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thread-17911 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17911 | 3D printer is not printing as well as it used to | 2021-08-13T16:31:13.697 | # Question
Title: 3D printer is not printing as well as it used to
I have recently purchased an Ender 5 Pro and managed to successfully print a large titan model I created with no problem. After this print, I had a bit of a break before getting back to it.
I don't know what has happened but now I just can't get my prints to print properly. I printed a large tower and it left holes in the top surface areas of my prints and my first layers print horribly. I have spent so many hours of every day, leveling the printer time and time again, I cleaned it up, checked for loose screws, etc. Still, to no avail, nothing has fixed the problem and still prints badly.
Maybe my print bed is warped and can't print properly. I am new to this so I don't really know.
I noticed my infill does not print particularly well in my prints and also has holes in the prints, as well as many overhangs, even if they a very small overhangs, become a stringy mess and need a lot of sanding.
The extruder gears are clean, I took some time to go over the whole printer and clean it up before trying again. I am using the Polyterra filament, it's still the same as when I last printed. My bed temperature is at 55 °C and nozzle is 200 °C, I have tried printing it with the nozzle at 195 °C and up to 210 °C with the same effect still occurring.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Looks like underextrusion. There are lots of causes, including clogged nozzle and tubes. Have you checked those?
You should order new nozzles, PTFE tubing and couplers now, even if yours are clean. You will need them sooner or later, and won't want to wait for delivery.
Many people say Creality couplers don't hold up well, and Capricorn tubes seem to be highly regarded.
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Tags: print-quality, bed-leveling
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thread-3527 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/3527 | Advantages of GT2 over a rack | 2017-02-05T06:20:27.020 | # Question
Title: Advantages of GT2 over a rack
Many 3D printers employ a GT2 band for the *y*-axis plate and the printhead in the *x*-axis carriage.
However, there seems to be the obvious disadvantages of:
* stretching (and need for adjustment) and;
* possibly slight inaccuracy, or "wobble" (for want of a better word (as wobble is often used in describing *z*-axis deviations)), due to the elasticity of the band.
Is there any particular reason why GT2 is used over a straight forward rack and pinion system?
In particular, for the *y*-axis plate, as a rack would appear to me, be:
* easy to install;
* more accurate, and;
* require a lot less adjustment<sup>1</sup>.
If the rack is made from aluminium, surely *weight* can not be a major factor... or can it?
Is *cost* a factor? A pinion seems to cost around \\$10-\\$15 (650 B\\$, here in BKK, Thailand), which is obviously more than a reel of GT2 and a couple of GT2 pulleys.
Would the *rigidity* of the rack be less forgiving of an imperfectly aligned axis, something which the GT2 band and pulleys combination would not be so affected by?
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### TL;DR
Which of these factors cause designers to use GT2 en lieu of a rack?
* Accuracy
* Weight
* Cost
* Maintenance
* Tolerence of non-square axes, manufacturing errors.
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<sup>1</sup> Maybe constant adjustment is not required on an everyday basis, but the tension would still need to be checked now and again, whereas a pinion would not have this requirement.
# Answer
With a belt system, the belt engages roughly half the pulley. This, and the tension in the belt, ensures the belt always engages the pulley tightly. A belt and pulley system is thus relatively forgiving.
With a rack and pinion system, only a few teeth engage at any given time. To avoid backlash and get the same kind of "tight" engagement, both the gear and the rack need to be made with very high precision. The carriage also needs to be very well constrained, because any wobble of the rack relative to the gear introduces backlash (or binding). Moreover, you also need to keep the rack and pinion well lubricated lest they wear out prematurely.
Given that belt and pulley work well enough, I don't see why you'd need to move to rack and pinion. The main advantage of rack and pinion is that the rack isn't elastic. The maximum length of a belt system is limited by its elasticity, but given we aren't building meter-long 3D printers anyway, that advantage of rack and pinion does not apply.
> 6 votes
# Answer
The answer so others can understand is that it's cheap and simple to run with a belt. Much of the 3D printers these days either stem from the sintering systems that were developed years ago and things that rose out of the RepRap community where a Lead Screw that had the precision needed to do proper 3D printing at decent speeds was out of reach for most of the community.
It's a bit of, "we've always used belts," and then people come up with all sorts of stories to validate the dubious take to begin with.
At one point in time (to be specific...around a couple of years BEFORE the question was asked here...) the costs of a lead/belt-screw system for anything other than a Z axis solution for a Cartesian or a Core-XY was prohibitive for a hobbyist or a system bought off shelf or build by them.
It was too hard and expensive to get straight enough parts with precision to actually make anything other than small toy systems with those. We wouldn't get into racks as they were even MORE expensive. With the precisions we were previously working on and with in the community at the time this question was originally posed, it was something that only made sense for select solutions.
As you scale larger (Hey, we're now professionally making HUGE parts with this stuff) it makes much, much more sense. For certain classes of manufacturing...it actually makes sense with certain filaments to make short run parts for almost ANYTHING, including things in the automotive space. At that juncture, prototyping, fixing "impossible" to repair situations on older cars, etc. makes some sense to get more precision or vastly larger size. Desireable becomes the ability to make printers with volumes up to 2 meters in size. Professional space? Maybe. But telling people that a pinion isn't making any sense? Heh...hardly. Same goes for lead/ball-screws. Several have made incredible printers fairly cheaply that can print seemingly impossible print runs (Hung at a 45 degree angle in mid air and print...) with some of this stuff. Is it cheaper? No. Does it make sense? Possibly. Especially if one wants to DIY a massive print volume printer (***waves hand***). I want a meter and a half cubed on a side print volume that I can enclose to crank out ASA prints of Smart body panels, for example... You're not getting that with belts- too stretchy, even with PU steel core belts.
Frame it in from a relative cost perspective (It's only going to be about 25% more costly on a DIY or commercial product with a speed upside and precision that might make it WORTH that...but understand that an Ender 3 designed that way will run 350 dollars instead of the 200 or thereabouts it currently runs) and you're going to be more realistic and honest on the question's answer. Saying it isn't practical...even from when the post originated isn't being exactly forthright in this day and age- and disregards that a person MIGHT just be willing to spend the more money for the precision, etc.
> 0 votes
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Tags: printer-building
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thread-17920 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17920 | Improving durability of a printed propeller | 2021-08-15T12:38:05.097 | # Question
Title: Improving durability of a printed propeller
I am currently working through various different iterations ofccreating a propeller for a model ICE (nitro engine). So far I have managed to disintegrate each of them eventually. I have been experimenting mostly with PLA and PETG so far. I am currently thinking about using carbon-infused PLA or using PC (I found one that is printable on my printer). However, I am not so sure what properties I exactly have to look for when it comes to a propeller.
I am making the following assumptions:
* When rotating fast (5-6k RPM) there it probably has to create quite some centripetal force and I assume this would translate to tensile strength
* When the engine starts or stops it gets accelerated and decelerated almost instantly which probably causes quite some jerk to the propeller. However, I do not know what property that would translate to, also tensile strength.
So far the PLA propeller has held up the longest and I cannot rule out that it accidentally touched something when it broke. That is of course something it does not have to be able to handle, so I am probably going to give PLA another chance.
The PETG propellers all literally broke apart the second the engine started, and it did not even hold up one rotation.
The design of the propeller is actually sacrificing some aerodynamic efficiency in order to make sure there are no "thin" parts. It is typically breaking in the section I have highlighted in the the following picture.
I have also a picture of the "remains" of the broken PLA propeller. It actually held up many runs before it eventually broke. It actually partially delaminated the entire wall.
I am looking for two recommendations/tips:
* What material properties should I look for in my use case?
* Less important, but some tips regarding print settings are also appreciated. So far I could notice that smaller layer size helps, and thicker walls also helped.
# Answer
As Kezat noted, your part has very low infill, but infill is not what provides most of the part strength anyway. From what I can see of the broken part, it looks like you only have 1 or at most 2 walls, and these are what contribute most to part strength, especially in the orientation you're working in.
You should probably increase the number of walls to the point where the part is entirely solid, and has no infill region in any layers. This gives much better strength than selecting "100% infill", which will normally use alternating diagonal lines to fill the region; even if "concentric" is selected, which "looks like" more walls, there are subtle reasons it's not quite as good.
You may be able to get away with fewer walls, possibly just 3 or 4. If you're trying to keep total mass low, that might be worth trying first. But you definitely need more than the 1 or 2 you have now.
> 14 votes
# Answer
You need **WAY** more infill or make it solid. Normal props like this are 100% solid for a reason.
To add to that, in my experience with 3D printing the the infill percent is only part of the story for part strength. In many cases adding perimeter loops and not infill is a better solution for part strength.
With a solid part I suspect PETG will come out ahead over PLA as PLA can be more brittle and just snap under shock or vibration.
> 7 votes
# Answer
I'm offering a different kind of answer, please do not print your propeller blades. I've seen accidents happen (in my past international model aircraft building and flying hobby) with even the bought injection molded propellers (usually bad handling or aging).
Propeller blades can be bought online or at your local model aircraft shop against reasonable prices. You don't want to lose your eye or somebody else's.
Even if used on a car or a hovercraft, please use a bought injection molded propeller and provide proper shielding.
> 7 votes
# Answer
A nitro engine rotates much faster than an electric one, 30k rpm vs 10k rpm top.
Also, it has much more vibrations (the engine gives torque in sharp pulses, not a continuous power generation). There's a reason if the propellers for electric are not compatible with nitro engines. You will need to step up the game with fiber-infused plastics, and shock resistant plastics, so check CF-ABS, CF-ASA, CF-PC, nylon-CF, nylon-GF.
