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thread-16337 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16337 | Insulating bed material? | 2021-05-21T19:02:22.513 | # Question
Title: Insulating bed material?
I've observed printing PETG that the primary if not the only reason for using a high bed temperature seems to be preventing the bed from acting as a huge heat sink and rapidly cooling the initial layers such that they don't bond well to each other. In particulat, the heat is not needed for adhesion-to-the-bed purposes. This got me thinking whether there's a way we could get rid of the requirement, as a way to save time and all the energy spent heating the bed and cooling the room it's eventually dumped into.
With that in mind, are there viable bed materials that are good thermal insulators? Just putting down a layer of any insulating material between the underlying bed and buildtak or whatever surface you want might work, but I would think these kinds of print surfaces are designed for moderate to high thermal conductivity themselves, and wouldn't be as bad a heat sink as the underlying metal, but might still sap a noticable amount of heat out of the part right away.
# Answer
You can place a 2-4 mm thick MDF board on the bed and print directly on it, or you can place a 2 mm thick cork foil (IKEA office desk supplies) between magnetic plate and aluminium heater. The magnetic plate should not absorb too much heat and the cork will avoid conduction to the aluminium heater.
If you want to avoid the magnetic plate, print on paper/cardboard on top of cork.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Very early (pre-RepRap) commercial 3D printers used *foam* build plates. They were single-use as the foam would be damaged when removing the print, but it's probably as insulating as you can get.
This blog post details some experiments on using foam as a build plate and mentions a particular type of foam that is apparently most suitable.
> 0 votes
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Tags: petg, material, bed
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thread-16566 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16566 | Way to add identity to an all metal hot end | 2021-06-18T15:55:06.803 | # Question
Title: Way to add identity to an all metal hot end
Is there any convention on how to mark an all metal hotend to distinguish it from a hotend with a PTFE tube in the heatbreak? Once assembled for a German Riprap 3D printer, they look exactly the same on the outside. I'm trying to decide on a way of marking them to indicate the difference.
Hotend with heatsink
Exposed part of heatbreak between heater block and heatsink
Easy to see PTFE tube on nozzle side of heatbreak (all metal hotend has an all metal heatbreak with no PTFE)
Even after removing heatsink, PTFE tube is difficult to see in heatbreak (all metal hotend has an all metal heatbreak with no PTFE)
Nozzle end of all metal heatbreak
Heatsink end of all metal heatbreak
# Answer
Given your heatbreaks are the same material and external dimensions, it seems that the most practical way to distinguish one from the other would be to mount the all metal heatbreaks in a heat sink that's anodized to some other color than natural aluminum -- red or blue, for instance.
If you can't buy them that way, or already have plenty on hand, anodizing is fairly easy to do at home -- you need battery acid, a car battery (or heavy duty charger for one), and some strongly colored dye to apply after the anodize has established the oxide layer on the aluminum part. There are many online references on how to proceed and how to stay safe while handling the acid.
If you have machining capability, another option would be to make, say, a copper heat sink for the all metal heatbreak, while keeping the aluminum for the conventional one.
> 3 votes
# Answer
Usually, the neck of an all-metal heat break would be thinner (as it does not need to contain the PTFE tube, and making it overly thick would conduct heat unneccesarily). This may be observable when one loses track of what is where. If one needs to see at a glance, I do not think there is a convention.
> 0 votes
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Tags: hotend, all-metal-hotend
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thread-16620 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16620 | Can a sustainable material like mycelium be used in place of thermoplastics for fused deposition modeling? | 2021-06-24T14:49:50.447 | # Question
Title: Can a sustainable material like mycelium be used in place of thermoplastics for fused deposition modeling?
If it cannot be directly injected in a molten form, is there any way on how to do this? When I was exploring about this, I mostly found thermoplastics. Please note that I am not trying to contrast "sustainable" with FDM materials.
When I saw this video, Is Mycelium Fungus the Plastic of the Future?, I was curious to know if mycelium can be a good material candidate for 3D printing.
Fellows here suggest that there are available options such as Polylactide/Polylactic Acid/PLA which is derived from corn starch.
Still it is better to have as many options for materials to be used as feed in 3d printing, as it is one of the most disruptive tech of this decade, thus if we don't repeat past mistakes, we can reap as much benefit from this without causing enormous ecological damage.
# Answer
The question is vague and likely highly speculative, but I would say that an biological material (coming from living organisms, not from a chemical plant) won't tolerate high temperatures without severe damage, and also will probably have an internal structure which won't work properly with the FDM (pushing molten material) concept.
Maybe you could print via resin printing a matrix structure (FDM is not optimal for that) and then have biological material grow on it. This could work.
See Wikipedia:
> 3D bioprinting for fabricating biological constructs typically involves dispensing cells onto a **biocompatible scaffold** using a successive layer-by-layer approach to generate tissue-like three-dimensional structures
> 0 votes
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Tags: fdm
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thread-11319 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11319 | Academic research behind hot end design? | 2019-11-08T13:08:06.350 | # Question
Title: Academic research behind hot end design?
Does anyone know of any academic research behind 3D printer hot end/liquefier design?
All I’ve found is papers on liquefier dynamics where they model polymer flow and go so far as to compare the influence of nozzle geometry variables on the melt behaviour of the material. Also, I have found some papers on FEA of the heat sink.
Other than that, no development or analysis seems to have been conducted on the hot end. Different nozzle materials and geometries? Different heater block geometries? Different heat break design? Different overall design? The effect of an angled hot end on the shear of polymer flow? Effects of melt zone length?
I understand the principles behind the current design, but it surprises me that no further work has been conducted. Everything seems to always point back to the RepRap design which appears to have only been produced through trial and error to reach a “it’s good enough” phase. Now that design seems to be followed as gospel by everyone else.
Apologies if this question is somewhat broad.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Hot end design is indeed applied science as @Trish said. Its design has a lot of interest and is intriguing, but there are not much into it in terms of academic research. There is a lot of knowledge in RepRap forums and other places where people actually run a lot of trial and error tests.
What might be of interest is the fluid dynamics on the molten plastic in order to calculate a sound model with higher resolution.
Also, academic research on 3D printing moves to Bio printing for example. The hot-end thing is simple mechanics/thermodynamics. Such research is usually done in the private sector IMHO.
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Tags: hotend, nozzle
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thread-16378 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16378 | Creality 10S 3D fan speed settings and bed temperature | 2021-05-26T15:41:32.180 | # Question
Title: Creality 10S 3D fan speed settings and bed temperature
What fan speed should I use with PLA? Do I need to manually set the fan speed in ‘Control’?
Also, on the filament cartridge Bed Temp is listed: *"No heat/60-80 °C"*. Does this mean heating the bed is optional?
# Answer
> 0 votes
Bed heating is not required when printing in PLA. But if it is an option and you would like to heat the bed, I would not go above 70/80 °C for PLA. As far as fan speed, I would go 90-100 % especially if the bed is heated.
# Answer
> 0 votes
> What fan speed should I use with PLA
The answer is that it depends on the hotend temperature the area of the printed layer and the effectivity of the fan. It is best to print some test prints to find the optimum for your printer. E.g. prints with overhangs/slanted object are good tests for this. Normally a Benchy is not a calibration object, but the bow of the Benchy is an example; incorrect temperature (too hot) and too few cooling will result in the bow sagging out.
> Do I need to manually set the fan speed in ‘Control’?
No, the slicer can schedule the cooling speed percentage for you.
> Does this mean heating the bed is optional?
Yes, PLA doesn't shrink much, so it doesn't necessarily need to be heated up to the glass transition temperature (temperature at which the filament becomes soft) of the plastic. It does require to take extra measures to get it to stick to the bed surface. You also don't want the bed temperature to be too high, this will manifest in poor first few layers quality, similar to elephant feet phenomenon.
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Tags: creality-cr-10, speed, creality
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thread-16559 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16559 | BLTouch always shows high on right side of the plate | 2021-06-18T01:03:42.280 | # Question
Title: BLTouch always shows high on right side of the plate
My BLTouch was working great. Until one day, it just started showing the right side as being high on every read.
I've tried leveling many times manually and with the BLTouch. But every time I use the bed visualizer, it shows high on the right. I've even rotated the glass build plate with the same result.
Any ideas what could be causing this? The bed leveling image below was done immediately after manually leveling the bed.
# Answer
I think I found the problem. I think there was some crosstalk between the BLTouch wires and the other wires it was tied together leading to the hotend. When I moved the BLTouch wires away from the others the problem went away.
I will be added a sheild to the cable in the future like in this youtube video
> 2 votes
# Answer
The OP already found the problem and answered the question hinting to shielding of the cable. If this is the actual problem, of fiddling with the cables might have caused this, an alternative solution is presented as I've experienced similar behavior.
If one side of the bed is higher than the rest, even when rotating the glass bed, you might experience that the nozzle carriage is tilting on that side. E.g. when using a Bowden extruder assembly, a too short Bowden tube (or cables in a non-Bowden setup) the tube (or cables) pull at the carriage causing it to lift at the furthest points from the extruder; this tilting can cause the nozzle to go up a few tenths of a millimeter.
> 0 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, bltouch
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thread-14280 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/14280 | Printing and slicing big pieces with Elegoo Mars (Pro) | 2020-08-19T09:15:30.170 | # Question
Title: Printing and slicing big pieces with Elegoo Mars (Pro)
I'm pretty new in the 3D printing world, and there are some doubts that have come my way and I've not been able to find anywhere.
Usually, I'm going to try to print pieces bigger than the bed of my Elegoo Mars Pro (which is 115 x 65 x 150 mm, so it's pretty small). Everywhere I try to look at this they are talking about Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printers, and I guess that material will make the answer to these questions to be different, that's why I'm asking here. **All of these questions are focused on SLA printers.**
## Is there any kind of technique / slicer software to be able to print those pieces by parts?
I've read about slicers, but there seem to be a bunch of them, and some of them work best with some printers than others, and have different features but I haven't seen any that helps in this matter.
Also, I've seen the typical plane cut, but this doesn't make it easy later on to "fit" pieces. I would need some kind of female - male joint. Is there any (free) slicer that helps in that, and makes those joints to be accurate and solid?
Thank you!
---
I removed the "shrink size" part in the question and published it as a separate question. Also moved to a different question "gluing separate pieces" part.\*
# Answer
> 2 votes
With so many questions, I'll provide a suggestion for your first one, the alignment option. There's a 12 minute YouTube video showing how to use Meshmixer (free, multi-platform) to create alignment pins and holes while segmenting a model for printing large items.
The process involves making the cut, keeping both sections. A pin is created and sized, then placed in one of the faces, while the other segment visibility is turned off. The pin is then triplicated, with one pin moved away for printing.
One of the two remaining pins (overlapped) is selected and is used for a Boolean subtract operation, creating a hole that is matching in size and location.
The first segment visibility is turned off, the second segment is turned on and the pin is selected again. The sequence is duplicated, creating a second, matching hole.
I didn't watch the entire video, but if it is not suggested, one should reduce the third pin size, at least the diameter, sufficiently to allow it to fit the holes created by the above process.
Note that the video has some inconsistencies from my experience. Some terms are changed from the video to the program, but should not cause problems.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I actually found it easier to export my model as a single STL file, and then to open up 3D builder. It has a tool that let's you create a flat plane, and then slice a model into pieces using it.
So long as you have a large enough surface area to glue, it shouldn't be a problem.
I tried using booleans and the peg\hole method in Blender, but it simply wasn't stable enough with complex models.
Where I have used pegs and hole I used round pegs or the simple reason that they are easier to sand down to the right size if they deform and are too tight a fit.
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Tags: 3d-models, slicing, sla, elegoo-mars
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thread-16635 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16635 | Does it matter where I place my models on my Resin printer build plate? | 2021-06-26T14:08:50.607 | # Question
Title: Does it matter where I place my models on my Resin printer build plate?
I have a resin 3D printer, so I can print multiple models of a similar size without the overall build time increasing very much. So long as I stay within a set height range.
Presuming that my build plate is level and that my FEP is OK, does it matter where I place the models on my build plate?
For example, should I place the largest items in the center, and smaller ones around the edge, or vice-versa?
Does placing particular models in particular places stress the FEP, induce suction or lead to increased failure risk for other reasons?
For example, is the below terrible placement, or just meh?
# Answer
Having only recently begun to print with a resin printer, I've wondered the same. The tension on the FEP is reasonably even across the entire printable surface, and the FEP is slightly larger than the LCD, keeping "edge" prints truly away from the edge.
The deflection of the FEP in the vat may be a millimeter or two greater in the center, but the lift distance is certainly going to be higher than that. My printer's settings is for 8 mm lift between layers, recently changed to 7.5 mm with no complications, other than a warning from Lychee Slicer.
I've found that it's nearly impossible to examine the print for the first few centimeters, so I place the items as close to the front as possible/practical.
This would mean that there's a gradient involved in the deflection of the FEP from the edge to the center, which probably doesn't complicate things and may be a benefit.
Regarding your current layout on the build plate, consider more the removal aspect. The smaller items inside the larger ones are going to be more difficult to remove than the outer smaller items, but not so much more difficult as to complicate matters. The reach of the tool you use to pry under the base would determine how you place the models.
I've added a magnetic removable build plate, but smaller models tend to pop free the supports, making a tool a requirement despite marketing claims. I use the tool size to provide placement reference (close to the front is easy) when building out a plate.
> 1 votes
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Tags: 3d-models, build-plate, hardware
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thread-13795 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13795 | Pretty ugly surface remains after using support ramp. Are my slicer settings correct? | 2020-06-01T20:41:26.770 | # Question
Title: Pretty ugly surface remains after using support ramp. Are my slicer settings correct?
I'm printing a object with a pretty sizable overhang. And the results, after support removal, are pretty ugly.
Here is the print before support removal.
And here is the final product, sigh.
Finally here are my slic3r settings:
* Generate Support Material: \[✔\]
* Overhang threshold: 60°
* Max Layer Count for Supports: 0 layers
* Enforce Support for the First: 0 layers
* Raft layers: 0 layers
Options for support material and raft
* Contact Z distance: 0.2 mm (detachable)
* Pattern: pillars
* Pattern spacing: 2.5 mm
* Pattern angle: 0°
* Interface Layers: 3 layers
* Interface pattern spacing: 2 mm
* Support on Build Plate Only: \[✔\]
* Don't support bridges: \[ \]
The material I'm using is ABS, 230 °C temperature setting. Layers, Adaptive Slicing, Adaptive quality: 75 %, Match horizontal surfaces. Vertical shells, 3 perimeters minimum. Horizontal shells, solid layers: top: 3, bottom 3.
Is there a way to improve this?
Note: for anybody interested... these are small disposable spatulas used to place bondo mix onto a flat surface at the bottom of a restricted space, to fill small holes in wood. Its too tight in there to use a normal putty knife.
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**Some more print settings**
Included here are the speed settings from Slic3r:
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**G-code analysis**
I'm wondering why there is such a large gap between the gold colored E shaped interface to the blue spatula handle? And that makes me wonder, what support material and raft settings should I be using? Why is that gap so big? (And I have to go back into SolidWorks and check, but I'm nearly certain that handle is 2 mm wide. That gap to the support is really big.)
# Answer
Judging from the print quality of support material (very "fat") and of top surfaces (which look with ripples and a lot of material), you have at least 3% overxtrusion, which will result also in stronger connection between support and print, and more difficult removal, lower quality parts.
I would reduce extrusion by 3%, to start, and see if it goes better. In your case you can tolerate underextrusion, since the part is likely not stressed significantly, so in doubt reduce it even more.
You can also print this test part to check optimal extrusion.
Also, remember that extrusion is (almost always) dependent on speed: if you get perfect extrusion at 60 mm/s, infill at 80 mm/s will be slightly underextruded and outer perimeters (30 mm/s) will be overextruded. In general, set everything to the same speed.
> 1 votes
# Answer
I'm not terribly familiar with slic3r, but it looks like you have a setting (possibly a default one) to slow down on printing overhangs. This was a popular "feature" in slicing software (Cura has it I know) but it's **exactly the opposite** of what you should be doing. When slowing down to print an overhang, the pressure in the nozzle forces the material to keep coming out at the same rate it was coming out until it subsides, and you end up with a big hanging glob of ooze like in your photo.
If your printer firmware has linear-advance/pressure-advance functionality, this can mostly be eliminated. But if not (most stock firmware), you need to maintain full speed on overhangs, and might even need to turn up your acceleration limits so that you don't get a significant slowdown just by decelerating to go around the corner.
> 0 votes
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Tags: slic3r, support-structures
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thread-10965 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/10965 | How to calculate the extruder gear ratio given a desired max printing speed filament diameter and nozzle diameter? | 2019-09-04T12:19:37.040 | # Question
Title: How to calculate the extruder gear ratio given a desired max printing speed filament diameter and nozzle diameter?
I have a Printrbot LC with the following extruder gears:
Stepper on the right, filament toothed gear inside, same size of the small stepper gear.
I don't have much more information besides the model of the motor (42BYGH4807), but the reduction ratio (NEMA stepper -\> toothed gear on the filament) is about 2:1, the filament is pushed at half the circumference speed of the stepper motor gear (small on the photo).
I am using 3 mm filament with a 0.4 mm nozzle and I can print at 80 mm/s without particular issues.
I would like to switch to 1.75 mm filament and sometimes use 0.8 mm nozzle, meaning that I need the filament to be pushed faster:
* 3 mm vs 1.75 mm means 3x faster
* 0.8 mm vs 0.4 mm nozzle it's another 4x speed
* using Klipper firmware I may likely set a higher linear print speed, so there could be another 1.2x speed factor for the filament.
However, I'm not sure how far I am right now from my current maximum extrusion speed. Maybe I'm already at near the max, maybe I still have a 2-3x safety margin.
Since I will likely need to change the extruder gears to push the filament 15x faster I wonder how to calculate the optimal gear ratio given an expected maximum linear printing speed, filament diameter and nozzle diameter.
Since stepper motors get less and less torque at increasing stepping rate, maybe the answer depends also on filament viscosity and microstepping settings?
# Answer
> 1 votes
A related answer was provided in Is E-axis steps/mm resolution limiting factor in print quality?
The gear ratio has two main constraints:
* it should allow you to reach the printing speed you want, so it cannot reduce too much otherwise the motor cannot spin that fast and it cannot output enough torque,
* it should allow the stepper motor to control extrusion accurately, that means outputting several microsteps for each millimeter of print when printing at the thinnest layer height with the thinnest nozzle.
The steps to define a gear ratio are:
* pick the number of microsteps per millimeter, or in other words how long would be a line equivalent to one single microstep, for a given layer thickness and line width (which depends on the nozzle). For example, 0.2 mm (the extruder will not be able to extrude less than what you need for a line 0.1 mm long, which is reasonable).
* based on the radius of the hobbed bolt or hobbed gear (the one gripping on the filament) and therefore the amount of filament pushed with one rotation, the number of steps per revolution of the motor, the desired length per microstep, the filament diameter, calculate the reduction ratio
* based on that reduction ratio and on the motor you have, with its torque curve based on supply voltage, check at which speed it can output its maximum torque.
* check which maximum extrusion speed you can achieve with that motor and that reduction ratio.
* if the maximum speed is too low, either reduce the gear ratio and compromise on the accuracy for small moves, or look for a motor which can rotate faster
* if the maximum printing speed is way higher than realistically needed, increase the gear reduction to get more pushing power. Ideally, you want the motor to spin almost as fast as possible at the fastest printing speed (which, realistically, is usually in the 30-60 mm^3/s assuming a Mosquito magnum or Dragon HF hotend).
For example, I took some sample data and I did the calculations for various extruders and reduction factors. See image with results. The maximum RPM was VERY conservative, in general it can be also 500 rpm.
You can see that the Orbiter (last line) was designed with about 80-90 mm^3/s, which is a bit more than realistically possible, so that it can achieve better pushing force.
See also this graph from here which compares different extruders. You can see that between the Sherpa mini 8t and 10t (10 has a lower reduction ratio, so it needs to rotate slower for the same printing speed) the former has more torque. Since the maximum desired extrusion rate is still achievable, it made sense to increase the reduction ratio with a 8t motor.
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Tags: extrusion
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thread-13269 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13269 | Homing damages limit switches Ender 3 | 2020-03-29T09:55:18.983 | # Question
Title: Homing damages limit switches Ender 3
I'm new to 3D printing and have bought an Ender 3. I have printed a few good prints but I'm noticing a worsening issue:
When I select "autohome" the axes head towards their limit switches, but the y axis in particular seems to slam into the limit switch, bending it away, meaning that the platform bounces off and doesn't activate the limit switch a second time
This causes the machine to slam against the back over and over until the limit switch is triggered or power is removed.
I've replaced the limit switch twice
I've tried supergluing the limit switch to its PCB but even with a needle and patience this caused the limit switch to be ruined
What can I do?
Edit: Here are some photos of the switch (2nd replacement). The OEM switch also did the same thing, but I don't have photos of that. The screws are loose in these photos, but this is just because my Allen key is lost - the previous two switches had the screws reasonably tightened with the correct Allen key, provided in the box
# Answer
> 0 votes
The solution seems to be simply triggering the switch earlier, and making sure that it is triggered. The thin arm can end up bent over the actual button of the switch, meaning that the arm can be touching the switch without actually "pressing" the switch. For some, bending the arm seems to have worked, but for me I had to wedge a small piece of plastic between the arm and the switch button, meaning that it is a lot more reliable when you press the switch. The piece isn't stuck in there in any way, simply held by friction. This isn't the best solution as you have to keep an eye on that piece with every homing, but until a better answer is available, I recommend this solution as it was more reliable than bending the arm out or into a different shape.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Personally, I have found that if you bend the arm of the limit switch out, it gets triggered earlier and solves this issue for good, (broke a switch clean off at the bend on the pins, soldered old switch back onto the pins in the board) bent the arm to a greater angle, so the striker triggers 3-5 mm earlier, problem averted!
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Tags: creality-ender-3, troubleshooting, homing
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thread-16649 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16649 | Tiny "fuzzy" wispy strings on the entire surface of the model? | 2021-06-28T19:56:36.530 | # Question
Title: Tiny "fuzzy" wispy strings on the entire surface of the model?
I have my print settings dialed into a real good spot, but there's one obstacle that's preventing them from coming out flawless; somehow, my print has "fuzz" everywhere. Not traditional stringing like you get from filament oozing while travelling from section to section, nor do I mean over-extrusion that causes the outer walls to sag or bubble out.
The final shape/texture of my models are perfect - there's just wispy little hairs sticking out all over the model. They are not even really visible unless you hold it up to the light, or against a dark background.
Here's an image of the wing from a dragon I printed. Notice the top edge of the part and how it looks like it's made of cotton or something? That's how it looks everywhere.
# Answer
> 2 votes
That is the print stringing still. Even thought that you have your printer dialed in, the plastic that is still in the nozzle is still grabbing onto your print and pulling out the nozzle just a tad. This, as far as I know, is unavoidable. The best solution that I could think of fixing this (as far as having your print come perfect off of the bed) would if a company designed the tips, printer, and filament to perfectly match each other, but until that happens, you are gonna be stuck with a lighter balling up the strings and picking them off.
# Answer
> 1 votes
These stringers are common with PETG. You can reduce them by:
1. Increasing retraction reduces the stringers, but too much retraction can cause the filament to jam and stop extruding.
2. Lowering the extruder temperature will reduce the stringers, but also reduce adhesion between layers. Stringers usually aren't an issue on the 1st layer, so you can keep the necessary extrusion temperature for the 1st layer to keep adhesion to the bed.
Your stringers are very short thus difficult to reduce. One method to get rid of stringers is to expose the print very quickly with the flame of a blow torch. Important is you don't want to melt the strings. You want them to burn, so that they are ash and easily removed. Melting the stringers will distort your print.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, stringing
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thread-16648 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16648 | Where the plastic sticker should be installed? | 2021-06-28T19:52:08.047 | # Question
Title: Where the plastic sticker should be installed?
With my Anet ET4, I also received a plastic sticker. I assume this should be stuck onto glass, not to a metal bed. If I understand this right, when sticking this to glass, I will damage the glass and I cannot use the glass as a bed in the future if I change my mind and decide to experiment with glass again.
Isn't better to buy another glass and stick the plastic there? Or is better to buy some completely different sticker? I have many problems with adhesion on Anet ET4, so looking for options. Any ideas?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Besides a heat gun, heating the bed some can also help removing the tape-like print surface/adhesion layer. Using a puddy knife carefully can help prying up the adhesion layer. The only danger to the glass is mechanically breaking it. Avoid mashing a sharp point perpendicular to the surface of the glass or pounding the surface.
Most of the work removing the surface is cleaning off the adhesive left by the adhesion layer on the glass. A cleaner rated as a degreaser or IPA (at least 90% IPA) helps remove the adhesive. Many of the hand sanitizers with at least 70% alcohol will work if the remainder is hydrocarbons with little water. You can remove the hydrocarbons left with soap and water.
Here is an example of a print surface/adhesion layer (black) on a glass bed (white). The object being printed is blue.
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Tags: glass-bed
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thread-16612 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16612 | "SD Init Fail" on Ender 3 Pro with BTT E3 RRF v1.1 | 2021-06-23T18:10:05.277 | # Question
Title: "SD Init Fail" on Ender 3 Pro with BTT E3 RRF v1.1
**The background and printer**
I have an Ender 3 Pro that I have made all sorts of modifications to, the important ones being:
* Replaced control board with BTT E3 RRF v1.1
* Flashed BTT's firmware that I compiled (only change I made was to allow my BLTouch to work)
**The problem**
I keep getting the error message "SD Init Fail". Sometimes it's right away when I plug the SD card in, sometimes its 5 hours into a print. The print will just suddenly stop and that error will pop up.
**Things I've tried**
I had previously asked this question here and most of the suggestions were to "take it out and plug it back in again" or to get a new sd card. I've tried it with new, name-brand (Sandisk) cards, and it doesn't work any better/worse than the card that came with the Ender. I've seen various suggestions around the internet (like on Marlin's website) that adjusting the SPI speed can possibly help with "Volume Init" errors, which I assume to mean the same thing:
I have tried the firmware at both normal speed and half and quarter, haven't tried eighth yet. I didn't notice any different behavior for any of them.
I'm at a loss! Help! I'm eventually probably going to jump to Octoprint via a Raspberry Pi, but given the printers location in an area without wifi, is there anything I can do in the meantime? Any other firmware tips? Or suggestions?
Do you think bad hardware could explain a print that goes for a few hours and then errors? I.e. is it reading the SD card during the course of the entire print (its never done?) and then the connection could fail after a few hours of being good?
# Answer
> 6 votes
This is happening with multiple SD cards that work in other ports (your computer, for instance): that tells me the problem must be in the mainboard hardware or firmware.
You're using the stock firmware for that board, with the BLTouch enabled but otherwise original -- assuming you only had to change a compiler directive to enable BLTouch, that pretty strongly points to hardware. And the hardware that's likely at fault here is the SD port on the mainboard.
It's hard to verify, hard to repair (aside from simply replacing the board with another of the hardware revision), but not impossible. With the right tools, you could connect a second SD card port parallel to the existing one (hook jumpers from an oscilloscope?), run the board from the external SD card, and reproduce the error by momentarily disconnecting one of the jumpers.
Repairing the problem might only require reflowing solder connections on the board for the SD port wires, or it might require replacing the port itself.
One thing to check before you do all of that, however: clean the contacts in the port. With power off (of course!) slip a utility knife blade or similar with a sheet of printer paper wrapped over it into the port, work it in and out a couple times to scrub the paper over the spring contacts, then pull it out and carefully vacuum the port.
If that fixes it, good to go! If not, all it's cost you is a few minutes before trying the more drastic stuff.
> Do you think bad hardware could explain a print that goes for a few hours and then errors? I.e. is it reading the SD card during the course of the entire print (its never done?) and then the connection could fail after a few hours of being good?
The movement of the machine frame while printing infill or fine detail may jostle the SD card or port when the firmware is trying to read the next line (or batch of lines) of G-code from it.
If you do determine that the SD socket is at fault due to connection problems, it may be worth considering installing an off-frame mainboard housing (I've seen these in printable form for Ender 3 class machines, though if this is your only printer you might have to buy one, since they'll be 10-16 hour prints) to insulate the mainboard from movement induced by bed and hot end/extruder motion. Doing that would be easier than repairing or replacing the SD socket. This has the downside that it requires additional space near the machine, but the upside is that it may solve your "SD Init Fail" problems.
