12-07T04:27:58.570 | # Question
Title: What do you recommend for removing prints from Monoprice Maker Select bed?
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!
# Answer
When all other things have failed, I chuck the build plate in the freezer for half an hour.
The glassplate and the plastic changes size differently when changing temperature and 'pop' it just snaps off easily.
> 2 votes
# Answer
After having similar issues to you, and becoming frustrated with having to scrape and pry so much, I bought a removeable magnetic build plate. I'm not extremely happy with the exact one I purchased, so I won't link it directly, but the concept and general execution is wonderful, compared to the standard build plate on the Maker Select.
Any magnetic build plate that says it's 200x200 should fit, though I'd recommend getting a larger one and cutting it to size - the one I bought is 200x200 exactly and leaves quite a bit of space around the build area that seems like lost space.
> 2 votes
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Tags: abs, monoprice-maker-select
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thread-7602 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7602 | Ender 3 Nozzle does not clear bed | 2018-12-09T01:44:17.990 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 Nozzle does not clear bed
I have a thicker glass plate on the bed. Also, I have a z-axis offset at the maximum value 50 yet the nozzle does not clear the plate.
Why can't I adjust the axis beyond 50?
# Answer
> 2 votes
There are several ways to get the Z0 into a position the sotware can account for it without needing to write your own firmware if needed:
* Remove the build-tak-clone under your glass sheet to get the better heat transfer and remove a couple millimeters.
* Tighten the bed leveling to account for some millimeters.
* Move the physical endstop to account for the thicker build platform.
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Tags: z-axis, creality-ender-3
--- |
thread-7527 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7527 | Different lengths of filament is extruded with different temperatures | 2018-11-29T04:33:33.650 | # Question
Title: Different lengths of filament is extruded with different temperatures
**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 V<sub>ref</sub> from 0.75 to 1 for the extruder stepper
The reason I changed the V<sub>ref</sub> 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:
My test print to replicate the issue. The ripple bit is brittle and under extruded.
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
Most of the print is fine just some parts are different. This is an inner wall.
Heat towers
# Answer
> 4 votes
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:
> 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.
# Answer
> 3 votes
So I feel that I solved the problem thanks to a few sources. Thanks to 0scar 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.
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Tags: extrusion, hotend, creality-ender-3, stepper-driver, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-7612 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7612 | Is it possible to use Three.js to determine the wall thickness of an STL file? | 2018-12-10T09:32:48.850 | # Question
Title: Is it possible to use Three.js to determine the wall thickness of an STL file?
I am using a node app that displays stls online & analyzes them. Is it possible to determine the minimum wall thickness of the stl just like 3D Hubs print analyzer does?
# Answer
An STL file is a surface model file. From Wikipedia you can read that:
> STL files describe only the surface geometry of a three-dimensional object without any representation of color, texture or other common CAD model attributes.
This implies that there is no such thing as a wall thickness, as such you will not be able to determine the wall thickness (it is infinitesimally small). You might be interested in part thickness at a certain position; part thickness and wall thickness for 3D printing are determined when the STL model is sliced into sliced for creating 3D printer code.
> 5 votes
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Tags: print-quality, stl
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thread-6896 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/6896 | Clamps / clips for glass on heatbed | 2018-09-12T15:00:15.403 | # Question
Title: Clamps / clips for glass on heatbed
I'm looking for clamps to fix the glass on my heatbed. After some search I found that some people use clamps printed of PLA. Can I use PLA clamps for a heated heatbed (~60 °C)?
I also tried foldback clips but they block my nozzle. The Anet A8 starts in the front left corner. When I start to print, the nozzle moves a little bit up on z, then up on y and right on x. At this first move it moves into the fold back clip. I'm looking for a way to fix the corners and not to fix the edge in the middle.
What other clamps or clips can I use to fix the glass (~3 mm) on the heatbed (~2.5 mm)? I don't want to use glue.
My printer is an Anet A8.
# Answer
> 8 votes
How about the Ultimaker clips? Ultimaker uses 2 mm heat bed and 4 mm glass, that should be within reach by bending the clips a bit. They have quite a low profile/footprint.
These clamps are very cheap and can be found on those typical auction or Chinese sites.
Alternatively, you can also tape the glass to the aluminium bed using kapton tape if you are concerned about hitting the binder clips.
Note that e.g. in Marlin firmware, you can define a Z-offset to prevent hitting the binder clips on movement.
# Answer
> 6 votes
There are some clips similar to Trish's answer that aren't mounted but have a spring in them to apply pressure. Looks like they are called Swiss clips: Glass retaining clips – Swiss made:
# Answer
> 4 votes
PLA has two problems that keep it from being usable for your purposes.
First, it deforms under load. I've used printed C-clamps for various jobs; by the time I'm done, the clamp is generally warped by 10+ millimeters.
Second, PLA has a very low heat tolerance. The glass transition temperature of PLA is around 60-65°C, right around your intended heatbed temperature, so not only will your clamps deform from the load, the plastic will flow from the heat.
If you were printing on a cold bed, you might be able to use printed clamps, printing out a fresh set whenever deformation of the current set gets too high. On a heated bed, not a chance. Look for some sort of metal spring-based clips instead.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Let's analyze the problem:
* We have a 5.5 mm total thickness.
* We want to (semi)permanently affix the two layers together mechanically.
* The clips shall not be higher than about 0.2 mm to allow the nozzle to pass over them.
# (non)Solution attempt zero:
Let's look at the problem objectively... we can print something, can we? Well... 0.2 mm or below of PLA means 0.2mm of PLA that need to withstand the stress of trying to push the glass to the bed. PLA, just like any plastic, isn't super strong in thin layers, especially when heated to 60°C to get a good bed adhesion. And then you might want to print something like ABS, which demands an 80°C or higher bed temperature. The result will not be pretty: either the clip breaks after a very short time or it starts to bend. The result: no clip, bed slipping free.
# Solution attempt one:
Let's look at old picture frames that consist of just a glass sheet and a paper/wood backing. A "Frameless Picture Frame" like this one<sup>1</sup>. These clips do need some kind of mounting on the underside.
Using this design as a base, you might either get these clips or make similar ones yourself. But how to mount them?
Well, here comes the nice part: we got some options.
* Glue or solder the clips to the underside of the bed. Removing the sheet gets a PITA, but is still possible
* Cutting mounting slots for the clips. The sheet can be removed by removing the clips now. But the bed heating might not like us cutting slots into the aluminium.
* Adding a mounting point. Again, we can use glue or solder to add some kind of framework that we mount the clips to. Like a piece of aluminium U-profile with the opening to the centre of the bed, giving us mounting points for the clips.
<sup>1 - This was just the first one that I found that had the right setup. I am not affiliated with them and don't get money for this.</sup>
# Solution attempt two:
Take this idea up a notch and look for this same principle applied.
There is the "Swiss Made Glass Retaining Clip" Perplexed Dipole mentioned. Good idea, and instead of having to cut a notch into the aluminium bed, a simple, small hole would be sufficient. About the same price than a frameless picture frame but less construction work!
And then there is, of course, the option to look at the Ultimaker and its Build Plate Clamps like 0scar mentioned. If you can get them (also in the same price range as the other options) you even might have an easy installation: they are supposed to be mounted in the corners of the build plate by being held by the springs. For the A8, you'll have to possibly adjust the mounting point some, maybe even give them a little nub to pivot around to secure them in place, but this clearly is a solution too.
# Answer
> 3 votes
They might not work for every printer, but how about old fashioned *bulldog clips*:
Attached at both end in the y-axis, they will avoid your Z-axis rods and frame (attached in the direction of the x-axis I have noticed them catch against the Z-axis frame).
Like so (except the image below uses the *foldback clips* that (I assume that) you refer to):
The lever/handles aren't as long as those on foldback clips, and more sturdy too. Also, they have no curled edge that can catch the nozzle if mounted right.
You should obviously route any wiring/tubes away from the clips travel at the rear of the printer.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I went to OfficeMax and got some Small clips. They are bigger than the Micro/Mini clips that ship with the printer and seem to fit just right on a glass plate.
One of the Mini clips that shipped with the Ender 3 is shown to the left. The Small size that works best is obviously centered. The Medium in the back seem way too big.
For an added bonus, they sell this sandpaper with a rubber back and it really increases traction. An oversize chunk of that worked really well. But it's optional.
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Tags: heated-bed, anet-a8, glass-bed
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thread-7618 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7618 | Wanhao Duplicator i3 plus temperature out of control | 2018-12-11T19:42:35.873 | # Question
Title: Wanhao Duplicator i3 plus temperature out of control
I have a reasonably new Wanhao Duplicator i3 plus that has been printing happily for a few weeks.
This morning it has developed a new error. When you hit pre-heat for PLA (target temperature 200 °C) it heats the extruder but never stops. It is like the extruder heater is permanently on. The set point doesn't make any difference. If you hit cooldown it still keeps heating up!
At 240 °C I turned the machine off for fear of what happens next.
It seems only to affect the extruder heater not the bed heater. That seems to be working and following the set point.
Any ideas what this is and how to fix it?
# Answer
## Thermal Runaway?!
The temperature should not go over the `MAXTEMP` variable set in the firmware, so permanent damage is ***probably avoided*** (when temperature doesn't exceed about 250 °C; that is about the max temperature for the PTFE liners in the hotend). In the factory setup, the Wanhao Duplicator i3 is running an instance of Marlin Firmware. In the configuration.h file the MAXTEMP is defined like:
```
#define HEATER_0_MAXTEMP 275
```
for the first extruder where 275 °C is the default value, if Wanhao has changed this to a lower value (as they list their printer to print to max 240 °C) is not known.
## Fixing the issue at hand
To expand on your question:
> "Any ideas what this is and how to fix it?"
In order for you to fix the problem you need to do some troubleshooting. You need to find out if this problem persists when not using the pre-heat function of the firmware. E.g. When you do not pre-heat, but print a PLA object, does the temperature also keeps rising? Furthermore, try to hook up a computer/laptop over USB to the printer board and try pre-heating from a software application like OctoPrint, Repetier-Host, PronterFace, etc.
From the description alone, it appears as though the gain of the onboard MOSFET is opened once requested to preheat, but never closed. This could hint to a faulty MOSFET. If you are handy with software compiling for Arduino based microchips (*please do note that this requires some thorough insight in compiling software for the Arduino platform*), you could alter the printer configuration (not only hardware, by connecting the hotend heater and thermistor cables to the bed terminals, but also software, by switching pins in the board configuration file) to use the bed terminals to heat up the hotend (and not use the heated bed during the test, disconnect the cables of the bed), but that will most probably show that the hotend will stop at the requested temperature as the thermistor does not seem to be broken.
Simple tests that you could perform to check the functioning of the hotend/setup are:
* ***Disconnecting the thermistor leads***
This will effectively result in a 0 Volt reading, this is to test the MINTEMP temperature limit of your setup.
* ***Shorting the thermistor leads***
This will effectively result in a full 5 Volts signal resulting in the maximum temperature reading. This exceeds the MAXTEMP temperature by far, as such it should halt heating up the heating element once shortened. You can do this even without heating up or before it reaches 240 °C.
* ***Disconnect the Heater cartridge*** or
***Take the heater cartridge out of the aluminium heater block***
This will effectively test the "Thermal Runaway Protection" (or short TRP) of your setup. If the thermistor does not register a temperature rise after a certain amount of seconds (in advanced configuration), the printer should detect there is something wrong and shut down/halt the printer. Disconnecting the heater cartridge is the safer way. Common TRP times are 120 seconds and less.
> 2 votes
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Tags: extruder, troubleshooting, wanhao, duplicator-i3-plus
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thread-4197 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4197 | Is the Prometheus system compatible with Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus? | 2017-06-06T00:32:18.853 | # Question
Title: Is the Prometheus system compatible with Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus?