Forget PETG or PLA...
And use an infill that is equally resistant in every direction, so cubic or gyroid.
And do a simple calculation, concerning the infill: use the weight and the spinning speed to calculate the strength you need for the area where the blade attaches to the hub. I think you need an almost solid infill to hold (solid infill = as many perimeters you need to fill it), and then you can progressively decrease the perimeters closer you get to the tip, replacing them with infill.
> 5 votes
# Answer
For safety on a project like this, it's best to have a self-contained chamber to run a life test until the propeller falls apart. Once a material and design has a reasonable lifetime, then you could use the print.
Reputable propeller manufacturers will already do this. They may even run a shorter burn-in test on product being sold to eliminate defects.
I would suspect PLA as being too brittle. Nylon carbon fiber is probably a better material, but not easy to use. Unless you're wanting to experiment with propeller design, printing propellers will cost you more then buying them.
As Brydon mentioned life testing usually does acceleration such as twice the rate. Temperature is also important. Plastic is more brittle cold and softer hot. You may even want to off balance the axis slightly to accelerate the testing.
> 1 votes
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Tags: print-material, print-strength
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thread-17845 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17845 | How to send G-Code directly from a Raspberry Pi to my printer without using any extra program/software | 2021-08-04T10:44:46.793 | # Question
Title: How to send G-Code directly from a Raspberry Pi to my printer without using any extra program/software
I want to plug in my drivers from the printer into my Raspberry Pi. I want to control the printer's axes by sending G-code directly from the Raspberry Pi command line (if possible) to the drivers.
Is that possible and if yes does anyone know how? As I stated above without using any 3rd party program/software.
# Answer
A very dumb, simple way to send GCODE to your printer from the terminal can be achieved with:
`echo "gcode here" > /dev/ttyS0`
/dev/ttyS0 can vary, It may be /dev/ttyACM0, /dev/ttyUSB0, or any similar with a different number.
You can figure out which path is correct for your printer with the command `ls /dev/tty*` and comparing the results with your printer plugged in and unplugged, Whichever device pops up new should be your printer.
As well, Some printers may appear in `/dev/serial/by-id/` instead of `/dev/tty*`, so if you can't find your printer normally, try `ls /dev/serial/by-id/` instead.
If this doesn't seem to work, you may need to change the serial settings using the command `sudo stty -f /dev/ttyS0 115200`, replacing /dev/ttyS0 and 115200 to the device path and printer baud rate respectively.
If you are looking for a more bi-directional solution, you can use the command `screen`, which is usually installed by default. You can use it like this:
`screen /dev/ttyS0 115200` and exit by Control+A, then pressing D
Another solution would be the `pronsole` utility from Printrun/Pronterface, which can be installed using `sudo apt install printrun` and invoked with `pronsole.py` and you can then connect to your printer with the syntax
`connect /dev/ttyS0 115200` or simply `connect`, as pronsole has the ability to autoconnect to your printer. Exit with the `exit` command.
> 2 votes
# Answer
You can send the data to the serial port using `echo`, but you'll have to use `cat` to get the response.
> 0 votes
# Answer
Sending G-code to a printer via a serial interface is a bidirectional operation that requires waiting for acknowledgment from the printer before sending further commands. In theory, this shouldn't be needed and hardware flow control (or even XON/XOFF flow control if the hardware is not available) should be used, but that's not the way things were done. Thus, sending G-code with "dumb" commands like "cat" does not work.
If you want to send individual commands manually, you can use a program like Minicom (or screen's built-in serial terminal support) and process the acknowledgments yourself. But if you want to really stream print jobs, you need at least a minimal program for it. This can be written in a few lines of Python or Perl if you like. I know there are examples of such but I don't have the links handy and haven't tried any of them to be able to recommend one, anyway.
> 0 votes
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Tags: raspberry-pi
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thread-17926 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17926 | What does the "Control Module" setting in FlashPrint 5.1 do? | 2021-08-16T11:15:21.147 | # Question
Title: What does the "Control Module" setting in FlashPrint 5.1 do?
I don't understand the description of this setting in FlashPrint and have been unable to find a better description online. What does it do?
# Answer
On Reddit, someone pointed out that this likely refers to which items temperature is being adjusted by the tickbox above (and table below). It seems quite obvious now :-)
> 1 votes
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Tags: slicing, flashforge, flashprint
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thread-17927 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17927 | Why does FlashPrint have different (non-100%) default extrusion ratios for different filaments? | 2021-08-16T11:26:44.153 | # Question
Title: Why does FlashPrint have different (non-100%) default extrusion ratios for different filaments?
In FlashPrint there is an **Extrusion Ratio** setting. It's set to 97 % for the stock PLA profile and 107 % for the stock PETG profile.
I would've thought these would be 100 % by default (and the same for all materials). Why is it that these defaults make sense and they differ? Why would you need to push more PETG for the same print than PLA if they're the same diameter filament?
# Answer
> 1 votes
If your extruder uses spring tension to hold the filament against the hob, the effective diameter of the filament at the point the hob contacts, which determines the amount moved, is a function of the compressibility of the material. Thus, it makes sense to use a higher flow ratio for more compressible filaments. However, this is very much a matter of what type of extruder your machine has, and doesn't apply if you have a tension arm holding the idler bearing at fixed distance from the hob.
# Answer
> 0 votes
I may be entirely out of my league here, But I think it's related to Viscosity, or how thin or thick the fluid plastic is while hot and Temperature Expansion, how much larger in volume the fluid plastic will be hot compared to cold.
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Tags: extrusion, flashforge, flashprint
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thread-17934 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17934 | Stringing on first layer unless I squish it | 2021-08-17T06:17:31.150 | # Question
Title: Stringing on first layer unless I squish it
I switched over to a new filament recently (Sunlu PLA) and I can't get the first layer details to stick properly without squishing the first layer way too much. Prints don't always fail, but little circles and the initial skirt rarely stick as they should. The issue appears to be that when it starts to extrude at a new location, it's not always close enough or extruding fast enough for the initial filament to stick and it gets lifted on the next pass. Other things stick just fine, it's just at these transitions where things lift a little. My bed is level and in general things are printing just fine. It's just the start/end of initial layers that tend to have problems and lift just enough to cause problems later.
If I lower my nozzle enough, I can get it to stick more reliably but then I have other problems because the first layer is so squished that the ridges rise and cause problems later.
I've read dozens of articles and tried all these things already:
* Dried my filament
* Adjusted my Z-offset (BLTouch)
* Attempted to recalibrate my retraction settings
* Replaced my nozzle, cleaned the hotend, and replaced the Bowden tube.
* Tried different temperature settings
* Cleaned the bed
* Calibrated my E-steps and played around with flow rates further
It used to print fine, so I guess it could just be the filament but I'm hoping there's something I can still do. I'm using an Ender 3 v2 with a BLTouch, new springs, replaced Bowden tube and red metal extruder. Printing at 210 °C with 60 °C bed.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Try using 75 °C for the bed and 220 °C or highest recommended extrusion temperature for Sunlu PLA for the first layer, then lower the temperatures to 210 °C with 60 or 65 °C bed for subsequent layers.
Other options are Elmer's glue stick, a glue stick specified for a 3D printer bed, or hair spray.
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-17937 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17937 | Acceptable temperature variation in heated bed | 2021-08-18T03:55:27.340 | # Question
Title: Acceptable temperature variation in heated bed
Ever since my original Creality CR-10S Pro heated bed quit and was replaced, I have had trouble with bed adhesion and printed first layer material warping using PLA and auto bed leveling.
I am getting bed temperature variation between 71 °C (160 °F) to 76 °C (169 °F) throughout the 320x310 mm bed. Is this amount of temperature variation typical? I don't have any measured temperature variation data for the original heated bed, so don't have any reference data to compare.
Note: the manual (and about every internet site visited) suggested 60 °C for bed temperature for PLA, but I never could get any material adhesion until I raised the bed temperature to 80 °C using the stock heated bed. I have had no real issues with bed adhesion until the original heated bed died after about one year of heavy use with 10+ 1 kg filament reels.
Not sure how much more I can do to determine, what is suggested as "my bed adhesion problem".
Have tried everything:
* painter tape worked the best, until trying to get the tape off of print
* glass with dimples
* glass with a glue stick
* new bed sticker
* cleaning after every print
* varying print head height.
The only thing left is the filament. manufacture.
Through all my tests it takes 80 °C to get the first layer to stick and if I reduce temp to 60 °C after the first layer, the print comes off. Could a poor performing set of fans cause this to occur?
# Answer
80 °C is way too hot for the bed with PLA. The highest bed temperature you can use without serious deformation of the printed part is around the glass transition temperature of the material - 55-60 °C for PLA. And even that will seriously inhibit the cooling of layers near the bed. Below 40 °C or even unheated is ideal to avoid warping.
Go back to reasonable bed temperatures and figure out the root cause of your adhesion problem rather than trying to use heat as a workaround for poor adhesion. Maybe your surface is bad and needs to be replaced, or just in need of cleaning.
> 2 votes
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Tags: troubleshooting, heated-bed, temperature
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thread-253 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/253 | Can I mix ABS and PLA when recycling filament? | 2016-01-14T21:48:19.053 | # Question
Title: Can I mix ABS and PLA when recycling filament?
I'm thinking of recycling some filament from a couple of recently failed prints. I can reuse them in the future for basic prototypes, so I'm not concerned with whatever weird mixture of colors come out (they are of a few different colors).
The thing is, I have both PLA and ABS, in small quantities. I originally intended to simply use each one separately, but it occurred to me that they could be mixed.