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Tags: firmware, sd
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thread-16623 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16623 | I think my extruder is hosed | 2021-06-24T20:40:12.840 | # Question
Title: I think my extruder is hosed
I put a new glass bed on my Ender 3. After playing with the baby-steps and bed temperature I thought I had it ready to go. I started to print some rocket kits for the Cub Scouts and the job didn't stick. I ended with a giant blob on my hot end. I thought I cleaned it up, made some more adjustments and started again. I watched it this time and noticed some times I had under extrusion, other times over extrusion, a sometimes perfect extrusion. Since I just upgraded to a new metal drive for the extruder and that looked good I decided to look at my hot end. Here is a pic of what I found.
I think my Hot End is now toast. Any suggestions on how to fix the hot end?
# Answer
This is filament leakage. It's generally due to the nozzle and heat break not being correctly tightened against each other (if you've ever disassembled or upgraded the hotend you'd have needed to do this).
Presuming that you can heat the hotend and (carefully -- extrusion temperature is close to that of a medium-hot oven!), peel off most of the mess, and get it disassembled, you should then be able to finish cleaning up and correctly reassemble.
You need to install the heat break into the heat block, heat to 20 °C or so above your highest printing temperature, then tighten the nozzle against the heat break. If the nozzle bottoms against the heat block before coming tight, you'll need to back it out, screw the heat break in another turn or two, and tighten the nozzle again. Let everything cool, then reheat and retighten the nozzle.
N.B. Do NOT use teflon tape, pipe dope, or anything else on the threads of either nozzle or heat break: these threads need to have metal to metal contact for heat transfer, and the seal is between the nozzle face and heat break face, not the threads in any case.
After everything is cooled again, you can finish reassembling the heat sink (if you had it off during the nozzle installation), silicone sock (which should replace the kapton taped insulation wadding your photo shows), shroud and fan -- and you should then find you've stopped the melted filament leaking around the heat break threads as in your photo.
And no parts needed!
> 2 votes
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Tags: hotend
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thread-16414 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16414 | Ender 5 Plus manual screen temperature adjustment | 2021-05-31T23:32:11.850 | # Question
Title: Ender 5 Plus manual screen temperature adjustment
I want to get my Ender 5 plus to print at 300 °C. As such, I've edited the firmware and increased the `HEATER_0_MAXTEMP` to 315 °C.
In my slicer, I can slice and print at 300 °C, however, I cannot manually adjust the temperature on the LCD screen past the stock setting of 260 °C.
Any help in getting the manual adjustment fixed would be greatly appreciated.
# Answer
There are two important considerations before approaching the firmware issue: first, do you have an all-metal, direct-drive extruder? If you don't, your Bowden tube will melt where it enters the hot end and lead to clogs before you ever reach 300 °C (the same may be true of other plastic parts, if present). Second: is your heater cartridge rated for high enough power to actually heat the hot end that hot? There are things like silicone socks that can help here, by keeping the heat break and print cooling fan airflow off the actual hot end -- but this may not even be possible with the stock cartridge for an Ender 5 Plus.
Assuming you've already dealt with those potential issues (and given you can print at this temperature via slicer settings, it seems you have), it seems likely that the Marlin firmware has hard coded limits in the adjustment modules or the LCD input module that prevent manually setting the temperature to a range that is none the less within the reach of the actual control PID. The only solution for this is likely to be analyzing the source code for the input and manual control modules to find and increase that limit (it may exist in more than one location, and they may not all have a value of 260 °C).
Obviously, you'll want to store an unmodified (or at least a known-working) copy of the firmware before you delve into what might be poorly documented or undocumented parts of the code, but the beauty of open source is that at least this is *possible*.
> 1 votes
# Answer
This printer uses a TFT touch screen to interface with the printer firmware (see e.g. this question). The reason that the updated temperature is not seen by the precompiled firmware of the display. If you look at this specific (custom, not standard) Marlin fork you see that the printer firmware and the display firmware are interlinked, this is probably not the case with the default Creality display firmware, it may have hard limits encoded for the temperature.
Looking into the fork mentioned in this answer, you see that the constant `HEATER_0_MAXTEMP` is used in the display source files, so, running this firmware might lift the constrains encountered with custom Marlin and default Creality display software to modify the hotend temperature to the new set maximum.
---
*Please note, running custom firmware on controller board and display should be done at your own risk.*
> 1 votes
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Tags: marlin, firmware, creality-ender-5, temperature, lcd-screen
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thread-16474 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16474 | Why is my Ender 3 restarting spontaneously in mid print? | 2021-06-08T18:55:36.850 | # Question
Title: Why is my Ender 3 restarting spontaneously in mid print?
**tl;dr** How can I test whether my sporadic in-print restarts are a thermal problem or a firmware issue?
## The problem
I've had my Ender 3 (not V2 or Pro) for about a month, and gotten a number of excellent small prints with Amazon Basics and SunLu PLA, as well as Overture PETG, slicing with Cura Slicer 4.9.1; the printer has Marlin 1.0.1 according to the "About Printer" display. I've made no electrical changes to the original hardware, though I've added a few printed parts including a mainboard fan cover, alternative power supply mount, "original screws" display PCB cover, display cable clips, filament guides, storage drawers, and drag chains protecting the cables to the X stepper and extruder/hotend.
However, I've had trouble for most of the time I've had the machine with sporadic reboots in the middle of a multi-hour print. At a minimum, when I resume the print after one of these incidents, the printer will skip the rest of the current layer and start with the next, producing a weak layer (usually it also leaves a significant blob of plastic, and even if I just flatten that blob with the scraper blade as soon as the nozzle is clear, it will stick out of the print and have to be trimmed off later, and if I try to scrape the blob away while it's still soft, it'll result in layer shifts caused by skipping the Y-axis stepper).
Usually, this happens about four to six hours into a 10+ hour print, though I've seen it happen just a half hour or so after a previous occurrence, and near the end of a 65-minute print as well. It's becoming a big issue as I venture into larger prints, as it can ruin the appearance of a print (by skipping a large fraction of a layer that's the visible surface of the part) or causing a weak layer at a stress point -- which wastes a lot of machine time as well as filament.
I've also just upgraded my build surface to a Creality coated glass plate -- which is great in terms of flatness, sticks well, and the part comes off very easily when the plate cools. Unfortunately, if I'm not in the room when the printer restarts, and the bed gets below about 40 °C, the part will unstick and will start moving with the nozzle when I resume the print.
## What I've tried
I had suspected issues with my 120 V power, so I purchased a small UPS to condition the power for the Ender 3 power supply, but without seeing improvement. Prints running overnight often do better, but not always, and this happens with both PLA (nozzle temp 200 °C, bed 50 °C) and PETG (nozzle 235 °C, bed 75-78 °C). I haven't attempted other filaments such as ABS.
I'm usually not watching the printer when it does this, but several times I've caught it immediately after (I can hear it running when I'm at my computer, so when it stops I can get to it in seconds), and once I happened to be watching when it stopped. The sequence is that (usually, but not always, when printing a layer with significant infill -- for which I usually use cubic, for best strength with minimal material and time) the printer will suddenly just *stop* with a normal info screen display for fifteen to thirty seconds (I don't have the exact time, and have only seen it early enough to have an idea a couple of times), then the display goes dark and within two or three seconds returns to the startup splash (Ender 3 dragon logo), from which it changes to the power failure recovery screen with "Resume Print" and "Stop Print" choices.
This is not a reproducible error (nor am I likely to attempt repeating an overnight or whole-day print multiple times to attempt to reproduce the problem). At no time have I noted the power supply cooling exhaust running hot, nor the steppers getting as warm as a 50 °C bed (I don't have an IR thermometer to check the actual stepper temperature). I used a photographic thermometer to check the temperature of cooling air leaving the mainboard housing, and found it never exceeded 30 °C during the print I tested.
## My hypothesis
I'm aware of two significant possible causes: overheating the mainboard, or overloading the stepper pulse loop in the firmware. The former should (if things are designed sensibly) result in a complete shutdown, though with a hard switch on the power supply it might not be possible to prevent a restart as soon as the sensor reads below critical (which could be the fifteen to thirty seconds of "freeze" I've observed). The latter is something I've read about, where the Marlin firmware will restart if the stepper pulse interrupt loop gets so busy the mainboard can't service the sensor interrupt loop.
The only way I know to test which I'm seeing is to find a way to more efficiently cool the mainboard and see if that improves the situation -- but I'm reluctant to either remove the fan cover or run the printer with the mainboard cover off; the reason for installing the fan cover was to keep fragments of plastic from getting into the mainboard housing as, being directly under the build plate, it's prone to collect strings, hairs, and scrapings.
## Update
I thought I had solved this problem -- I reduced the print speed (using the "tune" menu while the print was running) to 90% (=45 mm/s instead of Cura's default 50 mm/s) and started getting longer prints without stoppages; that would have pointed to firmware loop overload as the likely cause. Unfortunately, I still got a freeze about 10.5 hours in to a 13 hour print, but only *one* rather than the three or so I'd have expected; this may be a clue. Since then I've had freezes in under an hour into a new print once again, once with the bed running to Ymin (a movement not in the gcode) instead of stopping in place.
Due to the required level of disassembly, I haven't attempted to test continuity while in motion on the stepper or hotend wiring, and I cut away the damaged portion of the Bowden tube when I replaced the hotend and nozzle; I get good extrusion and, when they don't stop in the middle, good smooth prints.
## Update 18 June 2021
As suggested in comments, I have initiated a "dry run" of a print that previously generated two or three of these stoppages over the course of about fourteen hours. Original print was Overture clear PETG, nozzle at 235 °C and bed at 75 °C. For this "print" I've retracted the PLA loaded into the machine well clear of the hotend and unplugged the extruder stepper; when I get home from work, I'll be able to see if the machine is still running, and if it has restarted, resuming the print will allow me to tell how long it ran before the incident.
### Test Result
This is unexpected. I thought I'd either find the machine still running, or with the power failure resume screen asking to "Resume Print" or "Stop Print" -- instead, I came home from work, some 10 hours after starting the dry run test, to find the printer idle, as if I'd had it properly shut off and then turned the power on. No way to tell when it stopped or why.
## Further Update, June 20
I had another of the new type of failure on an overnight print; I was printing PETG (Sun Lu brand), 240 °C nozzle and 75 °C bed, back on my magnetic textured build sheet because the PETG was warping and coming up from the coated glass -- and when I got up this morning the printer *should* have still been running, at around 90% complete, but instead it was sitting at the Info Screen, nozzle and bed both reading room ambient temperature with set point 0 °C.
I can only presume that either the "resume print" option has a limited life (though I've seen it at what must have been eight or nine hours after the print stopped and print progress in this case suggests it had only stopped four hours or so before I came back), or I'm getting a second interrupt from the resume screen that's causing the printer to return to "fresh power on" state.
I'm reluctant to pursue further warranty help from the Amazon seller because of the hassle of returning a machine I've customized and my feeling that this is an easy fix if I can just determine *what* to fix.
## Followup, June 21
I'm starting to believe my machine is haunted. Over the past twenty-four hours, I've had about twenty-one continuous hours of printing, completely successful (in terms of the machine continuing to run; I've got some corner lifting on the print that was running when I left for work this morning, but that's print settings and/or material vs. build surface). I was more than ten hours into a twelve-plus hour print when I left this morning, and completely a nine and a half hour print yesterday without incident.
In other words, it almost seems as if the problem has resolved.
My partner half jokingly suggested the cats might be somehow resetting the machine, but I don't see any way they could. Just poking at the Ender 3 control knob won't do anything, and even if they managed to turn the knob and poke it again, if they initiated a "stop print" the machine would retract, lift the nozzle, and home the X and Y. If they batted at the power switch (which is after the UPS) and got it to momentarily break power, I'd expect to find the "resume print" screen -- and further, this has happened when I'm in the same room and the sequence isn't compatible with a power break.
## Additional Followup 22 June 2021
I thought the machine was back to trying to make a liar out of me, after getting around 27 hours of failure-free prints -- and then it stopped at about 60% of a 2 1/2 hour print in PLA, glass bed, at 200 °C nozzle and 50 °C bed, 10% gryroid infill. It was printing fine when I went to bed, and when I got up I found it at the info screen (not the resume print choice screen), with the nozzle stuck to the infill.
## Additional information 26 June 2021
I was able to take a few minutes to open the main board housing while installing belt tensioners today -- I was slightly startled to discover that despite shipping with Marlin 1.0.1 (correction: it's 2.0.1-V1.0.1, 32-bit build and the newest available from Creality for this mainboard), the mainboard is the 32-bit version 4.2.2. While this is not the most current version, it is the board that was introduced with the Ender 3 V2 in 2020 and almost immediately added to the Ender 3 Pro, and can be updated through the MicroSD or via the USB port.
I'm told (via discussion on the Ender 3 group at Thingiverse) that this rules out firmware overload, as the 32-bit boards are both much faster computationally, and have significantly larger on-board RAM and EEPROM.
I also went over the electrical connections on the mainboard; I found two of the screw terminals weren't as tight as I'd make them (this is probably a result of using tinned wire instead of crimped ferrules); I also was able to push down one of the stepper driver outputs (not sure which one), which wasn't fully seated (though surely making contact, since I've had all steppers operational any time the machine wasn't resetting itself).
Unfortunately, tightening the slightly loose screw connections helped nothing; though I was able to complete a 1 1/2 hour print flawlessly, I had two consecutive failures several hours into a 7 1/2 hour print.
My next thing to check is internals in the power supply.
## June 29 update
Power supply check showed perfect 24.0 V output, but I found the two spade terminals on the power switch itself were loose enough to move around with a little tug on the wire. They were making good contact, as far as I could tell, and required effort to pull off the spade on the switch, but once things heat up after some time under load (running X and Y steppers and bed heater at the same time, for instance, along with near-constant nozzle heat) they might well have gotten looser -- and since I moved the power supply off the vertical extrusion to a pair of printed brackets to improve clearance between the magnetic build sheet and power supply, it does move around a bit when the machine is printing (especially with the rapid direction changes of infill).
On that basis, I disconnected both wires and squeezed the terminals with pliers to close them up a little; they were very tight when I reconnected them.
Too early to be sure, but the machine finished a 7.5 hour print flawlessly after this.
## Update June 30
It was better -- I got *two* 7.5 hour prints in a row without a failure. Printed a spacer to allow quick switch between magnetic build surface sheet and glass (clips onto X gantry plate to trigger the Z-stop with the nozzle higher by exactly the extra thickness of the glass plate). Too thick; easier to reprint than to sand or scrape enough.
Machine stopped at the same spot *while printing the skirt* three attempts in a row. This is less than one minute into the print. Further, doesn't reboot, just freezes until I power it off, then comes back up with "resume" dialog. Tried to reslice, thinking it might be a bad g-code file, and the microSD won't mount on my desktop computer, though it still seems to read okay in the printer and another (full size) SD card mounts on the same USB port and hub (and the problem card doesn't mount even in the microSD slot in the other reader).
This last doesn't appear to be related to the original problem: the microSD had seemingly gotten disconnected without "safely remove" procedure, and Ubuntu apparently isn't capable of recovering from this; that resulted in a corrupted gcode file causing these most recent, very early stoppages, as well as the inability to mount the storage device. Reformatting the storage device corrected that problem.
## Question?
What other tests can I run to differentiate between a thermal restart and a firmware overload?
# Answer
This problem (of spontaneous restarting during printing) appears to be solved.
#### The Cause
The apparent cause was a combination of push-on spade connectors on the power switch that were looser than ideal, likely specified that way in order to facilitate mass production (the tighter such a connector is, the more difficult it is to assemble, leading to slower work and an increase in damaged parts that then require reworking an assembly), and moving the power supply off its direct mount to the machine frame (in order to increase clearance between the PSU and the heat bed after installation of a magnetic build sheet).
The brackets I used to remount the power supply are free to slide in the 4040 extrusion of the frame base, and have no mechanical connection to the PSU housing or even its plastic extension (which houses the wire connections, power switch, and power cord connector). This allows the PSU to move much more under frame accelerations (Newtonian reaction to movements of the bed and hot end) than with the original mount -- and this movement sometimes pulls against the wires inside the plastic wiring cover.
Combine that with spade connectors that are loose enough to move when the wire is tugged pretty gently, and you have a formula for momentary disconnects. Such a disconnect will reset the main board (like a power flicker can do to a computer with no UPS), resulting in the freeze (actually mainboard startup sequence before it begins to update the display), then a startup.
### The Complication
I can't prove it, but I hypothesize that the transition from restarting to the "resume print" screen, to restarting as if freshly powered up after a normal shutdown occurred because the connection issue had progressed to the point of producing two or more disconnects close enough together that the second restart lost the "print in progress" flag.
### The Solution
What appears to have solved the problem was to remove the wiring cover on the PSU (ensure power is off and power cord disconnected, mains voltage is present inside this cover), disconnecting the spade terminals at the power switch, and (with pliers) carefully squeezing the female receptacles so they are tighter on the male blade. This must be done carefully, as squeezing too hard will close up the female terminal and prevent reconnection, requiring either much more difficult adjustment with knife and miniature screwdriver, or replacement of the terminal.
Since applying this fix, I've completed a few longish prints (about 7 1/2 hours each) and a number of shorter ones without a single glitch, aside from an unrelated problem that caused a corrupted gcode file.
Adding to this, I did get one in-print reset after this answer; it happened while printing gyroid infill at (IIRC) 40%, which is some of largest ongoing acceleration (=\> machine frame movement) of anything you'd do.
My final solution has been to add a third bracket to the power supply, so three corners are supported. Now the power supply doesn't wiggle and wobble when the machine shifts a little; it's back to a near-rigid mount to the frame (if anything, a little sturdier than the original two screws through an upright). I haven't tried gyroid infill again, but I've had 100% reliability (including a couple large prints at 7+ hours) since installing this third bracket.
> 5 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, firmware, hardware
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thread-16639 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16639 | When changing my FEP should I pierce it first or just screw the screws through it? | 2021-06-27T06:48:19.503 | # Question
Title: When changing my FEP should I pierce it first or just screw the screws through it?
I'm going to do my first FEP change on my Elegoo Saturn. The manufacturer has a video on changing it that shows them putting the FEP into the gasket frame and then simply screwing the screws right through it.
People on Youtube have videos showing them using a sharp object to piece the film before putting the screws in.
Which is least likely to cause a failure?
# Answer
> 2 votes
It seems that it doesn't matter. But it's probably a lot easier if you use a bradel (awl) to pre puncture the holes.
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Tags: resin, desktop-printer, sla, maintenance
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thread-16665 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16665 | Screen protector for Elegoo Saturn? | 2021-07-03T13:14:36.067 | # Question
Title: Screen protector for Elegoo Saturn?
Can I cut down an iPad screen protector and stick it over the top of my Elegoo Saturn to protect the LCD from scratches or resin leaks\drips?
Or will this harm printing?
### Additional information
A resin printer has an LCD screen underneath the resin tank. It shines a light up through the tank (which has a transparent bottom), which cures a thin layer of resin. The built plate then moves up slightly allowing more liquid resin to flow in underneath. The process then repeats.
There are particular wavelengths that must be allowed through. It's 405 nm (at least that's what is written on the side of the resin bottles that I use), which is UV light.
# Answer
The primary consideration you'd have by adding a screen protector is that you've added distance between the LCD panel and your build plate. Currently, the FEP film is in contact with the LCD panel. By inserting a screen protector, you've increased the distance light has to travel to reach the resin on the other side of the FEP film. It's certainly going to be a very small distance, but not a zero value.
The increased distance will allow a bit of diffraction and diffusion of the UV light passing through the protector film. If your models are not particularly detailed, you may not notice the difference.
Consider to print a test model designed for resin printers prior to installing the protector. Perhaps print more than one, in different resins. Once installed, print the same sequence again and examine carefully for detail changes.
Another aspect of this "project" is that screen protectors are removable.
Image courtesy of linked site. Note that the linked site requires the user to sign up for newsletters in order to receive the free STL file, but one can immediately unsubscribe. Other 3d resin printer test models may be available.
The site has useful information regarding "reading" the printed model with respect to the results.
> 1 votes
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Tags: maintenance, replacement-parts, lcd-screen
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thread-16667 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16667 | Making durable 3D printed drill templates? | 2021-07-03T22:19:56.020 | # Question
Title: Making durable 3D printed drill templates?
I’m gearing up for making batch of 30 or so drilled aluminum enclosures (guitar pedals!), and getting the holes drilled accurately is a challenge. I’d like to make a 3D printed drilling template that fits over the box. The plastic alone is too soft to keep from getting deformed by repeated drilling. I’d seen these steel bushing inserts machinists use for their drilling templates. I’d love to use the kind with knurls or ridges so they press into the plastic and won’t get loose and spin.
The only problem is they seem to be unusually expensive- \\$8 apiece at McMaster Carr.
The one other question here about these mentions “castable bushings” but are similarly rare and expensive.
Is there a less expensive part that would work well with plastic? Or a clever method for getting an accurate 3D printed drill template that would stand up to repeated use?
This would be used with a drill press and I would be happy with 0.125” (~3.2 mm) drill bits, or similar size, for pilot holes, and drill the holes to various final sizes as a second operation.
# Answer
Found one source for small “doweling jigs”, the Telco 06120TK, on Amazon, $1.50 per bushing in packs of 10. Not the neat, press-in kind, they thread into a 1/2”-20 nut, but they are tempered steel.
They are a little thick and tall, which would make the template thick and tall, but the printed template could be cored out so it doesn’t have to be a solid, thick piece of printed plastic on top of the box. The threaded bit would make them reusable though.
The search was helped by putting in the ID you want (1/8” in this case), and getting into the woodworking category, rather than business/industrial.
Edit: Here's a design for 3D printed drill template with the doweling bushings. For the holes that were too close and interfered I'm going to try the suggestion of using pressed in 6-32 steel nuts, but drill them out.
EDIT #2:After drilling a test with the 3D printed drill template, results are underwhelming. The hole pattern is a little undersize, about 0.5%, which has made the holes on opposite sides of the drill template out of tolerance by about .015", not great for matching a PCB. I believe the issue is plastic shrink, which is expressed as a percentage, an error that ends up as a multiplication of size. So the 3D printed drill template, as shown, not reccommended for tight dimensional tolerances without experimenting dialing in the scale with the filament to be used.
> 2 votes
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Tags: hardware
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thread-16672 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16672 | How to define bed dimensions in Marlin for custom carriage / hot end? | 2021-07-05T21:22:52.817 | # Question
Title: How to define bed dimensions in Marlin for custom carriage / hot end?
How would I begin measuring my hotend / carriage dimensions in Marlin to prevent my hotend from slamming into the frame?
I see in Marlin the 'define bed size' parameters
```
#define Y_BED_SIZE 360
#define Z_MAX_POS 400
#if ENABLED(E3DHemera)
#define X_BED_SIZE 352
#define X_MAX_POS 352
#else
#define X_BED_SIZE 360
#define X_MAX_POS 360
#endif
#define Y_MAX_POS 360
#define ClipClearance 25
```
But how would I go about measuring my hotend / carriage assembly to edit the values accordingly?
I'm not sure how I would measure it or at what point of reference I'm measuring from, is it from the nozzle to the edge of the hotend carriage in both the X and Y or total space on X and Y.
I'm using an Ender 5 plus.
I have a custom-made aluminum hot end carriage for my E3D Hemera.
I defined the BLTouch probe offset.
I'm using "Tiny Machines" firmware and my next step in the installation is defining the aforementioned parameters. In the video tutorial, I'm watching for installation they are using a different mount for their E3D Hemera, so I'm unsure how I would go about defining my own values for my setup.
The guide I'm following is here
I also moved one of my end stops closer to the carriage because my original endstop would trigger on the wheels, but now that I installed the new carriage, it hits the frame before triggering the endstop, is there an endstop offset value I can adjust for what I think is my Y-axis?
(The axis going from left to right)
# Answer
> 1 votes
## TL&DR
Using a larger carriage will, if too large, diminish the printing area.
To determine the correct values (for the X-axis) you:
* First need to assure that the nozzle can reach the origin, if not, try to see if you can move the endstop without the carriage hitting the frame, if not possible, your left margin will be decreased. If there was enough space for the carriage, and a value for `X_MIN_POS` defined, this value needs to be decreased. See How to center my prints on the build platform? (Re-calibrate homing offset) to set these margins correctly as you effectively need to reposition the print area on the build area.
* Second, define the bed dimensions temporarily to be the design size (do note to not bluntly jog the carriage to the end positions!).
* Now flash the firmware and home the X-axis, jog the carriage in increments to the right and observe the position on the LCD or through a connected application over USB. When the carriage is about to hit the frame, note the value, this is your bed X size (for a CoreXY make sure the carriage is clear over the whole Y-axis).
* Something similar can be done for the Y-axis.
* When you have noted the maximum sizes in X and Y direction, change the firmware and re-flash the printer board.
---
# More details
The text below goes a little more in depth, first some definitions, then some theory.
## Definitions
**Axes**
In reaction to:
> The axis going from left to right
When *facing your printer* the *left to right movement* is your *X-axis*, *back and forth* the *Y-axis* and *up and down* the *Z-axis*.
<sub> -\> Please note this is generally the most used printer convention, exceptions are applicable.</sub>
**Dimensions**
*Hotend dimensions* are needed for your *slicer* (when you need to sequentially print multiple objects), *firmware* uses *bed dimensions and positions*.
## Bed dimensions
The following image reflects the changes to the build area when a larger sized carriage is used on the same printer (grey is the original size, red is the decreased area as a result of a larger carriage; *note this is for fixed endstop positions!*). Note, this is an example, CoreXY machines have limited space, so a decreased print area is more likely to be seen in both X and Y dimension. Prusa i3 style printers have the Y endstop generally on the bed carriage, so the bed size in Y will most likely not decrease. It totally depends on the construction of the printer, the extra space between the frame parts and the carriage (usually you can see that instantly by the endstop offsets, if there aren't homing endstop offsets, there is not extra space and the print dimension of that axis will decrease) or the ability to move the offset. Note that the bottom half of the image draws the out the result for losing X movement, the red area does account for losing Y movement as well, this is not uncommon for CoreXY, especially the printers with limited extra space for the carriage beyond the minimum and maximum bed positions.
## How does this translate to your situation?
From Tiny Machines (TM) firmware (InsanityAutomation) you'll find that:
```
#define X_MIN_POS 0
#define Y_MIN_POS 0
```
This tells you that there is no offset from the homing endstop.
```
#if ENABLED(E3DHemera)
#define X_BED_SIZE 352
#define X_MAX_POS 352
#else
```
This tells you that there is less printing space in the X direction available.
From Marlin configurations (2.0.9.1), you can find something similar. It looks like somebody did a similar attempt, but added the offset to the `X_MIN_POS` and mixed up the signs (it does hint to a 8 mm offset, so the creator probably also has a e3D Hemera extruder).
From the TM constants we read that the endstops in fact define the origin of the printer to be at the endstops (the `MIN` values are zero) so the printer is at the origin when homed. Because of the larger extruder, already 8 mm of the X dimension is used, hence the smaller bed size of 306 - 8 = 352 mm. This is also the `X_MAX_POS`, the carriage is not allowed further. You should now look into your custom mount and the endstop location and deduce your own "x mm" offset.
---
Tags: marlin, troubleshooting, hotend, creality-ender-5, carriage
--- |
thread-16676 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16676 | G-code to make printer move around without actually printing | 2021-07-06T12:53:36.570 | # Question
Title: G-code to make printer move around without actually printing
I have a Prusa i3 MK3S with the MMU on it. At my work, I'm creating a display case to advertise/show off the 3D printing we can do. I was thinking about putting the Prusa in the display case and having it "run" for the two weeks we're in there. I was thinking it'd be cool if I could have the printer pretend to print, i.e. move the axes around, move the bed every so often, etc., but without the need to worry about if a print was messing up (it'll be in a locked cabinet I may not notice more than once a day).
I'd just slice a long print but then the Prusa will wonder where the material is. Any thoughts on how to create that custom G-code?