I'm trying to figure out whether the Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus can easily be extended to print with two separate filaments using the Prometheus System by DisTech Automation using a single hotend (NOT with two separate hot ends/nozzles).
According to DisTech, the Prometheus System is compatible with 3D printers that support the following:
* Dual extruder stepper motors on the controller board
* CURA slicer engine (Simplify3D support is in development)
* Marlin/Repetier based firmware (this includes almost all desktop 3D printers)
As I'm not an expert on 3D printing and don't own the Duplicator yet (making up purchase decision right now), I'd appreciate if you could help me with your past experience with Duplicator and/or Prometheus.
# Answer
> 3 votes
The Prometheus system is pretty much a Y-coupler and two extruders. So, you need your Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus to have the connection points for two extruders and the axis, which means you need one free, 4 wire connection slot from a stepper driver. So, let's look what kind of board is in there...
This Melzi Hypbrid is the mainboard the Duplicator uses, similar to a lot of other Melzi derivates (itself as it seems a Sanguino Derivate). The green 4-pin terminal is the extruder. There is only one of these. So it is not useable with Prometheus. You would need to get a mainboard that is able to run dual extruders.
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Tags: wanhao, multi-material, duplicator-i3-plus
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thread-7624 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7624 | Can leaving the nozzle at 160 °C continuously on in between prints affect the viscosity of the prints? | 2018-12-12T13:07:12.257 | # Question
Title: Can leaving the nozzle at 160 °C continuously on in between prints affect the viscosity of the prints?
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?
# Answer
> 5 votes
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.
# Answer
> 2 votes
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.
# Answer
> 1 votes
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.
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Tags: nozzle
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thread-4592 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4592 | Raise3D Wi-Fi Protocol | 2017-09-07T02:23:21.110 | # Question
Title: Raise3D Wi-Fi Protocol
I am interesting in connecting my RepRap printer to ideaMaker using the same Wi-Fi protocol they use for their Raise3D printers.
I am sure I could emulate it using a Raspberry Pi if I knew the format of the protocol (I suspect it is pretty simple).
1. Is the protocol documented anywhere?
2. Is there open source for something that uses the protocol?
3. Has anyone that has a Raise3D printer looked at the packets it uses? I suspect the protocol is just G-code in a wrapper.
# Answer
OK, I have found the first piece of this puzzle. "The Raise3D printers listen on TCP port 31625 for remote control from ideaMaker."
> 2 votes
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Tags: wi-fi, protocol
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thread-7630 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7630 | Bicycle air pump project | 2018-12-13T00:12:00.250 | # Question
Title: Bicycle air pump project
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
# Answer
> 2 votes
# 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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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.
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Tags: 3d-design, quality
--- |
thread-7636 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7636 | When I attempt to calibrate extruder steps the increased values don't correspond to physical increases | 2018-12-13T20:59:38.797 | # Question
Title: When I attempt to calibrate extruder steps the increased values don't correspond to physical increases
I am attempting to follow these instructions to calibrate the extruder, however when I increase the value for `DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT` the change in physical output does not correspond with the changes.
I started by testing how much filament goes through the extruder when sending `G1 E100 F100` to my printer, instead of the 100 mm I get about 38 mm (`#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT { 80, 80, 400, 93 }` in Marlin). I increased the value to `DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT { 80, 80, 400, 149.73 }` which should take it to 100 mm, when I tested the physical output the increase was only negligible so I repeated the calculation with `DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT { 80, 80, 400, 387.8007 }` as the new value. The new physical output is about 64 mm, I think this suggests a mechanical problem rather than a firmware configuration problem, but I am not sure where to go from here.
My printer is the Ender 3, running Marlin 1.1.9 with a BlTouch and an aluminium bowden extruder mod (installed after the extrusion problem began).
Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.
# Answer
> 2 votes
**Mechanical?**
You basically answer your own question that there could be a mechanical issue.
If 93 steps gives you 38 mm, to get to 100 mm, you need to divide 100 by 38 = 2.63 times. This implies that you need 2.63 x 93 = 244.7 steps/mm (not 149.73).
You even tried close to 400 steps per mm to see you are not extruding 100 mm of filament. This implies that you are either missing a lot of steps (increasing the stepper current or increasing the temperature of the hotend would help out) or the extruder gear slips on the filament (increasing the pressure on the extruder gear and filament could solve this).
**Or not mechanical?**
Furthermore, it could be another issue than mechanical. If your extrusion rate is too fast, the stepper might not be able to cope the high speed and miss steps. I have had this before with a too high of a retraction speed.
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Tags: extruder, extrusion, creality-ender-3
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thread-7634 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7634 | How do I calibrate the temperature of my hotend? | 2018-12-13T16:49:09.920 | # Question
Title: How do I calibrate the temperature of my hotend?
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?
# Answer
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.
> 2 votes
# Answer
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`.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: calibration, hotend, wanhao, monoprice-maker-select
--- |
thread-7642 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7642 | How to align sketch with the x-axis | 2018-12-14T12:17:54.893 | # Question
Title: How to align sketch with the x-axis
I have this sketch which I have accidantly rotated by some arbitary angle.
I need the dotted line to be parallel with the x-axis and the small, left hand side to be flush with the y-axis.
I've tried using the `Align` function, but can't seem to get htat to work.
Ive tried rotating the sketch, but I can't see a way to measure the angle it's off by in order to specify how far to rotate it.
I'm very new to Fusion 360, and CAD in general so it's probably something really simple.
# Answer
> 2 votes
It's rather simple:
1. Start to edit the sketch with this line via a right-click `edit sketch`
2. click the line you want to force horizontal
3. on the right menu, the lower menu has "align horitontal/vertical", click it
4. DONE
To find the button I mean, a picture with the right tool next to the red mark:
Hint: in the case of your item, I suggest to use the blue marked symmetry on the two lines you forced to be equal:
1. first choose the lines (SHIFT)
2. choose the tool
3. click the symmetry line (in your case: the construction line)
---
Tags: fusion360
--- |
thread-7638 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7638 | What should the underside of a bridge look like? | 2018-12-13T22:46:32.917 | # Question
Title: What should the underside of a bridge look like?
I tried out printing a "bridge" for the first time using this Bridge Calibration model. 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.
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:
Here is a picture of my hotend on my Monoprice Maker Select Plus, as requested:
# Answer
> 2 votes
The idea of the part fan is to cool the plastic as quickly as possible once it is extruded in order to keep it in the correct spot. The slower that the plastic solidifies, the more the plastic will sag when printing overhangs/bridges. The stock part cooling fan/duct on your printer, Monoprice Maker Select Plus, is not all that great and would probably benefit from an upgrade.
As far as the Cura settings you posted, you should turn off most all of those experimental bridge settings. Your printer will still be able to print bridges without the 'Enable Bridge Settings' checked. The only one that would be useful is the the 'Bridge Skin Speed' since reducing the print speed effectively increases the air flow on the extruded plastic. More over you are turning off the fan for the 2nd and 3rd bridge skin layers which will cause them to sag even further.
# Answer
> 2 votes
A good bridging underside looks preferably like this:
This means straight long lines that have minimally sagged out. Why long straight lines? If they are straight and do nut sag out much, it is far more easier for the next layers to build upon. Please look at the difference between the above image and your own image, it looks as though you are missing more layers as the first bridge layer failed for others to build upon.
The idea is to get straight lines of filament from one to the other side. Knowing that filament is hot when you extrude it, it is difficult to bridge large gaps. It is impossible to think that enough part cooling will be enough to prevent sagging of the filament and have a perfect finishing at the bridge, there will always be sagging strands of plastic there. The idea for getting a good bridge (for other layers to build upon) is that you you need to solidify the hot filament as fast as possible to reduce the sagging. It is often best to reduce print speed and making sure your fans cool the extruded filament strands rapidly so that they become solid and stiff as quickly as possible.
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, slicing
--- |
thread-7647 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7647 | My first attempt at pausing a print and changing filaments resumed from the wrong position -- how do I troubleshoot? | 2018-12-14T17:07:14.997 | # Question
Title: My first attempt at pausing a print and changing filaments resumed from the wrong position -- how do I troubleshoot?
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?
# Answer
> 2 votes
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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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
---
Tags: filament, ultimaker-cura, multi-material, change-filament
--- |
thread-7651 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7651 | How to attach a metal bearing to a print | 2018-12-14T18:19:40.210 | # Question
Title: How to attach a metal bearing to a print
I have a bunch of ball bearings (608 2RS) that I'm planning on using in a project with printed parts. But I'm not sure how to attach and secure them properly.
How is this done usually?
# Answer
Ball bearings are usually fitted in one style, no matter what is the material that they are embedded in: **press fit**.
## Press fit
To get a good press fit, the part will have to have a hole that is the diameter of the bearing (22 mm) plus a little margin that depends on your printer and filament. From my own experience, a design with 22.1 mm to 22.4 mm diameter resulted in a near-enough 22mm hole that gave decent fit. Your design will need to be adjusted depending on the material and resolution of the printer.
Note that in the case of machined metal parts, the hole usually is not exactly 22mm but a coupe thau (=1/1000 inch) smaller as the bearings get pressed into the hole with a hydraulic press. They do deliberately deform the bearing and workpiece a tiny bit to sit perfectly. If you make the hole *too much too small*, the printed parts could break under the stress such treatment puts them under. However, if done just right the ring itself will deform just enough to fit the bearing's casing, as long as it is flexible enough. I have experienced prints of 2 wall thickness with 15-20% infill to allow a little bit of flex, which resulted in them applying quite some tension on a set of three screws: the Slider for 2040 Openbuild V-slot by FabianFriethjoph does use this effect from PLA to force the wheels into the guide rail just enough to prevent wobble.
Since most filaments shrink, you might still need to use a larger-than 22 mm hole in design to get just a couple thau under the 22 mm you want for the perfect press fit.
## Adjustable position
In *some* cases, ball bearings are fitted into larger holes, and then fastened and adjusted with a set of 3 setscrews - their seat can be changed slightly to compensate for warp or shear of the whole item. However, printed plastics are bad at holding a thread, and it would be a very good idea to include a metal insert with the thread. For example, you could include a nut in the middle of the ring holding the bearing, or you might use metal inserts.
## Capping
Even if one uses a snug press fit or adjustable position, it can be a good idea to use a cap that makes sure the bearing can't fall out of its area without removing the cap first.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: 3d-design, post-processing
--- |
thread-7650 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7650 | Extruder_2 Stepper Motor does not work | 2018-12-14T18:15:41.023 | # Question
Title: Extruder_2 Stepper Motor does not work
I have a FlashForge Creator Pro. It is equipped with the board revision V SF7.7.
My Right extruder prints great, however, the left does not work at all. I have tried to diagnose the cause, but at this point, I feel all the mechanicals are working and it's coming down to logic boards. I don't know what and how to test these. The main problem is like this:
1. When I order to Load/Unload Filament the motor does not advance
2. When printing from the left extruder, filament does not come out.
I have done the following tests:
1. The hotend works and the nozzle is clear. I can push filament through when it is hot.
2. Teeth are in great shape, unclogged and perfectly aligned with the "V" on the guide wheel.
3. The Stepper motor is functional. I can perform the LED test on both pairs of leads and 3V LED lights are up when the motor is turned.
4. The Stepper cable is OK. I tested continuity on all 4 wires and they are fine.
5. The Connectors are fine and well-seated.
6. Voltage to Stepper Driver board: 5.0V when the machine is powered ON
I have however encountered these tests that seemed to show a fail:
1. When I set the left extruder to "Unload Filament" the voltage across both pairs of leads is 0V
How can I continue troubleshooting and fixing the machine?