If I recycle PLA and ABS together into one strand of filament, will there be any negative side effects (e.g. reduced strength)?
# Answer
This is not a good idea. Both filaments have different melting points, that of ABS being much higher than that of PLA. To melt the ABS you have to heat the plastic to the point where the PLA starts to degrade.
> 18 votes
# Answer
Simply put, PLA and ABS should not be mixed into a filament.
The most common issues most printers experience, such as delayering, warping, etc., are addressed completely differently based on the material you are working with. There are many examples of this, and I will attempt to go over some of the basic ones.
You will have extreme difficulty getting proper layer adhesion. Assuming you have a level, flat, semi-coarse (helps) surface for the first layer, the recommended heated bed temperature is 70C for PLA. With ABS, you will experience warping by the 5th layer at that temperature. ABS prefers 110C for a heated bed, and 80C for a heated chamber (personal experience for most reliable results). Next issue is going to be delayering and stringing. There is no happy medium! Matter of fact, the number of issues even attempting this is almost too many to list. The quality will be complete garbage. On one hand you will have delayering, warping, and jamming of the ABS when set to PLA specs, and stringing, leaking, etc., when set to ABS specs.
I hope this helps.
> 4 votes
# Answer
Mix 'em, let us know how you go. You're unlikely to damage your printer, and you're only 'wasting' scrap.
I suspect that if you mix in small quantities of ABS (30% or less) you'll end up with a PLA mix similar to a 'wood' or 'metal' PLA filament.
To that end, recommend trying to print with PLA settings first, and going from there.
Make sure you let us know how you go, it'll be real interesting to see the results!
> 1 votes
# Answer
CNC Kitchen tested PLA up to 265 °C or 270 °C in a couple of videos, for example
The plastic (it may depend on the brand) holds just fine up to 250 °C, but (from personal experience) bridges become really difficult to tune. Strength is very good.
ABS can be printed properly starting from 235 °C (depending on the brand). At 235 °C layer adhesion may be suboptimal, but you are mixing it, so it's not obvious that the result will be poor.
So, to summarise you have a common range 235-250 °C where you can print both plastics properly when pure, so it is reasonable to think that by mixing them you will have at least the same temperature range (the bottom may even be extended a bit, as it happens with PC-ABS which prints properly colder than pure PC).
So I would say that it is a worth test with likely positive results.
In fact, ABS-PLA blends exist and are very good blends for industrial use as the Terrafilum site states:
> ABS\_PLA\_Blend
>
> Strong PLA Industrial Grade PLA with superior flow and strength performance; designed for parts where PLA is desired but where the parts will be subjected to repeated use; ideal for parts that may need bend slightly without breaking during use.
> 1 votes
# Answer
First, I print ABS and PLA models. I have accidentally printed PLA at ABS settings with absolutely no strange effects (being printed at 100 °C heat bed and 225-240 °C extruder temperature). If the mixture is truly homogenized together, I do not see a problem in mixing the two materials, however, the cost of a recycler and winder are still cost prohibitive. Like the above poster said, experimenting would be necessary to get the settings right.
Technically, it should work .
> 0 votes
# Answer
yes but you would have to experiment with the settings to see were it afectivly melts.
> -1 votes
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Tags: abs, pla, filament, recycling
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thread-12056 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/12056 | Bottom Layer Compression (over extrusion) - Can't get rid of it | 2020-02-23T11:40:15.093 | # Question
Title: Bottom Layer Compression (over extrusion) - Can't get rid of it
I've been trying to find a solution to a problem I've been having recently whereby the bottom layers of my print (1.2 mm; 12 layers) are either being compressed. over extruded or both. The problem results in the nozzle being dragged through previously extruded filament leaving deep groove marks and the bottom layers being risen/wavy, thus causing (I believe) the print layers to expand horizontally outwards
Settings are:
* Anycubic Chiron
* 0.1 mm layer height
* 200 °C hotends temperature
* 55 °C bed temperature
* 40 mm/s print speed
* eSun black 1.75 mm PLA
* Cura 4.4.1
It's less noticeable on less intrinsic prints but for my latest project, its becoming a real issue. The problem is that for the square holes for the buttons (of which there are a lot), the bottom layers are extruding (essentially elephants foot-ing) which is impacting the tolerances of the build (holes should be 13 mm to accept 12.5 mm square buttons but are coming out at ~12.7 mm only on the bottom layer, I've measured the walls of the square holes and they're coming out perfectly).
I've tried almost everything I can think of/find on Google:
1. Levelling the bed (multiple times)
2. Tried print temps from 190 °C to 210 °C (even printed a temp tower which confirmed printing at ~200 °C is correct for my filament (eSun black PLA)
3. Calibrated the extruder
4. Calibrated the Z-axis
5. Set different horizontal expansion settings in Cura
6. Reduced entire print flow rates (have tried 90 %, 85 % and 80 %); this somewhat worked but produced problems elsewhere in the print due to lack of material (skin overlap etc.)
7. Used the 'modify settings for overlap' mesh setting to reduce infill flow & inner wall flow to 45 % and 55 % respectively for the bottom layers (up to 1.2 mm).
The last point in that list is where I've had the most success but it does leave a slight indentation around the outer wall until the full flow rate kicks in (i.e. \>1.2 mm) and I'm thinking there may be other things at play that are causing the issue and I shouldn't have to do this reduce bottom layer flow so much if at all.
Has anyone seen this before?
# Answer
So I managed to figure it out and it turns out the vertical guide screws had a lot of grease/oil build up near the bottom which was impeding the X axis motor from properly moving the nozzle vertically when instructed.
After removing both guide rods and cleaning with degreasing fluid, the troublesome problem is no more!
> 4 votes
# Answer
I had the same problem with bottom 8-10 layers being squashed. Tried all the possible settings and nothing helped.
Eventually found that the bottom part of the Z-axis guide rails was narrower then the top and it was not rolling properly down the bottom.
Found out by taking off the Z-axis rod and moved extruder up and down and I felt it was moving a lot worse/getting almost stuck down the bottom. Also tried it by disabling steppers and rolled the Z-axis motor by finger, almost no effort at the top to roll it down, but took a lot more effort down the bottom 5 cm or so.
I loosened the screws and pulled the bottom part wider and problem solved... Probably a rookie mistake as it is my first printer....
Hope it helps someone saving days of experimenting.
> 3 votes
# Answer
The first thing that comes to mind is that, even though you have levelled the bed, the print nozzle may be too close causing too much "squish" on the first layer. Squish isn't bad as it promotes adhesion, but in your case, as you are looking for finer tolerances on the holes, it may be a problem. I use a feeler gauge and aim for 0.15 mm gap when printing at 0.2 mm layer height.
Next thing to consider is ensuring you have calibrated your flow rate/extrusion multiplier. See here for detailed procedure
Assuming flow rate is calibrated I can think of some settings in Cura that could affect your print.
* Initial Layer Flow
* Flow Rate Compensation Factor
* Combing Mode / Avoid Printed Parts
*Initial Layer Flow* enable the use of a higher/lower flow rate in you first layer. Typically I set this to a value larger that my flow rate, 120 %, as I want good adhesion and am less worried about the elephant's foot effect. However, you could reduce it to less than your flow rate although that may compromise adhesion unless you use a brim.
*Flow Rate Compensation Factor* For most circumstances this should be 100 % which indicates that your flow rate should be used as set and not compensated for. I would check that this value has not been altered cause over-extrusion.
Lastly, there are two travel settings. *Combing Mode* and *Avoid Printed Parts* work in combination to reducing the impact of travels in the finished print. I would ensure you have combing turned on (e.g. Not in Skin) and that you have enabled Avoid Printed Parts. More details on these settings can be found here
> 2 votes
# Answer
I had similar issues during the past few days. My first 3~5 layers overlapped. I ended up with figuring out it was the screws to mount Z stepper became loose and the stepper shifted itself downwards instead shifting up the nozzle for the first several layers, until the stepper had nowhere to go.
> 0 votes
# Answer
I have had a similar problem after years of clean printing and spent ages messing with it until I read this article and cleaned my lead screws on the Z-axis - a quick hit with a brush seems to have fixed it - fingers crossed.
Problem: my layers looked over extruded in random areas inside models and by the time I hit the top layer, I got some pretty serious results with blobs big enough to change the detail and fill in large gaps with ooze.
I tried the following:
* Tweaked my Cura settings for ages in case I had retraction set wrong, wiped back to factory defaults, regressed to earlier versions of Cura - no luck,
* Replaced my hot end assembly pretty much three times over, no luck except to clog a few brand new hot ends lol
* Used different filaments, dried filaments including new ones in the oven for a day, no luck. Probably wasted a couple of rolls of PLA persisting with trying to get a job completed through the problem.
* Cleaned the lead screw. It may have improved it somewhat but is difficult to tell as it is somewhat random.
UPDATE: The problem is not fixed, unfortunately. I will try a more detailed clean of the lead screws tomorrow, but I ran a 100 mm clean Z-axis raising test and noted it was pretty close to the mark, but interestingly it was about 99 mm on the left side and 101 mm on the right, although I doubt this could fully account for the problem I am having from about 2 mm up the axis unless the z height loss occurs in one concentrated section right near the bottom. The printer previously printed well and has not been damaged in any physical way that I am aware of. I will consider if there is any degradation in the functionality of the stepper motor by swapping them if more cleanup doesn't help. Keen for any other ideas if you have any.