# Answer
The simple way to do this is to slice a very long print (near maximum volume should run to 24 hours or longer, anyway), but set your slicer to nozzle temp of 0 °C and extrusion flow rate of zero. Back the filament out of the hot end (in case you want to change before resuming actual printing), but you can leave it in the extruder and Bowden tube so everything looks "normal". You can also optionally set the slicer to a lower print speed to draw out the movement, though this may give a distorted impression of how fast or slow the machine is.
Do test before you set up the exhibit, as it's easy to miss something when doing special settings like this...
> 2 votes
---
Tags: g-code
--- |
thread-16680 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16680 | Ender 3 extrusion not working properly | 2021-07-07T19:19:05.760 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 extrusion not working properly
I got a new hotend for my Ender 3. When I start to 3D print a model, everything seems to be going well. After about 20 minutes or so the extrusion stops and the extruder motor can't push the filament through the hotend. I can usually fix the problem by pushing the filament in with my hand, but I don't know why it has such trouble pushing the filament out on its own after 20 minutes of printing.
* I am printing with PETG filament, at about 200 °C. (I also got a new thermistor, and the readings on the new thermistor, could be about 20 degrees higher than they really are.)
* The filament feeder knurled knob (shown below) hasn't been replaced since the day I got my 3D printer, and that may also be the culprit.
# Answer
> 2 votes
200°C is **way too cold** for printing PETG, especially with the Ender 3's weak extruder (ungeared, single flat hob with minimal contact with the filament) that already struggles with PETG. Probably it barely manages to keep up while the flow is low enough, but starts slipping in the extruder at some point in your print that needs higher flow, and then the torn-up surface of the filament makes it skip more and more.
Increase your temperature to 235˚C at the very least; 245˚C is what I use and I have geometry-dependent trouble with layer adhesion below that.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, filament, extrusion, underextrusion
--- |
thread-16684 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16684 | Use raft pattern instead of wall | 2021-07-09T08:28:56.900 | # Question
Title: Use raft pattern instead of wall
This might be an odd question, as rather than being disappointed by the raft material that Cura produces, I actually love it.
It prints quickly, is sturdy yet flexible...
I was wondering whether anyone knew of a way to make the walls / base of a print use the raft patterning? Is there a strategy for using this kind of material in CAD apps, or has anyone tried implementing a plugin for Cura to turn all walls into rafts?
# Answer
Cura, like many slicers, allows one to set the number of passes for top, bottom and sides. By setting these values to zero, your model becomes completely and only infill. The pattern selection for infill allows you to choose the design which would appeal to you and possibly match that of the raft.
I've just now imported a mostly monolithic STL file and tested the above. By varying the percentage of infill, various patterns result. Low infill percentage values make for a mostly empty print, while the higher numbers provide attractive geometric results.
Of course, one would want the original model to have sufficient wall thickness to create the objective.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, rafts
--- |
thread-16356 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16356 | How much time should take for UV lamp to cure resin? | 2021-05-24T06:49:01.787 | # Question
Title: How much time should take for UV lamp to cure resin?
I've bought recently this UV lamp to cure my SLA prints:
But I seem not to be able to get the job done. I got some leftover supports and wanted to throw them in the trash, so I put the lamp onto them, at **less than 10 cm**, over a **cardboard box with foil paper** in the walls, and accidentally forgot about it. **After 5 hours** I remembered, got back, and **the resin was still sticky and not cured.** Not to say that I should do this for both sides, so I don't think it's a good solution.
I tried another one, this time with the lamp in my hands, and put the lamp over the piece **less than 3 cm away. I spent 3 rounds of 5 minutes (that's 15 min)** with the lamp pointing directly at it (less than 3 cm away) **and it was still not cured, either.**
So I'm asking: **am I doing something wrong?** May my UV lamp be defective? Or is it normal to take so much time? **Can you recommend any UV lamp that gets the job done and doesn't take forever?**
I already have an Elegoo Mercury curing machine, but it hasn't enough room for big prints, that's why I want to get a lamp that I can use and adjust for bigger prints.
# Answer
> 2 votes
If the SLA Resin is not curing under the lamp after several hours, it is likely the lamp is not emitting the correct wavelength of UV light to properly cure your resin. Typical SLA resins cure at between 350-410 nm light. The listing you post does list the lamp as emitting 405 nm light, which would be in range. However, because of the failures you are encountering, it is likely that the lamp **is not** emitting any UV light at all and is possibly fake.
SLA parts can typically be left out in direct sunlight for a while to cure, as an alternative without requiring a curing machine or lamp. Finding a lamp on Amazon (or similar retailer) that has a lot of positive reviews (such as this listing) will yield better results as unfortunately UV emitting products are often targets for fakes, as it is impossible to discern if something is producing UV light or not by the naked eye.
It is also feasible to make your own curing lamp (or box) with genuine UV emitting LED's purchased from reputable parts retailers such as DigiKey and Mouser, but **please take safety precautions when working with UV emitters**, as the eye cannot regulate the intake of UV light and can cause permanent eye damage!
It may be possible to test if your lamp is producing an appreciable amount of UV light with any bright white object, such as a piece of printer paper, and seeing if it fluoresces. Though this test may not be very accurate.
---
Tags: post-processing, resin, sla, elegoo-mars
--- |
thread-16686 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16686 | Why does Cura default to printing walls so slowly? | 2021-07-09T14:25:26.020 | # Question
Title: Why does Cura default to printing walls so slowly?
I just noticed the other day that my Ender 3 is printing stuff a lot slower than it can, and realized when I was slicing a part that it's because the default "Wall Print Speed" is half the "Print Speed" even though "Infill Speed" is full speed. I can enter higher speeds, of course, but then Cura puts up a little notification that "this value is normally calculated, but it has been entered instead" and offers to put it back to the calculated default -- which is half the "Print Speed."
I presume there are good reasons (print quality, underextrusion, etc.) for this -- what are they?
I guess it's relevant to note that I have a 4.2.2 mainboard and currently run Creality's version of 2.0.4-1.0.1 Marlin, the newest they offer for this board version without BLTouch.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Cura has a lot of bad defaults, but also a lot of defaults that are chosen to let you get acceptable prints out of a really bad printer, a miscalibrated printer, or a printer with bad firmware.
Printing at anything above very low speeds requires compensation for the differing pressure needed to move material through the nozzle at different flows. The printer firmware feature to do this compensation is known as "pressure advance" or "linear advance", and is absent in stock firmware on most commercially produced printers, especially older ones. Without it, you'll get bulging corners and underextruded middles of your walls. This matters most on the *outer wall*, which determines the dimensional accuracy and visual quality of your print; errors on the inner walls or infill will mostly be hidden and tend to even out, especially if the inner walls are printed after the outer ones so that the extrusion is constrained against the already-existing outer wall (but here's where Cura's wrong defaults come in: it defaults to printing outer wall last, which replicates the inner wall errors onto the outer wall!).
On a printer without pressure advance compensation, you can use either very low speeds (30 mm/s or preferably even lower) to get a decent outer wall, or you can use high acceleration and cornering velocity (but: most stock firmware doesn't handler cornering velocity correctly either) so that the corners aren't printed significantly slower than the rest of the wall, but at high acceleration/fast cornering you'll get ringing (ghosting) artifacts. These can also be eliminated with better tuning of your printer/firmware, but the point of Cura's defaults is giving decent output on a printer where that work hasn't been done.
If your printer has a version of Marlin (at least 2.0) with linear advance and junction deviation, or if you upgrade to that, or if you switch to Klipper, and then you tune these to match your printer, there's no reason to keep the outer wall speed low. With Klipper you can take the acceleration way up too (using input shaper to eliminate the ringing). This can give you prints many times faster than Cura's defaults. Even if you don't, you can still turn the speed and acceleration way up, but you'll get ugly and possibly structurally weak prints as a result.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Perimeters, especially External Perimeters, are particularly sensitive to small deflections of the printhead, as well as extrusion issues from too fast of a print speed. You may be able to increase this speed for regular perimeters, however, higher speeds may introduce more ghosting issues.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, print-quality, ultimaker-cura, speed
--- |
thread-16691 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16691 | 3D printing ESD safe/high temp parts | 2021-07-09T17:23:58.673 | # Question
Title: 3D printing ESD safe/high temp parts
I am trying to develop a process to print fixtures/jigs that can withstand a convection oven temperature of 165 °C. The tricky thing is that these parts have to be considered ESD safe (surface resistivity of $10^4 - 10^11, with 10^5 - 10^7$ being optimal).
I have found tons of options where I can get one property or the other, but have had little to no luck finding any companies that are able to fulfill both requirements.
Also: the parts that I need to print need a high level of detail, (X/Y/Z accuracy of at least .005", ideally tighter) so from my experience, I have focused my efforts on resin printers, but am also open to filament printers if they can provide the accuracy I need.
If anyone has any suggestions on printers to look into or companies that I may be able to reach out to for an inquiry it would help me a ton.
# Answer
> 1 votes
There are ESD safe nylon filaments available, but even they will be well above their glass transition (= softening and sagging under their own weight) before they get up to 165 °C.
What I'd recommend is looking for a method to resin print the parts and add your ESD protection as a post-process. Most UV cure resins are thermoset, in that they won't soften at temperatures below where they start to break down (i.e. char) -- but few if any are conductive enough to be ESD safe.
If you don't mind a coating that needs to be reapplied regularly (possibly before each bake cycle) I've seen liquid fabric softeners used to provide a conductive coating on home built ribbon tweeters (electrostatic speakers). Something in the formula of these liquids produces a coating that's quite a good conductor of high voltage static charges.
---
Tags: print-material, resin, sla, material, temperature
--- |
thread-16696 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16696 | Separate Z-stepper E-steps | 2021-07-09T20:52:05.313 | # Question
Title: Separate Z-stepper E-steps
I have three stepper motors each with its own stepper driver. Two of those motors have the same lead screw, while the third has a ball screw.
I need to be able to set the E-steps for the ball screw differently than the two lead screws.
Can this even be done in Marlin 2.0?
# Answer
Unfortunately, It does not appear that any firmware currently available supports this feature, however you can request the feature on the marlin GitHub repository
> 0 votes
---
Tags: marlin
--- |
thread-16695 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16695 | 3D printer putting scars on my prints | 2021-07-09T20:43:29.783 | # Question
Title: 3D printer putting scars on my prints
I just ran a 3D benchy on my Lotmaxx SC-10 3D printer and it came out fantastic. No stringing, melting, the dimensions look good, the bed adhesion is perfect, and it is identical to the 3D model. But upon closer inspection, there is this funny-looking scar on the print that I have noticed on many prints before. It was even on the very first print I did on the printer.
A picture of it:
What is causing this problem and what can I do to fix it. It only happens to one side usually only once or twice. Whenever the scar happens twice, they are on the same side but far apart from each other.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Those marks are the Z Layer seams, or the point where your printer stops moving in X/Y to move up one layer width and begin on the next layer. Unfortunately, These marks are unavoidable, but you can tune them to be less severe with your retraction settings. Most slicer software available today should have a configurable option for 'Seam Alignment' that you can set to Random in order to space these marks randomly throughout the part, though this will mildly slow down the print. More advanced slicers such as PrusaSlicer are also capable of 'Seam Painting' where you can draw on your part where seam marks are acceptable. You may also be able to reduce them by setting your slicer to print External perimeters before internal perimeters.
---
Tags: surface
--- |
thread-15799 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15799 | Ender 3 Pro will not auto home correctly after mainboard & BLTouch upgrades | 2021-03-05T19:24:51.967 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 Pro will not auto home correctly after mainboard & BLTouch upgrades
I made two updates to my Ender 3 Pro: Silent Mainboard and BLTouch. My printer head is way out of sync now. After I Auto Home, it moves along the X-axis to the left, hits the stop switch & moves back to the right. It does not move at all on the Z-axis and remains 3 - 4" above the bed during and after Auto Homing.
Here's the detail :
I installed a Creality Ender 3 Pro New Upgrade Motherboard Silent Mainboard V4.2.7 with TMC2225 Driver Marlin 2.0.1 & bootloader pre-installed & then a Creality BLTouch 3D Printer Upgraded Auto Bed Leveling Sensor Kit (the kit that comes from Creality with everything you need to install). I imagine I attempted too many upgrades without verifying the printer worked properly when I did the first upgrade which was the mainboard?
I purchased this Ender 3 Pro back in April 2020. It was working great until I decided to make the upgrades. I assume it came with an 8-bit board but not 100% sure. The new board is 32-bit and not sure what that would negatively impact besides maybe the LCD screen which does work fine after the upgrade.
Here's a video of the printer attempting to Auto Home :
Note: Disregard the unhooked cable under the printer bed in the video. It is totally disconnected and leftover from the BLTouch install.
Here's how I did the upgrade :
First, I simply replaced the new mainboard, and with the mainboard cover and fan back in place, I powered the printer on. The only thing I did here was to verify that the printer would power up ok. It powered up just fine. The nozzle head did not move I don't think when powered on.
Next, I followed the instructions for the BLTouch that came with the kit. I followed the instructions for the Creality V1 Mainboard 32-bit. Here, I upgraded the firmware via an SD card as suggested. The firmware I upgraded to is the `Ender-3 Pro_4.2.7_BLTouch_Marlin2.0.1_V1.1.2_TMC2225.bin`. Finally, I powered on the printer with the BLTouch plugged in and new firmware installed. The BLTouch lights up and the touch sensor clicks out and in and few times.
Now, when I hit auto home the nozzle head moves like I described above & remains in a position that I can not attempt to print from. I attempted to follow step #6 Platform adjustment 32-bit, working through the screenshots in the instructions. This did not work.
If helpful, here are the positions of the nozzle head during the two upgrades :
* Position of the print head before install: 3-4 inches above the bed and maybe a little off-center on the X-axis.
* Position after install mainboard upgrade: remained the same as before. I just remember it powering on ok and then I turned it off / unplugged power to start installing the BLTouch.
Position after install of BLTouch: remained the same. BLTouch lights up and the sensor tip moved in and out as if it was checking something or verifying it was working.
I'm a bit lost on this issue. Any help will be greatly appreciated!
---
I'm using 3D4LYF's wiring scheme as I'm using the same set up I believe he is using. The two wires (white & black) on the red connector go in the Z-axis endstop port on the mainboard. For the three wires on the black connector I have: blue=Ground, red=V, yellow=IN that goes in the other 5 pin port on the mainboard. I rearranged the wiring from red/blue/yellow to blue/red/yellow as suggested by 3D4LYF again because I am using the BLTouch Creality Kit. Adding photos of 5-pin port and the connectors:
# Answer
Resolved : connected the white & black wires to the 5 pin output on the board. This solved the homing issue.
> 4 votes
# Answer
I had the same issue and thought I bricked it, so thank you for getting me on the right path! For Ender 3 Pro v4.2.2 motherboard, no Pinboard A, ISP Pinboard, or Burner required! In my case, I had used the provided pins (white housing) that were on the v4.2.2 motherboard itself.
In doing so I had to switch the positions of the red and blue wires in the 3-pin connector (glad I pay attention to those types of things), connected white and black connectors right beside it as the OP has figured out (the connector my BLTouch came with was a little big so I had to cut a wall of the white housing a little; it fits really well), and re-connected the original Z-axis cable (did not need to remove to start with, but still unused as the BLT pretty much replaces it).
> 1 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, bltouch, creality
--- |
thread-16629 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16629 | What reasons are there not to convert Ender 3 to direct drive extrusion? | 2021-06-25T16:53:16.323 | # Question
Title: What reasons are there not to convert Ender 3 to direct drive extrusion?
A Bowden tube extruder (like the stock one on an Ender 3) is known to have issues with printing the most flexible TPU, and with filaments that (either due to composition or condition) don't take well to too much retraction -- though the latter can be ameliorated somewhat with slicer settings. Direct drive extruders, on the other hand, by reducing the extruder to hot end distance to the practical minimum, greatly reduce the amount of retraction needed as well as the effect of filament compression and stretching.
One potential down side I'm aware of is that putting the extruder stepper and drive on the X carriage adds mass that the X drive motor has to both accelerate and decelerate; this could in theory have an effect on print quality, increasing ringing and overrun on the X axis (though this isn't generally a problem with the steppers used on the Ender 3 and similar printers).
What other reasons might there be to prefer a Bowden tube over direct drive?
# Answer
> 3 votes
There are really no reasons not to convert to direct drive, *provided you use a good one*. Many of the direct drive kits, especially the ones that reuse the existing giant NEMA-17 stepper, are not very good and have tradeoffs due to excessive mass on the toolhead, imbalanced mass, interference with frame reducing print volume, etc. The modern way to do direct drive is with a "pancake" stepper far smaller and lighter, and gearing between 3:1 and 6:1 reduction to get the needed torque - look at the Orbiter, Sherpa Mini, etc. - or even a remote direct drive.
Teaching Tech recently posted a video on this very topic, titled Why direct drive is not automatically better than bowden tube but then pretty much concluding that all the old reasons not to go direct drive no longer apply.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Other than higher carriage mass as you already noted, the only other reason to not go with Direct Drive over Bowden is the higher level of maintenance required. In most cases Direct Drive will provide advantages such as increasing the maximum flow speed, enabling the use of Linear/Pressure Advance, shortening Retraction moves, and better resistance to obstructions in the filament path, and more reliable printing of flexibles as you have already noted. As well, A direct drive system would allow a less-powerful stepper motor to be used, which cuts down on the carriage mass problem.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, bowden, direct-drive
--- |
thread-2996 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/2996 | Endstops will not trigger using Marlin Firmware | 2016-10-29T17:26:57.503 | # Question
Title: Endstops will not trigger using Marlin Firmware
I have an old Solidoodle 2 that I bought broken from a garage sale that I am converting to use RAMPS 1.4 with Marlin Firmware. All the motors work correctly, I am just having issues getting the endstops to work.
I am using a regular limit switch with NC going to the signal pin and the other to ground. I have this switch plugged into first header column for X-min. My endstop configuration is currently:
```
//===========================================================================
//============================== Endstop Settings ===========================
//===========================================================================
// @section homing
// Specify here all the endstop connectors that are connected to any endstop or probe.
// Almost all printers will be using one per axis. Probes will use one or more of the
// extra connectors. Leave undefined any used for non-endstop and non-probe purposes.
#define USE_XMIN_PLUG true
#define USE_YMIN_PLUG true
#define USE_ZMIN_PLUG true
//#define USE_XMAX_PLUG false
//#define USE_YMAX_PLUG false
//#define USE_ZMAX_PLUG false
// coarse Endstop Settings
#define ENDSTOPPULLUPS // Comment this out (using // at the start of the line) to disable the endstop pullup resistors
#if DISABLED(ENDSTOPPULLUPS)
// fine endstop settings: Individual pullups. will be ignored if ENDSTOPPULLUPS is defined
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_XMAX
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_YMAX
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_ZMAX
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_XMIN
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_YMIN
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_ZMIN
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUP_ZMIN_PROBE
#endif
// Mechanical endstop with COM to ground and NC to Signal uses "false" here (most common setup).
#define X_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING true // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
#define Y_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING false // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
#define Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING false // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
#define X_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING false // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
#define Y_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING false // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
#define Z_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING false // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
#define Z_MIN_PROBE_ENDSTOP_INVERTING false // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
```
I have X-min enabled and inverted. When I send an M119 (endstop status code) I recieve:
```
Send: M119
Recv: Reporting endstop status
Recv: x_min: open
Recv: y_min: TRIGGERED
Recv: z_min: TRIGGERED
```
And then when I press down the X endstop with my hand I get:
```
Send: M119
Recv: Reporting endstop status
Recv: x_min: open
Recv: y_min: TRIGGERED
Recv: z_min: TRIGGERED
```
-No change. There is no mechanical failure with the switches, I've tested it with a continuity tester. I have even shorted the signal and ground pins on the Ramps board with a jumper wire and I still haven't seen any change.
Where is the fault at?
# Answer
try uncommenting the following lines to enable endstop detection on all pins for troubleshooting.
```
//#define USE_XMAX_PLUG false
//#define USE_YMAX_PLUG false
//#define USE_ZMAX_PLUG false
```
This way the M119 will show any changes.
The only thing I can think of is that either the switch is plugged into the wrong pin on the ramps board (Max instead of Min) or the switch doesn't require the pullup (your could try commenting that back as a second test as well)
> 4 votes
# Answer
After fighting with this for a while, I found out on the end stop pins, if coming from another setup like mine, you need to switch the ground pin to the center of the connector and the 5 volt pin to the pin it is reading, for example 1.29 pin on skr 1.4.
Once you do that then it will read the status of the pin.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Yesterday I has same error with board MKS Robin Nano with Marlin 2.0.6.
Try to find and uncomment this definition:
```
#define ENDSTOP_INTERRUPTS_FEATURE
```
Failure was in disabled endstop interrupts and broken part of code, which going to home and unchecks endstop status between steps. But if you activated endstop before sending homing command - it will work as needed.
> 0 votes
---
Tags: marlin, ramps-1.4, endstop
--- |
thread-13583 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13583 | Increase volumetric flow rate using a longer nozzle | 2020-05-03T20:37:56.297 | # Question
Title: Increase volumetric flow rate using a longer nozzle
I'm looking to increase the printing speed, through increasing the volumetric flow rate, which is currently at 5 mm³/s. Larger amounts cause the feeding mechanism to skip steps.
I'm running at 190 °C, which helps with easier bridging less stringing and personally see no reason to increase the temperature to the popular 205 °C.
So, my thought process is the following: since I run at lesser temperature, there is still potential for the heating block to provide more heat and I need a longer nozzle to accumulate more heat and provide more surface area for transfer to the fillament (PLA), to speed up the melting of the plastic inside the nozzle (*which seems to be the bottleneck*).
*That's similar to using larger tips for soldring iron, when faced with heating up large surfaces in order to desolder something large, since we need to stay at precise temperature, and need to increase the heat supply as well.*
The suggested solution is to switch to the E3D's Volcano "everything included" kit. Which is nice and cool, but I don't think it's that necessary.
* Is it possible to just switch to a volcano nozzle? (Manufacturer#: VOLCANO-NOZZLE-175-0400)
* Would it actually noticeably help to increase the extrusion speed?
*Current setup:*
* *Ender 3 Pro, no mods*
* *Classic 0.4 mm nozzle*
# Answer
> 2 votes
This is opinion-based, but the volcano has drawbacks that affect print quality, mine is oozier and sloppier than a V6 with the shorter, more precise melt zone. It isn’t a slam dunk upgrade, more of a special applications part. I think there is no point to using a Volcano unless you’re running big nozzles fast, like .8 mm.
Your 5 mm<sup>3</sup>/s throughput is low, the V6 is generally known as a ~13 mm<sup>3</sup>/s volumetric throughput, vs the Volcano at 25 mm<sup>3</sup>/s. This is due to the low temperature you favor, possibly something not ideal with your extruder. I could see...
* just living with the slow speed. I realize I vastly prefer print quality over print speed because one takes no human interaction and the other does.
* do what everyone else does. go hotter, plastic viscosity goes way down even with a 5-10 degree increase
* increase extruder torque. If you can increase stepper current safely (know the limit for your driver and motor!) with a trim pot on the stepper driver, you may be able to get more torque before the motor skips steps. This can increase motor temperature. If you get more torque, at some point the filament will slip and get carved up by the extruder’s hobbed gear. Double geared extruder designs like Bondtech can grip the filament from both sides and get more traction on the filament if you want to get diabolical shoving the filament.
* use a larger nozzle for faster printing at your preferred temp. I’m loving the .6 mm nozzle for bigger prints. It has most of the detail of the .4 mm but double the plastic comes out. A larger nozzle hole means less pressure in the nozzle at a given temp and extruder feed rate
If you think the extruder might not be all it can be, try heating up the nozzle hotter than usual, and get the extruder going slow and steady, and pull a little on the filament by hand, see if it skips steps easily with a little resistance. It should pull pretty strong. I had a failing wire to my extruder that manifested in wimpy extrusion.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Yes, the Volcano or the Super Volcano allow for larger flow rate (typically when using larger nozzles), that is where they were designed for. Just the nozzle will not help you, you need this larger nozzle shaft to be inside a Volcano heater block, else you cannot transfer the heat.
According to measurements from Metaform, the volumetric flow of a Volcano hotend is larger than the regular E3D V6 hotend.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, extrusion, nozzle, speed
--- |
thread-16708 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16708 | Determine screw size needed from 3MF file(s) | 2021-07-11T10:25:22.123 | # Question
Title: Determine screw size needed from 3MF file(s)
I have a set of 3MF files to enclose a MacroPad. They have openings for screws that go through top then PCB then into bottom, but I've been unable to figure out the dimensions of the screws needed and Google keeps trying to encourage me to design new screws, but is not returning results for determining the size and length of the screws needed.
I've tried opening the file in a number of applications (OpenSCAD, LibreCAD, etc.) and am unable to figure this out (though this could just be due to inexperience with more than changing the size of existing 3D designs).
Does anyone know if what I'm trying to do is possible, and if so, where can I read about how to do it, or if it's stunningly obvious, what size am I looking for? If it matters I'm using Linux if it matters.
The MacroPad 3MF files are found here.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Meshmixer (free, multi-platform) supports and imports .3MF file format. There's something amiss with the file named Macro Keyboard RC Ver2.1 Top MiniCutout. It appears that the object is created from two improperly overlapped objects that have been merged. The result is a hole that isn't quite a hole:
The other files have holes that appear to be normal. Meshmixer can measure distances but that remains as an exercise to the reader, as it's a royal pain (opinion) to get results with that feature of the program.
The above image is of a different part (note image browser in screen cap) with a normal appearing hole.
The curious thing here is that Fusion 360 (free hobbyist license) also supports the file format and when imported, there is no anomaly with the pictured holes. This would imply that Meshmixer doesn't handle the format as correctly as it should. Also the measure feature of F360 is easier to use, resulting in a hole measurement of about 3.2 mm diameter.
The larger hole measures to 5.0 mm diameter.
All images created by me via respective programs with files provided by OP.
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Tags: 3d-models
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thread-11743 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11743 | Flashforge Adventurer 3 Spool mounting | 2020-01-11T20:16:00.397 | # Question
Title: Flashforge Adventurer 3 Spool mounting
I have just purchased the above 3D printer and the mount for the spool does not fit the new spool. The external spigots are too large and there is no axle shaft that would have helped.
This is a photo of the spool:
Has anyone else had this problem?
---
*I am looking for something that fitted in original hole/area.*
# Answer
From a comment by the OP *(posted as a Community wiki)*:
> The supplier has just forwarded a solution but it is not what I was hoping for as I was looking for something that fitted in original hole/area.
Supplier suggestion (image):
> 1 votes
---
Tags: flashforge-adventurer-3, flashforge
--- |
thread-16709 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16709 | Stepper motor driver dead? | 2021-07-11T11:42:40.097 | # Question
Title: Stepper motor driver dead?
I own a cheap 3D printer FLSUN Delta, which was bought 6 years ago. Several structural and other upgrades were done, such as additional frame links, a new heated bed with external MOSFET.
In the past week in the middle of a print, the printhead came crashing into a printed object and bed. I made an emergency stop and started to look for the problem. I noticed that one of the stepper motors acted weird. Below is a more detailed description and the malfunction is presented on homing example.
1. First I have disassembled the belt system so that stepper motors can spin freely to prevent more collisions of the printhead with frame and bed.
2. I have also tested all of the end stops with the `M119` command and they all work perfectly.
3. Then I have set jog speeds to 5 mm/s in the Simplify3D's Machine Control Panel and sent `G28` to home all axes. Two stepper motors did the job right as I was manually pressing the end stops, however, the third one rotated with much faster speed. This is more understandably explained with the help of the two following videos:
* First one (video for the X-axis stepper motor) is showing the movement of the working stepper motor - X-axis motor. When `G28` is sent, the motor starts rotating until the X end stop is pressed and is then accordingly to the Marlin re-bumped again. The clicks can be heard. The noise is coming from the second stepper motor.
* Second one (video for the Y-axis stepper motor) is showing the movement of the faulty motor (or faulty driver) - Y-axis motor. When `G28` is sent, it starts to spin very fast. The first two clicks are from the X-axis end stop. The first click on the X-axis end stop stops the Y-axis motor, the second one continues its rotation until it is reversed at the first press on Y-axis end stop - the re-bump takes place and it is stopped at the second click on the Y-axis end stop.