# Answer
> 1 votes
The next logical step is to swap the working board with the one that powers the misbehaving motor. If this fixes the motor but makes the other one stop working, it hints that the stepper driver board might be broken. If it does not fix the motor but the right motor works again, while the left is not, then the motors or the board controlling the stepper drivers might be broken.
As changing the driver boards did (as OP said) swap the problem from the left to the right extruder, it is extremely likely that the board that was originally left is defective in some way.
Getting a replacement part might be in order, and until then, running with a single extruder.
---
Tags: troubleshooting, stepper-driver, flashforge-creator
--- |
thread-7656 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7656 | How to connect a Geeetech Prusa I3 Pro B to Repetier-Host on mac | 2018-12-14T23:30:45.947 | # Question
Title: How to connect a Geeetech Prusa I3 Pro B to Repetier-Host on mac
My y-axis is running in reverse and slamming into the front of the machine. This is not ideal for my needs.
I need to connect to it with the Repetier-Host software to fix this, and in general. This connects fine via USB, but then says `Unknown printer firmw... Waiting for temperature`. Sending further commands does nothing as far as I can see.
Does anyone know what I need to install to get this working?
# Answer
This is not a direct answer to your question, but a solution for your problem.
If a motor is running in reverse, there are at least 2 solutions. You can reverse the connector of the leads to the stepper, or flash new firmware where you reverse the stepper in the configuration file.
The most effective and fast solution is to reverse the connector of rearrange the wires in the connector.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: repetier, repetier-host
--- |
thread-7662 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7662 | Marlin firmware function call location for menu commands? | 2018-12-15T16:19:25.017 | # Question
Title: Marlin firmware function call location for menu commands?
I found the pause\_print() function in Marlin\_main.cpp but when I search the rest of the files I cannot find the file that calls this function. I expected to find it somewhere in the file that controls the LCD menu but it only exists in main.
What file has the function calls that happen when I select a menu option from the LCD?
And why isn't pause\_print() showing up elsewhere as a function call?
# Answer
# This function is called by the g-codes M125 and M600
I could find `ADVANCED_PAUSE_FEATURE` defined in `configuration_adv.h` and called in `Conditionals_post.h`, trice in `Marlin.h`, referenced as needed for M600 in `Marlin_Main.ccp` and mentioned 2 times.
In `Marlin_Main.ccp` it also declares the function `pause_print` in line 6482 to 6571. Its start and end are these:
```
static bool pause_print(const float &retract, const point_t &park_point, const float &unload_length = 0,
const int8_t max_beep_count = 0, const bool show_lcd = false
) {
if (move_away_flag) return false; // already paused
#ifdef ACTION_ON_PAUSE
SERIAL_ECHOLNPGM("//action:" ACTION_ON_PAUSE);
#endif
[...]
HOTEND_LOOP()
thermalManager.start_heater_idle_timer(e, nozzle_timeout);
return true;
}
```
This function does define the pause state, and relies on the `ADVANCED_PAUSE_FEATURE` in some cases. But what calls it? Simple enough, both calls are in the same `Marlin_Main.ccp` that defines it. The calls are in the functions that are used for filament change:
* `gcode_M125`<sup>line 8534</sup> (Save current position and move to filament change position)
* `gcode_M600`<sup>line 9939</sup> (Pause for filament change: "M600 X Y Z E L")
> 2 votes
---
Tags: marlin, firmware
--- |
thread-7665 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7665 | Correct wiring Arduino Uno and GT2560 to install bootloader | 2018-12-15T22:24:44.613 | # Question
Title: Correct wiring Arduino Uno and GT2560 to install bootloader
Can anyone help me with the correct wiring between an Arduino Uno and a GT2560 board to install the bootloader using the Arduinio as the ISP.
I'm trying to follow this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N1zgX8Gv54
But crucially the wiring diagram provided shows 5 connections, but the video shows 6 and they're obscured so it's not clear what was done.
At present I'm getting the following error
`avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000`
Would appreciate any help offered.
Update.
Based on advice received, here is my wiring - I'm still getting the same error. I've checked this several times so apologies if I can't follow basic instructions!
The full error log is as follows:
```
Arduino: 1.6.8 (Linux), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Mega or Mega 2560, ATmega2560 (Mega 2560)"
/home/andy/Desktop/arduino-1.6.8/hardware/tools/avr/bin/avrdude -C/home/andy/Desktop/arduino-1.6.8/hardware/tools/avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega2560 -cstk500v1 -P/dev/ttyACM0 -b19200 >-e -Ulock:w:0x3F:m -Uefuse:w:0xFD:m -Uhfuse:w:0xD8:m -Ulfuse:w:0xFF:m
avrdude: Version 6.0.1, compiled on Apr 14 2015 at 19:04:16
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch
System wide configuration file is "/home/andy/Desktop/arduino-1.6.8/hardware/tools/avr/etc/>avrdude.conf"
User configuration file is "/home/andy/.avrduderc"
User configuration file does not exist or is not a regular file, skipping
Using Port : /dev/ttyACM0
Using Programmer : stk500v1
Overriding Baud Rate : 19200
AVR Part : ATmega2560
Chip Erase delay : 9000 us
PAGEL : PD7
BS2 : PA0
RESET disposition : dedicated
RETRY pulse : SCK
serial program mode : yes
parallel program mode : yes
Timeout : 200
StabDelay : 100
CmdexeDelay : 25
SyncLoops : 32
ByteDelay : 0
PollIndex : 3
PollValue : 0x53
Memory Detail :
Block Poll Page Polled
Memory Type Mode Delay Size Indx Paged Size Size #Pages MinW MaxW ReadBack
----------- ---- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ---------
eeprom 65 10 8 0 no 4096 8 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
flash 65 10 256 0 yes 262144 256 1024 4500 4500 0x00 0x00
lfuse 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
hfuse 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
efuse 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
lock 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 9000 9000 0x00 0x00
calibration 0 0 0 0 no 1 0 0 0 0 0x00 0x00
signature 0 0 0 0 no 3 0 0 0 0 0x00 0x00
Programmer Type : STK500
Description : Atmel STK500 Version 1.x firmware
Hardware Version: 2
Firmware Version: 1.18
Topcard : Unknown
Vtarget : 0.0 V
Varef : 0.0 V
Oscillator : Off
SCK period : 0.1 us
avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s
avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s
avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000 (retrying)
Error while burning bootloader.
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.02s
avrdude: Device signature = 0x000000
avrdude: Yikes! Invalid device signature.
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.
avrdude done. Thank you.
This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences.
```
# Answer
> 2 votes
The video shows 6 in the wiring diagram, but missing one line between 1 and 5V. You can see all the pins used at this moment and a little better in this moment. The first is always the connector, the second the Arduino Uno side:
* 1 to 5V
* 2 to Ground (GND)
* 3 to 10
* 5 to 11
* 10 to 12
* 9 to 13
Note that the revision 3e of the genuine Arduino Uno demands to connect to different pin hoes on the left than the model in the video, **let the labeling guide you**! Instead of 2nd (5V) and 6th (GND) pin-hole on the left side, you'd use the 5th (5V) and 6th or 7th (GND) on the left (counting from the power connection side) or the GND pin on the right, next to digital output 13.
According to the Arduino Forum, you might also need a Capacity between Reset and GND on the Arduino Uno.
EDIT: According to Geeetech we need a **different** Pinning:
* LCD 1 to 5V
* LCD 2 to GND
* SD 2 to GND
* SD 3 to 10 (RESET)
* SD 5 to 11 (MOSI)
* SD 10 to 12 (MISO)
* SD 9 to 13 (SCK)
---
Tags: diy-3d-printer, geeetech, arduino
--- |
thread-7671 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7671 | Calibration improvement of the Prusa i3 | 2018-12-16T21:27:51.130 | # Question
Title: Calibration improvement of the Prusa i3
I recently got myself a Prusa i3, that I needed to assemble and adjust myself. As expected, the first prints was of quite poor quality. After better adjustment, I improved a bit the print, but I am not quite there yet. I was hoping to get some advice on how to improve the print based on few pictures of the 3DBenchy boat I printed.
The most annoying point, on the following image, is the dent that I have in the hull, on the front of the boat. And one layer appears to be missing or close. And I have another one just like it in the top cabin. I also think that my specific settings on the first layers shouldn't be there, because they don't improve anything, but that is another topic.
Also, when I look on the top, I have a lot of filament strings getting here and there, the path of the tip of the printer is quite visible on the roof and floor, the steering wheel is not to clear, etc.
Also, at the end of the boat, I am supposed to have some letters, but I cannot read them because of the poor definition of the print...
How can I improve the quality of the print? What settings should be looked at?
The material used for printing is PLA. The hotend temperature was set to 215 °C for the first layer, 210 °C for the rest. The bed at 65 °C for the first, then 60 °C. The setting in Slic3r for the fan is between 35% to 100%. If I understand the rule correctly, under 5 sec for a layer, it is 100%, then it decreases proportionally up to 35% if the layer is done in 60 sec. And off otherwise.
The diameter of the filament is set to 1.75, with a nozzle of 0.4 mm. I wonder if I should put it to 0.375 mm.
I otherwise think that it is a genuine prusa, but clearly not from the first iteration. I don't have an arduino on it, but the makerbase chip. (That comes from a kit I bought online.) I would wait to be a bit more confident before attempting any modifications.
The speed for perimeters is 60 mm/s, 30 mm/s for external perimeters. Infill 80 mm/s. Bridges 60 mm/s. Support material 60 mm/s. Non print move: 130 mm/s. There are a couple of other print speed, but I don't think they are that relevant for the case.
After modifications of temperature and cooling, following the answers, I got the following print: (Nozzle 200 °C, fan at 50 %)
Weirdly, it was like the PLA got burned here and there, which was not the case at hotter temperature... But at least, the edges are sharper, and the writings are easier to read! I will try to lower a bit more the temperature, but I would need to fight a bit with my extruder motor, which seems to have hard time pushing the PLA when the temperature is too low.
I tested at an even lower temperature: 190 °C. The result is not pretty, the layer were not sticking to each other. And even at 195 °C, some layer don't attach.
I tried again at 200 °C, but with lower peripheral printing speed. It did help! I can feel the progress.
However, I still have a small dent. And on the following picture, we can clearly see that there are sometimes molten half-burned PLA dripping. And there are still strings remaining between the places.
The nozzle was cleaned just before this print.
# Answer
Your hotend temperature is too high and/or too less part cooling. The part cooling is very important to solidify the hot fluid filament in time to have a solid fundament for the next layer. PLA has a reasonably low glass temperature (at this point the filament is weak and mealable/flexible, at about 60 °C), if the part is not cooled properly, the part temperature can be over the glass temperature when printing the next layer and will distort the previous and current layer.
I print PLA at a maximum temperature of 200 °C (for my thermistor reading).
A combination or a single of these parameters not being the correct value will cause the dent at the front and the stringing and letters to be faded as the filament is not cooled properly and deforms the previous and current layer, this easily shows up in overhangs like at the bow of your print.
Try to lower the hotend temperature by 5 °C per next calibration print (or start at 200 °C and work down from there) and increase the part cooling a little if possible (35 % to 50 %). The build plate generally does not need to be 5 °C higher for the first layer nor do you need an extra 5 °C for the hotend, PLA is not that difficult to print.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: print-quality, calibration
--- |
thread-7661 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7661 | How to reduce +/- 5 degree temp swings of hotend (after PID tuning) | 2018-12-15T15:47:26.457 | # Question
Title: How to reduce +/- 5 degree temp swings of hotend (after PID tuning)
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 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:
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?
# Answer
> 1 votes
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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
# 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.
---
Tags: calibration, hotend
--- |
thread-7674 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7674 | Changing FAN0 to FAN1 in TriGorilla printer board | 2018-12-17T09:31:20.753 | # Question
Title: Changing FAN0 to FAN1 in TriGorilla printer board
I plugged a new fan into the (TriGorilla v1.4) printer board Fan0 which I found out to be broken.