> 0 votes
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, anycubic-chiron
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thread-17944 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17944 | Creality 4.2.7 problem connecting to Windows | 2021-08-20T02:22:03.773 | # Question
Title: Creality 4.2.7 problem connecting to Windows
I've had an Ender 5 for quite a while and it has worked phenomenally, but recently I had encountered a MIN\_TEMP error so I ordered a new hotend and Creality silent board.
Because this is an Ender 5, I had to change the firmware from the default on the new board and I did that using VS Code. I changed all the parameters I need to but when I plugged in the printer to upload the code, the printer shows up under USB in device manager but with the error:
> There are no compatible drivers for this device.
As a beginner, I have no idea what to do.
# Answer
> 4 votes
By default, Windows does not come packaged with drivers for the CH340 USB Serial chipset the Creality Silent board has installed. To get your computer to properly recognize the printer, you will need to install the CH340 Driver software from WCH's website. (the company that manufactures the CH340 chip)
As of August 2021, the download for the drivers can be found at:
http://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER\_EXE.html
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Tags: marlin, creality-ender-5
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thread-17957 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17957 | Printed object is half the height it should be | 2021-08-21T21:22:00.797 | # Question
Title: Printed object is half the height it should be
I am having extreme extrusion problems with my Ender 5. I had nearly perfect quality since I got it about 2 years ago but recently I replaced the board with a Creality 4.2.7 Silent Board and I'm having some problems. I've calibrated the E-steps to where is consistently extrudes 100 mm but what should be a 20x20x20 mm cube is 20x20x10 mm (as shown in the picture). Since I haven't really had experience with this sort of problem yet, I have no idea how to fix it.
# Answer
If the image is suppose to be a 20 mm calibration Cube when it comes out half the height, your problem is the steps per millimeter of the Z-axis, not the extruder. The object you printer is half the height it is supposed to be, so the bed isn't lowering enough and requires more steps. You should double the current value. If the bed doesn't lower enough per layer, the layer advances only half the value it should be while the extruder isn't aware of this half layer height and deposits the normal amount of filament looking as if it over-extrudes per layer. This does look as if there is something wrong with the extruder, but in fact this is caused by the Z-axis movement.
With `M92` you can get and set the correct value:
> Get the current steps-per-unit settings using `M92` with no parameters or `M503` on older versions of Marlin.
If the Z-axis has 400 steps/mm in your current setup, you should use 800 steps/mm instead. Note, the steps per millimeter value depends on the driver's and the micro-stepping setting. You need to work that out if you change your board (driver type and micro-stepping jumper or software setting).
> 7 votes
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Tags: print-quality, creality-ender-5
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thread-17951 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17951 | Ender 5 won't lift the Z-Axis before printing | 2021-08-20T23:41:14.893 | # Question
Title: Ender 5 won't lift the Z-Axis before printing
I've had an Ender 5 for about a year without problems. But just recently, the printer is not lifting the Z-axis before printing. It will home great but when it moves to print the purge line it lifts the bed down about 2-3 millimeters and the nozzle is not even close to touching the bed anymore.
I've checked the starting G-code in Cura and it all looks fine but I'm still having problems.
Current Start G-code:
```
M201 X500.00 Y500.00 Z100.00 E5000.00 ;Setup machine max acceleration
M203 X500.00 Y500.00 Z10.00 E50.00 ;Setup machine max feedrate
M204 P500.00 R1000.00 T500.00 ;Setup Print/Retract/Travel acceleration
M205 X8.00 Y8.00 Z0.40 E5.00 ;Setup Jerk
M220 S100 ;Reset Feedrate
M221 S100 ;Reset Flowrate
G28 ;Home
G92 E0 ;Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ;Move Z Axis up
G1 X10.1 Y20 Z0.28 F5000.0 ;Move to start position
G1 X10.1 Y200.0 Z0.20 F1500.0 E15 ;Draw the first line
G1 X10.4 Y200.0 Z0.20 F5000.0 ;Move to side a little
G1 X10.4 Y20 Z0.20 F1500.0 E30 ;Draw the second line
G92 E0 ;Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ;Move Z Axis up
M503
```
# Answer
After hours of testing (which included reinstalling firmware, formatting various SD cards, and changing G-code and slicer settings), I did find a function to restore factory defaults and that did the trick. I'm still not sure how something wrong got stored in the memory but it did and resetting to factory defaults worked.
> 4 votes
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Tags: troubleshooting, z-axis, creality-ender-5
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thread-17954 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17954 | Dual-colour prints on Creator 3 are very messy, though single colour very good and nozzle alignment seems good | 2021-08-21T13:35:49.197 | # Question
Title: Dual-colour prints on Creator 3 are very messy, though single colour very good and nozzle alignment seems good
Recently got a Creator 3 (v2) and single-colour prints are great, but dual colour Benchies are coming out quite bad. Initially, I thought it was X/Y calibration as when I printed a dual-colour cube, I could feel a slight bump as I ran my fingernail across the joins. I tweaked that and the cube now seems good (pics attached), but the Benchy came out the same, with a lot of scruffy plastic in several places.
I had the same with some old Balco filament and now with Technology Outlet filament (all four reels have printed fine on their own, the prints are really good).
I'm using Flashprint 5.1 for slicing, with mostly default settings (though infill reduced to 10 % and temp increased from 200 °C to 210 °C for the Technology Outlet filament). I'm using an Ooze Shield and a brim. Stock 0.4 mm nozzles.
Any suggestions on what the issue might be or what I can do to improve it some? The dual-colour pic on the Benchy website looks way better, so I don't think it's just that these parts of the models are difficult to print.
Thanks!
# Answer
You have a problem with retraction or more broadly with what happens to the material in the inactive extruder while it's waiting to be used again. I'm not sure what your printer does, but there are various strategies for how to handle this, which can possibly be mixed:
* doing nothing and letting it make a mess
* a large amount of extra retraction to get the filament entirely out of the heated zone, followed by a slow unretract into the heated zone when the extruder becomes active again
* using a priming tower (sacrificial junk part) to re-prime the inactive nozzle when it's activated again
* priming in thin air and using a wiping brush to clean the inactive nozzle when it's activated again
* maybe others
You need to figure out what options are available for your printer and how to tune them to get results you're happy with.
> 2 votes
# Answer
I've tracked down the cause of this, although I don't yet know a solution. It only occurs with dual-colour prints and I noticed the stringing is coming from when the nozzle moves *away* from the print, not from the new nozzle coming towards it.
After watching some prints, I realised what it is. After finishing with a nozzle, the bed is lowered (like a z-hop), and it's thta action that is pulling filament out of the nozzle causing the string. For a standard single-nozzle print, this action does not occur, and no filament is pulled out.
The only z-hop option in Flashprint is disabled, so I'm not hopeful I can fix it here though. Perhaps other slices may do better (I'm going to try Cura next).
> 0 votes
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Tags: dual-nozzle, flashforge-creator, flashprint
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thread-17945 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17945 | My 3D printer shows inbuilt designs, but my designs are invisible | 2021-08-20T04:33:03.290 | # Question
Title: My 3D printer shows inbuilt designs, but my designs are invisible
My designs are invisible on 3D printer LCD screen, i.e. the name of my design is showing up, but the part is missing and if I slice it with the software given by the 3D-printer company it works, but if I use any other slicer like Cura or Matter Control, it's not working.
I'm unable to add images as I'm new here.
I have a Tronxy X5SA 3D printer with a touch display.
I contacted the company, but they can't understand my issue, that's why seeking your help.
# Answer
Install the "Chitu code" plugin from the Cura website, some companies use the Chitu board as their printer's CPU and Tronxy does that. Without the plugin, it won't show a preview of your design and also it won't print.
> 7 votes
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, 3d-models, 3d-design, tronxy-x5, mattercontrol
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thread-17824 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17824 | Anycubic i3 Mega no fans | 2021-07-31T10:36:09.057 | # Question
Title: Anycubic i3 Mega no fans
I am having a bit of a nightmare trying to work out what is happening to the fans on my Mega Pro.
First off, the part cooling fan stopped working, then not long after the extruder fan also stopped working.
I have opened up the printer and when it is on, the LED for both these fans is always on. Putting a multimeter to them reads ~12 V.
If I send a `M106 S255` to the part cooling fan, the voltage drops to ~8.5 V.
Tracking the voltage up to the extruder board, it is consistent until the 2 pin connector for FAN0 or FAN2. Both of these return 0 V.
The temperature sensor and heating element are still working as expected though.
I checked what happens on my Chiron (to compare), the fan voltage is 0 until the `M106 S255` is set, then the LED comes on and the voltage goes to ~9 V (which is what I expect to happen).
Has anyone got any idea what might be happening? Is the main board gone? Or is it an issue with just the extruder board?
# Answer
> 1 votes
There is a speed controller or driver connected to the fans via the main circuit board, check that, because voltage drop usually occurs on the driver IC or circuit, disconnect the fans and touch your multimeter probe on the IC pins and pass the M-code.
If you see a voltage drop as before, then the driver has the issue, if the driver gives 12 V or closer voltage then supply direct 12 V to the fans and test them.
if both of them are working, then some supportive component in your mainboard is at fault.
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Tags: hotend, cooling, anycubic-i3-mega
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thread-17971 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17971 | My first 3D print, will my setting work? | 2021-08-24T08:19:24.297 | # Question
Title: My first 3D print, will my setting work?
I'm planning to print using a public 3D printer (Ultimaker 3) and was wondering if my settings will work. There is a 4 hour time limit. The parts don't need to be strong.
I've provided some screenshots of the model I'm planning to print and of the settings I'm planning to use. Dimensions of the print are 61.1 x 75.0 x 50.0 mm. Filament is PLA. Also if there is still something I can do to speed up the print, I'm happy to hear your suggestions.