4. Then I have switched the X and Y axis motors and the problem moved to X-axis, so I suspect that one of the stepper motor drivers is faulty. Correct me if I am wrong.
The printer uses the MKS Mini B V1.0 control board (see picture) and Marlin V1 (output from `M115`) firmware (parameter `MOTHERBOARD` is defined as 33, RAMPS 1.3/1.4 for extruder, fan and bed).
What do you suggest to resolve the problem:
* Is it possible to replace the faulty driver? I am more familiar with programming and Marlin than with actual PCBs and replacing their components.
* Is it better to replace the whole board and if yes, do you suggest getting an identical one or a different one, like MKS SBASE V1.3?
* Any other suggestions?
# Answer
> 1 votes
# You can fix this.
The current switching portion of the driver appears fine, as does the motor.
## First check the improbable, but easy to fix
Although I think it is unlikely, something could have been changed in your configuration file. It would be work a quick glance to see if there has been any obvious damage.
## It is probably a board-level (not chip level) problem
Assuming the configuration is good, it is likely that there has been a (repairable) failure on the controller printed wiring board. This could be the driver chip, pull-up resistors, traces, or (perhaps most likely) solder joints. Given failure rates of working boards, the solder joints may be the most likely culprit.
## This is my reasoning:
The driver chip is a DRV8825. This is a "step and direction" driver chip, where the controller pulses inputs to the driver to change the position by a fixed rotation. The DRV8825 has three input pins that define the degree of micro-stepping. These pins are named `MODE0`, `MODE1`, and `MODE2` on the schematic, and change the operation from full step, one-quarter step, one-eighth step, one-sixteenth step, and one-thirty-second step.
If there is a problem with these pins, or with the solder connections on the parts which connect with them, the motor speed will be wrong, probably by a factor of some power of two. For reference, here is a link to the datasheet for the driver chip: DRV8825 datasheet.
Defects in the power driver transistors cause other effects, such as no motion, jiggling, buzzing, or even reversing the direction. Since this is not the problem you are having I think the power driver transistors are OK.
A problem with the `MODE` pins would cause the size of the rotational step to be wrong, which would affect the rotation speed, which is the problem you have.
You could probe those pins with the power on, looking for the voltage. Since this is a Delta machine, the three X, Y, and Z drivers should be symmetrical. Each of the inputs should be close to 0 V or close to 3.3 V.
If the corresponding pins are the X, Y, and Z axes are the same, then the problem is probably in the driver chip, which would require replacing the surface mount component. Here is a link to the electronics distributor DigiKey where individual driver chips are available: DigiKey link for DRV8825. If the voltages are different, try re-melting the solder on all of the pins on the circuit.
\[Note, I can't tell without the schematic of the board, but the 3.3 V output pin from the DRC8825 could also be poorly soldered, so check pin 15 (`V3P3OUT`) also.\]
## Good luck!
Delta machines are wonderful, and the symmetry serves you well to help diagnose this problem.
---
Tags: stepper-driver, mks, flsun
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thread-16716 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16716 | What makes a new nozzle clog before I can finish the print? | 2021-07-12T12:27:33.367 | # Question
Title: What makes a new nozzle clog before I can finish the print?
I found my Ender 3 was skipping extruder steps a lot, mainly while printing infill (tri-hex at 30%), to the point I saw several layers of infill with spotty extrusion or nothing adhered at all.
When I pulled the filament, I had to use pliers to get enough grip to back it out of the hot end. I disassembled the hot end and found melted filament in the end of the Bowden tube, though I'm not sure that indicates heat creep, because I had to dismount the fan in order to reach the heat block and nozzle with the wrenches, and then preheat to get the nozzle out (meaning the heat sink got a lot hotter than it normally would with the constant blast of its fan).
Since the nozzle was full of melted plastic as well, I simply replaced it, made sure the heat break was clear by pushing the Bowden tube through it (and removed all melted plastic from the end of the Bowden tube), then reassembled the hot end with a brand new 0.4 mm nozzle. I then started a new print, gratified initially by the clean, even extrusion.
Until it stopped printing infill about 10 layers into the print.
At that point, I simply aborted the print and turned everything off, as I didn't have time to deal with another disassembly cycle (Sunday evening and had to be up early for work today).
**What should I look for in trying to troubleshoot this issue with the nozzle or hot end clogging repeatedly?**
I'm printing Amazon Basics PLA, a spool that was purchased the first week in May but only unsealed two days ago; my nozzle is set to 200 °C and the coated glass bed (now using a glue stick wash for adhesion assistance) at 55 °C. My nozzle clearance is set by homing, jogging the Z axis up by 0.075 mm, and leveling snug on a 0.08 mm feeler gauge (set so I can barely push the feeler under the nozzle and have palpable drag when in place, done with bed and nozzle preheated); this should give clearance between 0 and .005 mm. My first layer (standard 0.2 mm thickness) was perfect, no extruder step skipping and nice, even line width; this problem started only when the machine began to print infill -- infill prints faster than walls and top/bottom, but I'm not sure this is related to that, as I could see skipping on the walls on the second or third infill layer. This part was printing with 3 line walls and 30% tri-hex infill.
The Bowden tube was replaced when I installed a new hot end two weeks and ten or so prints ago (which included a new nozzle, the same one that I was using until yesterday); I made the cut in the PTFE with a tubing cutter (the kind with a wheel that revolves around the tube), so I'm confident it's square, and I ensured the tubing was butted firmly on the nozzle and the lock ring installed on the push-in coupler.
# Answer
> 1 votes
I sounds like you are on the edge of almost heat creep if you start printing before the extruder cools off. See if letting the extruder cool down to near room temperature solves the problem.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, extrusion, heat-creep
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thread-4822 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/4822 | How to rotate camera using mjpg-streamer-experimental? | 2017-10-28T17:07:22.887 | # Question
Title: How to rotate camera using mjpg-streamer-experimental?
I've successfully installed `mjpg-streamer-experimental` from jacksonliam/**mjpg-streamer**.
I just can't figure out how to set the parameter I need in order to rotate my camera 180 degrees (I have my webcam mounted upside down for a custom mount I made).
I'm using a Logitech C270. I've been searching online for hours for a solution to this issue and just can't find what I'm looking for. Doesn't help that I'm not very proficient when it comes to this stuff.
---
If I run the command suggested in GiF's answer:
```
mjpg_streamer -i 'input_uvc.so -rot 180'
```
I get the following error:
```
libv4l2: error setting pixformat: Device or resource busy Unable to set format: 1196444237 res: 640x480 Init v4L2 failed !! exit fatal i: init_VideoIn failed
```
I seem to get that error when setting any parameters. I'm running Octoprint, if that makes any difference. There doesn't seem to be a rotate option in Octoprint.
Information just seems extremely sparse on this particular fork of mjpg-streamer. Searching for that error just gets me a bunch of people that have non-working webcams while mine works perfectly, I just need to rotate it 180 degrees.
---
I would *really* appreciate some help!
# Answer
> 6 votes
**Edit: Having now installed Octopi myself, I have found that they made it easy to rotate the image right from the interface. If you open the "Settings" and look under "Webcam & Timelapse", there are settings for flipping the image horizontally or vertically and for rotating 90 degrees.**
---
There are a few ways to rotate the image of which I am aware. You can do it via the input plugin, the client, or post-processing.
The "input\_uvc" and "input\_raspicam" plugins both have options to rotate the image. If you are using one of these plugins see the documentation at input\_uvc or input\_raspicam (it is worth noting that the input options may not be supported by all cameras). You should be able to run the command like the following to get a stream that is rotated 180 degrees:
```
mjpg_streamer -i 'input_uvc.so -rot 180'
```
I'm not sure how you are handling the stream, but it is possible that your client can perform the rotation. For example, if you are using VLC you can set the angle of rotation by doing something like this:
* Open the “Tools” menu and select “Effects and Filters”
* In the “Adjustments and Effects” window, on the “Video Effects” tab, select the “Transform” check box
* Select a rotation from the dropdown menu and then click “Close”.
Finally, if you are saving the stream and are only concerned with rotating it afterwards, you can post-process it with a utility like `ffmpeg`. See this post as an example and look for "Rotate" in the accepted answer.
If your stream is being rendered via a browser you may be able to add some CSS3 formatting to the video element. For example, you could add an ID of `videoElement` to the stream and then add the following to your CSS:
```
#videoElement {
transform: rotateZ(180deg);
-webkit-transform:rotateZ(180deg); /* Safari and Chrome */
-moz-transform:rotateZ(180deg); /* Firefox */
}
```
With respect to Octoprint, it appears that Octoprint is an HTML interface, so you could probably edit the markup to use CSS3's transform `rotateX`. That would rotate the image at the client end (browser). BTW, googling for your error code did have some potentially useful information as well.
# Answer
> 2 votes
From the `help` for input plugin "**raspicam**", the following parameters can be passed to this plugin:
```
[-fps | --framerate]...: set video framerate, default 5 frame/sec
[-x | --width ]........: width of frame capture, default 640
[-y | --height]........: height of frame capture, default 480
[-quality].............: set JPEG quality 0-100, default 85
[-usestills]...........: uses stills mode instead of video mode
[-preview].............: Enable full screen preview
[-timestamp]...........: Get timestamp for each frame
```
```
-sh : Set image sharpness (-100 to 100)
-co : Set image contrast (-100 to 100)
-br : Set image brightness (0 to 100)
-sa : Set image saturation (-100 to 100)
-ISO : Set capture ISO
-vs : Turn on video stablisation
-ev : Set EV compensation
-ex : Set exposure mode (see raspistill notes)
-awb : Set AWB mode (see raspistill notes)
-ifx : Set image effect (see raspistill notes)
-cfx : Set colour effect (U:V)
-mm : Set metering mode (see raspistill notes)
-rot : Set image rotation (0-359)
-stats : Compute image stats for each picture (reduces noise for -usestills)
-drc : Dynamic range compensation level (see raspistill notes)
-hf : Set horizontal flip
-vf : Set vertical flip
```
The **-rot** parameter can rotate the image.
---
Tags: octoprint
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thread-16718 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16718 | Building a program to convert LiDAR data directly to an STL or directly to G-code | 2021-07-12T15:50:29.277 | # Question
Title: Building a program to convert LiDAR data directly to an STL or directly to G-code
Some people have figured out how to take raw LiDAR data and after going through multiple steps (using LAS tools, converting to digital elevation model (DEM), converting to an STL) getting an STL file that they can then slice and print.
Could you write a program that cuts out all of those intermediate steps and converts raw LiDAR data directly to an STL that can be printed? Could you even cut out the need for slicers and just go straight to a G-code file?
Is this even possible?
From 3D Printing Models derived from Lidar Data:
> 1. Retrieve Lidar Data
> 2. Process Lidar Data
> 3. Create a DSM
> 4. Export the DSM into a .STL
> 5. Process for 3D Printing
> 6. 3D Print!
# Answer
TL;DR - The problem would *appear* to be that some of the steps require a bit of manual tinkering in order to complete them successfully - it isn't just a simple question of conversion. So, no (not currently).
*Also, whilst writing this answer, it dawned on me that unless someone has actually managed to automate the whole process already, then your question may merely invite opinions (rather than factual solutions).*
---
From the link that you provided the conversion stages seem to be:
1. Obtain the `LAZ` file from LiDAR
2. `LAZ` to `LAS`
3. `LAS` to `DSM`
4. `DSM` to `STL`
5. `STL` to G-code
These stages would need to be put into an automated pipeline.
### Step 1
This step could be automated.
### Step 2
The LAZ to LAS seems to be a straightforward conversion using command line tools `las2las`, `lasview` and `las2dem`. This step *probably* could be automated (assuming that no manual intervention of the settings is required), as command line interfaces are easy to script (when compared with a GUI).
### Step 3
This step uses one of three GUI applications and looks like some manual labour (like adjusting settings) *may* be required, it is not clear. If the applications suggested by the article have APIs then a CLI option of automating the process could be possible - again it is not clear just by reading the article.
### Step 4
This step again uses a GUI (possibly to employ the export plugin and certainly to visualise the results) and so would appear to need some settings modifications and reiteration, to quote:
> the conversion settings are something that will have to be explored via trial and error in order to figure out what is right for your dataset. In order to visualize the differences between the different settings you will have to open the .STL file into a software designed for 3D Printing.
### Step 5
While the use of a slicer *can* be automated (assuming that you have predefined (known parameters) thresholds), it usually requires some manual intervention (at least to begin with). If you google "automate slicing" then some interesting links appear, but usually they are for batch processing of similar objects/models.
### Summary
The language used in the steps above contains a lot of conditionals (may, can, could) because there are a lot of variables involved. A substantial amount of research would be required to get these elements of the pipeline to work together seamlessly. So, it is unlikely that a "point and click" solution exists where an STL file would just pop out at the end, with no manual intervention.
That said, if your LiDAR datasets were consistent (i.e. similar environments, similar objects being scanned) then you *may* be able to find a range of settings, for each stage, that work consistently well for a particular scenario. Then with these settings - in combination with some command line or Python scripting and/or an appropriate GUI scripting tool - you might be able to automate some, if not all, of the process.
Looking even further ahead, by using *Machine Learning* you may be able to train a model to learn to examine the visual feedback stages and then auto-tinker with the settings in order to get better results - however, whilst not in the realms of impossibility, it certainly is rather cutting edge (at this point in time). In a few years time though, it almost certainly will be possible.
> 2 votes
# Answer
The answer is highly depending on the programming skills of the programmer, but in theory, if all pieces of software exist, they can either be tied together in a workflow process (automated) or directly programmed into a new tool.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: g-code, stl, scanning, file-formats
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thread-16570 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16570 | PLA Jamming- is the heat break too hot or too cold? | 2021-06-18T20:50:09.503 | # Question
Title: PLA Jamming- is the heat break too hot or too cold?
I’m getting nothing but jams with a new BCN3D Sigma R19 printer, printing PLA at 195 °C, two brands (BCN’s own brand and Monoprice orange). 6.5 mm retraction, as used in BCN’s PLA profile. Using their fork of Cura. Full enclosure, but it gets maybe to 32 °C inside, just warm. It prints fine for a few layers, then it jams, usually partially-I caught it in the act and the extruder (the Bondtech dual gear Bowden extruder they switched to on this model) would make knocking sounds as it skipped steps, and the plastic under extrudes in spider webs. It would valiantly try to keep going, and just chew up the filament a little, then extrude, then skip, etc.
After thinking the problem was the extruder, taking it apart, cleaning, trying a few different tensions on the hobbed gears, my attention shifted to the hotend. I did some cold pulls with nylon, and each time the nylon would come out with this frayed ring of plastic about 15 mm above the cone from the nozzle tip. It’s like it was a separate piece of plastic from the filament, but it seems like it constricts the path. **This ring is about the depth where the heat break screws into the heat block.** I supposed it could have started higher in the cool end and gotten pushed down? I suspect the grooves pressed into the filament by the Bondtech might be prone to hang up on this plastic gunk ring.
Their hotend design is all metal, similar to the V6 (and apparently manufactured custom for them by E3D). Different, taller nozzle. It has a 30 mm fan blowing on the fins. There is no shroud on the fan, like the blue thing on the V6. The heat block is halfway up into the enclosed part with the cool end and fan. The fan blows on the heat break and the block.
One of my cold pulls shows a little bulge, right about where I think the brass nozzle butts into the heat break steel piece. I’m wondering if there is a gap there that plastic melts into? They do an inconvenient thing where they sell the hotend as a whole piece for $125, and apparently you can’t unscrew the nozzle like a V6, people report the threads get ripped out of the heat block. All to say, it isn’t advised to completely disassemble the hotend.
I thought the little fan might not be moving enough air across the cooling fins, so I tried to replace it with a new fan that moves more CFM, but it just screeches, it seems the fan isn’t really driven by 12 V, but maybe a PWM thing at 24 V. It was fine on 12 V DC when I bench tested it.
I disassembled the cold end from the heat break, and verified it had thermal paste on the threads.
My question is if anyone has experience with the gunk ring? Is my heat break getting cooled down into the heat block, or is heat creep getting up into the cool end? Or is the little gap or chamfer where the heat break meets the nozzle causing clogs? I can work on more cooling (faster fan), or design a shroud for the existing fan so it doesn’t cool the heat break+heater block), to just not sure which.
EDIT: The filament partially jams (the extruder skips steps an knocks) even without printing, while just loading and purging over empty space, no retractions.
# Answer
My first thought is heat creep. I've never seen a heatsink on the hot-end that couldn't use more air and a lower temperature. IF not heat creep, then perahps under-temperature.
But, since you've worked on this issue without success, and the extruder skipping happens even wit a steady flow and no backpressure against the bed or part, perhaps we should look elsewhere.
First thing to check would be the friction of the filament through the Bowden tube, and the attachment points. First, I would back off the extruder pressure, remove the nozzle, and see if you can easily and without jerks or hangups slide fresh filament past the extruder gears all the way through the hot end and out where the nozzle would be. You'll be doing this cold with the printer off. That should feel slick and easy. If you need to push with any significant force, find where the friction is happening and fix it.
If it flow smoothly, try checking the extruder motor, the extruder gear, and if it is a dual gear system, check both of them. Try running the extruder (you'll need to hear the hot end) with no filament. Does everything turn easily? Try inserting filament in the extruder, pulling back on the filament, and extruding forward. Is the motion smooth? If not, check the gearing to see if a piece of filament or anything else if interfering with the motion.
If you can check the motor current, see if it is running to spec on both coils, in all directions. You could have a problem with one half of one H-bridge.
If you have two extruders, does the problem happen with both, or only one?
I would still mostly suspect that heat creep, or under-temperature. 195 °C may be a little cool. My Prusa prints PLA at 215 °C. I have had heat creep problems with the Prusa, which I addressed by directing more air through the heat sink fins -- too much was passing around the sides of the heat sink without actually cooling it.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Is this what your hotends look like?
They look like Bowden tube extruders. Your images are consistent with heat creek for Bowden tub extruders. Can you print with the enclosure open to see if the problem is at least less?
Here is a full discussion on heat creep.
What are ways to avoid heat creep?
> 0 votes
---
Tags: hotend, filament-jam
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thread-16741 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16741 | What temperature should I bake PLA prints at to increase strength? | 2021-07-16T14:46:18.590 | # Question
Title: What temperature should I bake PLA prints at to increase strength?
I recall seeing that it's possible to "bake" or "anneal" or even "remelt" PLA prints to strengthen them. As I understand it, the main effect is improving layer adhesion, which is the main source of weakness in tension in the original Z-axis direction.
Yes, I can print with a hotter nozzle (up to a point) to increase layer adhesion, print with a larger nozzle orifice, print with increased layer height, print slower -- but at a minimum those require reslicing, and affect print appearance (hotter nozzle causes stringing, thicker layers are more visible, etc.).
Baking a print does none of that, as long as it's supported (often done by bedding it in salt).
**Question is, how hot?** I presume I don't want to go all the way to printing temperature of 180-220 °C, but the plastic transition level of roundly 50 °C isn't hot enough for this.
# Answer
I've only annealed PEEK personally, but a quick search returns varying recommendations:
* All3DP recommends 1 hour at 70 °C.
* X3D recommends 1 hour at 110 °C.
* Matterhackers recommends 10 minutes at 105 °C for Tough PLA or HTPLA.
* A post on Reddit recommends "a few hours" at 110 °C.
I'd do a test suite with pieces at 70 °, 90 °, and 110 °C for an hour each and test/compare.
Be mindful of any chemicals that might be released.
> 4 votes
# Answer
CNC Kitchen has a series of videos covering research on this topic, ending up with
using salt. The oven temperature used for PLA was 200˚C reaching 190˚C at the core of the salt. Lower temperatures (especially without support) are of much more questionable value.
From my experience, I believe that similar results might be achievable just by improving the printing process, without any annealing. This is because a lot of the weakness along layer lines seems to be caused by inconsistent extrusion (largely due to oozing in the model interior) and marring of the layer by combing travel over it before the next layer can be laid. With these issues solved, my prints got a lot stronger. So if your goal is just to fix a practical part strength problem, it may be worthwhile to see if you can improve things here before trying an elaborate annealing process (which necessarily requires 100% infill as well as a lot of messy postprocessing work).
> 2 votes
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Tags: pla, post-processing, temperature
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thread-16729 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16729 | Hotend temperature goes to infinity after few layers | 2021-07-13T18:03:08.173 | # Question
Title: Hotend temperature goes to infinity after few layers
I have a "classic" home built 3D printer, Arduino Mega, RAMPS 1.4 with Marlin 2.0.
It worked, was put in storage, and now I am trying to get it running again.
During all of the testing phases, the PID autotune, etc., the temperature of the hotend is stable.
When printing, for a few layers (4-5), the temperature is OK, despite the part fan coming on and off. However, after 3-4 mm of printing the temperature just rises and rises and rises, and after 275 °C thermal protection kicks in...
MOSFETs have additional cooling and a fan over them.
I'm out of ideas... Help!!!
My config files and G-code are here
Using PrusaSlicer.
Why do I see a temperature rise on the display? Last time I unplugged the printer and left it on USB power then gave it power again. During USB power temperature was steadily going down, as soon I plugged the main cable it resumed printing and the temperature rising again.
I did another test. 20mm above bed started printing, and got same result. I captured on video entire process Hot end to orbit. Around 2 min 30 sec the show begins.
# Answer
So, the problem is in fact of a hardware nature. By replacing RAMPS 1.4, the problem went away.
Arduino, firmware, G-code... everything is the same, only RAMPS was replaced.
I'm going to find a suitable MOSFET replacement.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Sounds like you have a short in your sensor or sensor circuitry. However, if this is the case the sensed temperature is higher than the actual hotend temperature. Does your hot end go cold when the sensed temperature takes off? A short could also show the hotend temperature going up at an unrealistically fast rate. This doesn't seem to be your case.
> 0 votes
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Tags: marlin, hotend, ramps-1.4, reprap
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thread-16511 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16511 | PETG layer adhesion problems | 2021-06-11T23:40:55.463 | # Question
Title: PETG layer adhesion problems
I have recently started printing with Polymaker's PolyMax PETG on my Ender 3 v2. I have not been able to get the layer adhesion anywhere near as strong as it should be. I would guess it is around 20-25 % of the strength in the XY direction. The parts snap easily along the layer lines under loads that PLA and nylon hold up to just fine.
Print settings:
* 0.15 mm layers @ 35-20 mm/s
* Hotend temp 245 °C
* 4 mm retraction @ 40 mm/s
* combing on
* jerk control on
* no cooling
I made sure to use a nickel-plated brass 0.4 mm nozzle. I have calibrated my E-steps and tried printing in an enclosure, but nothing seems to help with layer adhesion. I have made sure there is no debris getting on the filament as it comes out of the drybox and even tried taping around the heater block so there is absolutely no part cooling.
Any ideas as to what I could be doing wrong?
# Answer
I got a roll of Hatchbox PETG and the prints are fantastic. Small test prints don't break along the layers even at higher fan speeds. The problem was the Polymax PETG. I took a look at the TDS for it and the impact strength on standing samples was only 29% of the standing ones. I believe the Polymax PETG just has inherent layer adhesion problems.
---
*Please note that Polymax PETG isn't PETG, it's PCTG. I may try doing some firmware changes and printing it at 270 °C later on.*
> 1 votes
# Answer
I had this problem with my Ender 3 until I changed to a different extruder and now PETG never has adhesion problems. Even 100 % fan is fine at 245 °C. I think the stock hobbed gear just slips on PETG really badly, giving underextrusion. Go slow, increase the flow to compensate, and possibly increase temperature slightly more. Or buy a decent extruder.
> 2 votes
# Answer
The layer adhesion with Polymax PETG at 260 °C was great so I didn't go any higher.
> 0 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, adhesion, petg, print-strength
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thread-3598 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3598 | Can I really throw failed PLA prints on compost? | 2017-02-15T13:08:29.087 | # Question
Title: Can I really throw failed PLA prints on compost?
So they say PLA is biodegradable. But I still don't know how much biodegradable.
I live in a flat and we have composting trash can in the courtyard. However if I throw PLA in there and it does not decompose, neighbors are gonna be pissed since many of them are intending to use the soil for their balcony flowers.
So can I really compost PLA, or does "biodegradable" just mean it falls apart *eventually*, eg. in years? And **if** it decomposes, is it safe to use for plants?
# Answer
> 6 votes
**TL;DR** \- No... well, yes you *can*, but it won't decompose in your lifetime.
---
Addressing this question fully - from the point of composting, rather than landfill:
* From Wikipedia - PLA \- End of life:
> **Composting**: PLA is biodegradable under industrial composting conditions, starting with chemical hydrolysis process, followed by microbial digestion, to ultimately degrade the PLA. Under industrial composting conditions (58 °C), PLA can partly (about half) decompose into water and carbon dioxide in 60 days, after which the remainder decomposes much more slowly, with the rate depending on the material's degree of crystallinity. Environments without the necessary conditions will see very slow decomposition akin to that of non-bioplastics, not fully decomposing for hundreds or thousands of years.
* According to Is PLA filament actually biodegradable?:
It takes 80 years to biodegrade naturally. Although, how they actually know that for sure, seeing as PLA (for 3D Printing at least) hasn't been around for 80 years yet, is unclear.
---
In addition, PLA can only be recycled at plants that have separate facilities that deal with PLA (as bio-plastics interfere with the recycling of other plastics if combined), and (as an aside) the fumes from PLA are not as harmless as many people think, due to the (up to 40%) additives.
So, PLA is not such a "happy" plastic as many people are led to believe by the marketing folks...
# Answer
> 7 votes
This question has been asked on just about every forum out there. Here's one example from filabot.com .
> The reality however, is that this process will take several hundred years in a typical landfill. To biodegrade, PLA requires a laundry list of conditions to effectively break down. Specifically - oxygen, a temperature of 140+ degrees *\[Fahrenheit -- ed note\]*, and a 2/3 cocktail of organic substrate. Collectively, these are absent in any scenario outside of industrial composting facilities.
I found similar comments -- tho' with perhaps slightly lower temperatures elsewhere.
# Answer
> 0 votes
PLA products will take up to 6 months to degrade in commercial composting facility. In home composting facility, it may take longer time.
Source: http://www.biogreenchoice.com/category\_s/1866.htm
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Tags: pla, recycling, waste
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thread-3786 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3786 | Lower BuildTak adhesion | 2017-03-24T06:27:41.337 | # Question
Title: Lower BuildTak adhesion
I'm having a similar issue to this one: I have retrofitted my printer with a BuildTak sticker. I'm printing PLA at 60°C bed temperature - currently using a 0.3 mm nozzle, but I had similar issues with the 0.4mm nozzle before.
If I bring the nozzle close enough to the print surface to get a reasonable first layer, I need excessive force to remove the parts afterwards - so much force that I already have damaged the BuildTak in one or two places. If I lower the bed (the physical bed using the screws, not the temperature!) so that the parts come off easier, the first layer is very uneven and it takes 5-6 layers until the layers start to stack onto one another the way they are supposed to. What can I do to influence the adhesion of the printed parts to the BuildTak surface - especially to lower it in a controlled manner without changing the nozzle height?
# Answer
Try printing with the heated printbed off. Heat makes the pla stick more to buildtak
> 3 votes
# Answer
When I was using BuildTac on a Monoprice Select Mini, I had to print with a hot bed (50 C or so) and then wait until it was cooled before attempting to remove the parts.
I used a set of very thin removal tools and a lot of patience to remove my parts. I would be careful to push only parallel to the BuildTac with one of the sharper tools. Once I was under the part, I could usually slide the tool under the part like a knife to separate the part from the BuildTac.
I was only using BuildTac on that machine because I damaged it's original yellow surface when I removed my first Benchy from that machine. Since then the BuildTac has lasted for months.
> 3 votes
# Answer
These are more like backups for when the part gets stuck, but you could try spraying that part where it meets the bed with liquid computer duster. The shrinkage from cooling usually helps to release the part from the bed. You could also try heating the bed very hot to save the bed at the expense of the part.
> 0 votes
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Tags: pla, adhesion
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thread-16689 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16689 | What are the options for an insulated but still transparent door for a 3D printer enclosure? | 2021-07-09T14:52:40.010 | # Question
Title: What are the options for an insulated but still transparent door for a 3D printer enclosure?