I'm trying to upgrade the part cooling fan for a bigger one. Unfortunately after plugging in the old one, I realize that the fan is constantly "ON". On other forum someone told me that MOSFET might be shorted from plugging in the broken fan.
This triggered my question: "Is there any possible way to change the firmware FAN0 to use FAN1 socket?" and: "Would that work for part cooling model fan?"
# Answer
**Yes you can** use another fan port, this requires some editing of the configuration files of the firmware and reflash the firmware.
If you look at the documentation of the board and an overview of the board layout, you will see that there are 3 PWM controlled FAN ports. The answer is therefore yes, you can use another port (e.g. FAN1 or FAN2) to be used for your broken FAN0 port. The most easy solution is to swap the port numbers in the pins configuration of your firmware, so swap pins 'D9' and 'D7'.
How you edit the configuration is depending on the version of the TriGorilla board you have, there is a version 1.3 and a version 1.4.
Basically you need to define the software FAN (0) to be reached at the hardware location Fan1 using pin 7:
```
#define FAN_PIN 7
```
Subsequently, FAN1 in software needs to points to Fan0 in hardware
```
#define FAN1_PIN 9
```
If you changed this, the software will think that the Fan1 port on the board is the software FAN.
***If you are using the v1.4 TriGorilla printer board***, the v1,4 specific pin definition is found in pins\_TRIGORILLA\_14.h. If you look into this file you will see that this is basically a RAMPS board:
```
#define IS_RAMPS_EFB
...
#include "pins_RAMPS.h"
```
So editing for you need to redirect the pins 7 and 9, but you only have a single active fan (as per `#define IS_RAMPS_EFB`)! Luckily we can forget about the second fan as you want to replace the first by the second.
In pins\_RAMPS.h you will find:
```
#ifndef RAMPS_D9_PIN
#define RAMPS_D9_PIN 9
#endif
```
Note that it is wise not to edit this latter file, instead edit your copy of pins\_TRIGORILLA\_14.h to include assigning of the pin 7 to the Fan1 header as FAN in the firmware.
If you look closely at the assigning of the `RAMPS_D9_PIN` pin, it says: `#ifndef`; so if it has been assigned previously, do not override the value.
Now edit the pins\_TRIGORILLA\_14.h file to include:
```
// Comment out this line:
//#define FAN_PIN 9
// And enter this beneath that line
#define RAMPS_D9_PIN 7
```
or
```
#define FAN_PIN 7
// this bypasses setting of the RAMPS_D9_PIN constant
```
From this point on, if the software addresses scheduling of the FAN port, the pin 7 schedules the MOSFET attached to the Fan1 header.
---
Basically, the above procedure describes how one directs hardware ports by changing the addressing in the firmware configuration.
***If this does not work, there might be more things broken on your board.***
> 2 votes
---
Tags: marlin, hotend, delta, cooling
--- |
thread-7678 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7678 | Retraction Causing Skipping | 2018-12-17T13:11:56.090 | # Question
Title: Retraction Causing Skipping
I am trying to get rid of stringing on my prints, to do that I have tried turning on a retraction in Ultimaker Cura, and reducing flow.
When I turn on retraction it causes the extruder to skip on the filament. the extruder pulls the material out as it should, but when it pushes back in as it prints the next parts it goes part of the way then it skips making the bumping sound, it seems to do this almost every time that it retracts.
To stop this from happening I have tried changing the retraction distance from 10mm to 5mm, the retraction speed from 60 mm/s to 40 mm/s, the flow from 100% to 90% and the temperature from 200 °C to 220 °C.
I am using the Ender 3 running Marlin 1.1.9 with an aluminium Bowden extruder upgrade and BLTouch.
How do prevent this skipping due to retraction?
**Update:**
After changing the setting to what has been suggested in this answer the result of the retraction print resulted in:
It has almost completely solved the stringing problem as well.
# Answer
Fighting stringing will not work by increasing the temperature of the hotend.
There could be 2 possible causes for your problem,
* the first is that you still have a too high retraction speed, too high for your stepper to follow (do note that the default value in Ultimaker Cura is 25 mm/s),
* the second is that you retract too far and the cooled "hot" filament tip is deformed and causes extra tension/friction in the extruded liner.
> 5 votes
---
Tags: extruder, creality-ender-3, retraction
--- |
thread-7677 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7677 | PVA support with small tolerances | 2018-12-17T13:09:31.213 | # Question
Title: PVA support with small tolerances
I am at the moment designing some in place mechanical parts. Something like two cylinders that rotate with respect to each other. I need in my design some overhangs that cannot be printed and I was thinking of using soluble supports to be able to print these overhangs. I am afraid that by using something like PVA the PVA will end up between the two parts and glue the together.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Can something be done about this apart from 'not using PVA'?
**Edit:**
Here is an (minimal) example of an object I would be worried about. The blue and red cylinders are supposed to turn around each other and there is a cutout in the blue cylinder that will need support (the bridge is to long to print without support).
# Answer
You've not stated this, but one must presume that you have a dual or multi-material extruder equipped printer.
Because PVA dissolves in water, the supports will be eroded on contact when the part is immersed. As the PVA dissolves, it increases the concentration of PVA in the water, but only slightly. You would have to agitate the water, change it if you feel it is becoming too concentrated. At some point, you should be able to rotate the cylinders, creating more turbulence, causing more PVA to dissolve into the water.
If you are determined enough, you can cause all of the PVA to dissolve, followed by a rinse with clean water. This would remove any residual PVA.
The water containing the dissolved PVA is somewhat sticky, but would not glue parts together if the parts were thoroughly rinsed. It's not out of the question to use an ultrasonic cleaner with plain water to provide sufficient turbulence, again changing the water periodically to keep the concentration low.
If you use an ultrasonic cleaner, test a sample of your print filament to determine if the heat generated will soften the plastic. I've had success with PVA to the extent that I have not had to use an ultrasonic cleaner to remove it.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: 3d-design, support-structures, pva
--- |
thread-7684 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7684 | Extruder doesn't retract on inner wall lines thereby causing stringing | 2018-12-17T18:35:33.537 | # Question
Title: Extruder doesn't retract on inner wall lines thereby causing stringing
I am trying to stop the stringing that occurs on one of my prints, I have set it so that it retracts the filament which does stop it during the extrusion of the outer wall layer, however when it comes to print the inner lines of the section it does not retract at all (the extruder gear does not move back).
I am using Cura as my slicer and I cannot find any setting that would change this. My current retraction settings are as follows:
```
Enable Retraction - On
Retract At Layer Change - On
Retraction Distance - 7
Retraction Retract Speed - 40 mm/s
Retraction Prime Speed - 30 mm/s
Retraction Extra Prime Amount - 1 mm3
Retract Before Outer Wall - On
```
I am not sure how to stop this from happening, any suggestions that you can make will be greatly appreciated.
# Answer
> 7 votes
Cura has a setting called `Combing` that is enabled by default. This stops the printer from retracting if the travel is contained within the walls. It does this to speed up the print but you get oozing during the travel since the plastic is still in the melt zone. You can change this setting to no skin which will stop it from combing on the skin layers or turn it of completely.
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, extrusion, creality-ender-3, retraction
--- |
thread-7688 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7688 | Marlin Firmware Manual Mesh Leveling | 2018-12-17T23:19:33.347 | # Question
Title: Marlin Firmware Manual Mesh Leveling
Why am I seeing two different versions of the way to enable manual leveling?
One option says to enable:
```
#define manual_bed_leveling
#define mesh_bed_leveling
```
And the other says to enable:
```
#define probe_manually
#define LCD_bed_leveling
#define mesh_bed_leveling
```
How is it that they both work? One is from the official marlin github and the other is from a tutorial that is confirmed to work.
# Answer
> 2 votes
If you look into the most recent version of Marlin you will find in file `Marlin/SanityCheck.h`:
```
elif defined(MANUAL_BED_LEVELING)
#error "MANUAL_BED_LEVELING is now LCD_BED_LEVELING. Please update your configuration."
```
This implies that constant `MANUAL_BED_LEVELING` is obsolete. It is not found anywhere else except for the file linked above. So, **no**, the constants are not supposed to do exactly the same. Instead an error is shown on compiling to update your configuration to exclude the constant `MANUAL_BED_LEVELING`.
---
Tags: marlin
--- |
thread-7692 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7692 | Stepper motor for CR10-S5 Y-axis | 2018-12-18T06:04:41.747 | # Question
Title: Stepper motor for CR10-S5 Y-axis
I need to replace this stepper motor with the following product identification:
It’s a Y-axis for CR10-S5 and labeled as JD42HS60-1500A-02F. What type of stepper motor is this?
# Answer
This is a NEMA 17 motor. It is virtually identical to the NEMA 17 motors Creality uses in most of their 12V products.
In contrast to other companies, Creality uses a different connector with a flat ribbon cable instead of color-coded wires.
The upper line of the label identifies it more clearly:
* JD Identifies the factory/manufacturer
* 42 identifies the faceplate size as 42mm square, so a NEMA17
* HS identifies how the holes are shaped
* 60 is the height of the motor as 60 mm.
* 1500 identifies how much power is OK for it, here: 1500mA = 1.5A
* A specifies our motor has a maximum safe temperature of 104°C
* \- gives us no voltage for this motor, but as you have a CR10, it should be 12V
* 02F is supposed to tell us something about the wiring and steps per rotation, but I can't find out what.
Side Note: the Creality Ender3 uses 34mm high stepper motors.
> 3 votes
---
Tags: stepper, motor, creality-cr-10, part-identification
--- |
thread-7696 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7696 | Adding a custom printer to Cura | 2018-12-18T15:52:45.867 | # Question
Title: Adding a custom printer to Cura
I'm trying to enter the settings into Cura for the printer.
The manual has a screenshot of what they should be:
However, when I run Cura and try to enter the settings I'm presented with different options:
* How do I translate the settings from teh screenshot into the settings I have available?
* Should I be concerned about the settings that aren't available to enter?
+ Are they important?
+ Do I need to enter them somewhere else?
# Answer
> 2 votes
# Your manual is in another Castle!
The manual you look at is for **Cura (1) 15.04.** You are however using **Ultimaker Cura 3,** most likely the most recent 3.6.
## Quick references
The machine setup is for the *physical* settings of the machine \- build volume, nozzle diameter, coordinate system and such.
The *other* settings you refer to are all set in the right bar, but you will have to switch from simple to advanced mode, and possibly activate the settings you need.
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, desktop-printer
--- |
thread-7698 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7698 | Silicone spray as a release agent? | 2018-12-18T19:29:32.543 | # Question
Title: Silicone spray as a release agent?
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?
# Answer
The problem with using a release agent is, you really run the risk of the print not sticking to the bed at all. Sticking to the bed is uber important, because if it's not there, the piece isn't going to come out right. Having it stick to the bed is a good thing (something which I struggled with for a while!!).
I believe what most people do to get the piece unstuck from the bed is to use a putty knife. Wedge the flat part under the piece and twist slightly. Continue doing this around the print until you can get it to release. Your best bet is being careful by going easy with it though. Also, if the print is sticking well to the bed, ensure you're not using a raft. This will make it even more difficult.
> 2 votes
# Answer
Plastic shrinks when it cools, usually, print come loose when you cool down the build plate. If you print on glass, you could put the plate with print in the refrigerator.
If you can't put the build plate in the refrigerator, wait for the plate to cool; the print part sometimes pops off, if not, prying up a corner with an artist palette knife or a razor blade scraper will be enough to pop the print off.