# Answer
> 1 votes
You could look into the "combing" option, this may prevent some excessive retracts per layer, reducing the print time.
You should add some infill percentage to give the walls stability and provide a base for the top. It is difficult to see if the holes run through the whole object. If so, you definitely need some infill. PLA usually doesn't need a brim (blue lines on the bed around the print parts, option "adhesion"), but it will not be a problem if you use it.
Having an Ultimaker 3E I usually print one object at a time. The more objects on the plate the higher the change that something happens causing you to loose all your prints. You could print one object first to test it out (limited time) adjust and print the others later.
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Tags: pla, infill, layer-height
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thread-17942 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17942 | How can I print a backlit keycap? | 2021-08-18T18:52:04.237 | # Question
Title: How can I print a backlit keycap?
Using 3D printing I'd like to create a text oversized keycap that uses several strong LEDs to make the text light as red or green, depending on status. It's quite similar to what are called annunciators on aircraft:
I'd like to create an MX keycap with this ability and size with the backlighting changing from green to red to indicate something is on or off. I understand including the MX connector in the center, but how would I print a black panel and leave the text transparent, or at least transluscent?
# Answer
> 4 votes
There are a few possible ways you could go about this:
1. If you have a multi-material printer, you may be able to print with both a transparent or translucent material for the internal structure of the print and an opaque material for the external parts of the print. PET(G) may be suitable for this purpose but is harder to print compared to standard PLA.
2. You can print the entire print in a translucent material, mask off the lettering at the front and spray paint the rest of the print.
3. You can create a multi-part print, where one outer 'shell' is printed in opaque filament, and another piece in translucent material, which will mate together after printing.
4. You can deboss the lettering of your print, and with the letters face down to the bed, print the first layers in an opaque material, and then swap filaments to a translucent material for the rest of the print, spray painting the upper parts of the print to match a uniform color, while leaving the bottom untouched.
There are several advantages and disadvantages to each method:
1. Requires that you have a (typically) expensive upgrade installed onto your machine, but would be the most straightforward way to go about this.
2. Requires precise masking of your letters to make them come out looking nice, but will give you sharper, more defined edges on the lettering.
3. Will require you to design for tolerances for the two parts, or add glue in the post-processing steps, But could be produced en masse with two printers, one for each material.
4. Can be a bit fiddly, and will possibly result in an undesired look, with the lettering being debossed into the part, But would be less complex than the other options.
Pick whichever method you wish, or try all of them to see which gives you the best results.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Cut the letters out of the key, so they print as holes all the way to the light source. Print in black.
fill the holes with clear silicon caulk or leave empty.
# Answer
> 0 votes
I have a different plan. What I did was get the resin keycap molds from Adafruit.
My plan is to print out the legend using black PLA (and obeying "stencil rules" for detachable parts), just the size of the keycap. Then mold, using clear resin, the top part of the cap with the negative printout inside. Cure under UV to get a thin (1 mm? 1.5 mm?) keycap. Then mix up an opaque batch of resin, fill in the rest of the mold, and cure that under UV.
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Tags: 3d-models, 3d-design
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thread-17974 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17974 | Creality CR 6 SE Z-axis issue | 2021-08-24T16:36:18.097 | # Question
Title: Creality CR 6 SE Z-axis issue
My new Creality CR6 SE was doing good but suddenly its Z-Axis (head extruder) randomly sometimes stays above the required configurations and sometimes below.
For example after auto leveling when I adjust the Z-axis with paper under it, it aligns fine at 0.20 mm after print if I start next print at same Z-axis configurations 0.20 mm randomly some time it gets below the past configurations and the extruder is very close to the bed or even badly touching the bed.
But sometime after the next print, it's above the bed that filament stays around and does not stick with the bed.
So the solution is every time I start new printing I have to level Z-axis, after trying it a lot, it is always best set at 0.20 mm.
I have to set the Z-Axis each time I print; how can I avoid this?
# Answer
Are you saying you have to level the bed each time you print, or did I misunderstand?
Leveling every time is pretty standard.
The question appears to be "my bed doesn't stay level. What's wrong?". So my answer is, "That's normal, nothing's wrong."
> 0 votes
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Tags: z-axis, creality-cr-6
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thread-17953 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17953 | Blobs or white patches in lithophane | 2021-08-21T05:29:22.617 | # Question
Title: Blobs or white patches in lithophane
I'm getting zits or blobs in lithophanes while printing on my Ender 3 and 10S Pro. I tried a suggestion: change resolution in mesh fixes of Cura to 0.5 (from 0.05 default). That removed the zits.
But now there are white patches as shown in the image. I reduced the resolution to 0.2 but to no avail.
Anyone else encountered this problem?
# Answer
Maybe it's a bad batch of filament, with dirt or uneven thickness that wouldn't be noticeable in regular printing. Have you tried a different spool or brand?
> 1 votes
# Answer
I got the answer now, it has to do with the resolution settings in the lithophane software I was using.
I had to set minimum resolution of the lithophane to 0.4 or 0.8 (I'm using a 0.4 mm nozzle).
**UPDATE**: sorry. The problem still persists. unable to get rid of the white patches.
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, ultimaker-cura, troubleshooting, creality-cr-10
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thread-17952 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17952 | Can I build a 3D image of a warrior type character if I only have one image of that character from one frontal view | 2021-08-21T04:24:57.350 | # Question
Title: Can I build a 3D image of a warrior type character if I only have one image of that character from one frontal view
Ok I’m so new at Blender. Half the time it’s knowing what question you have to ask to get the answer you need...
I want to make a 3D printable warrior type action figure but I only have one very detailed frontal view. Can I input that image into somewhere and it gives me a 3D model to start from? Like will it generate a 360 view? I have no idea where to start.
# Answer
In short, no. A 2D image has insufficient information to determine a 3D form.
If you want to do this yourself, what you could do is start with the 2D outline in a program like Blender (as 0scar mentioned in a comment), extrude it to make a thin "cardboard cutout", then begin shaping it into three dimensions from there. Imagine it like cutting a slab of Play-doh with a cookie cutter matching your 2D outline, then using the picture and your imagination as a guide to form it into 3D. I'm not sure whether something like that makes any more sense than just starting from scratch modeling it.
Alternatively, nowadays there *might* be some "AI" models to produce a reasonable guess at what 3D structure you want, with the knowledge that it's supposed to be a person, for a 2D image you provide. I'm not sure if there's anything yet of usable quality, but it's something you could look for.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Yes and no. It is sufficient for making a 3D model, but not in the way you want. Basically, you cannot turn a 2D image into a 3D model automatically, so you will have to do it manually. The image you have can be used as a reference image, and you will have to use some artistic freedom when creating the backside. It is basically the digital version of creating a clay sculpture based on an image. Perfectly possible, but it does require quite a bit of skill and patience.
If you want to learn how to do it, search for beginner tutorials on YouTube about ‘sculpting’ in Blender.
> 1 votes
# Answer
If you only have a 2D photo then as others have already said its not really possible. However if you have the action figure itself you could try a technique called Photogrammetry where you use your phone to take multiple images of the object and then use software to build up a model. Search youtube for guides on Photogrammetry or 3D scanning with your phone. I've never done it but certainly something I'd like to try!
> 0 votes
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Tags: 3d-models
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thread-7813 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/7813 | Z-Axis does not appear to be working on Ender-3 Pro | 2018-12-29T19:47:59.220 | # Question
Title: Z-Axis does not appear to be working on Ender-3 Pro
So, the wife got me a Creality Ender-3 Pro 3d Printer for Christmas.
Assembly was easy, axis movements are all solid... when I go to print the test-dog.gcode file provided with the machine, it comes out looking... flat.
Not kind of flat. TOTALLY flat.
The Z-Axis motor works - I can move it with the machine's control panel - and it moves on it's own for repositioning of the head for printing purposes, but it doesn't seem to be moving 'up' for each new layer. Layer height is set for 0.1 mm, nozzle is .4 mm. No settings changed in the G-code, or on the machine (and I did a "reset to failsafe" before attempting to print anything).
I'm relatively new to additive manufacturing, can someone help out here?
# Answer
It turned out that there's something wrong with the G-code file that came with my printer.
I downloaded a calibration cube from Thingiverse and printed it - while it wasn't 100%, it did print viable. Now I need to get into details as to quality, and I suspect that too will be a factor for the G-code used in the printer. I'm looking at "Ultimaker Cura" to figure out the changes in G-code based on option changes.
> 2 votes
# Answer
Check the following:
* Is the lead screw bent? remove it from the assembly and have it roll down a very slightly angled plate - if it rolls at uneven speed, it is bent.
* are the motor perfectly aligned with the brass nut? The lead screw needs to slot into the coupling without any force or need to move it just from gravity alone.
* is the Z-axis nut spin easily? I gave mine a droplet or two of machine oil, motor it up and down the whole length twice. Some residue grease from the factory can bind up the motor.
If all the physical side is known to be OK: re-slice your object, you might have faulty g-code.
> 1 votes
# Answer
I had the same problem on an Ender 3. Totally bewildering, because G-code commands `G0` & `G1` moved Z as expected, as did Pronterface commands, but Z did not advance during printing.
It turned out to be binding in the Z-axis lead screw caused by installing a BondTech style extruder. Previously, it had caused no problems but reinstallation saw it interfering with the screw. A quick workout on the Dremel created sufficient clearance.
The clear conclusion is that during printing power to the Z-motor decreases for whatever reason.