When considering enclosures able to reach higher chamber temperatures, insulation is essential to keep the heater power low.
Typical insulation materials are not transparent: cork (fire retardant, good for the inner hot side), rock wool, styrofoam panels, aluminium insulating panels (aluminium walls with foam in between).
Still, most of the time it's preferable to have one side of the enclosure transparent, to see what is happening inside without having to use a webcam (which may not work well or which may have a reduced lifespan when operated at 60-80 °C, due to capacitors and thermal noise in the sensor).
Rock wool, styrofoam panels and cork all offer about 0.032-0.038 W/(m K) thermal conductivity. In other words, a panel which is 50 * 50 * 1 cm will require about 0.85 W per each °C of temperature increase, or 8.5 W per 10 °C. A cubic 50 * 50 * 50 cm enclosure 2 cm thick would require 26 W to increase the inner temperature by 10 °C.
Replacing just one side with a transparent acrylic panel 3 mm thick would push the power requirement to about 190 W for every 10 °C of temperature increase, therefore finding a transparent insulation would be quite interesting.
**What are the options to have a transparent, but still reasonably insulating, panel?**
# Answer
Unfortunately there are very little solutions for fully transparent and thermally insulating materials. You may be able to use panels commonly used for greenhouses and hydroponics if you can accept losing full transparency and only being translucent. Another option may be to have **two layers of your transparent material**, with an air-gap in between, as dry and still air is a very good thermal insulator.
> 6 votes
# Answer
Glass. Or more specifically, insulating two or three layer window panes between which is a vacuum or low heat conductive gas.
These panels are quite effective, compared to single panes: on a two layer sandwich, 9.5 mW/(m K) can be achieved with a Krypton filling, 5.5 mW/(m K) with Xenon. The sweet spot for avoiding too many loss from convection is usually below 10-15 mm per gas layer, depending on the gas. Three or even four glas panels can get away with much thicker total panes and avoid convection by having the gas insulator broken up into multiple layers as thin as 5 mm.
Such Mehrscheiben Isolierscheiben (insulating glazing) is often obtainable in any size from window makers and can come with a frame that contains the needed mechanisms to open or lock the box.
> 3 votes
# Answer
How about using thermally insulating transparent silicone rubber sheets?
> 0 votes
# Answer
Never saw double pane windows of houses? Triple panes are not impossible.
> 0 votes
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Tags: enclosure
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thread-16755 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16755 | Why is Cura printing vases much slower than the printer can go? | 2021-07-18T12:36:59.243 | # Question
Title: Why is Cura printing vases much slower than the printer can go?
I have been trying to tune a new filament, on my CR-10 V2, by printing vases, but Cura won't let me print the vases any faster than 10-15 mm/s even when I input all the print speeds to about 65 mm/s. This problem only occurs when I try to print with a single parameter/wall and no matter what I do Cura doesn't print it any faster.
Does anyone know if there is a feature that forces it to print slower than it's being told to, or if this problem is a result of some kind of protective feature and if it can be overridden?
# Answer
Minimum Layer Time. By default it's 5 seconds, and some printer profiles have it much higher, e.g. 10 seconds. This is to allow sufficient time for the previous layer to cool before laying down the next layer, but it's way too high. Make sure you have good cooling (possibly blowing a large room fan on the print volume if needed) and you can turn it down significantly. This is unlikely to work for very tiny details, where 3-4 is about the lowest you can safely go, but in a vase spread out over a large area it should be practical to cool it even with fast printing.
> 3 votes
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, slicing
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thread-16754 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16754 | Layer splitting in same place | 2021-07-18T09:17:41.480 | # Question
Title: Layer splitting in same place
I am getting layer splits that always happen in the same place like these:
Interestingly enough, when I do multiple prints on one plate, sometimes some prints get split and others don’t. I don’t think this is a slicer settings problem or moist filament because it only ever happens at one specific place. The rest of the printed item(s) is fine.
I also don’t have warping at the edges of the upper split layer that signifies slicer setting problems. Another interesting note is that there seems to be little evenly spaced pulsating dots along each side of the split (might be hard to see in the photos).
I have checked the Z-axis for anything that has gone loose, greased the lead screws, adjusted temp, but nothing seems to help.
Edit: I recall having similar problems once with Colorfabb Economy PETG on a different printer (Artillery SWX1) but I can only recall it from memory, no physical prints to prove it so it might have been something else.
However that does lead me to think that it may in fact be something with the slicer if it happened on separate printers printing different parts, but maybe not the direct slicer settings, rather the geometry of the model causing it like r.. github said. Filament: Inkstation black PLA Printer: Creality Ender 3 with added BLTouch.
# Answer
> 1 votes
From your description and particularly the photos, the source of your layer splitting is an extrusion problem at the particular location, likely an indirect result of the geometry (making it mostly repeatable when the same geometry is printed again). Some possible causes for this include:
* Too much material lost to oozing in model interior just prior to this extrusion, as a result of unretracted travel (combing).
* Previous layer marred by unretracted nozzle motion over already-printed material. This tends to make the "pulsating dots" pattern you noted.
* Extrusion jam due to heat creep or trying to unretract after the retracted material had too much time to cool due to long/slow travel.
* Higher speed being achievable on these layers due to less constraint by acceleration/deceleration, reaching a speed faster than what you can actually extrude with your extruder, hotend, and temperature settings.
I would look at the slicing output in your slicer and see if you noticed anything different about the layers where it's happening.
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Tags: z-axis, adhesion
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thread-16560 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16560 | Ender 3 Pro not reading new G-code files on original SD Card | 2021-06-18T05:03:42.697 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 Pro not reading new G-code files on original SD Card
I´ve been using my Ender 3 Pro for almost 1 year now. Always using the provided SD card. For a couple of days, the printed does not read any new file that I load to the SD card, but it does with the older files (and it then prints correctly as well).
I tried deleting some old files that I don't need, I tried turning it on with the SD card, I tried inserting the card after turning the printer on. It's always the same.
I am using another SD card and it works properly.
Any idea?
# Answer
SD and MicroSD cards use a type of memory (Flash RAM) that is subject to wearing out -- the actual memory cells deteriorate very slightly each time data is written to them, and SD, MicroSD, and thumb drives typically don't use the very best flash RAM (as would hopefully be the case for internal Solid State Drives that house the operating system and user storage in your computer).
Further, the constant plugging and unplugging of these cards also puts wear on the connectors.
Either of these factors can result in one or more devices losing the ability to read the card, and this can result in only old files being accessible (though it's much more common for the card to become read-only, or even become unreadable).
If you can still read the original card in your computer, please make a complete copy of the contents immediately, and then write those contents to a new card (as well as keeping a copy on your computer's storage) -- and throw the old card away, so you don't accidentally use it for anything.
> 2 votes
# Answer
Something in the Ender 3 stock firmware (and even custom Marlin builds) is prone to corrupting SD cards, especially if you've removed and re-inserted them without using the unmount command on the menu first. I never tracked down exactly what it was before switching away from Marlin, but whenever it happened, making a new directory, moving all the files to it, and deleting the old directory seemed to work (assuming you don't keep files in top-level directory) to get it to read them again. When that didn't work, moving them off to the host computer, reformatting the SD card, and moving the files back always worked.
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, microsd
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thread-16747 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16747 | PC-ABS poor layer adhesion | 2021-07-17T01:23:10.223 | # Question
Title: PC-ABS poor layer adhesion
I recently started printing Polymaker's PC-ABS blend on my modified Ender 3 v2. The print quality is good but the layer adhesion is pretty bad.
The layers aren't delaminating while printing but I can snap the chimney off of Benchys just with my fingers. Print quality and layer adhesion are the same on Benchys with and without an enclosure.
My enclosure gets to around 65 °C air temperature, but Polymaker recommends 90 °C. I doubt my Ender would function at those temperatures.
Cura settings are as follows:
* 270 °C 0.4 mm brass nozzle
* 105 °C bed
* 0.2 mm layer height
* 0.4 mm line width
* combing off
* cooling off
* 15s minimum layer time
* Lift Head on
* 4 mm retraction at 33 mm/s
* 30-22.5 mm/s print speed
* 3 walls
* 5 top and bottom layers
* 20 % lines infill
I have already tried a wider line width, and I don't think going any hotter or slower would help. What could I try in order to improve the layer adhesion?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Try using some halogen bulbs (for example car healights) with a heat resistant shiny reflector to increase the temperature of the printed part without having to increase the air temperature. You can easily reach 90 °C with 4 bulbs (one per corner, pointed to the center).
And until you find a good print settings, I would still stick with 110-120% line width.
Also, there are reports of underestimated printing temperature. If you can, go try 280-290 °C.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, adhesion, print-material, abs, print-strength
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thread-15888 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15888 | Can I make this extruder work by changing motor? | 2021-03-17T20:46:59.507 | # Question
Title: Can I make this extruder work by changing motor?
I have a Flex3Drive remote-direct-drive extruder I bought for my Ender 3 (with the original extruder motor), and I'm pretty happy with it except for abysmal retraction performance due to the 40:1 reduction, which requires the motor to turn about 480° to retract just 1 mm. This is minimally workable for PLA and rigid materials where I can get by with just 1 mm of retraction, but it takes just as long to retract 1 mm as the original bowden extruder did to retract 6 mm, defeating a lot of the appeal of a direct drive. For TPU I haven't been able to make it workable at all. By the time I retract 3 mm or so, which seems necessary to avoid stringing, the hotend has already melted and/or deposited a blob on the print. Failure to print TPU also defeats much of the point of a direct drive.
I'm running retraction at 8 mm/s, 500 mm/s² acceleration, which is already higher than the manufacturer of the extruder recommends, and about the fastest I've been able to get it to work. Based on this calculator and 8.9 mH motor inductance, that seems roughly expected. I have TMC 2209 steppers and tried playing with current but it doesn't seem to make much difference.
Otherwise, I love this extruder, and want to make it work. Is there a way I can salvage it by changing out the motor for something that can do higher RPMs and accelerate just as fast or faster?
# Answer
In general I would use https://github.com/rcarlyle/StepperSim which takes into account more parameters.
You can play with voltage and current to see which combination gives you the best results for your motor.
Or you can change to a TMC driver with higher voltage (35-50 V) to keep torque at much higher speeds and push the current motor more.
Since the torque you require is likely not so high, you can increase the speed of your stepper motor with 3D printed herringbone gears, for example 4:1. They don't need to be super accurate, backlash is totally fine considering the ridiculous 40:1 reduction.
> 2 votes
# Answer
While the following doesn't conclusively prove changing the motor would work, I think the answer is yes! And I achieved the desired result via a different method, so I consider the problem solved.
Instead of changing the motor, I designed a 1:4 step-up planetary gearbox to put on top of the extruder motor, yielding a 10:1 net reduction instead of the original 40:1. This works, even without much attention to part strength or backlash in the gearbox (thanks to the subsequent 40:1 reduction), yielding the desired sub-50ms retractions with PLA. This seems to establish that the rotational rate or acceleration of the flex shaft is not a limiting factor.
One thing I noticed after adding my gearbox is that, even after scaling up the extruder speed and acceleration to 4x the values I was using without the gearbox, the stepper motor did not make the sharp "chirp"/"squeal" sound on retractions that I got before. This seemed odd, because it should be the same speed/acceleration for the output shaft and slightly higher load than before. So I think there may be something other than just exceeding the stepper's capabilities going on with the original configuration.
The manufacturer's recommended (provided STL files) coupling of the motor to the flex shaft is this long rigid coupler and guide cap:
That looks like a suspiciously long lever on the motor output shaft. And while the cap retains the flex cable sheath fairly rigidly, it can't be perfectly aligned with the motor shaft, and there's room for the flex shaft to move slightly side to side inside the sheath. So, my guess is that spinning the flex shaft at high speeds with it directly coupled to the motor like this put some serious lateral forces on the motor output shaft, interfering with the motor's performance and likely leading to long-term damage if not corrected.
The gearbox I added avoids extending the motor shaft at all (the planetary gear carrier slides fully over the D-shaft) and the small amount of backlash in the gears themselves allows the flex shaft positioning to be imprecise with (apparently) no serious ill effects. And if it does cause unwanted wear, well these are printed parts that are easily replaceable.
As for the 40:1 reduction in the extruder itself, after working with all of this to get it printing well, I don't think it's necessarily a wrong design. The flex shaft can handle the speeds needed just fine, and the 40:1 reduction keeps torque from the extruder gear off of it while extruding. The Zesty Nimble (which some call a clone of this design) used 30:1 instead of 40:1, and has dropped to 20:1 in their latest iteration, probably for reasons related to my troubles with the 40:1. But I think the gearbox at the motor side is actually a rather nice solution that preserves all of the potentially good properties of the high reduction and none of the bad ones. It does make the setup more complicated to manufacture and install though.
> 2 votes
# Answer
I was considering buying a Fl3xdrive but had this exact fear, that the speed (rotation) required for retractions was too much.
I stumbled upon this post while looking for a project for a step-up gearbox. I found a Nema 17 Gearbox "Pulleybox" Mod for Extruder on Thingiverse, should be enough to do what you did with your design, I guess.
> 1 votes
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Tags: extruder, stepper, motor
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thread-15377 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15377 | Why does my Ender 5 Pro bed stop heating 10 °C below the set point? | 2021-01-20T12:59:32.443 | # Question
Title: Why does my Ender 5 Pro bed stop heating 10 °C below the set point?
After a long battle with SKR Mini v2, TFT35 and BLTouch and creating the right firmware. I thought I was through it all and ready to start printing again after finally being able to set the Z offset and auto level the bed. My printer has other thoughts. Now my bed temperature will only heat up to 10 °C below the set point temperature and after a few minutes it starts beeping and says this on the screen "`Heating Failed: Bed Printer Halted, Please Reset`". As an example, set it to 60 °C, it will get up to 50 °C normally and stop at 50 °C.
Anyone gone through this? I'm sure there is some setting in the firmware that I have missed up. I'm hoping someone can educate me on my mistake.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Searching the error message "Heating Failed: Bed Printer Halted, Please Reset" seems to indicate that the bed heater is timing out from not reaching temperature.
1. If you measure the voltage applied to the bed heater before the error message, does the voltage stay at Max.; i.e. 12 V for a 12 V bed heater? Or, does the voltage stay constant?
2. If you raise the target bed temperature, does is still error out at stop at 50 °C?
3. Since you only indicate changing firmware, we would assume the bed heater is the same as when previously working. Is this true?
4. Is the resistance of the bed heater a few ohms and not megaohms?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I was having the same issue after installing BTT SKR Mini E3 V2 and BLTouch on my Ender 5 Pro.
I did two things and my bed heats normally now, but I changed/did both things and can't say which fixed the issue for me.
* I noticed the case fan wasn't coming on. I had it plugged into `Fan 1` on the board. In my Marlin firmware, I noticed in `Configuration_adv.h` the `USE_CONTROLLER_FAN` was commented out, so I enabled it (removed the '//' in front of `#define USE_CONTROLLER_FAN`). After I flashed the firmware with this change, the controller box fan did start kicking on as I'd expect.
* I also did PID tuning on the bed. The firmware I'd compiled had the `PIDTEMPBED` enabled as I prefer to tune the bed when I do the hotend too. I hadn't yet tuned the bed when I was getting the 10-degree heating failure. My bed was set to 60 °C and it wouldn't heat above 52 °C without giving the "Heating Failed: Bed Printer Halted, Please Reset". After PID tuning (which I did after the fan firmware change too) the bed heats up to 60 °C and stays there now.
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Tags: heated-bed, creality-ender-5, temperature
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thread-16767 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16767 | Layers on printed part have started smushing together mid-print and I don’t know why | 2021-07-19T23:21:24.307 | # Question
Title: Layers on printed part have started smushing together mid-print and I don’t know why
I’m using the Ender 3 with the Cura slicer and I’ve had success in doing the same print but recently the layers in the middle have smushed out and I don’t know the reason why.
I’ve tried reprinting the piece and the same problem occurs in the same area. I’ve yet to try to let the part finish because I don’t really want to waste filament so whenever I see the problem I stop the print. I tried reslicing the part but the problem still happens.
Here’s the smushed print:
And here’s what it’s supposed to look like:
Edit: Should also mention that I’m fairly new to 3D printing
# Answer
> 1 votes
It looks like a problem with the Z axis. It looks like it isn’t lifting the Z as much as it thinks it is, so each layer gets over extruded because it’s trying to pack too much plastic in a shortened height. I would try cleaning and lubricating the Z rod(s) (with grease, not oil) and run the z axis up all the way and back down a few times, and watch for skipping steps or roughness in the travel.
Look for obstructions to the little wheels on the Z gantry as they roll up the frame posts. You could undo the Z gantry from the Z threaded rod. Be sure to support it on a box or something. Then lift the axis up and down by hand and feel if it’s smooth. A lot of problems with motion on 3D printer be revealed if you can work the motion by hand.
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Tags: creality-ender-3
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thread-16750 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16750 | Thingiverse dealer button text block | 2021-07-17T14:12:07.403 | # Question
Title: Thingiverse dealer button text block
I’ve been using Thingiverse pretty heavily since I started printing, and I frequently come across the same text block in unrelated models. Am I missing the joke or a hidden meaning in the frequent reuse of the following content?
> Designed up this dealer button to use in home games or have just as something laying around for any poker fan. It was inspired by a dealer button in Pokerstars VR.
>
> Printing:
>
> Ring - Infil to add weight, supports needed for spade inset. Letter embossing doesn't need it.
> Spade - Infil to add weight, no supports
> Letters - Print flat, already scaled to fit nicely in the embossing
> Star - Infil to add weight.
>
> Full print with 4x4x4 walls/top/bottom and 38% infil came to about 48g in weight.
>
> Glue in lettering and spade. Star may need minor sanding but should push fit into the space tightly and not need anything else to secure it.
Here is an example of what I mean: Voronoi bear. Just curious if anyone knows why that’s used as a pseudo default description, or if I should avoid those files for any reason I’m unaware of.
Here’s another example: cats
# Answer
The "dealer button" text is the default text that Thingiverse inserts when you create a new Thing entry. If you get in a hurry and hit "Publish Thing" before you edit that, it'll go up for everyone to see with the "dealer button" default text still in place. Many times, when you see that, you'll also see the defaults still in place for machine specs, filament type, etc.
In other words, it's just a user error, especially prevalent on "quickie" uploads that aren't intended for a wide audience or long term preservation. Based on comments, this may also be a relatively recent change at Thingiverse; I've only uploaded designs there over the past few months, and I've seen it every time over that time frame (since about April 2021).
> 5 votes
# Answer
Consider this example: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4888256
The text entered by the author is visible above the seemingly random text you mentioned in your question.
Seeing how Thingiverse is a Makerbot product, it's likely that they've messed up their database somehow.
> 0 votes
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Tags: thingiverse
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thread-16775 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16775 | (SKR 1.4 Turbo, TMC2209 Drivers) - Power supply has 4 output, but board only 2 input | 2021-07-20T13:23:22.480 | # Question
Title: (SKR 1.4 Turbo, TMC2209 Drivers) - Power supply has 4 output, but board only 2 input
I have recently purchased an SKR 1.4 Turbo which I intend to add to my P3Steel printer. I have an old power supply which appears to have dual outputs \[COM COM +V +V\]. I want to connect this to the board but the board only has a +V -V connector. The supply is rated at 12 V 15 A which I believe is what is required by the board.
Do I have to connect both +V from the power supply to the +V on the board, and both COM (-V) on the power supply to the -V on the board?
I guess what I'm asking is whether the full 12 V 15 A is only achieved by using both of the outputs together?
# Answer
> 1 votes
My Ender 3 has the same connections on the power supply. As received from the factory, the machine runs off one set (mainboard, bed heat, hotend, and fans) and the other set is left open (I think they're connected inside the power supply). Given mine is a 300 W rated supply like yours, you should be okay drawing 15 A connected to either V+ and either COM terminal.
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Tags: power-supply, skr-v1.4
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thread-16766 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16766 | Does updating the firmware on an Ender 3 V2 erase its previous settings? | 2021-07-19T21:01:33.197 | # Question
Title: Does updating the firmware on an Ender 3 V2 erase its previous settings?
A few months ago, I flashed my Ender 3 V2 with JyersUI fork of the Marlin firmware and I like the options and settings that are available with this firmware. The author has put out another update (v1.3.4) and was curious if all my settings will be erased.
Does flashing the firmware erase all settings on the Ender 3 V2? If so, what settings should I record to update the new firmware once installed?
# Answer
No, settings are stored in memory (or the equivalent storage location).
When a new firmware is uploaded, the values set in the newly configured firmware can be set by `Restore Defaults` from the Marlin printer LCD the user interface. Alternatively, you could print a G-code file containing `M502` and `M500`, or send them over using a console.
> `M502`
> Reset all configurable settings to their factory defaults.
>
> To also reset settings in EEPROM, follow with M500.
> `M500`
> Save all configurable settings to EEPROM
See M502 will reset all configurable settings to their "factory defaults", which settings are those? for more information.
This answer hints to a similar description:
> Installing firmware does not by itself alter the EEPROM, so these settings needed to be seeded into SRAM via `M502` and then saved into EEPROM via `M500`.
Please note that the EEPROM on 32-bit boards are emulated. There are several ways to emulate EEPROM storage via flash storage in the ARM processor or using an SD card. There is a solution for an actual EEPROM, but that requires buying an EEPROM chip and breakout board on the I2C connector if it has such an output port. Selection of which is done in the `Configuration_adv.h` config file.
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, marlin
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thread-13576 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13576 | How to sharpen cookie/clay cutter edge | 2020-05-03T04:29:29.347 | # Question
Title: How to sharpen cookie/clay cutter edge
I’m new to 3D printing and have the Creality Ender 3 Pro. I work a lot with clay for earrings and wanted to design my own cutters with a sharp edge to create clean shapes.
I use PLA and have been using the speed and nozzle (0.4 mm) that was already set when I bought it. It’s been creating fine edges but I’d like to make it a lot sharper. Using the instructions from videos I saw online, I created the following "U" shape (extrusion of .5 mm Is the “cutting edge”. I started getting some weird bubbles too and am not sure what has created that either (see pic).
I use Fusion 360 to make the cookie/clay cutter and then send it to Ultimaker Cura to slice.
Any help with how to make it sharper and more clean cuts would be great!
# Answer
> 3 votes
An extrusion width of 0.5 mm is too wide for making a sharp outline, I do use this sometimes for extrusion width for the infill.
Note that you can sand plastic (e.g. PLA or ABS) to sharpen the edge.
# Answer
> 1 votes
To build in 0scar's answer, standard nozzle width is 0.4 mm, so using a width of 0.5 mm will likely make the slicer extrude the edge as *two extrusion lines*, either with one of them very thin (which is hard to print precisely), or overextruded so that the total width is closer to 0.8 mm. You should probably aim for exactly the nozzle/line width, or since that sometimes causes slicing problems due to numerical inaccuracy, something like 5% over, with the slicer's "minimum flow" set to 10% or more so that a second line does not get laid down at all. You could also try reducing the line width below the nozzle width. Down to about 75% of the nozzle width should work pretty reliably; below that it's likely to have problems.
Aside from that, your print seems to have a lot of blobs and extrusion errors on it. To make this work well, you should try to find the causes of those issues too and get them fixed.
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Tags: creality-ender-3
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thread-16523 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16523 | Fill doesn't reach perimeters on supports (Simplify3D) | 2021-06-14T08:11:14.640 | # Question
Title: Fill doesn't reach perimeters on supports (Simplify3D)
My Tevo Flash works well. Right now, I'm trying to print a thin, disc-like part on supports. The 3 perimeters at the edge of the disc are OK. The dense fill zigzag pattern makes many U-turns near the perimeter. It all looks OK in Simplify3D. But in the printed part, in several spots, the zigzag pattern doesn't reach the perimeters, leaving a ~1 mm gap.
My guess: in those spots, the filament has nothing to grab onto underneath, so the U-turn region is dragged back by the nozzle a bit (away from the perimeters) and/or it droops. I'm using the smallest support res in Simplify 3D: 1 mm. Any options I can try?
# Answer
> 2 votes
*Posted as a wiki answer from a comment from the OP to a different answer.*
---
The `Zig Zag` vs `Lines` patterns was only a part of the problem. The 2<sup>nd</sup> part was that this layer rested on supports only, so the fill, whatever its pattern, didn't have enough surface to "grab on" near the perimeters. If I had switched from `Zig Zag` to `Lines`, the air gap would've diminished a bit, but I would've gotten drooping. I solved it with wider, underlying perimeters.
# Answer
> 1 votes
The zig-zag pattern are known for this kind of fluke...
I will use Cura to demonstrate, but it's gonna happen on the majority of slicers.
See this example:
Because nothing is really a circle on a cartesian plane and there's resolution limitations on the real world, the slicer has to account for these and, assuming you are using zig-zag to save time, they are doing what is expected. The Zig-zag pattern is a continuous, fast way to fill the top/bottom layers.
Now, see this lines pattern top layer:
It has much smaller air gaps. Every time the nozzle finishes a line, it has the chance to reposition itself to make a much smaller gap, just because isn't continuous.
So yeah, the air-gaps are a "feature" for zig-zag patterns, but you can mitigate this effect reducing the line width on top/botton layers.
It seems that increasing "Skin Overlap Percentage" on cura mitigates this effect too, but i really haven't seen the effects of this setting on a real life object
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Tags: support-structures, infill, simplify3d
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thread-16781 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16781 | Anycubic resin printer not printing beyond the first layer | 2021-07-22T12:58:31.023 | # Question
Title: Anycubic resin printer not printing beyond the first layer
I recently acquired a Anycubic Photon Zero and I'm having trouble printing anything that's not pre-loaded from that company.
I create my own models in Blender, put them through the Photon Workshop slicer software as well as download other models from the web for personal use and only the bottom or 1st layer will print! But anything that came pre-loaded as a demo from Anycubic prints fine.
Is there something I'm missing? What should I be checking for in the slicer software? Clearly the model is ready as you can see it all in light-blue on the printer/thumb drive, and as I said, it prints the first layer correctly.
I have calibrated the printer previously.
It's level, I even have a new resin resevoir with a clean film on the bottom.
What I noticed when I try to print vs what any cubic provides is, you know how the print head or plate moves up and down consistently. It almost seems any of these problem models, the printing plate stays in a static position for quite a while before it moves onto the next.
The screen shows what appears to be the correct layer being printed but I noticed even the plate doesn't move down back into the resin as it should.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Ps - I'm using I believe their brand resin, the plant-based one.
# Answer
Although you've noted that you have run the model through the slicer, what's missing is if the preview shows you more than one layer. Near the bottom of your post, I think you're indicating that more than one layer is being displayed. In the preview, you should see images indicating that the layers are changing as the slider/progress bar is moved.
The first layers of a resin print are often tens of seconds long, to establish a more cured bond with the build plate. Depending on your settings this can be four to six layers running many seconds, but once "cleared" of the foundation, the duration should be shorter.
Consider to use a different slicer as a means of comparison. Also, consider to download an STL of any form from a different resource, something you have not created. Blender is known for creating unprintable models.
Additionally, you can save resin by not pouring any in the vat during these tests. If the characteristics are as you describe, you can examine the movement and the layer displays as the print job progresses, while not wasting product.
> 2 votes
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Tags: resin
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thread-16783 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16783 | Can you optimize head movements to speed up printing? | 2021-07-23T01:40:08.450 | # Question
Title: Can you optimize head movements to speed up printing?
I'm currently printing 11 copies of the same model. I noticed as it's printing that it seems to work on one model at a time but doesn't travel to the nearest model next. I suspect it's traveling around the bed in the order that I put the models in the slicer. This is resulting in extra unnecessary travel and therefore, increasing print time. I slice in Cura 4.9.
Is there a slicer that handles this better? Or is there a way to optimize movements in Cura?
# Answer
> 6 votes
It's well known in mathematical circles that the "salesman problem" is what mathematicians call "hard" -- in their usage, that means a lot of extremely smart people have worked on the problem for many years (more than a century?) and still not found a robust, works-every-time solution.