Note that release agents can be used (from experience), but not what you suggest. E.g. when you print PETG on PEI it almost fuses, to release those prints you can use 3DLAC or any other PVA based spray or glue (which normally would increase the adhesion!) to be used as an intermediate less sticking release layer.
Do note all the questions here of people not getting the filament to stick to the build plate, do not grease up the plate, else you won't have a print to get off!
> 2 votes
---
Tags: pla, heated-bed, post-processing
--- |
thread-7699 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7699 | How to fix Y layer shift on Creality Ender 3? | 2018-12-18T19:57:54.633 | # Question
Title: How to fix Y layer shift on Creality Ender 3?
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?
# Answer
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*.
> 3 votes
# Answer
In addition to the other answer 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).
> 2 votes
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, creality-ender-3, y-axis
--- |
thread-7660 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7660 | Prusa i3 MK3 latest release first layer calibration issues | 2018-12-15T11:41:11.013 | # Question
Title: Prusa i3 MK3 latest release first layer calibration issues
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:
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.
# Answer
> 3 votes
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" 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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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.
---
Tags: prusa-i3, layer-height
--- |
thread-7458 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7458 | Getting worse quality prints on 0.05 mm than on 0.10 mm layer height on Prusa i3 MK3 | 2018-11-20T08:49:40.470 | # Question
Title: Getting worse quality prints on 0.05 mm than on 0.10 mm layer height on Prusa i3 MK3
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.
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?
# Answer
> 6 votes
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.
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.
---
<sub>*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.* </sub>
# Answer
> 0 votes
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 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.
---
Tags: print-quality, prusa-i3
--- |
thread-7710 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7710 | Ambient Temperature Range for Printer Storage/Usage | 2018-12-19T21:54:25.530 | # Question
Title: Ambient Temperature Range for Printer Storage/Usage
I've just joined the 3D Printing world and am *patiently* waiting for my printer to come in next week. I've been thinking about keeping my printer in the garage so that it stays out of the way of every day life.
Since I am in the Midwest, I was wondering if this is the best plan. Is it okay to store and use my printer when the ambient temperature can get as low as 10 °F (about -12 °C) and as high as 120 °F (about 50 °C)? Would the cold affect my prints substantially, mainly using PLA, PETG and some TPU? Would larger prints, spanning days, affect the filament on the spool?
Note that I am solely talking about the printer. I plan on keeping the filaments inside the house so they won't be bothered by the temp extremes.
My google searches came up with nothing and I didn't find anything on the supplier from which I purchased my printer. I doubt that it matters, but in case it does, my printer is the Creality CR-10S
# Answer
Printers are electrical machines. They don't like water, so they also don't like condensation in them. If you can keep your garage *dry* and prevent a sheet of metal inside it from rusting, then your printer might survive the problems the shifting temperatures induce by condensing water vapor on the electronics.
Another thing to consider is, that at negative degrees Celsius, your printer might trigger a mintemp error, as the minimum temperature allowable is usually defined as 0 °C or higher. On the other hand, low temperatures might allow to bridge further than other days, as the cold air absorbs the heat from the prints faster. It could cause other problems like clogging or under extrusion due to low temperature though.
High summer temperatures might impact the print quality, causing quite some extra sagging.
The Filament on the machine in a garage might be impacted because of the humidity changes, but might be mitigated with a drybox.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: print-quality, desktop-printer
--- |
thread-7720 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7720 | Hotend does not reach set temperature | 2018-12-20T11:34:30.740 | # Question
Title: Hotend does not reach set temperature
If I set the temperature of my hotend with pronterface to 200 °C, the temperature never reaches that value. For instance, it almost reaches the target with a temperate of 196/197 °C and then starts to drop to 184/85 °C before it starts to rise again to 196/197 °C. It remains in this loop forever and thus I'm not able to start any print because the temperature never stabilizes enough.
I've tried to configure the PID (M303 E0 S200 C8) with 8, 12, 15 intervals not help the issue continue.
I've tried to change heatblock and thermistor not help
Its important to refer this behaviour occur in any tempurate if I fix 150º it never reaches 150º it go to 146/147º and then drops again 10/15º and restart the loop. Same thing if I fix the tempurature to 210º.
Also I've tested this in multiple versions of marlin 1.1.8 and 1.1.9.The version of marlin 1.1.8 have worked in the same print in the past.
I'm have not clue about what can cause this issue, maybe its a board malfunctions (mosfet) or a powersupply malfunction.
Somebody can help me on this?
# Answer
> 3 votes
Your description sounds indeed as if the PID is not correct. You can try autotune with M303 only if your heating cartridge is not absolutely overpowered. However, in such a case you typically also have an overshoot, which you don't mention in your description.
In that case you need to lower your duty cycle (by the BANG\_MAX parameter in the firmware) a bit. Otherwise autotune fails, because your heating cartridge overshoots even at small gains.
Out of the box I would suggest you to increase your D-term and decrease your I term if it cycles like that. For most printers, I used, a ratio like that is sufficient: 4/1.5/25.
---
Tags: marlin, hotend, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-7721 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7721 | Prusa i3 pro W - not extruding | 2018-12-20T12:00:59.947 | # Question
Title: Prusa i3 pro W - not extruding
I'm trying to do my first ever print with my Geeetech prusa i3 pro.
When I try to print that printer seems to work, x,y,z axis all moving ok.
What isn't working is that little to no plastic is being extruded.
The nozzle appears to be getting to temperature, and some plastic comes out whilst it's heating, but then when it starts to move and print, no plastic comes out.
My thoughts are:
1. Have I not loaded the plastic properly
2. Is the extruder engine not working i.e. not pulling the plastic through
Any hints on what I can try would be appreciated.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Problem identified.
I took of the fan and heat sink so I could see what was going on in the mechanism that should pull through the filament.
Using repetier-host software I tried to manually drive the motor - nothing happening.
I swapped the A4988 stepper motor driver for the extruder with another (and my x,y,z axis motors work) to see what would happen - and it worked!
So just a faulty A4988 on the extruder motor.
I also manually pushed filament through the hot end to ensure there was no blockage and it worked fine.
So hopefully GEEETECH can send me a replacement and I'm good to go!
---
Tags: prusa-i3, extruder, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-7719 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7719 | Trying to control temperature of hotend using PWM signal and MOSFET | 2018-12-20T11:07:03.673 | # Question
Title: Trying to control temperature of hotend using PWM signal and MOSFET
I have a 40 W, 12 V resistance heater in the hotend. It also has a 100 kΩ thermistor built in. I am using an Arduino to read the temperature on the LCD. This is working fine.
I want to use this temperature using a MOSFET and the PWM signal that is generated by the ARDUINO. So I connected the PWM signal to the Gate of the MOSFET and connected the 12 V, 3 A supply to the drain of the MOSFET. And connected the Resistance heater of the 3D printer to the source and ground.
But the problem that I am facing is that the Current is flowing from drain and the source even without the gate signal to the MOSFET.
I am not able to control the current to the resistance heater.
Mosfet: IRFZ44N and the AC to DC adapter is 12 V, 3 A. PWM signal is max 2 V.
# Answer
> 2 votes
> connected the 12 V, 3 A supply to the drain of the MOSFET. And connected the Resistance heater of the 3D printer to the source and ground.
The MOSFET is damaged. If the gate is at $0V$, no current should be able to flow.
You're trying to use an N-channel MOSFET as a high-side switch. This is a bad idea, because it would require more than $12V$ at the gate to turn the MOSFET on properly. It would be better to set this up as a low-side switch so that the microcontroller can drive the gate directly. The MOSFET should go between the load and ground, not between the load and $+12V$.
The fact that you connected it like this is the very reason the MOSFET has been damaged. When the MOSFET is OFF, there is $0V$ across the heater. When the microcontroller starts to turn the MOSFET ON (by applying $5V$ to the gate, thus increasing $V\_{GS}$ to above $V\_{th}$), current starts to flow through the load and the voltage across the load increases. This in turn decreases $V\_{GS}$, causing the MOSFET to turn off. You will end up with approximately $3V$ across the load and $V\_{GS}=2V$. You've got $9V$ being dropped across your MOSFET and with a current of approximately $800mA$, the $7W$ of heat produced will quickly kill the MOSFET.
---
Tags: pla, diy-3d-printer, hotend, fdm
--- |
thread-7726 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7726 | Calibration print shape | 2018-12-20T15:05:43.267 | # Question
Title: Calibration print shape
To check my leveling etc. is correct I was going to print a wide and thin cube. My theory being that I should be able to spot any obvious separation of the layers.
Does anyone have any better shape that they print as a dry run?
# Answer
> 6 votes
Your calibration shape depends on what you want to calibrate on. Among the most popular:
* Benchy as a general "overall" test.
* Lattice Cubes for retraction/stringing and overall quality.
* Two pillars to test for stringing and temperature/cooling control.
* Spikes for retraction, stringing and temperature/cooling control.
* Bridges for cooling control.
* Cubes for sizing. They also allow seeing if the printer is skewed in X or Y.
* Circles, crosshairs, and squares of just a couple layers high to determine the correct center of the print area and measure sizing.
* Cylinders in each other to check the achievable resolution and clearance.
* Overhang tests to test just overhangs.
* Temperature towers for temperature and overhang.
* Impact<sup>1</sup> & Bend & Tension test pieces for filament properties - if you have the setups needed.
---
<sup>1 - I couldn't find a proper model for an *ISO 148-1 Charpy pendulum impact test* in thingieverse</sup>
---
Tags: calibration
--- |
thread-7565 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7565 | What is the simplest way to render an image of an obj exported from Tinkercad? | 2018-12-02T22:14:20.817 | # Question
Title: What is the simplest way to render an image of an obj exported from Tinkercad?
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.
# Answer
> 3 votes
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 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.
# Answer
> 2 votes
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
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.
# Answer
> 1 votes
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...
---
Tags: 3d-design, 2d, tinkercad, linux
--- |
thread-7733 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7733 | Moving Extruder Gear Assembly | 2018-12-20T21:02:58.697 | # Question
Title: Moving Extruder Gear Assembly
So I am getting a Creality CR-10S which has a similar print frame with a lot of other printers. Eventually I'm sure I will want to print using flexible materials, but the bowden system is not optimal since you're basically trying to push cooked spaghetti through a tube. I could replace the bowden with a direct drive but that can be expensive (and potentially shave off 15 mm from one of my axes). Not to mention that the print head is now heavier which can affect print speeds and quality.
That's when I thought about moving the extruder gear and motor from the side of my printer to the top. The tube then goes down the Z axis so the flexible filaments are pulled by gravity and controlled by the gear instead of just being pushed by the gear. (Please refer to my *wonderful* sketch)
I can't be the only one to think of this, but I've only seen one website that has talked about this issue and thinks that the solution is a second gantry to follow the hot end. If you're interested, here's the link.
Are there any potential issues with this new setup? Though I would mount the servo above the cross beam instead of to the side so that there's full range of motion along the z axis. (sadly that thought came to me AFTER making the picture in paint)
# Answer
> 2 votes
Hanging up the Bowden system won't fix the problems with printing flexible filament: the filament will still press into the bends of the tube and thus lead to under extrusion. Another issue is, that the flexible filament can compress - and the longer way it has to the melt-zone, the more filament it can "store" on the way to it. These bunched up zones will release suddenly, resulting in pulses of high output and between those under extrusion.
Direct drive (like in a Prusa i3) is pretty much the only way to reliably print flexible materials. You could, with some engineering, move your existing motor to the carriage and turn your Bowden into a direct drive.
---
Tags: extruder, mechanics, hardware, flexible
--- |
thread-7667 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7667 | RAMPS board - no power to heatbed | 2018-12-16T11:54:45.253 | # Question
Title: RAMPS board - no power to heatbed
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?