Check your machine's alignment. The Z screw should turn easily by hand, the nylon wheels of the X gantry the same. The bracket mounting the extruder and lead screw is well known to be non-square. Check by releasing the lead screw from motor coupling and seeing where its 'natural' position is vs the coupling. If it won't fall close to the coupling naturally that could be the cause.
Then RTFM or punish yourself with 1000 YouTube instructionals.
> 0 votes
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Tags: print-quality, z-axis, creality-ender-3, troubleshooting
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thread-17982 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17982 | Low quality printing on tall 3D models | 2021-08-26T22:06:02.550 | # Question
Title: Low quality printing on tall 3D models
I have the FlashForge Dreamer NX which prints with good quality on small models. However, when the model is taller than 2 cm or 2.5 cm (around 0.8 or 1 inch), it really loses quality.
Here there is a picture so you can understand what I mean. Which setting do I have to change? Have a look the the base is very acceptable, but then, the printing is not acceptable.
I'm using FlashPrint 5, but I can switch to any other app if it is needed.
**UPDATE**
I'm using PLA 1.75. Here are my settings.
# Answer
> 4 votes
The cause of the meshing is under-extrusion. When under-extrusion happens, several problems can cause this. E.g. heat creep (probably not the issue here because heat creep is usually not recoverable, but not unimaginable since this is an enclosed printer, you could try printing at a lower temperature and look into less aggressive retraction settings), or an extrusion problem.
Since this is an intermittent, recurring defect, this could typically be a result of spool entanglement or any other defect in the extrusion path. Once the entanglement or friction on the spool has resolved itself, the print continues as if nothing happened.
You should print again and look at what happens. Also pay attention to the extruder, it may be skipping steps or hasn't got enough force to push the filament through.
Check the extrusion of filament also by disconnecting the extruder and manually feeding the filament through a hot nozzle. It should be easy to push the filament through the nozzle at temperature. If not, try cleaning the nozzle doing a cold/atomic pull (feed filament hot, cut the power to the hotend, wait until the temperature drops considerably and suddenly pull out the filament, preferably with nylon or cleaning filament or any other high temperature filament).
# Answer
> 1 votes
That looks horribly familiar; I call it meshing.
It's underextrusion, which can be caused by lots of things.
I cleaned, then replaced the hot end, Bowden tube, and both couplers trying to solve the problem, but then the Z axis was binding. Tried a couple things for that, what seems to have worked was loosening a couple of screws flanking the Z screw. Prints are still coming out a little short, so I think I'll have to shim the Z screw brace.
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Tags: 3d-models, flashprint, flashforge-dreamer
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thread-11562 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11562 | Shell detaches from the rest of the part | 2019-12-14T18:22:42.047 | # Question
Title: Shell detaches from the rest of the part
I'm printing with a Prusa MK3, with the following settings:
* 3 perimeters
* 50 % infill
* infill overlap: 50 %
The filament is Polyalchemy emerald green (PLA). Nozzle temperature: 210 °C.
On a simple part (it's a keychain), the shell detaches if I apply a bit of force on a zone of the part that is "fragile". See picture. You might not be able to see it, but only the 2 external perimeters detach from the rest of the part. I used to print this part on another printer, and I never observed this problem.
Any idea on how to solve this problem? It seems the 3 external perimeters didn't fuse properly.
# Answer
I ultimately concluded that the material isn't great. I printed this part with multiple other PLAs and never observed any problem. The Polyalchemy PLA looks great, but for any part that has some sort of mechanical constraint, it behaves poorly.
> 1 votes
# Answer
I am looking at your picture, and I realize that it is not only that the perimeter is detaching from the infill, but also that the perimeter is breaking.
Once the perimeter breaks, the weaker connection with the infill will surely break, too.
You could try:
1. Using more than two perimeter layers. Go big. Try five.
2. Add a fillet where the ring attaches so that the force is not focused on a point.
3. Choose an infill percentage and pattern that maximizes the contact between the perimeter and the body.
4. Change the angle on the bed at which the keychain is printed so that the infill maximally connects with the breaking point. That might make the ring be 45 degrees off the X and Y axes.
> 0 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, pla
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thread-17989 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17989 | Advantages dual extruders FDM printer over a single extruder printer? | 2021-08-28T15:45:03.673 | # Question
Title: Advantages dual extruders FDM printer over a single extruder printer?
I've been Resin printing for a while, but was considering getting an affordable FDM printer for large simpler models, and for when the mess of a resin printer is just too much of a pain to be bothered with.
I was considering buying the Elego Neptune 2 FDM printer, then I saw that for about $60 more I could get a version with two extruders.
Other than the obvious printing in two colors, is what can I do with a dual extruder that I can't do with a single one (Regardless of whether it's cost effective). Anything practical, anything cooler?
# Answer
As an owner of a dual extruder printer, an independent dual extruder machine (IDEX), I can shed a bit of light on the topic. One of the better features of an IDEX but not necessarily capable of the printer you've selected is duplication and mirroring. By using both extruders simultaneously, print time for "production" quantities is halved. As noted, this is not possible for the selected printer.
That leaves wash-away support as the other feature besides two colors. Instead of printing support material as with a single extruder printer, the second feed is available to use PVA, which dissolves in warm water. You can have models with internal supported cavities that would be nearly impossible to remove in single material prints, but need only to be placed in water and agitated to provide a cleared model.
Using PVA support material also eliminates the marks on a model from support structures, reducing post processing labor. My experience with PVA is that it's challenging to print, requiring tuning the print parameters. It also tends to carbonize in the nozzle if temperatures are a bit high, but that again follows the tuning aspect.
As referenced in the comments, a dual extruder machine can also create parts with interlocked material. I have seen, for example, wheels constructed with a PLA hub and rim and TPU for the tread. I've not created such an item (yet) and overlooked that option. Typically, you'd want to combine materials with similar temperature requirements, but with certain constructs, the mechanical components can accommodate some disparity. Thanks to R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE for the reminder.
> 6 votes
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Tags: desktop-printer
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thread-16085 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16085 | Ender 3 v2 intermittent problem - clearly visible layers | 2021-04-13T12:38:52.610 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 v2 intermittent problem - clearly visible layers
I bought an Ender 3 v2 in January 2021 for my second printer. I have had an Ender 3 for two years and love the quality it prints. This new printer has been plagued with issues since day one. Creality sent me a new mainboard and fan due to issues. Even since then my printer will still not print consistently. I checked all my belts and made sure the bed is leveled.
I print a test cube and it looks perfect. Then I will print a bigger longer print and sometimes it looks 100 % perfect with smooth layers and then I will print the exact same print from the same memory card and there will be ridges every couple of layers and the print turns out very rough.
What would make this happen? I could understand if it always printed like this, but it is *completely random*. This is all from the same filament spool and I only use Hatchbox. My Ender 3 hasn't had a single problem in the two years I have owned it besides changing out the Bowden tube twice.
I use Cura for slicing.
The following pictures are of the same print on the same printer using the same filament from the same file.
# Answer
First, check that your belts are tight, on the X-axis and the bed. If not, tighten them.
Second, grab the hot end and wiggle the gantry, and make sure it is not loose. If there is any play at all, tighten the eccentric nuts.
If this doesn't fix your problems, check out this playlist I put together for the Ender 3 V2, it should answer everything.
Ultimate Guide to the Ender 3 V2
> 1 votes
# Answer
Hopefully you've solved this by now. If not, I'd be looking at all your bolts. Tighten every single one of them. Make sure none of the pieces are able to rock or twist or warp or anything like that. After that, recheck your belts.
> 1 votes
# Answer
If you have a 4.2.2 board, it may be a stepper driver problem. If this is the case, the only solution is to replace the board.
> 0 votes
# Answer
Had exact!y the same problem. Belts were slipping. X belt slips just a touch and the layers move left, then if it slips the other way, its back to normal
> 0 votes
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-11559 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/11559 | Ender 5 Printing Issues | 2019-12-14T06:36:37.487 | # Question
Title: Ender 5 Printing Issues
I'm brand new to 3D printing. Just got me an Ender 5 Pro. After messing around for the last couple of days with bed leveling, I'm finally able to get consistent first level all thought I have to increase filament speed to 120 otherwise there are too many gaps in the base. Now I'm trying to work out issues printing this Calibration cube. My corners are being rounded too much and therefore size of cube differs. 20.02-20.08 mm when checking middle or when including corners goes to 20.50.
When I printed a full-sized model of an owl, it looks like it has stitching on the back. And random bumps all over.
# Answer
The bumps on the owl could also be your seam if it’s not overextrusion. I used to have that problem on a ton of my prints until I set the seam to sharpest corner or user defined. You can go to the Teaching Tech website to get some tips on how to fix some common problems or calibrate your printer. Good luck!
> 1 votes
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Tags: print-quality, troubleshooting, creality-ender-5
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thread-17996 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17996 | How exactly can a 720P DLP print at a higher resolution than a 2k LCD? | 2021-08-30T15:03:29.150 | # Question
Title: How exactly can a 720P DLP print at a higher resolution than a 2k LCD?
I'm still confused on this. The Anycubic Photon Ultra is coming out soon, and it features an internal 720p Projector. The 720p resolution seems like a far cry from a 2k LCD (1280×720 vs. 2560x1440). Despite having 4x as many pixels, many articles are praising DLP as being much higher in resolution / detail. This is very counterintuitive... How can a DLP projector with less pixels produce a more detailed item than a 2k LED exposure?
# Answer
How can a digital camera produce images several times the resolution of the sensor? They *move the sensor* and overlay multiple exposures. Optically or physically moving the DLP chip or its projected image can give a combined "image" from multiple scans anywhere from 2x to several times the linear resolution of the DLP itself.