What's probably happening with Cura and other slicers is that, for their version of this issue (the most efficient way to visit multiple locations) the decision was made that reducing computing time in slicing was more practical than optimizing travel time of the machine. This is a reasonable decision, from a programming standpoint, because you're likely to be sitting in front of a screen, getting more and more impatient (and thinking less and less of the software you're using) every second the slicing takes, but when the actual printing is going on, you can be doing something else (sleeping, working at your day job, etc.)
Therefor, it's likely that what you see in Cura *is* optimized -- to minimize *your* time on the way to a solution, rather than to minimize the time for a machine that simply doesn't care if a print takes five hours or nine.
# Answer
> 4 votes
**Long story short:** I only know the setting "Combing Mode OFF" that improves the travel paths. In my case it did not help. In your case I suggest you should give PrusaSlicer a try. I assume that the overall print duration will be improved because of a better calculation of the travel paths. But this is only my personal opinion between these two Slicers.
**Further explanation:** I downloaded the Cura 4.9 and made an install from scratch. I tried to reproduce your issue by placing lots of copies of the same part. As printer I selected the Ultimaker S5 and used the standard configuration for slicing. I let Cura arrange the parts on the print plate. I checked the travel paths between the parts and in most cases Cura has chosen the nearest distance to move the printhead to the next part. In my opinion, there could be a more efficient choice for the next part to print. After this first test I experimented with the settings (e.g. "Combing Mode" OFF) but without an improvement in travel movements.
In the past I used Cura in combination with an Ultimaker S5 at work to print parts for production usecases. Over the past two years I recognized lots of parts where the travel movements have been chosen very unefficiently at the cost of high print duration.
For comparison I used my standard slicer "PrusaSlicer" and did the test under the same conditions: standard settings, auto-arrangement of the parts. Overall the travel paths are calculated more efficiently, but there is also some room for improvement.
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, speed
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thread-16770 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16770 | Inconsistent layer printing | 2021-07-20T06:22:27.217 | # Question
Title: Inconsistent layer printing
I’ve had my 3D printer for about 2.5 years. Recently while I’ve been printing, it makes these small little gaps in the filament, like it can’t print consistently.
I’m not sure if there’s something wrong with my filament, or with the printer print. What do you think?
# Answer
> 3 votes
In my opinion, the shown error could have four possible reasons:
1. Your filament absorbed too much moisture between the prints. During your print the moisture will be released as "little steam bubbles" which make some popping noise. With certain filaments you can even see this if you look closely. Normally PLA should not be so critical as compared with PETG or NYLON for example. If you haven't already done so before, please change the filament spool to a completely new one that is still packed in vacuum. Hopefully this should already solve your problem.
2. A clogged extruder can also be a reason for inconsistency. But if this were the case, the extrusion would be significantly worse. So in your case I think this is not the main reason.
3. A bad filament diameter quality can also be a reason for an inconsistent extrusion. But the result should not look as bad as it looks in your picture. So I do not think it is very likely in your case.
4. In very rare cases the stepper driver or the extruder motor itself can also be a reason for bad extrusion. I had this once and after a change of the motor everything worked fine again. But this should be the last option after all other approaches failed.
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-16791 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16791 | Ender 3 v2 layer skips | 2021-07-24T16:56:44.953 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 v2 layer skips
I am having some issues with my printer skipping/not extruding random layers of my prints. It happens a few layers in and sometimes doesn't even affect the entire layer. I have tried switching from Cura to PrusaSlicer but the problem persists. My printer is an Ender 3 v2 with dual Z-axis screws, a Micro Swiss all-metal hotend, Micro Swiss direct drive extruder, and a firmware update to reach 275 °C.
I am currently using Polymaker PC-ABS in an enclosure but I have had the same problem with Hatchbox PETG.
I have heard that Z Hop could be the issue when using Cura. I have tried turning it off while using Cura but it did not solve the problem. I have not tried turning it off in PrusaSlicer.
PrusaSlicer settings are as follows:
* 270 °C nozzle
* 95 °C bed
* 0.22 mm layer height.
* 75 % flow for bridges with a 110° threshold for bridges
* 0.85 mm retraction @ 30 mm/s
* Lift Z of 0.2 mm
* 3 walls
* 5 top and bottom layers
* 20 % gyroid infill
* cooling off
# Answer
> 2 votes
This is a known issue with the v4.2.2 mainboard relating to overheating. Continued overheating will eventually result in the extruder controller on the mainboard going bad.
Solution: Mainboard change to version 4.2.7 and raise your unit to create more air flow. You could also add a fan under the printer.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, extruder, extrusion, underextrusion, direct-drive
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thread-16663 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16663 | Jagged edge on one side and not on the other side | 2021-07-03T08:18:12.077 | # Question
Title: Jagged edge on one side and not on the other side
As you can see the left side of the edge came out jagged. The right side came out just fine. What happened to the left side?
I am using Ender 3 + BLTouch using Sunlu PLA+ with 200 °C hotend.
Here are my retraction settings (if that matters):
# Answer
> 1 votes
This was happened because I don't use support on the slope. After I use support the jagged edge is gone.
# Answer
> 3 votes
This may be due to uneven cooling. The part cooling fan only comes from one direction on the Ender 3 series of printers. You may be able to solve the issue by printing the walls from the outside in. If not, I recommend printing a fan shroud that has part cooling ducts on both sides; there are plenty of them on thingiverse.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, print-quality, prusaslicer
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thread-16762 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16762 | Ender 3 Upgraded to All Metal Hot End -- Heat Creep? | 2021-07-19T12:02:19.577 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 Upgraded to All Metal Hot End -- Heat Creep?
I was having heat creep related hot end clogs leading to skipped layers or plain old air printing (with extruder stepper skipping). Since I'd just received the all metal hot end I ordered a while back (Chinese knock-off, verified 2 mm heat break bore), I installed that and tried a print without changing settings.
Amazon Basics PLA, 200 °C at 0.4 mm nozzle, 50 mm/s (which gives walls and first layer at 25 mm/s), and 30% tri-hex infill -- and instead of clogging an hour an a half into the print, the new setup clogged after only about half an hour.
There is little retraction in this part -- every layer is continuous (that is, there are no travels between sections, only between infill lines and after layer end, it's a simple extruded shape from the first layer to the last), so I wouldn't expect excessive retraction to be a major issue.
Is this likely to be due to printing with the same settings I had for the original hot end? If so, what should I change (retraction, obviously, but temperature, print speed, etc.?).
EDIT: Reinstalling the previous (stock type) hot end after clearing filament material from the heat break has restored normal-seeming operation, at least when starting a print from cold. Parts are on the way to apply the PTFE fix.
# Answer
As suggested in comments, I've installed Luke Hatfield's captive PTFE tube fix using high temperature Capricorn PTFE tube inside the heat break, and this seems to have solved the problem, while accomplishing the main thing I wanted an all metal hot end for: allowing higher print temperatures for filaments that require it.
In my case, I had to modify the classic procedure a bit; careful measurement of my heat sink required printing a custom "washer" with top end diameter of 8 mm, bottom (against the heat break) diameter of 5 mm, 4 mm taper length, 1 mm thick non-tapered top extension (so the coupler could compress the washer into place); I drafted a 2.25 mm bore (after an initial prototype at 2.1 mm wouldn't pass filament with marks from the extruder teeth; there's probably some shrinkage in the printing process) and an entry cone of 3.125 mm diameter, tapering to bore diameter after the first 3 mm.
I cut a piece of Capricorn PTFE tube 1 mm longer than the heat break; assembled heat break to heat sink (to ensure it was bottomed against the shoulder in the bore), then screwed heat break into the heat block to set depth, ensuring that the nozzle would tighten against the heat break before bottoming the hex against the heat block. Hot tightening the nozzle, followed by tightening the coupler, gave about 3% compression of the captive Capricorn tube, ensuring a good seal against the nozzle.
I kept the stock, translucent PTFE for the Bowden tube, so I can see the filament (at least as a shadow) when I load it, but where it matters, I now have captive, compression sealed PTFE that's rated up to 300 °C -- and this has so far worked perfectly for a number of prints.
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, all-metal-hotend, heat-creep
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thread-16801 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16801 | Format SD Card on Mac to update LCD screen on CR-10S Pro | 2021-07-27T08:02:26.740 | # Question
Title: Format SD Card on Mac to update LCD screen on CR-10S Pro
I want to update the LCD screen on my CR-10S Pro.
I've been following the procedure on Teaching Tech and formatting the SD card to FAT32, but the screen either shows the loading screen as normal or doesn't transfer anything.
How can I update the LCD?
# Answer
On a Mac it is easy enough to format an SD card to FAT32 using diskutils, but this doesn't do it quite properly. Many resources state that for devices like the LCD on the CR10s Pro, the SD card must also be formatted with an "Allocation Block Size" of 4096, and unfortunately diskutils doesn't do this.
You can force the correct settings using `newfs_msdos` to format the card in terminal. The process that worked for me is:
```
diskutil list
```
Note the location of the sd card, something like `/dev/disk1` (be careful to select the correct device) Then to format:
```
diskutil unmountDisk force /dev/disk1
sudo newfs_msdos -F 32 -v {name} -b 4096 /dev/disk1
```
where `{name}` is the name you want to give the SD card. When you put the card in the slot on the LCD, it should now update correctly.
> 1 votes
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Tags: firmware, creality-cr-10, lcd-screen, microsd
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thread-16736 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16736 | Layer Shifting When Printing Tall Prints (Consistent Per-Model) | 2021-07-15T15:27:46.573 | # Question
Title: Layer Shifting When Printing Tall Prints (Consistent Per-Model)
I have tried to print Baby Groot , but every time I print the head, there are always layer shifts like the photos below. I have printed three heads and the layer shifts happened all in the same place.
I tried to print something else that is the (more or less) same height and the layer shifting also happened.
I was thinking maybe because z-rod bent. But apparently the layer shift happened in different height.
What is my problem and how to solve this ? I am using Ender 3 with BLTouch.
# Answer
> 1 votes
What I have done:
* Using lowest hotend temperature 170 °C
* Using highest hotend temperature 220 °C
* No wobble in extruder (x-axis)
* No wobble in gantry (x-axis)
* No wobble in bed (y-axis)
* No wobble in z-rod (z-axis)
* Bed levelling to my perfect
* Shorten and slower the retraction, from 8 mm and 70 mm/s to 6 mm and 50 mm/s
* Enabling and disabling retraction
* Enabling and disabling z-hop (z-lift in PrusaSlicer)
* Formatted the micro SD card
* I have tried using Cura as well. I thought maybe different slicer will result differently.
* Position the z-offset from -2.20 mm to -2.15 mm
* Position the z-offset from -2.15 mm to -2.10 mm
* Printing a bigger round, vase
All of those don't solve this issue. Then I realized that while my z motor rotates there were some occasions where the rod wasn't rotates. I changed the hex bolts and tighten them up properly to solve this issue.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Layer shifting has two basic causes: the partially printed part moves or flexes, or the bed or Y carriage (almost always -- they seem rather uncommon on the X axis) skips one or more steps in one direction or the other.
Permanent layer shifts -- that is, where the entire print above the shift is and remains shifted -- are more likely to be the latter; temporary shifts (where the shift creates a bulge or groove, and then layers above that section are back in line with those below) are more likely due to part movement.
In your case, you appear to have temporary shifts. Those on the Groot head seem (in the photos) to line up with heights at which some of the peaks on the head end; they might be a result of changes in the nozzle interaction with a print that's becoming tall enough to flex as the path changes due to those sections finishing. The ones on the pink block look more like temporary overextrusion, but since we can't see the opposite side of whatever that is, I can't say for certain that they aren't the same thing.
One thing you might try is reslicing both of those objects with Z-hop enabled. That will reduce nozzle dragging over earlier parts of the current layer, which can flex the part (or temporarily block the nozzle, causing pressure buildup that will lead to momentary overextrusion).
To save time, you might look for whether you have any objects that exhibit this without as many hours of printing time (and tens of grams of filament) already spent -- perhaps you can sink Groot into the virtual bed in your slicer, so as to print him only from the eyes up (or even higher) -- though that might reduce flex enough that finishing the peaks on his head won't result in a significant change.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Zeiss Ikon's answer is good - but just in case that doesn't solve it, have you printed larger / longer prints before? There's a well known problem with the Ender 3's 4.2.2 motherboard that causes layer shifts as it overheats on longer prints. You can try elevating the printer and putting a fan underneath to see if that changes anything. (I had that problem and it drove me nuts until I got a 4.2.7 motherboard)
However, I do see some other layer issues on the head further down the print. I would probably loosen and readjust all the gantries again, check all the belt tensions, do another bed level (you changed out the stock springs with the yellow ones right?). After hours of use, not uncommon for there to be a hiccup, maybe a piece of plastic / dust stuck in a track.
If you've double checked and adjusted all the gantry's and none are loose or too tight, look at your table the printer sits on. If possible, put the printer on something really heavy (slab of concrete, thick wood) with a little padding underneath that heavy surface. Put a half glass of water on the top most surface (not on the printer) to see if the table is vibrating while printing (water should be still the entire time). It could be the table is moving a little as the printer is printing - with fractions of mm's it doesn't take too much.
# Answer
> 1 votes
These are (at least almost certainly) not layer shifts. A layer shift is when the physical toolhead position becomes inconsistent with the logical one because a stepper motor missed a step or the bed surface shifted or something else went wrong. It's possible for them to reverse if the same happens in the opposite direction at a later layer, but very unlikely.
What you have seems to be geometry-dependent inconsistent extrusion. If you look at the slicer output in an analyzer, you probably have some geometry difference in terms of number of components, travel moves needed, etc. at the affected layers, causing more or less material to be oozed/lost in the model's interior, thereby producing more of less extrusion thickness in the walls that follow, relative to other layers.
While there are probably other ways to reduce the impact, the right way to fix this is find the cause of the oozing and stop it. It's almost surely unretracted travel moves inside the model interior, which Cura calls "combing"; I don't know the Prusaslicer terminology for it. You can either turn it off (which will make your print a lot slower and might harm quality in some ways) or set "Max Comb Distance With No Retract" to something very small, like 1 mm. This will create a lot of additional retractions, and you need to make sure your retraction settings are right (in terms of distance and speed) not to make the problem worse - you can also ooze material while waiting around for a slow retraction to happen. Doing a retraction tuning tower can help you get them right if you don't have them right already. On an Ender 3 you should be able to set the retraction (and unretraction) speed to at least 100 mm/s, with distance somewhere around 4.0-6.5.
For readers using Cura, also be sure to set the "Minimum Extrusion Distance Window" option to 0. Otherwise Cura will start skipping retractions again once there are too many of them, which will bring the problem right back, possibly far worse since it might skip them even in the places they matter most. I don't think Prusaslicer has such a problem but I'm not sure.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, prusaslicer, layer-shifting
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thread-16790 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16790 | My 3D printer checks axes home during print, often wrecking the print | 2021-07-24T14:13:11.023 | # Question
Title: My 3D printer checks axes home during print, often wrecking the print
My Tevo Tornado has picked up this habit along the way of checking axes during a print.
*(I say picked up because it didn't exhibit any problems when I got it. As far as I can tell the problem presented on their own. The first thing I did to it was flashing the firmware after posting this question as per one of the comments suggestions)*
It is mostly fine when it happens on the X or Y-axis, as the only resulting issue is a string on the outside of the print, but it's a problem on the Z-axis as you can imagine. I just had a print wrecked as the nozzle unit got lowered into it and started pushing against it. I used to slice with Cura but have since moved to Slic3r, the issue remains. I don't think it's a G-code problem as it doesn't happen at the same points during prints.
While X and Y-axis checks are relatively common (1 every 15-20 minutes or so) the Z-axis checks have happened only twice on longer prints with devastating results.
I'm assuming this is a software/firmware/settings issue. What am I missing?
---
Additional information:
* Another thing that I've not mentioned but I think it's related: with the same randomness as the axes homing, the extruder from time to time will pull back a good 5 to 8 cm of filament and then pull it back in, stopping momentarily the print and causing blotches and melts.
* I've re-flashed the firmware, the issues are still present and I can confirm that the weird movements still occur. So far it exhibits X and Y homing on a shorter print (2hrs). By the way, I say it's homing because that's what I'm assuming it's doing as I can't explain it in any other way, to be honest.
* In the file I'm currently printing there are four `G28` commands, but they are not in the movement bits of the file. There's one at the start, one after filament END code and two in what I'm assuming are references for defined parameters denoted by ';' after the END filament code as well.
* This is what the `G28` I was referring to is at the end
```
M107 ; Filament-specific end gcode
;END gcode for filament
M104 S0 ; turn off temperature
G28 X0 ; home X axis
M84 ; disable motors
```
It just homes the X axis
* The printer also randomly turns itself off and on again during printing causing half-finished prints.
* I'm using pretty much the default settings off of Cura and Slic3r, so no fancy editing. The G-code that it spits out is probably as standard as it gets.
* There is *nothing else* connected to the printer (like Octoprint), that could be sending commands. The printer is pretty much how it came out of the factory.
* Here's a video of the printer exhibiting the bad behaviour. There is what I thought was the homing of the axes but upon further inspection sometimes it doesn't touch the sensor at the end. The clips where it seemingly almost stops and proceeds to produce a grinding noise are the ones where the extruder is retracting and pulling back in the filament. There are a couple of clips where the printer slows down randomly to a very slow pace. Fortunately no negative Z-axis movements on this print so far. There were many more of these episodes but I didn't catch them on video.
* Here are two G-code files a shorter one and a longer one.
* Switching the SD card to a different and reliable one has not fixed the problem.
* Completely anecdotal piece of info: it ***seems*** that the number of errors increases as the printer advances. It seems that at the beginning of a new day, the printer is less error prone, as *if* it needed a rest. Just turning it off and on does not yield the same results. This piece of info might help to narrow it down maybe?
* Switching outlets does not fix the problem.
* Because of the seemingly increasing nature of the number of errors reported before, I've opened up the housing of the main board to check for any issues relating to cooling. Apart for some dust (now removed), everything seems fine.
* I've connected the printer via USB to my laptop and tried to run it through Cura and Pronterface. In both cases any command I send through the software does not get executed. In particular when I run a basic home command or axis movement through Pronterface it spits out the following in an endless loop without actually doing anything:
```
echo:busy: processing
```
The drivers are installed on the computer. I can see the printer appear on a COM and it seemingly connects fine. If when connected to PC I send a home command from the printer itself, it won't work but appear as processing in the software as well.
# Answer
> 5 votes
After watching the video, I see three unwanted behaviors, all consistent with a hypothesis that the printer is reading corrupted data from the gcode file:
* Moves to low but nonzero X or Y coordinate then immediately back are not homing, but misreading of the X or Y value for a G1 move command - perhaps flipping a bit so that a leading 1 looks like a 0, or hitting a parse error causing it to be truncated after the first 1 or 2 characters (making it appear to be a value in the range 0-9 or 0-99). The very next command would then move the head back to the correct position since these are absolute coordinates not relative.
* Periods of extreme slow speed could be the exact same thing (bit flip or truncation parsing) for the feedrate (F) value in the G1 commands.
* Extruder motor clicking could be the exact same thing for extruder position (E) value in the G1 commands.
If this is the case, it's possible that the SD card itself is unreliable (try other cards if you have any), that the contacts in the SD card slot are dirty, that there's electrical noise on the bus (from poor grounding or shielding elsewhere), that the controller board is defective, etc. If the problem occurs in the exact same location each time you print, it's almost surely the card; if it's random it's more likely to be one of the other causes.
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, g-code, z-axis, slic3r, tevo-tornado
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thread-16805 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16805 | Good filament/s for heat resistance in cars | 2021-07-28T00:55:17.177 | # Question
Title: Good filament/s for heat resistance in cars
I have designed a cupholder for my center console in my truck with PETG. I was hoping it wouldn't deform and it didn't for a while but we got some high temperatures the past few days (around 32-38 °C or 90-100 °F).
Kind of figured it wouldn't hold up mid-summer but I was wondering if ABS would be my next best choice or if there is something better for this. It does see some sunlight but not a lot.
I do want to start producing some to sell and don't want it deforming in high-temperature areas. Also, I have an Ender 3 Pro so I can't do super crazy filaments.
# Answer
> 7 votes
ABS, or preferably ASA which is "a better ABS", is probably your main option. ASA holds up better under UV/sunlight and is easier to print (less warping). Like ABS it should be printed with ventilation, and benefits some from an enclosure but can be done without it or with a primitive one (cardboard box).
A second strong candidate would be real PET (not PETG). It's hard to find as filament nowadays, and might still not have the heat resistance you want fresh off the printer, but it can be annealed with only minor dimensional changes to drastically increase heat resistance to 100 °C or higher. Strictly speaking, you can do this with PLA too, but it's hard to get it not to deform horribly when annealing unless you use 100% infill and pack it in sand or salt or something while annealing. Note that you cannot do this with PETG; it has been specifically and intentionally modified (vs normal PET) not to be able to crystallize (anneal), and to lower the temperaturse at which it softens and melts.
Another great option would be TPU. It's not subject to a glass transition temperature above room temperature (my understanding is that technically its $T\_g$ is very very cold, but that may be a misunderstanding) and does not really warp/deform permanently until you reach temperatures near what you could print it at. I've used it as a mold for melting crayons in an oven at 175 ˚F (80 ˚C) with no problem. Depending on your perspective it could be easier or harder than ABS to print. If your extruder is bad at handling flex materials you might have to go really slow, or you might have trouble with jamming on retraction, but unlike ABS it has no heat/warping issues while printing and can be done even on a cold bed, and does not particularly need ventilation (although as always, be careful if you have pet birds around).
Note that while TPU is considered a "flex" material, it can be fairly rigid at high infill with rigid infill patterns like triangles or cubic, or printed 100% solid, especially if you go with harder variants. 95A is typically the highest you see but sometimes you can find 98A.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If you don't need it to be super precise, nothing beats annealed HTPLA. If you keep it on the bed while annealing you can minimize warping and you'll get a part that can take up to 180 °C. Fusion filaments makes a great HTPLA+ that's reasonably cheap, and you can get it without a spool. Their reusable spool is on Thingiverse. Just don't keep it on the bed if you have a magnetic bed. HTPLA needs over 80 °C which will ruin a magnetic bed.
# Answer
> -4 votes
Personally, I'd get the design *just right* and then I'd use the "Get an Instant Quote" option on the "Solutions" menu at shapeways.com . It'll be expensive, but you could have it printed in sintered powdered stainless steel or aluminum. You'll want to design as many voids into it as you can, because they charge by the gram. There are cheaper vendors and you may have one locally, especially if you tell them "totally not a rush job" and they can run it with other parts.
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Tags: print-material, abs, heat
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thread-16808 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16808 | First layer failing due to delayed and dragged extrusion | 2021-07-28T04:25:40.683 | # Question
Title: First layer failing due to delayed and dragged extrusion
I've had a handful of successful prints with my 3D printer, but at some point it just stopped being able to put down a first layer. It looks like the issue is that the extruder doesn't start putting down plastic right away, and when it moves to a new point, drags it along with it.
I've leveled the bed, added a BLTouch, upgraded the extruder feeder after the original cracked, cleaned the bed, cleaned the hot end, replaced the nozzle and tried different filament. Nothing seems to change it.
If I let it continue it inevitably fails completely by the second layer.
Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11yFF3Acto4LtDJMBsdVsxr1PvmyMG2qR/view?usp=sharing
# Answer
I think I figured it out! My extruder calibration was way off (set to 93 but measured to 102). I'm thinking that after I replaced the extruder feeder it through things off.
> 2 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3
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thread-14440 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/14440 | Home-brew alcohol to clean resin prints | 2020-09-17T03:12:56.963 | # Question
Title: Home-brew alcohol to clean resin prints
I took the plunge and bought a resin printer. I was wondering if I could use full strength home-brew vodka at 90 % instead of using isopropyl alcohol before anything is added to clean prints with?
I cannot seem to find anywhere or anyone that has tried this.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Isopropyl-Alcohol - Propan-2-ol - and Ethyl alcohol - Ethan-1-ol - are different chemically. As a secondary alcohol, Propan-2-ol has quite different solubility of different materials than ethyl-alcohol.
Now, let's look at home made alcoholic destillate. That stuff is, if done in one refraction and without tossing the first low temperature part, some percentages Metanol, Ethyl alcohol and maybe some water. That has not the same solvent properties as Propan-2-ol.
While it *might* work, nobody will sign a guarantee that it doesn't negatively impact your print.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Some manufacturers do recommend ethanol and not isopropanol. The problem would be getting relatively pure ethanol through distillation. When distilling you will get different fractions which may be full of methanol or water. You will probably need to do multiple runs. You could just buy some 95% ethanol and distill it once it gets dirty or leave it in the sun to cure the resin and filter it out.
# Answer
> 0 votes
*Answer taken from Apesa's highly upvoted, and now deleted, comments ( and ). If Apesa posts their own answer, then this wiki answer can be deleted.*
*Note: Please don't post answers in comments - that is not how SE works.*
---
Isopropyl Alcohol is the more common choice for cleaning surfaces because it evaporates more rapidly than ethanol and also because it does not leave any traces of oils upon evaporation.
To add one more caveat. Homemade alcohol no matter the proof / % will have many fusile alcohols that will deposit themselves on your semi cured resin. 90% alcohol dosen't equate to clean solvent.
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Tags: resin, cleaning
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thread-17818 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17818 | How do I determine the glass transition of filament from its sales listing information? | 2021-07-30T18:48:16.783 | # Question
Title: How do I determine the glass transition of filament from its sales listing information?
I need to print some items that will go in my car, which sits in direct sun a good portion of the day and almost certainly exceeds 50 °C inside during the summer months (I've had PLA prints sag quite visibly under their own weight and sliding parts weld together, and PETG prints show slight warpage after a couple weeks in the car).
I have the ability now to print hotter than 250 °C, with Capricorn XS tubing installed in the heat break of my Ender 3. I'm examining nylon and TPU filaments for their higher temperature tolerance, but I don't see anything on any filament that clearly gives a glass transition temperature. Is it safe to assume this will be within the recommended bed temperature range, or is there another way to determine this (important, in my use case) value for a given filament?
# Answer
> 4 votes
The glass transition temperature is not always indicative of strength. Some polymers are solid well above that temperature, see https://omnexus.specialchem.com/polymer-properties/properties/glass-transition-temperature for all the polyethylene, for example.
What you need is the heat deflection temperature, which is very seldomly provided in the datasheets.
Luckily you can very roughly use the Tg for many polymers, but you should know that you are using a value which is only vaguely indicative of what you are looking for.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If there isn't a TDS on the manufacturer's website, you could email them and ask for it. If they won't give it to you, you could ask for the SDS to see if it has any additives. Polymaker has a TDS for every filament they make on their website, so I would recommend their filament for your purposes. I would also suggest you pay more attention to the heat deflection temperature, as it is probably more useful for functional parts.
---
Tags: print-material, filament-choice, temperature
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thread-11029 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11029 | Calibrated Esteps Causes Extruder Skipping | 2019-09-17T21:04:59.867 | # Question
Title: Calibrated Esteps Causes Extruder Skipping
I have replaced the stock extruder on my Ender 3 with one of these:
The grip gear has a smaller diameter, so I calibrated the esteps as per the top google search: Extruder Calibration – 6 Easy Steps to Calibrate Your Extruder...
If I set the esteps so that it's spot on with 100 mm of filament is used up when I ask it to extrude 100 mm, then during a print I get the occasional skip on the extruder.
If I dial it back a bit and set it so that it extrudes 90 mm of filament when I ask it to extrude 100 mm, then I don't get the skips.
In both cases the print looks normal.
I've tried changing the nozzle as well in case there was some blockage, but it doesn't make a difference.
Should I just go with the under extrusion? or is these likely to be some other problem that isn't apparent?
I didn't notice any issues with the stock extruder and the stock estep setting, but I didn't think to check the calibration.
# Answer
> 6 votes
Consider that the extruder is skipping because it is unable to push filament at the rate you are requesting. By reducing the steps to ninety percent, you are reducing the rate by that much as well.
Typically, a skipping extruder is an indication of clogging, but it does not have to be clogging caused by particulates jamming the nozzle. At higher rates of filament travel, one needs higher temperatures to compensate for the cooling at those higher rates.
Consider to reduce the print speed to ninety percent of the current figure, or raise the nozzle temperature by five to ten degrees (in steps) to see if you'll get rid of the cold blocking that may be causing this problem.