# Answer
> 2 votes
The problem was that one of the pins on the Ramps board power supply header was not soldered. The manufacturer had omitted to solder one of the pins, so there was no power to D8. Fixed by soldering the pin in place.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Without testing the board(s) completely, by probing each component, it would be a bit hard to tell precisely. Your best bet might be to try it and see if it works ok, and if not, you'll see exactly what doesn't work... if that makes sense. Whilst not exactly the same issue, this answer, to the question How drastic is reversing the polarity of the power supply to a RAMPS board?, *might* help.
Now, after having correctly read your question (:-D), I see that you've already done the above, that I mentioned. Maybe these links will help:
There are other similar links on the RepRap Wiki. You might need to check the power MOSFET and/or the fuse. The problem is knowing whether the Arduino Mega is damaged, or the RAMPS board, or both.
However, perform some of the relatively simple checks, listed below, for the:
* Outputs;
* MOSFETs - in particular **Q3** which is switched by `D8`, and;
* Fuses - in particular, **F2** (`MFR1100` \- refer to schematic below) as it is this fuse *alone* which provides `12V2` which, in turn, is used by `D8`/**Q3** for the heated bed. It should be noted that there are *two* 12 V supply lines and it is the latter which concerns the heated bed:
+ `12V`, and;
+ `12V2`
---
### Salient points from (RAMPS)Hotend change pin from D8 to D10
> Also... There is something else to be aware of. Depending on what you claim you are attaching to the RAMPS board, the pins move around. You have 3 High Power MOS-FET's. You can use the RAMPS board to drive some combination of heat bed, fan and 2 extruders. Depending on what you claim you have on your printer, the pin numbers for things move around.
>
> I kind of doubt that is what is causing you problems... But it might be...
and check the config (bit of a long shot)
> Have you checked that you don't have any error condition (such as `MAXTEMP` or `MINTEMP`) which prevents the hotend from being switched on?
Be wary of randomly switching outputs for high current draw devices (such as the heated bed)
> Your topic says "D8 to D10" but if this is your heated bed, you can't do this. D8 is on the 11amp circuit. plugging the heated bed into D9 or D10 goes threw the 5amp fuse and it will blow.
To test the outputs:
> But basically test the io ports
>
> Remove the ramps
>
> Setup a led and resistor in the D port you which to use (make sure led is the correct polarity)
>
> load up the blink demo program, change the port it uses to the port you testing. Upload firmware (this will overwrite you current firmware) Does it blink? yes the IO pin is ok, no, The IO pin is dead.
>
> repeat for all io pins you which to test
>
> See learn.adafruit.com for more information
### Salient points from No power to heatbed, how to test ramps for problem??:
Check the fuses
> Check the fuse (the big yellow thing). Connect you meter to ground and both sides of the fuse in turn. You should get about 12v on both.
Continuity check
> continuity test the heated bed with it not plugged in. is it possible you have an open in your circuit?
and
> Have you checked the cables? Also is the led coming on for D8?
The next section of the thread deals with an overheated (50 A?) MOSFET. Check the condition of that:
> ok think i found the culprit, any ideas why that blew?
A couple of good points
> With the bed I found there are 2 issues at play here.
>
> 1. The standard MOSFET that is typically found in theese kits have an RDS that creates a fair amount of heat at 10A and at this level the datasheet says stick a heatsink on. Screwing a piece of metal to the MOSFET cures the issue I use an aluminium bracket because thats what I had laying around, thermal compound helps too if you have that laying around from a PC.
> 2. A lot of heat beds state that they are 1.2ohms but aren't ( just a variance in manufacturing prehaps? ) sticking a cheap multimeter across it says this but in practice it may not be reading correctly. I found this out because my bed kept tripping a 11A polyfuse but was fine with a 12A meaning its somewhere around 1.1ohms. good news is it means my bed heats up slightly faster!
>
> but seeming as your transistor blew I imagine the polyfuse is ok, watch out though you may find it slowly does kick in when the MOSFET works properly because if its near its tripping point it can gently heat up and stop the current.
A good test procedure - **this is probably the most relevant check for your case**
> That's not the way it's wired. Check the schematic.
>
> 12V input on RAMPS -- fuse -- (PS1) + output to BED
>
> GND -- Source\[MOSFET\]Drain -- (PS2) - output to BED D8 ---------------- Gate
>
> As you can see, the MOSFET is switching the GND connection to the bed. There will always be +12V on the + bed terminal whenever power is on as long as the fuse is good. There's an LED across the + and - BED terminal on RAMPS to indicate voltage. If that LED is turning on when you turn the heated bed on from the host software, then the MOSFET is good. If it's not coming on, they you might have a bad MOSFET or your +12V supply is bad. Verify using a voltmeter across the bed terminals and across the 12V bed supply input in RAMPS.
>
> The Prusa heated bed PCB should have a resistance around 1.1 ohm.
Then there are some tests for the fuses. Looking at fuse **F2** (the main culprit, which protects the `12V2` circuit):
> You haven't mentioned checking the fuse yet. You should make sure that it's not blown. If RAMPS is still wired to the 12V power supply for the bed, you can check this easily witn a voltmeter between the + bed terminal and the ground wire from your power supply (any of the - terminal between the power supply and RAMPS). You should read 12V if the fuse is still good. If not, then the fuse is probably blown. If the fuse is good, then it's a problem with the MOSFET.
>
> You should visually check the solder pads for the MOSFET to make sure that all the 3 pins are still soldered well. The chip can get hot enough to melt the solder resulting in broken connection. Then with the power on, turn on the bed heater in the host software and measure the voltage going into the gate pin of the MOSFET. That should be the outside pin on the same side of the MOSFET as the + D8 terminal. You should see TTL voltage there (probably close to 5V). If you do, then it confirms that the MOSFET is bad.
>
> BTW, 1.5 ohm is probably too high for the bed resistance. You need to subtract the resistance that you measure when you touch your multimeter leads together. There could easily be 0.4 ohms there.
and
> As far as checking the fuse, another way would be to turn off all the 12V power to RAMPS and check for continuity between the + bed power supply input and the + bed output on RAMPS. If the fuse is still good, this should be a short (near 0 ohms). If you disconnect the + lead to the bed, then this would be more accurate.
For fuse **F1**, you can do the following, although it is extremely unlikely that this has blown as the rest of the circuit is working from the `12V` circuit:
> There's also a separate fuse for the other 12V supply input to RAMPS that powers the rest of the controller, including the AT Mega. You should check that too in a similar way. With all the power off, measure the resistance between the leads of F1 on RAMPS. You can also double check the resistance on F2 (bed 12V fuse) right next to it.
---
That should give you something to get started on. Without knowing more details, it's hard to be more precise.
---
Tags: prusa-i3, heated-bed, ramps-1.4, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-2809 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/2809 | Heated bed is not heating anymore | 2016-09-21T13:02:56.493 | # Question
Title: Heated bed is not heating anymore
I have built a RepRap Prusa i2 a while back. It worked for a while, but then I moved the printer from place to place and after a while I noticed that the printer's bed is not heating anymore. The thermistor shows the temperature (room temperature), but the bed is not heating. The wires are connected and the heated bed has a resistance.
Did anyone else confronted with this? Thanks!
# Answer
> 3 votes
# diagnosing a heated bed
Switch the hot end and the heater bed wires on the board. See if there is a difference. (Note that it will not reach a thermal limit when plugged in this way! So don't leave it on too long!)
After that, if you see that your heat increases with the hot end's wires and the hot end being set on in software then you know the issue is likely with the board. At which point try updating / reflashing the board.
Alternatively, you can try a second board and see if it makes a difference.
If the bed does not heat up even using the heater cartridge connectors, then your heated build plate likely needs to be replaced. Or the wire needs to be replaced.
If you are running Ramps or a board that uses 2 hot end outputs you can likely reprogram it to use hot end heater 2 as the new output for your heated bed.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I have a Prusa i3 and the same case happened to me. I checked the continuity of the wires and discovered one badly soldered wire in the heated bed. After soldering the wire correctly, the heated bed turned on again.
Your problem is in all likelihood the continuity of the wires.
I hope that I helped you with your case.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Be extremely cautious if you switch the hot end wires with the hot bed wires as StarWind0 said, only do it for a couple seconds and stop as ***soon*** as you've confirmed that temperature is going up. I did this on my FLSUN C Cube and it started smoking something fierce and just about lit on fire within seconds of my turning on the extruder with the wires swapped. I suggest you be extremely quick and also don't do this by a smoke detector if you attempt it: just in case. This is pretty much guaranteed to happen due to the amount of current draws the two components use being vastly different. I re-flashed my board and it still did not work, probably should have done that in reverse order, please learn from that mistake haha. I seem to have somehow burned out my heated bed mosfet (prior to switching the wires) and have the same problem that you do, I'm just going to buy another board because it's pretty cheap but for the sake of future people with this problem to solve I'd:
1. check connections, especially at the screw connectors as they have a nasty habit of getting worn
2. use a multimeter in DC voltage mode, put your black (-) probe on the ***DC*** power negative lead, turn on the hotbed and using your red (+) probe make sure you are getting about 12V through all your relevant connections including the fuses (mine are very tiny surface mount fuses, 15a and 30a located right behind the power supply, don't know how standard that is for all printers though)
3. If everything checks out so far then cry a little bit
4. It's probably a burned out mosfet (buggers are sensitive) but just in case, re-flash your board and hope the problem goes away
5. test the mosfet for the heated bed with your multimeter (same way you tested everything else)
6. I don't suggest switching wires between the extruder and the heated bed except as a last resort to make sure your bed is working, but if you have resistance readings going through the bed and wires then your bed is not likely broken and this would be an unnecessary risk. If you are going to proceed anyway then do as follows: remove extruder and heated bed wires, plug bed wires into extruder terminal, hold the power cord in your hand, turn on the extruder and as soon as the number goes up by 3 degrees (or you see/smell smoke or crackling whichever comes first) pull the plug and pray you didn't burn anything on the board. Make sure you are by a window or door and can quickly extract smoke from the room so as not to set off the smoke alarm in your apartment complex like I very nearly did.
Hope this helps somebody someday.
# Answer
> 1 votes
I have a Prusa i3 and the same case happened to me. However, only the power cable to the mainboard was bad.
I cut it in order to solder a new one to the 4 pin connector but inside the cable sleeving, there wasn't any copper, only grey powder. With a new connector, and cables, it is working very well now.
# Answer
> 0 votes
It's probably a fuse or the MOSFET fried? Try checking for continuity on the fuse and voltage on the MOSFET.
---
Tags: heated-bed
--- |
thread-7707 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7707 | Considerations when pausing a print job | 2018-12-19T16:32:44.270 | # Question
Title: Considerations when pausing a print job
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.
# Answer
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.
> 6 votes
# Answer
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.
> 4 votes
# Answer
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
> 1 votes
---
Tags: print-quality, pla, desktop-printer, quality
--- |
thread-7737 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7737 | Z Axis Cannot Move | 2018-12-21T11:22:57.290 | # Question
Title: Z Axis Cannot Move
I've got a Geeetech Pro B i3 printer (my first 3d printer) and after I've assembled it I started testing the axis. X and Y work well but Z cannot move.
If I disconnect the couplings the motors move by themselves and they move in the same direction.
If I help a little bit the motors, by turning with my hand, they move and sometimes move without helping anymore but it stops after a few seconds.
I don't know what do to. I've measured the rest of the setup to make sure there aren't any big differences that could create tension.
What do you suggest?
# Answer
Check if your Z-Rods and motors are exactly vertical. If not, adjust as needed.
Check if the brass nuts are perfectly aligned with the rods in the position they are forced in by the screws. Shim to adjust if needed.
If they are ok, then your brass nuts might need a little oiling/grease if they stick to the lead screw.