Such a print might be slower than an LCD, because of multiple exposures for each layer, but it might also be faster, because the light source can be *far* brighter than can be used with an LCD without damaging the liquid crystals themselvs.
> 2 votes
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Tags: sla, dlp, lcd-screen
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thread-17998 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17998 | A 2D printer(standard paper printer),that prints forever? | 2021-08-30T19:12:44.277 | # Question
Title: A 2D printer(standard paper printer),that prints forever?
Posted here because I couldn't find a 2D printing or printing category.
My question is:
Is there a printer that can print on ordinary A4 paper without the use of ink/toners/thermal paper or anything you have to keep buying?
# Answer
> 2 votes
In theory it could print by scorching the paper. A laser cutting CNC machine can probably be tuned to do this. However, I'm not sure the result would be exactly what you're asked for. Aside from burning, there's little you can do to paper that will make easily visible marks on it that does not require some additional consumable.
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Tags: printer-building
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thread-17993 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17993 | Ender 5 radial fan (part cooling fan) screw size | 2021-08-28T23:55:55.737 | # Question
Title: Ender 5 radial fan (part cooling fan) screw size
I’ve been having problems with my old fan shroud that I printed and when I went to install the new one the little screws that hold it in fell in the carpet which pretty much makes them lost forever. What is the diameter and length of those? I’ve checked a few Reddit posts but I’ve found tons of different answers like M3, M2, M1.8, etc. so I’m not so sure.
# Answer
Considering this printer is a Chinese designed and built printer, the most obvious choice for screws is metric system screws. These are most probably M2 screws; if you look at the screw heads (Allen key screws) the size with respect to the fan (40x40x10 mm =\> fan thickness is 10 mm) seem confirm the assumption (head height is 2 mm as seen in the image of the dimensional analysis below, which is typical for M2 Allen bolts).
The length should be easy to calculate if you have a caliper laying around, else you need some ingenuity using a ruler and an object smaller than the diameter of the screw and a maker (to measure the threaded part in the metal cover). Measure the lug thickness of the fan (about 3 mm if you look at the image of the dimensional analysis below), add some length where the screw enters the metal casing (about 2 mm). For the bottom screws you'll need slightly larger screws since the shroud is also attached. Two sets of 2 screws should do the trick, you'll need at least M2x5 and M2x8, but measure before you order. A reference for the Ender 3 (which seem to use the same hot end casing) refers to M2x8 and M2x12 screws:
> The stock blower fan uses something like M2x8 for the top, and M2x12 for the bottom. The hot-end cooling fan is M3x10, and so are the screws that hold the fan shroud on. The heat-sink screws are M3x14.
Dimensional analysis based on image:
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-5, print-fan
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thread-10238 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/10238 | Linux software for laser engraver | 2019-06-12T07:55:33.040 | # Question
Title: Linux software for laser engraver
I am searching for a Linux software to control the 3000 mW laser engraver depicted below. It's a common model you'd find on AliExpress, Banggood, etc. under different brand names.
I have already tried nejePrint, LaserWeb, and EzGraver, but they don't work. Any ideas?
# Answer
I just found https://github.com/aquamorta/kkengraver:
> This software is intended to be used with a KKMoon laser engraver (3000mW). It comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. It may or may not work with an other kind of laser engraver.
Some good internet guy/girl reverse engineered the communications and dropped it into a nice Python script - web server included.
> 6 votes
# Answer
A program that lists as functional with Linux is Lightburn. It's new to the laser engraving world and supports GRBL type controllers as well as Ruida brand and possibly a few others. If you can determine your controller, you're a step ahead of the game.
Directly from their site:
> LightBurn
>
> LightBurn is layout, editing, and control software for your laser cutter. With LightBurn you can:
>
> * Import artwork in a variety of common vector graphic and image formats (including AI, PDF, SVG, DXF, PLT, PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP)
> * Arrange, edit, and even create new vector shapes within the editor, with powerful features like offsetting, boolean operations, welding, and node editing
> * Apply settings like power, speed, number of passes, cut order, brightness & contrast, dithering mode, and much more
> * Send the result directly to your laser cutter
>
> LightBurn is a native application written for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
I'm a satisfied Lightburn user, not a company representative.
> 11 votes
# Answer
Not a native Linux application so I dunno if it matches your use case, but the driver and control software "Laser engraving machine K4 V2.2" that was bundled with the printer on a USB stick works fine with Wine!
I'm running Debian Bullseye/Sid and I'm using version 5.0 of Wine. I started with installing the driver simply by running `wine driver.EXE` in the correct folder on the USB stick. The control software, however, seems to need .NET to run which it says by prompting you to install "wine-mono". After a bit of googling I found out that installing .NET using the command `winetricks dotnet45` worked fine. After this you can simply run the software using `wine Laser\ Framework4.exe`.
I'm sure this is also doable using the GUI, but this is the way I did it. Also, maybe it works just as well with actually installing "wine-mono" instead of dotnet45 from winetricks.
EDIT: I can't find a license for the software on the USB stick, and I also can't find it online so I refrain from uploading it. OTOH, the USB stick is chock-full of logos of different brands so I doubt the authors are even aware of international copyright laws. Maybe I could send the software to you personally but I wouldn't host it since it could even contain malware
> 4 votes
# Answer
I also have one, when you plug it on your linux computer, there is a CH340G usb-serial chip inside, a serial port should be available at /dev/ttyUSB0, and you can send a right BMP file via this serial port.
Maybe EzGraver would work?
https://github.com/camrein/EzGraver
> 1 votes
# Answer
I have a similar machine and you won't find a Linux software to control it. You won't find a Windows software either, except the one shipped with the machine. I sniffed the traffic on the USB port and the control is proprietary.
The good news is the included software runs on Wine, but I did not get to serve the COM-port to the program. Under Windows, the driver fixes the port to `COM4:` but I did not find out what the exact name is (capitals or : or other parts) that the program expects to symbolicly link the port to `/dev/ttyUSB0`. You might have better luck. When sym-linking the port doesn't forget the permissions, that's another trap.
> 1 votes
# Answer
The best is Kiri Moto.
I use CNC and the stack idea is very comfortable. Laser and FDM, SLA are available as well.
> 1 votes
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Tags: software, laser, linux
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thread-14804 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/14804 | Parts of print sticking to FEP bottom of resin tray instead of print plate | 2020-11-14T03:12:02.650 | # Question
Title: Parts of print sticking to FEP bottom of resin tray instead of print plate
In a print composed of three rows of parts, the center row is sticking to the bottom of the resin tray instead of the the print plate. I have tried the print five times with similar results.
These pictures include the best and worst results:
Any ideas as to cause? Should I clean the transparent sheet at the bottom of the resin tray in any special way?
I found a great video providing solutions, and I am trying them one by one, UN-STUCK your 3D Prints, and keep prints from sticking. (REAL QUICK).
I am narrowing it down to the resin, or the printer/resin combination. The printer is a Sain Smart Kumitsu KL9, the resin is the Elegoo 3D Rapid Resin, notably in Black
# Answer
In my experience, when I had the same issue happening it was because my first layers exposure time what too short.
I was experimenting with bottom exposure time (in order to reduce the elephant foot) and sometimes, with very low exposure's time, I had failed prints that didn't even adhere to the print plate and remained stuck to the FEP (exactly as it happened to you).
Try increasing the bottom exposure time and check the exposure times your resin's manufacturer is providing.
> 3 votes
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Tags: resin, sainsmart-kumitsu-kl9
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thread-18010 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18010 | Ender 5 start problems | 2021-09-03T23:54:45.627 | # Question
Title: Ender 5 start problems
I've had an Ender 5 for a while now and it worked phenomenally but recently I installed a BigTreeTech SKR E3 mini and I had to update the firmware as well which came with some problems I don't know how to fix.
Whenever I start a print, it'll home fine but then move the nozzle up way too much (about 10 mm) off the build plate. In a recent post, I found out restoring factory defaults fixes it temporarily but I have to do that on every print and I really need to find a change that will permanently fix it.
I'm currently running Marlin 2.0x and my start G-code is listed in the other post (Ender 5 won't lift the Z-Axis before printing). Does anybody have any idea how I can fix this?
# Answer
> 1 votes
I ended up changing the firmware from Marlin 2.0x in the BigTreeTech GitHub to the Marlin bugfix-2.0x in the Marlin GitHub.
I also removed my Ender 5 from my Cura profile and added it again so it would reset any G-code I potentially messed up while tinkering. So far it is printing great.
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Tags: creality-ender-5
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thread-17995 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17995 | Can SLA printers produce strong engineered parts? | 2021-08-29T16:44:52.490 | # Question
Title: Can SLA printers produce strong engineered parts?
I have an FDM printer, I printed ABS for years.
Since SLA printers became really cheap lately and are able to print finer details, are there resins out there as strong as ABS/PLA?
# Answer
> 3 votes
## Not inherently
SLA prints are usually very glasslike in their internal structure and thus are often quite brittle: They tend to break with a very distinct, sharp failure mode. Their compression strength is often high but their tensile strength is limited, and their resistance to side loads is low.
Due to the printing method solidifying the resin layer by layer, there is an inherent stress pattern, resulting in the items having a much lower strength than monolithic casted resins that cured in shape.
## Yes, as an intermediate step
However, their print resolution makes them an excellent solution to create a mold which then can be used to create the actual part. Due to the thermal properties, one can't *melt* SLA prints, making lost-model investment casting not available.