# Answer
> 3 votes
If you have followed that guide, you have extruded the 100 mm through the heated nozzle. This results in your steps/mm value to also be influenced by hot end temperature, speed during the extrusion test, and potentially pressure on the extruder grip gear.
Try recalibrating your extruder, but this time, disconnect the Bowden tube either at the hot end, or at the extruder. Once you have the steps/mm set to something *only* related to the mechanics of the extruder, you can calibrate your flow rate - which you should usually do per filament type and even spool individually.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Let's set up the basics of extrusion and then go over what has effects on the results of calibration.
Let's discuss the extruder as an item on itself first, then look into how the nozzle and filaments impact it.
## Extruder
The extruder basically is a spinning motor that pushes along filament at some extrusion rate $e\_r \[\frac{\text{mm}}{\text{step}}\]$ and it's related factor $s\_e \[\frac{\text{step}}{\text{mm}}\]=\frac 1 {e\_r}$ via a hobbed gear - or in the case of this extruder via a pair of synchronous hobbed gears. The motor in an Ender 3 is a typical NEMA17 with $s=1.8\ \frac{\text{deg}}{\text{step}}$ (and up to 16 micosteps<sup>see here</sup>). It spins a hobbed gear, which has an outer diameter $d\_o$, and the teeth are cut to a depth that generates the inner diameter $d\_i$. Somewhere between these diameters is the *effective* diameter $d\_e$. So, using basic geometry we get:
$e\_r=\frac{C\_e\times s}{360°}=C\_e\times0.005\frac 1 {\text{step}}$ wherein $C\_e=\pi d\_e$
$s\_e=\frac {0.005\ \text{steps}}{C\_e}$
## Filament effects
Now, that we know the theoretical setting of mm/step or steps/mm ($e\_r$ and $s\_e$) for the firmware, we need to discuss how the filament impacts this. First of all, the calculation above holds only true for pushing even thickness filament that the teeth bite in evenly. If the filament does change in thickness, the effective diameter of our gear changes, and as a result, the extrusion changes. A thicker diameter filament does not get dug in as deep, the effective diameter goes up, and thus the circumference $C\_e$.
Similarly, different filaments do have different hardnesses.<sup>see also here</sup> A test on hardness was done for this paper, exploring Type A and Type D Shore hardness. Type A is a flat tip, while D is a sharp tip. The last is somewhat similar in the effect to the hobbed gear. The difference means that the teeth don't bite the same, affecting the effective diameter of the hobbed gear $d\_e$.
This behavior is **filament dependant**
## Nozzle behavior
The next part we have to look at is the behavior in the hotend and nozzle. In perfect conditions, the heat zone would melt up the filament fully and ensure a stable, laminar flow through the nozzle as it necks down the material from its starting diameter to the extrusion width.
Assuming our filament stays laminar, then the flow of material in is exactly the same as the flow out, nothing stutters. But if the factors in the pipe are off, then we get turbulent flow.<sup>further reading</sup>
So, the flow is not necessarily linear, and we can easily identify several factors that impact the behavior in the nozzle. Let's do a quick rundown of different factors:
* Materials do expand differently (with factor $\alpha$) under heating, thus impacting the volume of the material in the nozzle, which in turn impacts the volumetric flow rate and pressure in the nozzle. This is **temperature** and **material dependant**.<sup>further on this</sup>
* The viscosity of the material has a huge impact on the flow behavior. Most plastics viscosities are **temperature dependant** but also **material dependant**
* The nozzle shape can have an impact on the flow rate to a small degree (mainly if it is uneven or rough). The most influential factor, however, is the **nozzle diameter**, which directly impacts flow rate.
### How all that effects flow in a nozzle
Let's assume flow is ensured and that we can ignore friction of the nozzle on the material. Then we get the Freeman formula for Flow:
$Q=Av$ where Q is the Volumetric Flow in 0.001 m³/s, A the area of the nozzle in m², v is the velocity at the exit in m/s.
$A=r^2\pi$ is the well known circle formula, r is the nozzle radius, which is half the nozzle diameter
<sup>$\ \ \ A\_{0.4\text{ mm Nozzle}}=1.256\times10^{-7}\text{ m}^2$</sup>
$v=\sqrt{2P}$ is the Bernoulli's Equation, telling us that the flow velocity is pressure dependant (see Nozzle Behavior point 1). As a result, we get that the volumetric flow through our nozzle depends on the pressure like this:
$Q=\sqrt 2 \pi\times r\times\sqrt P$
<sup>$\ \ \ Q\_{0.4\text{ mm Nozzle}}=1.777\times10^{-7}\text{ m}^2\times\sqrt{P}$</sup>
The pressure in the nozzle is the sum of the pressure generated by the force with which the material is pushed in by the extruder ($P\_F=F/A'$) and the material expansion in the nozzle ($P\_e$).
As we established up in the Extruder part, the extrusion rate is somewhat dependent on the effective diameter of the hobbed gear $d\_e$. The effective diameter of the hobbed gear also has an effect on the pressure in the nozzle: how deep the teeth cut into the filament determines the force they transmit. The other factor that impacts the force transmitted via the filament is the extrusion speed $v\_e$, thus we write $F(d\_e,v\_e)$. Atop that, the actual filament diameter $A'$ plays another factor, as explored under filament effects. The thermal expansion, which is dependant on the material coefficient $\alpha$ and the Temperature increase $\Delta T$ adds to the pressure in the nozzle, thus we write $P\_e(\alpha,\Delta T)$. So the expression for the volumetric flow out of the nozzle is
$Q=\sqrt 2 \times r \pi \times\sqrt {\frac{F(d\_e,v\_e)}{A'}+P\_e(\alpha,\Delta T)}$
If this flow is laminar and non-turbulent could be read from the accompanying Reynolds number $Re$, which is dependant on the (dynamic/kinematic) viscosity $\mu=\frac \nu \rho$ (rho is the density). Viscosity is temperature dependant, thus we write $\nu(T)$. Last factor in the formula for the Reynolds number is the hydraulic diameter $D\_H$, which for our case boils down to the diameter of the nozzle, so $D\_H=2r$. For our case this gives:
$Re=\frac{2r\times Q}{2 r^2 \pi \times \nu(T)}=\frac Q {r \pi \times \nu(T)}=\frac {\sqrt 2}{\nu(T)} \sqrt {\frac{F(d\_e,v\_e)}{A'}+P\_e(\alpha,\Delta T)}$
## tl;dr / Conclusion
Ok, the theory is all nice, but how does all that affect our print?!
1. It's a good idea to calibrate for one material and use that as your benchmark and then create profiles for your other materials measured against this benchmark
2. If our temperature is lower or higher than in calibration, the flow is different and, as a result, the extruder-steps don't match up. Instead of altering the steps, we should **adjust** the volumetric flow value up or down to match to the particular material. Usually, it is called either `Flow` or `extrusion multiplier` in the software. In the calculations above it is $Q$.
3. A different material or material mix (like a new color or different brand) has a different thermal expansion, thus we **adjust** the `flow`/`extrusion multiplier` in our profile as needed.
4. If we swap the nozzle, we get a different flow characteristic. Most of the flow calculations for such change is already done in the slicer, we usually don't need to alter the profile further, but tiny changes could be done by adjusting the `flow`/`extrusion multiplier` value.
5. extruder clicking can show over extrusion, but it **also** can show that the print height is not achieved as it is calculated for and point to errors in **bed leveling** if happening in the first layer(s) and to errors in the **z-Axis** if it happens later in the print.
# Answer
> 0 votes
I have this same extruder on my Voxelab Aquila. Default E-steps are 93. Using the printer menu to feed 100 mm of eSun black PETG filament I measured a feed length of 66 mm, so 34 mm under extruded.
Using the formula 100 / 66 * 93 gave me a new E-step value of 140.9. Upon re-testing, I found I was now over extruding by 34mm.
This formula is missing something. I've chased E-step values up and down before so decided to try something different.
Since the new E-step value was over extruding by the same as the original E-step under extruding value, I added the original E-step value to the new E-step value and took the average. 93 + 140.9 / 2 = 116.9. I re-tested this value and found it was over extruding by 0.4 mm. Since I was still over extruding slightly I calculated a new E-step, 100 / 100.4 * 116.9 = 116.4. Took the average between the 2 again and got a final E-step value of 116.6.
Hope this helps anyone else having issues calibrating E-steps.
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Tags: extruder, creality-ender-3, calibration
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thread-17817 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17817 | What are some basic good practices I should know when starting to use a ceramic printer? | 2021-07-30T14:01:29.017 | # Question
Title: What are some basic good practices I should know when starting to use a ceramic printer?
We have a 3D ceramics printer in our school, but since the access to it is a bit limited, I want to know as much theoretical stuff so I can learn more from each test.
We load the clay inside the printer tube, and it's just like the clay we use for pottery (except softer for the machine) - so we let it dry and fire it like any other piece. *It does **not** use ceramic-loaded plastic filament for burn-out and kiln sintering*.
* Any tips for using the printer?
* Points to consider while building the model?
* Any good resource to learn more about it?
---
*I don't remember the specific model, but it's a fairly simple printer, and I'm mostly looking for general tips*
# Answer
Some 3D printing basics to look into are layer height and what angle you can build unsupported (and how high since pottery can't take tension like plastic and would likely separate from a base from weight of an overhang).
Beyond that, look into pottery basics. How will your trapped air escape? This should affect the slicing algorithms, and how fat a block you can build without cracking. How will you minimize trapped air between material the printer lays? Will the shape promote uneven heating (consider the flow of hot air and heat flowing from where it makes contact), and what can you do to avoid cracking from that?
Ponder these before you try it out. Look at the concepts separately and consider the interactions. Look at some pictures online and ask why they chose to build that part and in that particular way.
> 3 votes
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Tags: ceramic-printer
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thread-17827 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17827 | How thick should I make my walls for stable 3D printing on an Elegoo Saturn? | 2021-08-01T12:50:59.493 | # Question
Title: How thick should I make my walls for stable 3D printing on an Elegoo Saturn?
If I'm printing buildings that are about 2-3 inches high as scenery on my Elegoo Saturn, how thick should I make the walls? We're talking square boxy-type buildings with basic surface details.
I don't want to make them solid because that would put a lot of material on my FEP at the same time.
# Answer
Unless you can print the buildings upside down, limited details on roof, overhang will be more of an issue than wall thickness.
> -1 votes
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Tags: 3d-models, support-structures, elegoo-mars
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thread-17835 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17835 | First half of the prints are getting stretched on the Z axis | 2021-08-03T09:25:08.970 | # Question
Title: First half of the prints are getting stretched on the Z axis
I have an `Ender 3 Pro` with a `BLTouch 3.1` attached and I have this weird problem. Whatever I print, whether it's a 3rd party STL or my own design, the Z is always getting stretched up to a point and then it fixes itself.
i.e. I printed these calibration cubes at 100% and 150%. While there is a slight wobble on the X axis, X, Y and the top half dimensions are almost perfect.
Not sure if I had this problem prior to BLTouch installation, so I suspect that it might be messing Z jump between the layers somehow but no idea what to look for.
I am using TH3D's Marlin Firmware and I did nothing other than enabling the corresponding flags for BLTouch and ENDER\_V44\_BOARD when compiling the firmware.
* The problem occurs on my custom designs and other models too, so it's definitely not the model
* I tried to use Simplify3D, Ultimaker Cura, Prusa Slic3r to slice and then print with Octoprint, Simplify3D or Pronterface, it didn't make a difference.
* I calibrated the E steps, so I am not no under or over-extruding.
* I also tried to re-calibrate the Z steps so the height would match, which it did but didn't solve the problem. I now have a squished top half and a weird looking print.
* The steps/mm values were at default, X80, Y80 and Z400 - as described, reducing the Z to 320 to compensate the height difference didn't help. See the picture below.
I am pretty much stuck at this point, so I'd appreciate any guidance very much!
# Answer
> 2 votes
It seems the `DEFAULT_LEVELING_FADE_HEIGHT` of the TH3D firmware was causing the issue, which was something I was aware of but didn't think that it would cause this.
I set it to zero and then re-printed the calibration cube. It came out with the dimensions of 20 mm x 20 mm x 20.1 mm, which was incredibly accurate for the setup I have.
Related: Creality Ender 3 Pro - Z travel issue with TH3D firmware
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Tags: creality-ender-3, z-axis, bltouch, layer-height, th3d
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thread-17833 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17833 | CR-10 randomly loses connection to computer when printing over USB | 2021-08-03T01:40:33.073 | # Question
Title: CR-10 randomly loses connection to computer when printing over USB
I have a Creality CR-10 which is running Marlin because I have a BLTouch installed. All was working fine until it suddenly had an issue where it would lose connection to the computer mid-print when another electronic device nearby was plugged in.
For example: when I plug in my lamp or soldering iron which is 3 meters away, it just stops (doesn't reset, just stops moving) leaving the bed and nozzle hot. The software on the printer is still functional, I can still navigate menus, etc. on the screen but the print stops and can't be resumed from Cura.
I also tried Octopi but it does the exact same thing mid-print and the web interface spits out this error:
`device reports readiness to read but returned no data (device disconnected or multiple access on port?)`
So it seems I may have some odd interference problem, I guess it could be over the air or through the powerline? I've tried different USB cables, a different power supply for the Pi, but so far, it's still acting up.
# Answer
I had similar issues when I first started, and I think you are on the right track with interference being a problem.
I have a giant bin of USB cables and started going through them. Only 2 worked out of about 20, and 1 of those 2 was intermittent with disconnect issues. The one that ended up working had gold plated leads and was about 8" long. I assume it probably has some additional shielding of the wires inside as well but I can't say for sure. It seems that the USB connection is very sensitive to interference.
Also, if it is anything like my Ender 3 V2, you will probably want to use Kapton or electrical tape on the last pin (+5v) of the USB plug, otherwise the display and motherboard kept powered on after turning off the printer's power supply (it was being powered over the USB cable).
Another suggestion would be to isolate the printer power supply from other devices (for example using a UPS made for a PC).
> 0 votes
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Tags: marlin, creality-cr-10, octoprint
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thread-17838 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17838 | Is it practical to switch back and forth between Bowden and direct drive? | 2021-08-03T14:09:29.890 | # Question
Title: Is it practical to switch back and forth between Bowden and direct drive?
I'm likely to need to print some parts from TPU (Shore 95A or harder) in the near future. I have everything I need to do a direct drive conversion using the original extruder on a bracket above the hot end -- but for most of my printing (PLA and PETG), this setup isn't required or even optimal, because of the extra moving mass on the X carriage.
It looks as if, once I have the bracket installed the first time, I can move the extruder (including adding/removing a wire extension and switching between full length Bowden tube and short coupler tube) in less than an hour -- in addition to the time I'd need to clear one material from the hot end before loading the other, of course. Is it practical at all to swap the extruder back and forth like this, on the assumption that I'll want/need to print TPU parts from time to time (I'll want softer material, too, since some of what I want TPU capability for is gaskets).
Obviously, if I needed to print TPU alongside PLA on a regular basis, I might be ahead to have a second printer, but space considerations, more than money, work against that.
Am I missing something on the effort needed to swap the extruder position back and forth (suggesting I should stick with direct drive and pursue firmware and tuning solutions to correct the accompanying problems with faster printing), or should I plan to do this as needed?
# Answer
> 2 votes
With some engineering, you could consider creating a tool dock version where you can easily screw off the Bowden driven hotend and screw on the direct driven hotend. You'll only need to have an extension stepper cable to connect the direct drive stepper and pluggable hotend heater and thermistor connections.
E.g. for the Ender printers, there are Voron Afterburner tool heads that are Bowden driven or direct driven (Clockwork or Galileo mods) available. These could be switched very easily, you do need to figure something out to plug the heater cartridge and thermistor.
---
*I'm doing something similar to my Hypercube Evolution where I am creating a Bowden driven 2.85 mm and a 1.75 mm direct driven tool head.*
# Answer
> 1 votes
It depends on the level of automation you are willing to implement.
The Bowden extruder, including the motor, from the Ender 3 which I think you have (but in general, any Bowden extruder) does not need to be moved at all, since it's not on the printing head. You just need to disconnect the Bowden from the hot end and clip it somewhere safe.
The direct drive extruder, if you have a supporting plate which makes it as a single part, can be disconnected with a couple of screws and hanged somewhere nearby.
Depending on the knowledge of electronics you could set up a very cheap relay array (4 relays) all controlled by a single GPIO pin of your motherboard, so that you can switch the motor with a GCODE command. The relay would have the COM going to the stepper driver, the NO connected to the direct drive motor, the NC to the Bowden motor.
Write GCODE macros to change the current, linear advance, steps/mm settings depending on the activation of the relay board (or, even better, depending on the filament).
However, if money is not an issue, I would consider an Orbiter or a Sherpa mini extruder, which is direct drive but with 120 gram weight (including motor, not including hot end) can be used all the time. You are likely not going to push the X acceleration to the very very maximum you can, so you get direct drive at no performance cost.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, direct-drive
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thread-15109 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15109 | Ender 3 Pro - "Pause at Height" automatically resumes after a few seconds | 2020-12-26T04:36:46.757 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 Pro - "Pause at Height" automatically resumes after a few seconds
I recently bought an Ender 3 Pro, and while I'm super happy with it, there's one issue I'm having with it.
When I set "Pause at height" to a specific layer in Cura, the print will pause at that height, but as soon as it pauses the nozzle heats right back up and the print continues. It's like it pauses for only 30 seconds.
Here's the G-code for the pause command generated by Cura:
```
;MESH:NONMESH
G0 F300 X115.454 Y119.213 Z1.96
G0 F9000 X117.5 Y120.392
;TIME_ELAPSED:283.376298
;TYPE:CUSTOM
;added code by post processing
;script: PauseAtHeight.py
;current layer: 6
M83 ; switch to relative E values for any needed retraction
G1 F1500 E-10
G1 F300 Z2.96 ; move up a millimeter to get out of the way
G1 F9000 X190 Y190
G1 F300 Z15 ; too close to bed--move to at least 15mm
M104 S0 ; standby temperature
M117 CHANGE
M0 ; Do the actual pause
M109 S200 ; resume temperature
G1 F1500 E10
G1 F1500 E-10
G1 F300 Z2.96
G1 F9000 X116.604 Y120.251
G1 F300 Z1.96 ; move back down to resume height
G1 F1500 E10
G1 F1200 ; restore extrusion feedrate
M82 ; switch back to absolute E values
G92 E256.16251
;LAYER:6
;TYPE:WALL-INNER
;MESH:Super Curcan.stl
```
Anyone ever run into this issue?
# Answer
> 2 votes
I had the same problem (Cura v4.9.1). What fixed it for me was switching to a different **Method**.
On the screen where you set up the pause, the 3rd dropbox is **Method**. Set this to `BQ (M25)`. That did the trick for me.
As I understand it, it mimics a pause like what you get with the pause you would execute using the menu on the printer.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, g-code
--- |
thread-13752 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13752 | How can I print to my FLSUN QQ over Wi-Fi? | 2020-05-26T04:01:31.273 | # Question
Title: How can I print to my FLSUN QQ over Wi-Fi?
I want to be able to control my FLSUN QQ over Wi-Fi and don't have OctoPrint or a Raspberry Pi to run it on.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Assuming you use Ultimaker Cura to slice, there is a MKS plugin that allows connecting to the MKS WiFi module that comes with the QQ. Just follow these steps:
**Install the MKS WiFi Plugin**
1. Open Cura
2. Click "Marketplace" in top right
3. Select "Plugins"
4. Scroll down to find the "MKS WiFi Plugin"
5. Click on the plugin.
6. Click "Install"
7. Restart Cura (quit and reopen)
**Configure WiFi**
1. Turn on your QQ
2. Tap Settings
3. Tap WiFi
4. Enable WiFi
5. Note the IP address and network name
6. Connect your computer to the printers network
7. Open your browser
8. type the IP address of your printer into the address bar
9. hit enter
10. Scroll down to "WIFI Configuration"
11. Select STA
12. Enter your home network SSID into the field labeled "WIFI"
13. Enter the password into the field labeled "KEY"
14. Click configure and reboot
**Setup your printer in Cura**
1. Open Cura
2. Open settings \> Printer \> Manage Printers...
3. Click "MKS Wifi"
4. Click "Add"
5. Enter the new IP address of your printer (can be found by opening WiFi settings on the printer)
6. Click Ok 7, Click connect.
Now you should be connected to your printer. After slicing you should have the option to "Print over FLSUN..." In the Monitor interface you should have some other options such as sending commands to the printer, and printing any files already on the SD card, as well as uploading gcode files to the SD card.
Happy Printing
# Answer
> 1 votes
As the auto-install from the Marketplace described in this answer wasn't working , I did have to manually install the MKS WiFi plugin on my Mac (M1 MBPro). To do this I just:
1. Downloaded the GitHub files (from the plugin webpage, linked in the Marketplace)
2. Right-clicked the Cura icon in the Applications folder, to show package contents
3. I then went into the macOS folder and followed the plugin link
4. Copy the downloaded GitHub files
5. Restart Cura
I then just followed the printer setup advice in Cura from this answer.
No more messing around with SD cards :)
---
Tags: wi-fi, flsun-qq, mks
--- |
thread-17844 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17844 | Extrusion issues on medium speeds (while accelerating?) | 2021-08-04T05:56:58.530 | # Question
Title: Extrusion issues on medium speeds (while accelerating?)
I've recently changed my Ender3's hotend to E3D v6 clone with Titan direct extruder, so I can print faster than on stock. But when I increased the speed up to 70 mm/s for walls and 80 mm/s for infill (PETG, nozzle temperature of 225 °C, bed temperature of 80 °C, 0.2 mm layer height, 0.4 mm layer width), I've faced this kind of issue:
Here's how it looks in Cura:
The printer's head goes from left to right, counter-clockwise and I get issues on both exits from curved shape.
First of all, I thought, it is connected somehow with retraction, but according to Cura, both problem places are in the middle of the current layer. Later I thought it could be related to Linear Advance and disabled it on the next test print, but it did nothing:( Slowing the printer down to 60-65 % in mid print solved the issue, but it's not what I changed the hotend for:)
Maybe someone has any ideas, what's wrong with it?
# Answer
In my experience, 225 °C is the lower range for PETG, that combined with a higher than normal printing speed of 70 mm/s might be your issue. The lower your print temps the lower the maximum nozzle flow rate. I would recommend increasing the nozzle temperature.
For a point of reference, on my printer with an E3D v6 clone and a generic extruder I print PETG at 235 °C and 60 mm/s and 24 mm/s outer perimeter speed, with a 0.2 mm layer thickness. Though admittedly not optimized for speed.
> 1 votes
# Answer
In other words, your print exhibits issues when the hotend is accelerating, like if not enough filament were pushed in.
It is advised to calibrate for linear advance after replacing the extruder.
Check https://marlinfw.org/docs/features/lin\_advance.html and
and check https://marlinfw.org/tools/lin\_advance/k-factor.html
> 0 votes
# Answer
PETG can have difficulty printing at higher speeds.
See Why does PETG require slower speed?
Also, if the speed is too slow, it tends to have heat creep.
See What are ways to avoid heat creep?
Higher nozzle temperatures should allow faster print speeds, but will also increase the chance of heat creep and increase the slowest required speed to prevent heat creep.
> 0 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, marlin, e3d-v6
--- |
thread-17841 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17841 | What is this printing error and how can it be fixed? | 2021-08-03T20:18:37.000 | # Question
Title: What is this printing error and how can it be fixed?
I am not sure what this error is called but would like to learn how to correct it. There is an error at the very top of the print, and then the lower layers at the bottom of the top section.
Printing one of the Low poly tree sculptures from Thingiverse and had no issues with it until I got to the top section of the tree (see photos).
Using:
* Maker Select V2
* Atomic PLA
* Temp 200 °C / 60 °C
* 20 % Infill
* Print speed 50 mm/s
# Answer
> 1 votes
This looks a lot like inadequate cooling as others suggested. A important aspect to consider is how long the printer spends on a single layer in the trubble areas and how big that area is. The faster a given layer the less time it has to cool. The smaller that area more time the hot nozzle spends in that vicinity heating the surrounding already printed plastic.
Some simple options to fix the issue:
1. If it's adjustable make sure part cooling is enabled by the slicer and that it's at the maximum fan speed at the issue areas.
2. Print additional parts to lengthen the print time at the troublesome Z heights.
3. Slow the print speed. However this can backfire if its too slow as the hot nozzle will remain in the same area for even longer and some extruders can jam if the flow of cool plastic is too low, causing heat to climb past the heat break.
4. Add a external fan to the increase flow of fresh cool air to the area.
5. Reduce nozzle temperature. Can be combined with slower speed as a slower flow rate of plastic can reduce the minimum required print temperature.
6. Add perimeter loops to the print to increase print time. This might not be as effective for a small area as it only adds more heat in a localized area.
A more permanent solution would be to improve the cooling by modifying the ducting or fans. However do be weary of untested fancy fan shrouds reported to improve the air flow as it is easy to make it worse then it was.
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, troubleshooting, monoprice-maker-select
--- |
thread-17852 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17852 | Ender 3 V2 printing weak and messing up on the top 1/3 of the print | 2021-08-04T21:14:12.340 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 V2 printing weak and messing up on the top 1/3 of the print
I’ve had this Ender 3 V2 for about 6 months, and it has been printing great, but every now and then I will get a brittle messed up top on my prints. I can simply crush these tops by just touching them, they are super weak. The odd thing is it does not happen on every print.
# Answer
Most likely this is a symptom of an under extrusion issue. Could be heat-creep. Could be caused by a overly aggressive auto cooling setting where the minimum layer time is set so low that heat has time to climb up the filament and heat break causing a jam. Or other related reason such as the print speed is very low at a specific point in the print. This type jam can self recover with a temperature cycle of the nozzle so might not be noticed as the next print could be started without any intervention to clear it. The weak area of plastic could simplify be what oozed out of the nozzle after the jam.
Given the limited information I cant say much as to the cause.
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, print-quality
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thread-17872 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17872 | Ender 3 motors zero movement | 2021-08-07T02:19:28.570 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 motors zero movement
I’ve just bought an Ender 3 Pro (my first printer). I followed a video guide on YouTube and set everything up. I had to flash the latest firmware because my system wouldn’t boot.
Now I have zero movements in any of the X, Y, and Z motors. All my tolerances are correct, all is fastened as it should be and tightened, including the bearings and the belts. The system will not auto-home, it gives me a fail message and asks me to reset the printer. The motors will not move when I try them manually via the 0.1, 1, and 10 mm options. I have checked all of my connections and swapped cables around (X to Z and vice versa).
I am at a loss, and honestly so frustrated.
# Answer
I would recommend attempting a reinstall of the default factory firmware. If you're getting zero function or movement from the printer and you have double checked connections it's highly likely this is purely a firmware issue of some kind that a reinstall could resolve.
As commented can you confirm that no matter the sources of the move command not a single motor moves or even tries to move? In the interest to rule out an issue other then the electronics and firmware.
Before going through the trouble and risk of a firmware update contacting the seller first likely would have been a better first option.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-17874 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17874 | Proper material for a drilling master plate | 2021-08-07T11:50:20.097 | # Question
Title: Proper material for a drilling master plate
I've developed a master plate for my hobby woodwork (approx. 40x40x40 mm, see the figure). Its goal is to allow a straight angle while drilling 40 mm parallel bars. Four vertical holes are used to fix a 6 mm drilling bit in the perpendicular position. I use a low-power screw gun for drilling.
I ordered this part and I am mostly happy with the result, but I think I've failed to choose the right material for printing. I started with ordinary ABS (100 % filling) and see the following issue with the tool. After a couple of dozens of drilling, the main holes become elliptic which leads to worse precision. I am not sure about the reason:
* Sometimes, I see plastic chips, but quite rare.
* I think that the drilling friction can make the material more flexible due to a raising of temperature, leading to the deformation of the holes while they are hot and under mechanical pressure.
I believe that this issue can be solved by choosing the proper material to produce the tool. Unfortunately, I've failed to find a good answer by Googling it on my own.
What would be a general recommendation for choosing material for such kinds of tools?
# Answer
> 3 votes
I don't think any 3D printed plastic is suitable for this. You should consider using a (drill/jig) bushing. This is a metal piece that can be inserted into your 3D print to provide a more durable surface for your drill bit to be guided by. Here's an example of a bushing used with a 3D printed part.