> 2 votes
---
Tags: prusa-i3, z-axis, geeetech
--- |
thread-7747 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7747 | Material extruded to prime the nozzle doesn't stick to bed at first | 2018-12-21T16:06:18.033 | # Question
Title: Material extruded to prime the nozzle doesn't stick to bed at first
When the material is extruded to prime the nozzle before the print starts it doesn't always stick to the bed for the first 20 or 30 mm of the line, causing the material extruded just after to peel off the bed as it is pulled up by the nozzle, eventually it does stick down to print a line but the parts that are not stuck to the bed can get caught by the nozzle as it comes back down to draw the second part of the line, this then ruins the first layer of the print of the actual model. On the occasions where the material does not get caught by the nozzle, there is stringing between the nozzle and the end of the line which itself can cause the first part of the bottom layer to have problems.
should I include a retraction after the priming has finished as it travels to begin the print or would this cause under extrusion of the start of the model thereby defeating the purpose of the priming in the first place.
The gcode that makes the nozzle prime 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 for how to stop the priming problems will be greatly appreciated.
# Answer
# Have you tried using a raft
I had the same issue on my mini delta when I first started printing with it. After checking and double checking the bed level I ended up discovering that using a raft base in Cura solved the issue.
It does use more plastic however I have had absolutely no issues with respect to sticking in the dozen or so prints since then.
Additionally it makes removing the print from the bed really easy as I'm not worried about damaging the print with a scraper.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: extrusion, nozzle, creality-ender-3
--- |
thread-7749 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7749 | How could I print a large sphere-like object? | 2018-12-21T18:39:06.110 | # Question
Title: How could I print a large sphere-like object?
I have a STL file with a rather large roughly-spherical object. I'd like to 3D print it to be fairly large, and hollow inside. Since the printer I'd be using has a max size of (18–20 cm)^3, I'd have to print this in pieces and then reassemble them into the sphere-like shape. The textured surface of the object is important, but small seams would seem unavoidable.
### My Question
**How could I 3D print a hollow sphere or sphere-like object that's too large for the available basic 3D printer?**
Because this would need to be done in parts, it's more complicated than the designs I've made. Because the final product is roughly spherical and hollow (i.e. nothing is nicely angular), it's trickier than some other designs.
(I have little experience with 3D modelling/CAD, so I'd *somewhat prefer* solutions with minimal advanced steps such as designing my own joints and whatnot...but advanced steps are definitely okay if part of a great solution!)
### My Ideas So Far
I know I could cut the sphere roughly in (e.g.) eighths via planar slices, print the eight pieces individually, but then the question is how to attach them. I am also concerned that the seams might be too noticeable. (Perhaps there's a better way?)
I could just glue the pieces together. My fear then is that it would lack internal structural support if they were attached *only* at the outer layer (unless the skin thickness were excessive, at least near the boundary).
I imagine I could give the pieces internal supports with dowel joints or snap-fit joints (e.g. these), but I lack knowledge of how to do that and don't know whether that would even work well.
# Answer
> 6 votes
A sphere can be put together quarters easily, but those need support in the center. However, there is a slightly different cut is more economic:
* Cut a top and bottom "plate" off, print them separately, the lower one "upside down"
* Cut the remaining piece into quarters
+ For more equal printing, maybe even cut them along the equator too and print the lower half "upside down"
This way, the support material can be reduced to a minimum - only the top and bottom will need any support, and it is easily accessible to smooth it away.
If the walls would be something like one millimeter thick, any good glue should work. If you want to reduce the visible seam, you might bevel the faces, so that the wall has a little gap on the *inner* wall. As most glues shrink as they harden, it will flatten into the "gap", evening out the internal face.
---
Tags: 3d-design, slicing, post-processing, support-structures
--- |
thread-7372 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7372 | Adding additional extrusion to a raft (raft with a skirt?) | 2018-11-08T13:41:13.097 | # Question
Title: Adding additional extrusion to a raft (raft with a skirt?)
I started using rafts more often, to get better results with complex or fragile parts, but my Ender 3 consistently under-extrudes the initial outside line of the raft (for the first inch or two, where extrusion starts).
It is often very thin and does not adhere. This often leads to problems with the following pattern of raft layer 1 curling up (ABS) as it does not meet the edge line (due to the 1-2 inch gap in the perimeter).
Skirts avoid this problem by getting the flow going, but rafts only print a single outer line.
1. Is it possible to specify more than one outer line on a raft in Ultimaker Cura?
2. Is it possible to add a skirt to a print that has a raft (or at least some initial printing to get the flow going)?
3. Is it possible to add some initial G-code that will extrude a line, say from near the start position to the start of the print?
# Answer
> 2 votes
The latest update to Cura (3.6.0 at time of writing) added a printer configuration specifically for the Ender 3.
## The `Start G-code` script now includes the following:
```
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
G28 ; Home all axes
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 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 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
; End of custom start GCode
```
This prints 2 initial lines, right along the left edge of the print bed. This solves the priming issue completely and results in a perfect initial border on the rafts.
This would indicate this priming issue is a known problem with the Ender 3.
# Answer
> 5 votes
In Ultimaker Cura you can select only one of the the build plate adhesion options skirt, brim or raft. You cannot select multiple options.
There is no option available in Ultimaker Cura to increase the outline count of the raft bed adhesion structure. Basically the raft exists of a line support structure as can be seen in the figure below. The line around the lines should be considered "the skirt", so if the nozzle is not properly primed (not sufficient molten filament available), you need to properly prime the nozzle prior to printing.
To prime the nozzle, you need to add some extrusion of filament in your start G-code.
Personally, I like the style of Ultimaker where prior to printing, a puddle of filament is deposited priming the nozzle adequately. Basically you need to move to a position where you like to deposit filament:
```
G1 X10 Y10 Z2
```
Then you need to extrude material
```
G1 F125
G1 E10
G1 Z3 E5
```
After that you can even wipe the nozzle.
Another option (that requires some copy/pasting from your side and would not be a recommended practice) that is possible is slicing the model with a skirt (with a sufficient distance to stay away from the raft position) instead of a raft and look at the generated G-code and copy the skirt deposition codes into the raft G-code file. You do need to take care of the proper length of the extruder when the skirt followed by the raft, so you need to use `G92 Exx.xx` where xx.xx is the actual length of the filament start for the raft.
# Answer
> 2 votes
It's not necessarily the case that the apparent underextrusion of a small portion of your raft is the root cause. ABS is notorious for shrinkage and peeling. As a start, you should have a full enclosure so as to maintain a warm environment while printing.
It's also quite possible that your bed is slightly off-level or a few microns low for the first layer, either of which can cause adhesion problems.
Yes, it's pretty much trivial to add a few lines of gcode to extrude prior to the "official" raft -- or you could just toss a fake small object into your slicer to extend the raft over both the real and the fake parts.
FWIW, with a little care I've found a wide brim outperforms a raft for almost anything I print
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, extrusion, creality-ender-3
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thread-7722 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7722 | What the adjective "downstream" is used for? | 2018-12-20T13:44:27.143 | # Question
Title: What the adjective "downstream" is used for?
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.
# Answer
> 1 votes
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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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)
> Downstream in manufacturing refers to processes that occur later on in a production sequence or production line.
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Tags: terminology
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thread-7754 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7754 | Dramatic failure of calibration print | 2018-12-22T13:01:28.873 | # Question
Title: Dramatic failure of calibration print
I printed out this calibration shape from Thingiverse 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".
# Answer
> 2 votes
The failure you are faicing is underextrusion. Underextrusion can have several reasons. Among the three most common I encountered in *my* printers:
* The nozzle could be clogged, hindering flow (Very crushy, squishy prints after it worked fine before)
+ Dissemble the filament path till you can push an acupuncture needle through the hotend, heat it, press out all filament, reassemble.
* The extruder might be skipping steps or shredding filament
+ check if it is just not gripping the filament, not turning at all or clicking.
+ real Troubleshooting might be needed
* The g-code might have a bad setup for the filament you are using - try upping the higher extrusion multiplier/flow rate and print at least 2 walls!
+ In Ultimaker Cura: Custom \> Material \> Flow
* If not there yet: Gear \> Material \> hook Flow
# Answer
> 2 votes
The best thing that you can do ***first*** is find out ***whether you extrude the correct amount of filament*** before trying all sorts of things. You clearly have an under-extrusion problem. Please look into question: "How do I calibrate the extruder of my printer?".
The reason why you aren't extruding can be found in e.g. this answer. Note that the list in the answer excludes the stepper driver. If the current is too low, the torque is too low to push the filament (see this similar answer for stepper torque).
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***Side note****:<br>Note that a properly setup extruder never has a need to adjust the flow unless the extruder is calibrated for 1.75 mm filament and the used filament is of different diameter.*
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-7760 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7760 | How to attach bowden tubing to other side of extruder? | 2018-12-23T13:13:57.627 | # Question
Title: How to attach bowden tubing to other side of extruder?
I built a drybox to house the filament roll but now I have to figure out how to attach the PTFE bowden tubing to the other side of the extruder.
Currently the filament just feeds in through the countersunk hole on the MK8 CR-10 style extruder tension lever, but is too close to the Z leadscrew to tap the hole and put a PC4-M6 push fitting.
What is the preferred way to attach this?
THanks!
# Answer
There are several ways to mount a PTFE tubing to the extruder's feeding side.
# Connector solution
You'll need a pair of PTFE tubing couplers, a length of PTFE tubing and tapping tools for the mounting, and the lever should be **metal**:
1. Disassemble the extruder
2. Take the intake side lever
3. open up the intake hole to your PTFE tube connector's inner diameter (that is the diameter, where you cut the thread from!)
4. tap the hole
5. screw in PTFE coupler
6. connect to intake tube
7. Repeat 3 to 6 for the drybox side, possibly add a nut from the inside
8. Feed filament through the tube
If you have a **plastic** side, it reads like this, and you will need an insert that fits your adapter's screw:
1. Disassemble the extruder
2. Take the intake side lever
3. open up the intake hole to a bit under your insert's outer diameter
4. use a soldering iron to melt the insert into the lever
5. screw in PTFE coupler
6. connect to intake tube
7. Repeat 3 to 6 for the drybox side
8. Feed filament through the tube
# free "inner" side
Instead of using 2 connectors on either end of the tube, the one on the extruder can just be "slid" into the block and then fastened.
1. disassemble the extruder
2. take the intake side lever
3. drill open till the PTFE tube can slide in snugly into its rest position against an inner ledge.
1. For REALLY hygroscopic material, drill *through*
2. drill a side-hole and use a small screw to fasten the tube in place
3. alternatively, use hot glue on the outside and secure the tube.
> 1 votes
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Tags: filament, diy-3d-printer
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thread-7759 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7759 | Failing y-axis home with loud rattling | 2018-12-23T13:07:31.297 | # Question
Title: Failing y-axis home with loud rattling
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:
And this is the tensioner with the support frame:
# Answer
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.
> 1 votes
# Answer
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 C<sub>3</sub> or D<sub>3</sub> (130/146 Hz) and possibly higher. My Ender3 is *tuned* to something like A<sub>3</sub> (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.
> 0 votes
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Tags: anet-a8, y-axis, belt
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thread-2910 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/2910 | Simulation tool software for 4D Printing | 2016-10-17T15:51:21.283 | # Question
Title: Simulation tool software for 4D Printing
In 4D printing technology or by means usage of Shape-memory alloy (non-metal, iron based, copper based or NiTi material) for 3D printing.
Is there any software simulation tool which I can use to simulate this material change behavior with respect to time? For example, when introducing a change in humidity or temperature.
Note: It would be best if the simulation tools targeted automotive parts (power train, cooling system, interior & exterior etc.).
# Answer
> 3 votes
I am going to say that this probably is a whole dimension out of scope for this group ;-)
That said this new type of 3d printing is still at the University level. Also 4d is not necessarily 3d printing related at all. All it has to be is self assembling. Like http://www.selfassemblylab.net/4DPrinting.php
Unless you have a connect with MIT. Then you aren't going to be simulating any 4d models.
But if you HAD to do this, then you should write a paper about it and become a researcher. You could get published. You might need a PHD in material science. There might be some simulation in solid works.. but I would say you are mostly on your own and have to develop the models as they simply do not exist, especially outside of academia and stratasys.
That said if you take the "4d" part and use models based on the current understanding of the raw material you would have more success.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If there is simulation software for this it is likely proprietary and not being distributed at this point. The materials themselves that are capable of self assembly (4D) are still in experimental development, and this there is not really anything to simulate. A simulation needs the properties of the materials that will be used, but these materials do not exist in mass production, they are still being custom made in labs.
# Answer
> -1 votes
(preface : I originally intent to write this as a comment, but the volume limit reached. In that tone, I'll utilize this answer space writing it..)
> to simulate those material change behavior in respect to time?
COMSOL, ANSYS or equivalent ring a bell to be.. as long as you have the material properties (young's modulus, density, thermal transport & expansion properties, color?) right.
Also. depending on your actual implementation resolution (nano-scale production.. macro/mini-lego sized assembly), you may want to adjust the mesh size for the finite element method solver.
> software for 4D Printing
If your 4th D refers to time.. then the discussion ends here.
If your 4th D is a space (not time) dimension.. Then you need to convert your 4D geometric object into a 3D shadow (just like generating the normal 2D shadow from a 3D geometric object) 1st to proceed. just like an 3D object (eg cube) can have multiple equivalent 2D form (or shadow). The same applies for 4D to 3D. Once you get the 3D coordinates of the chosen 3D form, you may print it as usual.
Software wise.. mathematica (are used in the some of the example I've seen, others unknown/selfcoded) or equivalent will do.. but the key here is not the software.. it's the visualization algorithm. If you can get the "shadowing" algorithm done right, any 3D/math software will do.
p/s : I didn't expect the materials modelling question coming when I read the title (I really thought this question refers to extra space dimension) .. but yeah.. why not. It's a good postgraduate/research topic to take on. ( :
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Tags: 3d-models, 3d-design, material, print-material
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thread-7771 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7771 | How to repair burnt heat bed connector? | 2018-12-24T10:38:41.803 | # Question
Title: How to repair burnt heat bed connector?
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):
The left most pin on the male connector (bed) is also charred. How could I best repair this?
# Answer
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! It is always advised to immediately flash another firmware, e.g. Marlin firmware.
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.
> 4 votes
# Answer
# 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!**
> 3 votes
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Tags: anet-a8
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thread-7774 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7774 | Why does my model stop printing at the same spot? | 2018-12-24T17:55:03.473 | # Question
Title: Why does my model stop printing at the same spot?
I have a Monoprice Maker Select v2 printer which has a printing height of 7".
I tried to print this trophy.
The first time I printed, it stopped about 3/4 of the way (about 5.5").
I use Ultimaker Cura to move the model's z-position down, effectively splitting it in half to print the top half. But on the 2nd print, it seems to have stopped at the same point. There was a lot of extra PLA filament curled up at the end.
Did my printer just jam or am I missing a setting that allows it to print the remaining top portion?
# Answer
The answer is that you have not used support structures. The printing fails as a result of missing support structures.
If you look closely to the Ace of Clubs card at the top, you will see that the lower point is being printed from out of nothing, this corner needs to be supported. When unsupported, the extruded filament flows freely and where it deposits is unknown. Usually this extruded filament sticks to the nozzle or ends up stuck at the next piece of the printed layer building up. This build-up can cause the head to hit the print and ruin the print.
To enable support in Ultimaker Cura configure your setting accordingly:
These settings are accessible when you select custom settings:
If the options aren't visible, use:
and type in the option.
*Please do note that using supports does not guarantee that the print will not fail! Especially when using long slender support structures, the chance that a support structure fails increases with the amount of support structures and the length of the structure. Sometimes long slender support structures are knocked over.*
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*Sidenote:<br>Your printer has more issues, if you look at the brim, it is not a continuous bed adhesion layer, it looks like it does not adhere too well, see also the bottom of your trophy.*
> 5 votes
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Tags: print-quality, ultimaker-cura, monoprice-maker-select
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thread-7765 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7765 | Need help to only print one small part | 2018-12-23T21:52:08.163 | # Question
Title: Need help to only print one small part
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.
# Answer
> 3 votes
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 :)
# Answer
> 1 votes
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.
# Answer
> 1 votes
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.
# Answer
> 1 votes
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
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Tags: slicing, stl
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thread-7784 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7784 | How to test Arduino Mega, RAMPS 1.4 and Full Graphic Smart Controller LCD? | 2018-12-26T07:40:34.723 | # Question
Title: How to test Arduino Mega, RAMPS 1.4 and Full Graphic Smart Controller LCD?
Unfortunately, my extruder 8825 driver ended up fried. I guess this might have damaged the Arduino Mega and RAMPS Board.
I tested the Arduino Mega and I'm pretty sure that it is fried too, so I bought a new one. I thought the MOSFETs on the RAMPS are damaged, so I removed them and tested them. One of them was not working, so I bought a new RAMPS Board too
Now I have a new 8825 driver, a new Arduino Mega and a new RAMPS 1.4 but the LCD still doesn't show anything and it just lights up on power up.
# Answer
> 3 votes
So basically you just replaced everything except for the LCD (the LCD testing is described a little further). If the LCD is not working then, this could imply that either ***your LCD is broken***, or ***one of the new parts is not functioning*** as expected, or you have ***not connected things correctly***.
Are you sure the firmware flash went okay? You could test the Arduino Mega 2560 by connecting it over USB to e.g. Pronterface, you do not need the LCD for testing the Arduino Mega and the RAMPS.
The LCD could be tested separately by creating a sketch in Arduino IDE and connect the correct pins of the LCD cable to some pins of an Arduino device, e.g. load the the U8Glib example sketch "GraphicsTest" and add the following constructor:
```
U8GLIB_ST7920_128X64_1X u8g(6, 5, 4); // SPI Com: SCK = en = 6, MOSI = rw = 5, CS = di = 4
```
This implies that you need to attach the correct pins on the Arduino (in my case to digital pins 6, 5 and 4 for respectively SCK, MOSI and CS to the respective EXP1 pins 5, 3 and 4):
Note that you see 5 pins attached, as the LCD needs to be powered (pin 10 on the EXP1 header) and grounded (pin 9 on the EXP1 header).
I wired this on an Arduino Uno clone and confirmed that 2 of the spare RepRapDiscount Full Graphic Smart Controller clones showed the test program.
*PS, this is a simple wiring of the LCD, it displays the test in fade blue-ish, so not the bright colored white pixels, but that is normal!*
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Tags: ramps-1.4, troubleshooting, arduino-mega-2650, extruder-driver, full-graphic-smart-controller
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thread-7781 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7781 | Cube edges squished? | 2018-12-25T17:13:14.113 | # Question
Title: Cube edges squished?
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:
# Answer
If you look closely to your print you will see that the edges are part of the problem, e.g. you also have a problem called "Elephant foot" where the base shows a fairing to the build plate.
The elephant foot deficiency is caused by an imbalanced choice of bed and hotend temperature and print cooling. This imbalance also causes the edges to collapse (probably also caused by the infill, or lack of it).
You should look into finding a better printing temperature combo and experiment with little cooling. This will also help you to better print the rest of the cube.
> 1 votes
# Answer
The warping you see is caused by uneven cooling of the part as it's printed: the printbed keeps the bottom warm, while the middle cools, and the top is still warm from printing. The fix for this is to place the printer in an enclosure to prevent drafts and raise the air temperature.
People have used all sorts of things as printer enclosures: everything from foil-lined cardboard boxes heated by the printbed, to fancy metal-and-glass constructions with active temperature control.
> 1 votes
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Tags: print-quality, creality-ender-3, troubleshooting
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thread-7796 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7796 | How to print a voxel object? | 2018-12-27T17:16:34.997 | # Question
Title: How to print a voxel object?
I recently downloaded Magicavoxel to give this voxel thing a try, and I was curious if there was a way to turn the voxel files into a file for printing?
Magicavoxel doesn't seem to offer a way to export the project as STL.
# Answer
> 4 votes
Magicavoxel supports export as `.obj`, natively or with the right plugin.
While `.stl` is the standard for 3d-printing exchanges, as it contains a "1-unit" length,(typically that corresponds to 1 mm), `.obj` is also accepted by most slicers.
To get to MagicaVoxel's native export, look in the lower right corner, click export and see this pop up:
Press the top-left `OBJ` option and you get a save position window where you can store it. Then open it with your slicer and choose a scale - most `.obj` files do not contain a scale as the format does not contain a unit measure by default like `.stl` and has to be given one.
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Tags: 3d-design, software, file-formats
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thread-7776 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7776 | Internal wall does not print in horizontal print orientation | 2018-12-24T20:26:50.463 | # Question
Title: Internal wall does not print in horizontal print orientation
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
# Answer
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.
> 1 votes
# Answer
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 of the question: "Different infill in the same part". This should help you out printing in your preferred orientation.
> 2 votes
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, slicing, infill, print-orientation
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thread-7804 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7804 | Calibration of Z axis in Simplify 3D | 2018-12-28T22:15:47.987 | # Question
Title: Calibration of Z axis in Simplify 3D
I'm using Simplify3d and a DIY 3D printer. The printer works fine and I've printed very nice objects with very smooth and beautiful surfaces BUT they are twice as tall as they should be! It is like they're scaled double in Z axis! I've checked everything, I changed steps/mm from 4000 to 2000 but it ruined the smooth surface. changing layer height just makes smoother surface and doesn't solve the problem. What am I missing in the settings?
# Answer
> 1 votes
The steps per mm in firmware is the link to the hardware configuration/setup. Reducing by half must reduce Z advance by half. If your prints are twice as tall, you must have serious under-extrusion problems as when the printer is laying down molten filament for e.g. a 0.2 mm layer, in effect this is a 0.4 mm layer. If this is not the case, you should also calibrate the extruder.
Please re-calibrate your machine Z axis in firmware (most firmwares allow command `M92` to set the steps per mm), not in Simplify3d, and then the extruder.
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Tags: diy-3d-printer, calibration, z-axis
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thread-7811 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7811 | Limit Switch problems on RAMPS 1.4 and custom built 3D Printer running Marlin 1.1.0-rc6 | 2018-12-29T17:15:59.193 | # Question
Title: Limit Switch problems on RAMPS 1.4 and custom built 3D Printer running Marlin 1.1.0-rc6
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.*
# Answer
> 1 votes
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 @0scar 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.
# Answer
> 0 votes
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, 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.
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Tags: marlin, ramps-1.4, troubleshooting, endstop
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thread-7823 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7823 | Basic Spinning Top Prints Fail in Same Location | 2018-12-30T06:28:21.413 | # Question
Title: Basic Spinning Top Prints Fail in Same Location
My attempted prints on my Creative Ender3 of model: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:23686
The print uses support structures (generated by Ultimaker Cura) failed in the same location twice. It is printed in PLA (1.75 mm) first print at 200 °C, second print at 196 °C.
# Answer
To me, it looks like your G-code induces an incomplete layer of support on the still standing piece, which later down leads to the print failing.
Re-slice the whole thing.
As a matter of fact, I would cut the model in its widest place and print both with the large face flat on the surface and glue the two pieces together after printing. That way I can achieve:
* no need for support material
* maximum adhesion
* no surface problems on the transition from the support to the print
> 4 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, troubleshooting
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