---
Tags: print-material
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thread-17876 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17876 | Bottom layer exposure for prints placed directly on the bed (resin printer)? | 2021-08-07T15:12:14.023 | # Question
Title: Bottom layer exposure for prints placed directly on the bed (resin printer)?
I have an Elegoo Saturn Mono resin printer.
If I make a 3D model that has a "sacrificial layer" on the bottom, and I place it flat on the bed, will the area in contact with e bed automatically be exposed as a bottom layer with a longer exposure time, or is this something that I will need to do manually?
I'm using Chitubox and an Elegoo Saturn for the printing, and Blender to make the models. I have them all set to the vanilla settings\factory defaults, and am not using any customer setting.
My thinking is that if I have a large object to print that is going to have a flat base, such as a slab of rock for scenery, rather than using lots of heavy supports I could simply add extra material on the bottom of the object, a couple of mm thick, and then sand the entire thing flat using a belt sander and high grit paper to get back down to the material that I actually want.
# Answer
> 2 votes
If you put the object directly on the bed, the lowest part of the object will be cured as the bottom layer. And yes, you can sand it away depending on the shape of the object.
For such large objects, you can also use a feature called Double Exposure, it is available on few slicers and easier to deal with.
---
Tags: 3d-models, slicing, resin, chitu
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thread-17860 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17860 | Adjusting layer exposure time for different layer thicknesses | 2021-08-05T19:04:23.157 | # Question
Title: Adjusting layer exposure time for different layer thicknesses
I purchased a bottle of Siraya-Tech Simple Clear and Siraya-Tech has good documents on their resins with printing guidelines like for the simple clear (see their Simple User Guide).
This gives good curing times for different types of resin printers, but they are all listed for 50 microns layer height. If I wanted to print at different layer heights, I am assuming the curing times would need to be adjusted, but I don't have a good feel for how much they would need to change.
My first print was the Make: Rook Resin Printer Torture Piece, and given how short it was, I thought I would try pushing things to the limit and printed it at a 10-micron layer height, but I used the curing times in the guide above for the Elegoo Mars (figured it was the most similar to my actual printer the Halot-One), and as soon as I started the print I realized that I probably should have changed the layer exposure times. I was shocked how well it turned out for using the times for a 50-micron print, but there were parts of the print that looked like there may have been a little bit of light bleed because of the longer exposures for the thickness, and the print definitely took a long time for how small of a print it was.
So, my question is, if I have good times for a 50-micron print, are there rules of thumb out there, or have experiments been done, for how much to adjust the exposure times if you want to do a 10-micron print, or say a 100-micron print? I would imagine it's not as simple as reducing it by 5x for a 10-micron print or doubling it for a 100-micron print.
Key parameters that would need to be adjusted:
1. Exposure for initial layers
2. Number of initial layers
3. Layer exposure time
# Answer
Based on my experience, cure-time and thickness increase or decrease is not linear and it is mostly curve. For example resin rated for 50 micron 5 s cure time. You should expect:
* 25 micron - 3.2 s
* 50 micron - 5 s
* 100 micron - 12 s
If a resin manufacturer do not provide specific cure time for thickness you want, you should always print calibration objects.
You can cure specific range of thickness depend on resins chemical properties (eg. uv blocker and photoinitiators), usually for non-specialized resins, you may print 1/2 or 2x of the suggested thickness. So you cannot print 10 micron for resins which designed for 50 micron thickness. For some specialized resins you can only print with the rated thickness and nothing else.
> 4 votes
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Tags: resin, layer-height
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thread-16664 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16664 | Should I put my models close together on the build plate, or space them out, to minimise suction? | 2021-07-03T12:05:28.550 | # Question
Title: Should I put my models close together on the build plate, or space them out, to minimise suction?
On a resin printer, if I'm printing 5-6 similarly sized items (Warhammer figures, for example) should I group them close together, or space them far apart, in order to get best adhesion on the build plate and least suction on the FEP?
# Answer
> 3 votes
More is better, as less resin need to come under the build platform during the lift. But very close objects specially for delicate details may cause them bend close together by liquid resin surface tension, which will impact surface quality.
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Tags: resin, build-plate
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thread-17885 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17885 | SD cards get corrupted | 2021-08-08T20:36:04.840 | # Question
Title: SD cards get corrupted
I have an Ender 3 Pro 3D printer and a few months back I got a blue screen after printing something. I didn't even try to fix it because I got tired of running into problems.
Now I opened it again and everything seemed to work. I tried to open the SD card in my laptop to load a new 3D file but the laptop wouldn't even open with the card in it (I'm using a USB adapter with an SD card slot). I removed the card, opened the laptop, put the card in again and the system sees the card, but it won't let me do anything to it. I tried formatting it but I can't right-click on it because the window will freeze, the "Create and Format Hard Disk Partitions" tool in Windows 10 won't open either with the card in.
I tried grabbing a different card, put it in, loaded the prints and then tried running it in the printer, but the printed won't see this card. Going back to check on the laptop, this SD card has the same issue now.
Has anyone run into this problem or have any idea if I can recover the memory cards?
# Answer
This is my understanding of your issue: *Your Ender 3 Pro 3D will repetitively and consistently corrupt multiple MicroSD cards that are inserted. Originally known working SD cards used in the printer are never recognized by it and once the card is used back at the computer it be unreadable and can't be formatted. Also that you have had a apparent LCD board issues in the past (dark screen)*
If your **confident to you're satisfaction** that this will happen every time with any computer/SD card/card adapter combination you try I see only couple options.
1. Consider seller warranty for replacement or parts, if this is not a option then read on.
2. Re-seat and inspect all electrical connections to and from all boards. Double check with official documentation that all connectors are in the correct spot. (with printer off)
3. Check with a multi meter the accuracy and stability of the 24 and 5 volt rails. This is a slight long shot but is easy to do and could save you from a lot of work. Use caution to not short any pins on the board when doing this on a powered board.
4. Re-Flashing the printer Firmware might also be a useful thing to try.
5. Failing all that this will likely require a board replacement. However it's not clear to me if the Control Board or the LCD Board is the more likely the culprit. Due to proximity to the SD card and possible past issues I would lean towards the LCD Board.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: microsd
--- |
thread-17887 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17887 | X-axis homing failed with odd results on Tevo Tarantula | 2021-08-09T01:39:36.563 | # Question
Title: X-axis homing failed with odd results on Tevo Tarantula
I recently finished building my Tevo Tarantula but now I have an issue with homing the X-axis.
I have uploaded MarlinTarantula EasyConfig 2.0.x firmware with Arduino Version 1.8.15 on to the Tevo Tarantula. Whenever I press Home X on the LCD, or by sending the g code command `G28 X0`, the X carriage moves to activate the end stop, it activates the end stop, then the carriage moves to the right, or away from the end stop, then it moves back and jams in to the end stop.
When I physically press the X end stop and check the state with the G-code command `M119` the end does register as 'triggered' so I don't think the end stop is the problem. However after reading some other threads I'm not sure anymore. I will link a video to show how the problem I have just described.
This is the link to the video: https://streamable.com/kbdnwc
Edit: When I do press the X end stop manually with my hand during homing of the X axis, the carriage has very similar behavior. It stops, then it goes to the right, which is away from the X end stop then it comes back to the left and I get the message of "Homing Failed. Please Reset."
# Answer
> 1 votes
The first thing that jumps out to me is where the frame is pushing on the switch. It looks to be directly over the switch actuator and not at the end of the little metal switch arm. This will make the gap from switch activation point to hard stop and bottoming out the switch really small. Any software delay after endstop detection or flex in the system may could cause the delicate switch to be used a hard stop.
Speaking of flex in the system is hard to tell for sure but the belts do look slack and not well aligned. The chance is not zero the two issues could combine to create this problem you are seeing
A informative test might be able hold a credit card size of plastic against the frame in front of the sensor so it contacts the end of the metal arm first as it homes.
---
Tags: marlin, diy-3d-printer, homing, tevo-tarantula
--- |
thread-15469 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15469 | Creality Ender 6 Heating failed error | 2021-01-27T11:40:34.693 | # Question
Title: Creality Ender 6 Heating failed error
I got this message from my Creality Ender 6 printer.
Now every time I want to print, or when it heats up, the printer gives me this message.
Can anyone please help with this?
# Answer
I've seen a version of this error on my Ender 3 when I heated the hot end without the silicone sock (or any other insulating wrap).
If this occurred after changing a nozzle, replacing a heat break (or entire hot end), installing a new cooling duct, or similar, it's likely you just inadvertently left off the insulation that should surround the heat block, making it take much longer and require much more power to reach working temperature than is normal.
This can also occur if the thermistor or heater cartridge are not correctly seated in the heat block -- the same problems that can result in a thermal runaway halt (assuming your printer has that feature) if it does get to temperature before timing out.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Someone with experience using an Ender may give a more specific answer to you question. This is a general answer, not for a specific model.
"Soon enough" is saying the printer timed out before reaching temperature.
1. Do you see the temperature increasing on both the hot end and bed? If one doesn't, that's where the failure occurs.
2. Are you setting a temperature higher than you have ever used on this printer? If so, check to see if you are beyond the printers capability.
3. The hotend will reach temperature first. Does it reach the target temperature? If so, the issue is probably with your bed heater. If not, the issue is with your hot end.
4. If you are pushing the extremes of your heaters, especially the bed heater, and your printer isn't in an enclose, you may need and enclosure to run that temperature.
Once you determine where the issue is at, there are things to can do to determine what is failing.
> 0 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-6, creality
--- |
thread-17892 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17892 | Flat print blobbing and scuffing with PETG on Ender 3 Pro with Microswiss AMH/DD | 2021-08-10T13:47:28.350 | # Question
Title: Flat print blobbing and scuffing with PETG on Ender 3 Pro with Microswiss AMH/DD
I'm getting a lot of blobbing and scuffing on top of my prints in PETG on my Ender 3 with AMH/DD. It doesn't seem to do this if the print doesn't have a flat bottom so much.
I have the E-steps set to 130, which if anything is slightly under extruding vs the caliper measurements.
Any ideas how I can fix this?
Cura settings:
```
[general]
version = 4
name = Creality Ender 3 - eSUN PETG - Red
definition = creality_base
[metadata]
type = quality_changes
quality_type = standard
intent_category = default
position = 0
setting_version = 17
[values]
cool_fan_full_layer = 3
infill_overlap = 15
infill_pattern = triangles
infill_sparse_density = 10
ironing_enabled = False
ironing_only_highest_layer = True
material_print_temperature = 230
retraction_amount = 2
retraction_speed = 25
skirt_gap = 6
speed_infill = 30
speed_print = 35
speed_topbottom = 15
speed_travel = 250.0
speed_wall = 25
wall_line_count = 3
z_seam_x = 150
z_seam_y = 300
----
[general]
version = 4
name = Creality Ender 3 - eSUN PETG - Red
definition = creality_base
[metadata]
type = quality_changes
quality_type = standard
setting_version = 17
[values]
acceleration_enabled = True
jerk_enabled = True
layer_height_0 = 0.21
material_bed_temperature = 75
material_bed_temperature_layer_0 = 75
```
# Answer
Are you sure the 130 E-steps is correct for your extruder? You don't mention what extruder you're using, but presumably, it's something other than just moving the original extruder to a direct drive mounting position or that would be extreme over extrusion.
Assuming that's right, the most likely cause is having the nozzle too close to the bed, so that there's too little volume to fit the extruded material into.
Also, you almost surely need to increase your nozzle temperature **a lot**. I'd normally consider 235 °C the absolute minimum for PETG, and I can't get it to adhere properly below 245 °C with the stock Ender 3 hotend. Since you have an all-metal hotend you can go even higher. PETG likes to "scuff" like that when it's too cool, and when you travel over already-printed material, and the lowest layers are even more susceptible to it since the bed will be sinking a lot of heat out of the material as soon as it's laid down.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: petg, stringing
--- |
thread-17895 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17895 | How to stop Fusion 360 from creating a new version on STL export | 2021-08-10T20:25:51.383 | # Question
Title: How to stop Fusion 360 from creating a new version on STL export
Everytime I export to STL in Fusion 360, a new Version (V1, V2, V3, V4, ...) of the file is created. But I would really like to use that feature to mark bigger changes instead of creating a new version everytime I change a minor detail to see how the Cura reacts to it.
For some reason, no new version gets created when I send the model to Cura via the tools tab. But then no new STL file gets created, but Fusion 360 opens a new instance of Cura instead. Even if Cura is already open.
That's not what I want. I want to overwrite the old STL file so Cura offers me to reload the STL file and I can keep working in the instance of Cura which is already open.
I already deactivated the checkbox to create a new version everytime I save the file. That settings works as expected
# Answer
Not sure if this will solve your issue directly for you but when I save a STL/3MF from F360 I don't use the File/Export in 360.
Instead I just right click the body in the browser tree and save the STL/3MF directly from that menu. Select **"save as mesh"** This does not add any version number, and also the usage of cloud processing is not required so it's much faster.
> 3 votes
---
Tags: stl, fusion360
--- |
thread-17898 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17898 | How to make solid soluble support surface with Prusaslicer? | 2021-08-11T15:24:31.037 | # Question
Title: How to make solid soluble support surface with Prusaslicer?
I am printing on a Prusa i3 MK3S+ with MMU2S module using PVA+ soluble material and PLA. Slicing with PrusaSlicer 2.3.1. This question is more about slicing and is probably printer-independent.
My problem is the default pattern makes the surface not smooth. See the attached screenshot from PrusaSlicer (picture from the bottom side, for clarity I hid the lowest layers to make the interface visible):
The resulting object looks like this:
What I wish the slicing would look like:
Any ideas on how to make such a pattern or other ideas to make it better? It doesn't matter if the support is hard to remove because it's soluble anyway.
The simplified STL model: https://zouppen.iki.fi/poista/pirra.stl
# Answer
> 1 votes
What you're looking for is the Support Interface Layers.
In PrusaSlicer, enable **Advanced** or **Expert** mode, and under **Print Settings****Support Material****Options for support material and raft** you can decrease the Interface Layers to zero, and only the support structure will remain.
Keep in mind, this will affect *ALL* supports in the model, however.
---
Tags: prusaslicer, multi-material, pva
--- |
thread-13876 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13876 | How can I extend silicon hotbed wires safely? | 2020-06-14T03:02:13.643 | # Question
Title: How can I extend silicon hotbed wires safely?
I'm in the middle of building a D-Bot printer, and have run into a bit of an issue when it comes to the heat bed wires. The heated bed is an aluminum plate with a silicon heater attached to it, and the heater wires are not long enough to make it through the drag chain when the Z-axis is fully extended.
The silicon pad is 120 V AC / 750 W and will be turned on/off by a Fotek SSR. The heater wires are cloth-covered and are probably 22-24 AWG. (Gauge is not labelled)
I suspect I'll need to extend the wires by putting in some sort of coupler at the top of the drag chain, but I'm not certain if there are specific requirements for the wires for an AC powered heat bed.
To this end, I was wondering:
* Is there a specific wire gauge that I should use for the heater wires, and should it have a specific cladding?
* What type of connector would be best for connecting the wires together securely in this case?
Thanks in advance!
# Answer
> 1 votes
750 W at 120 V is 6.3 A. 22-24 AWG is on the thin side for this. I would recommend 18 AWG or thicker. You don't need a specific style of insulation for this (other than something that is rated for the voltage and temperature the wire will need to withstand, but most commonly found wire should be good).
A good way of connecting the wires would be to solder them. If you do not want to solder, there are many products on the market for connecting wires. A butt connector that you crimp could be a good option, or you could use a WAGO clamp. Whatever option you end up using, be sure to provide adequate strain relief as the connection point (be it soldered or with a connector) is more likely to fail from fatigue.
# Answer
> 0 votes
750 W at 120 V is around 6.3 A.
You can use a voltage drop calculator to find out how much power is lost in the wires, and therefore their temperature increase.
I did it for you. With 10 feet (2x5 feet) 20AWG wire and 6 A current, 7 W are dissipated on the wires.
It's 0.7 W/foot which is ok for silicone wires, also because the bed doesn't operate at 100% except for the initial heating up (and then the heat goes to the air around, which is fine anyway).
If you use another website, you can see that 20 AWG with 6 A current produces, in free air, around 10 degrees temperature increase. Silicone insulation will worsen that, but silicone holds well over 100 °C...
Use thicker wires if you can, or go on if you cannot.
The most important thing is to very effectively join the two, so that no extra resistance is introduced. I would place them next to each other and physically solder them. Then heat shrink tube around the joint.
See for info what not to use for the joining
# Answer
> 0 votes
To add to the answers here, use a finely stranded wire for the bed. It does better with being constantly flexed. Finely stranded wire is hard to source, except it is usually what is used for wall warts/AC adapters. They come in the heavier gauge you want, just check the writing on the wire.
---
Tags: heated-bed, wiring
--- |
thread-17901 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17901 | New printer won't read files from SD card | 2021-08-12T18:23:38.620 | # Question
Title: New printer won't read files from SD card
I have a new Ender 3 V2 printer that I assembled. The printer reads the TF/SD stock card info but won't read the auto-level code I downloaded. It doesn't even show up on the card.
I downloaded auto-level code and the printer won't read that code, other than the factory-installed code that came with the printer. I formatted the SD card per advice but still no reading of the card by the printer.
This is my first 3D printer and I am not very tech-savvy but I think I've done everything right per instructions and descriptions I've seen online.
# Answer
* Make sure your SD card is formatted to FAT32.
* The printer can only understand files on the SD card that are `.gcode` or `.bin` . In your case, you will need to flash the pre-compiled firmware as a `.bin` file.
* Make sure the file is named `firmware.bin` and that it is the right firmware for your 3D printer. **It will not work if it is still in a `.zip` or `.rar` archive.**
* I do not own an Ender 3 V2 myself, but from experience, the screen may stay blank for around 5 seconds while the motherboard updates when you reboot the printer. If your printer does this while it updates, it can be a good way to tell if your firmware update worked.
* On the LCD navigate the UI to find the `Restore Defaults` button.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3
--- |
thread-17906 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17906 | TronXY X5S system (Marlin) - Very Slow menus | 2021-08-13T06:49:52.173 | # Question
Title: TronXY X5S system (Marlin) - Very Slow menus
This is my board MKS Melzi v2.0 cloned
I replaced the MCU (the *actual* IC) with new ATmega1284P 16 MHz, because the old MCU was damaged - the reason was that the fan got dusty and the power line became unstable. I replaced the MCU with the exact same model.
I have tried to flash it many times using `usbasp`. It works but same issue system menus boot splash are still so slow it's painful. It takes minutes on an old Marlin version 1.1.6, hours on a new Marlin 2.x
I think it's something related to MCU (crystal oscillator frequencies). Maybe the system uses an internal crystal so the MCU got stuck.
1. How can I switch to an external crystal?
2. If it's not, then what can cause the problem?
Firmware links:
# Answer
Either:
* You have a clock prescaler set, or;
* You are not using the external oscillator on the board.
There are some internal fuses that set the clock frequency divider and the clock source and maybe your new IC has the incorrect fuses set.
That is to say, they may be factory default, but they are not the same as the controller board comes shipped with.
You probably want to check *both* settings as the factory defaults of your replacement IC are probably not what you expect, or desire.
Check the ATmega1284P datasheet for details.
---
# Prescaler
Section **7.12.2 CLKPR - Clock Prescale Register**, page 38. That is for the general clock frequency, and shows the register `CLKPR` in particular **Bits 3:0**.
>
Or section **7.11 System Clock Prescaler**
>
# External clock
Section **7.2 Clock Sources**, shows that `CKSEL` **Bits 3:0** set which clock is used, internal or external. You presumably want to use the external clock so set all four bits to zero
>
---
To set, or examine, any of the registers, you have to use `usbasp`. I can't remember what the commands are. If you look on SE.Arduino or SE.Electronics I am sure that there is a question with the answer. I vaguely remember having the same problem with an ATtiny.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: marlin, electronics, tronxy
--- |
thread-17848 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17848 | Why is my outer wall layer printing with gaps and flaking off on this specific shape? | 2021-08-04T16:11:16.167 | # Question
Title: Why is my outer wall layer printing with gaps and flaking off on this specific shape?
Printer: Ender 3 Pro - Direct drive, BLTouch, stock magnetic print bed surface
Material: PLA - multiple brands
Slicer Settings:
* Layer Height .2 mm
* Initial Layer Height .1 mm
* Line Width .4 mm (with .4 mm nozzle) and also tried .39 mm
* Wall thickness 1.2 mm (3 lines)
* Hot End 210 °C
* Bed 60 °C
* Print Speed tried between 40 and 100 mm/s
* Retraction Distance 6 mm speed 25 mm/s
* Print Cooling- Initial 3 layers 0 %, then 100 %, also tried 50 %
I designed this in Tinkercad and sliced it with Cura for the Ender 3 Pro. When I print this specific shape at this size the outer wall does not print properly, there are large gaps and it does not bond to the rest of the model so it just flakes off as soon as you handle it. I can print other shapes fine- see the color swap example that was printed with the same settings successfully before AND after this series of failed prints of the same design. Sometimes I get a clean first 15 layers then it goes to crap, and cleans up for the last 10% or so. If I scale it down to 50 % it prints fine, but it will NOT print properly at full scale.
The infill and inner walls seem fine, but the walls are definitely not air-tight with what is left.
Looking for more things to try and troubleshoot, so please send me your ideas!
Troubleshooting steps so far:
* Re-downloaded the files and resliced with all new settings
* Adjusted the print speed, wall line width and fan speeds
* Tried multiple PLA types and brands
# Answer
> 1 votes
Assuming you do have a direct drive system as described. Is this correct?
> Retraction Distance 6 mm speed 25 mm/s
A retraction distance of 6 mm for direct a drive is huge and could easily be pulling the filament out so far it might become problematic. Most of my direct drive printers are 0.4 to 1 mm. In addition the 25 mm/s appears to me to be on the low side, though it would not surprise me if it's highly extruder specific. Most of my retraction speeds are 60 to 90 mm/s. Faster retraction speeds can actually be more effective at stringing reduction then adding distance as. Faster travel will also reduce stringing as the nozzle has less time to ooze.
Are you incorrectly a using a Bowden profile?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Promoted from comment: if you had switched from a higher temperature filament to lower temperature, you need to purge the hot end at the higher printing temperature to ensure the old filament is sufficiently fluid for the new to push out.
If you don't do this, pulling the old filament may leave a "core" passage that lets the new filament get to the nozzle, more or less, but the lining of old filament in the nozzle will both limit thermal transfer (plastics are generally poor conductors) and restrict flow even when the new filament is well melted.
This will result in a preheated nozzle printing acceptably until the filament carries away too much heat, then grossly underextruding when the flow rate rises (larger layers, print speed increasing after initial layer slowdown), and potentially partially recovering when the layers get smaller or (due to slicer settings) the print speed slows near the top of a tall part.
Solution: when switching filament, ensure that your purge cycle (whether manual or automatic) is done at the higher temperature for the two filaments involved -- if switching from PETG to PLA, for instance, you'll likely need to purge at 220 °C or higher, even though you'd print your PLA at 180-220 °C,
# Answer
> 0 votes
You appear to have severe underextrusion. It may be that you are trying to melt plastic faster than your printer can physically accomplish which would explain why it starts good and then the nozzle gets cold and then as the layers get small it comes good. That doesn't explain why reducing the print speed doesn't help. Double check that it is actually slower. I have had similar issues with cura that were fixed by altering the configuration, like tilting the model slightly or changing print orientation.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, print-quality, pla, troubleshooting
--- |
thread-17900 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17900 | Patterned Under-Extrusion on Ender 3 Pro | 2021-08-12T00:53:54.947 | # Question
Title: Patterned Under-Extrusion on Ender 3 Pro
I've had my Ender 3 Pro for a few months, and it's been working great. Then, after a failed print (the STL had extra seams, causing the print to get mangled), I've started having issues that I have attributed to under-extrusion.
As evidenced by the below image, some lines in each layer are missing. The gaps align throughout the print, but not between prints (the two squares are identical G-code). This happens in every layer, with a different pattern in each. It also causes some perimeters to not adhere to the previous layer at all.
The extra strands in the right print are present because I ripped off the infill layer that printed on top before I aborted the print.
I first assumed I needed to calibrate my extruder. It turns out I did (93 had to be changed to 150 steps/mm). However, that did not fix the issue.
**Some things I've tried**:
* Calibrate the extruder
* Check nozzle size and filament size in Slic3r
* Level the bed (I had to place a post-it note under the centre of the flexible magnetic build surface to make up for a warped bed)
* Clean my nozzle and hotend (I fully dismantled the hotend)
* Replace my nozzle
* Increase printing temperature
Is there anything else I might try to get this fixed?
**Specs for Reference**:
* Ender 3 Pro
* 0.4 mm Brass Nozzle
* 205 °C Hotend
* 60 °C Bed
* Slic3r
* 150 Steps/mm for Extruder
---
If you need any more information, just comment and I'll do my best to supply it.
*Please note that I am **not** open to suggestions to replace my printer. I'd rather fix the one I have.*
# Answer
It turns out the extruder *was* slipping, but not due to a nozzle or Bowden tube pressure issue. The extruder arm (?) that holds the passive wheel (as opposed to the drive gear) was cracked, so the pressure between the wheel and the gear was weak. A bit of glue fixed it.
These printers should ship with metal extruders, I think.
**EDIT**
The arm broke *again*, and this time I have a picture to illustrate the issue. I didn't make the printer do anything strenuous; I just printed a few small parts, causing it to break.
> 7 votes
# Answer
This is a big red flag and severely wrong:
> 93 had to be changed to 150 steps/mm
It can be reasonable to tune steps per mm by a few percent, but needing an increase of more than 50% versus the standard value for the same physical gearing indicates either you did something wrong in computing the needed value, or some other serious root problem with the printer.
You should start by fixing that (putting it back at 93) then try to figure out why it seemed to need change.
Likely your extruder isn't gripping the filament. Trying to overextrude that severely likely grinds it so bad the hob fills up with shavings then doesn't grip at all.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, underextrusion
--- |
thread-17904 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17904 | Cold end coupler stuck on Bowden tube | 2021-08-13T06:19:27.403 | # Question
Title: Cold end coupler stuck on Bowden tube
I have a Creality Ender 3. I've unscrewed the coupler from the drive assembly, but can't get it loose from the tube. The hot end coupler came free easily.
I compress the rubber gasket, but it stays tight.
Are these manufactured to be replaced every time? My new Bowden tube didn't come with a new coupler. I see that the couplers are sold with or without the tubing.
# Answer
> 4 votes
After depressing the retaining ring, try pushing the Bowden tube further in to the coupler. This should disengage the internal sprung clip, and allow removal of the Bowden tube.
Good quality pneumatic couplings should allow many insertion and removal cycles, although the couplings that Creality use have a reputation for early failure.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Success! better tools and brute force did the trick.
I threaded the tube through the hole in a steel wrench handle, then clamped the end in sturdy forceps. That gave me enough grip at each end to pull it apart.
Thanks for all the suggestions and for letting me know it IS supposed to come apart.
I also ordered Capricorn tubing, pneumatic couplers, and enough other printer toys...er, upgrades... to get free shipping. Next time should be easy!
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, bowden, ptfe-tube
--- |
thread-17916 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17916 | Inclined plane movement of spinneret | 2021-08-14T19:12:20.240 | # Question
Title: Inclined plane movement of spinneret
Normally 3D printing is done starting at the base level depositing hot plastic upwards.
In order to create bas relief details, can we deposit hot plastic on an available centered cone base any curve design allowing slow hot end /spinneret movement in vertical or inclined planes (instead of pure Z direction) by any user-defined CNC control program with a 3D printer?
# Answer
I think you would have to rewrite the code specifically for the surface you want to print on, so the printer recognizes the base is not flat.
You'd have to attach an identical pot in exactly the same spot on your printer bed for each print.
For the pots you show, you might try printing just the black design flat, maybe 1 mm thick to keep it flexible, then gluing it to your pot. Using soft filament would make this easier.
Another option would be a 3D pen.
Or use a cutting machine like a Cricut to cut it in self stick vinyl. I believe those machines use SVG files.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: software
--- |
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