Greensand casting isn't available for most resin or plastic materials. However, if the part is removable from the sand shells, it is a method that could make metal copies of your SLA printed masters.
As an alternative, rotary casting might be possible if the part can be removed from halves. Also, such prints are perfectly suited to making high detail silicone molds with limited undercuts, into which high durable liquid plastics (PVC) or 2-component casting resins can be cast for curing. In contrast to SLA resins, these cure into a monolithic product, which then is often much more durable to side loads.
# Answer
> 2 votes
I'm an owner of both an FDM printer and a resin one:
I've long searched a resin capable of printing durable objects even in tiny details but with poor luck. I've tried ABS-Like resins, and they provide a slightly better resistance than regular resin but do not expect great improvements; I've tryed the siraya tech Blue V2 that is for sure much more durable but eventually would fail on the smaller details...
In the end i think I'll try the flexible resins like the Liquicreate flexible X or the Siraya tech Tenacious because those (similarly to TPU in FDM) can better absorb energy from impacts and having a smaller young's modulus can help when under load.
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Tags: resin, sla
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thread-18013 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18013 | Software for hollowing out models for printing on a resin printer | 2021-09-05T11:34:51.047 | # Question
Title: Software for hollowing out models for printing on a resin printer
I'm currently using Blender to make models to print on a Resin printer, and Chitubox to hollow the models out. I'm finding that Chitubox is unsatisfactory and leaves lots of internal islands.
Can anybody recomend any alternative software that has a hollowing feature. Preferably a free one?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Consider to check out Lychee Slicer. It has a free version which generates a 30 second advertisement prior to slicing, but the features of the software are implemented quite well and intuitive. I've purchased a limited subscription and haven't found the premium features to be particularly desirable, but not having the advert is almost worth the cost.
I've not used Prusa Slicer, but it is also a free program and can be configured for MSLA as well as FFF printers.
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Tags: software
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thread-18009 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18009 | Extruder skips steps, when filament is manually pushed through the extruder it works somewhat "flawlessly" | 2021-09-03T14:11:34.713 | # Question
Title: Extruder skips steps, when filament is manually pushed through the extruder it works somewhat "flawlessly"
My Ender 3 started to skip steps on the extruder, therefore no more filament comes through the nozzle anymore.
When I push the filament myself through the extruder, it works somewhat flawlessly. It's almost like the stepper motor doesn't have enough strength to push the filament through the tube.
I already tried to:
* Replace the extruder with an all-metal one
* Replace the PTFE tube with a better one from Capricorn with the appropriate fittings
* Ramp up the temperature from 190 °C to 220 °C
*I'm printing with PLA, E-steps are around 95 and the speed is set to 50 mm/s.*
# Answer
> 1 votes
So, this might not help everyone, but I fixed the problem by increasing the tension on the spring in the extruder and by changing out the stepper motor (I used the one that came with the new all-metal extruder) to a new more powerful one.
So, all in all, my problem was a combination of those two things.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, fdm
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thread-18015 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18015 | How to add custom physical buttons to a 3D printer in Marlin software | 2021-09-05T12:50:24.553 | # Question
Title: How to add custom physical buttons to a 3D printer in Marlin software
I have a 3D printer with MKS Robin mainboard + TMC2209.
How do I add a piece of code to Marlin, for example, to make a physical button to start preheating, etc. I would like to use the existing mainboard, I don't want to use OctoPrint.
I have basic knowledge of Arduino programming. I could easily write the software to run the function on a button press but I cannot find how to integrate it into Marlin.
# Answer
> 1 votes
### `ultralcd.cpp`
Maybe, just *maybe*, this post from how to add a physical button to extruder motor control? #10394 could help (the emphasis is mine):
> rather than directly work on stepper.cpp, ***I would rather suggest to take a look at the LCD control part***, and integrate an emulation of the prepare/move/Z-axis code. As for accessible pins, perhaps use any unused endstop ones ?
This would make sense, as it is similar to the location (i.e. file(s)) that required changing for 0scar's question Can G-code scripts be run automatically on inserting an SD card when using Marlin Firmware?. The file in that case was `ultralcd.cpp` (see my answer).
However, `ultralcd.cpp` seems to have been either removed, moved or renamed to `ultralcd_st7920_u8glib_rrd_AVR.cpp`. It doesn't look hopeful. Previously it was in a 3rd part bugfix, see this answer, and the link of *that* `ultralcd.cpp` is now dead.
### Keypads code
Alternatively, this post helpfully suggests:
> This is not a feature we would add. But it's possible to do movement with buttons by hooking into the LCD code and following the technique currently used for the KEYPADs.
So, that would seem to be a promising place to start. I'm not (currently) sure which file(s) that is though. It might be the code that handles the RepRapWorld keypad (see below).
### RepRapWorld keypad
This could also be useful, the RepRapWorld Keypad:
> Hook it up to your RAMPS AUX-2 port. Configure the firmware to use the keypad. The keypad is fully supported in Marlin Firmware.
You could emulate (i.e. reverse engineer) this piece of simple hardware (the most complex IC on it is just a shift register) and use the already built in code.
FWIW, a similar sounding (9 button) keypad is referenced here, Adding custom keypad, marlin
However, upon further reading, it is unclear whether the RepRapWorld keypad is still supported, see Feature request: add suppport for reprapworld keypad #1142. Apparently RepRapWorld didn't (6 years ago) support it nor supply the source and expected the Marlin coders to support it for free.
### Other references and links
Nevertheless, the following post also suggests other sources of information that could be of use:
> For best results getting help with configuration and troubleshooting, please use the following resources:
>
> After seeking help from the community, if the consensus points to to a bug in Marlin, then you should post a bug report.
It should be noted that, as a rule, the Marlin people prefer potential issues to be discussed on the Firmware Forum **first**, *before* any bug report or feature request is submitted to Github. This is to stop their Github issues page for getting too cluttered.
Also note that *Tom's 3D Forums* are now dead.
See also Marlin/ LCD-Keypad Code Mod, although the thread seems to consist mostly of posts bemoaning software maintenance and life-cycles, and then sort of loses steam and dies at the end. However, this post mentions `uiconfing.h` or `ui.h`.
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Tags: marlin, software, mks
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thread-17935 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17935 | Z-Probe height isn't working | 2021-08-17T18:41:32.747 | # Question
Title: Z-Probe height isn't working
I just upgraded my CR-10 to a 32-bit board with Marlin and a BLTouch for bed-leveling.
Here is my process:
1. Run bed-leveling and save setting to EEPROM
2. Make sure that software end-stops are off with `S211 S0`
3. Move Nozzle to Z = 0.1 mm
4. Use a .1 mm feeler gauge and baby-stepping to create a 0.1 mm nozzle height.
5. Save the baby-stepping value.
6. Run print.
The print then shoves the nozzle well below bed level and scratches up the bed.
I use the following G-code at the start of each print. (Added by my slicer)
```
G28 ; home all axes
M420 S1 Z25; Enable Bed mesh leveling
```
What am I doing wrong?
# Answer
> 0 votes
I have an Ender 3 pro and BLTouch and the following procedure works for me, I'll post it because it should be quite the same for all the Creality printers:
* First of all install **Pronterface** (from the PrintRun software suite), a program that let you interact with the printer from the PC.
* Find a USB to mini-USB cable (the port on your printer should be a mini-USB) and connect the PC with the printer
* Choose the right COM port between the PC and the printer (you can find the correct one opening the "device manager" on Windows and searching for "COM PORTS"
* Then you can connect the printer with the PC and start to interact with it.
* From the command line I send the following:
```
G28; (AUTO HOME)
G0 Z0; (Z AXIS move to ZERO)
M211 S0; (DISABLES ENDSTOPS)
```
* Then you raise/lower the nozzle from the bed using the "buttons" on the left part of Pronterface, until you find the perfect height (use the piece of paper method). Usually I just calibrate the height in the middle of the bed and that's fair enough if you have leveled the complete bed manually.
* When you have found the perfect height for the Z axis, input the following lines:
```
M114; (GET COORDINATES)
M851 Z[ insert z coordinate here -- see end of the answer ]
M211 S1; (ENABLES ENDSTOPS)
M500; (SAVE VALUES in MEMORY)
```
* After that you should be done. Send again `G28` and `G0 Z0` to check if the printer head is now at the correct height: repeat the process above if it's not.
When you calculate the Z height in the `M851` command, bear in mind that you have to do the following:
*new Z height = old Z height + height corrections done in pronterface*
For example: my *old Z height was -0.2* , I *lowered the nozzle by -0.5 with Pronterface* (to get the nozzle closer to the bed), then my *new Z height would be -0.7*
My start G-CODE in Cura is:
```
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G28
G29 ; Home all axes
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X5 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish
```
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Tags: bed-leveling, nozzle
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thread-18025 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18025 | Is the Anet A8 plus still relevant in 2021? | 2021-09-06T18:22:24.273 | # Question
Title: Is the Anet A8 plus still relevant in 2021?
I'm currently looking for my first 3D printer. I may be a stranger to 3D printing but my I'm a tool and die maker by profession, so the DIY and learning curve involved don't scare me in the least.
I found via AliExpress this machine - the Anet A8 plus. Main appeal to me right now is that they have local stock since I live in Brazil where choice is highly limited. The thing is, I don't see a lot of stuff about it online, as compared to, say, Creality machines.
What I would like to know is, is the lack of discussion online a sign that the design is obsolete/irrelevant by now? Or is it still a viable choice in 2021?
# Answer
In order to talk about relevance, we need to look into the design. Over the years, printers have moved on from wooden and acrylic frame parts to aluminum frames. The latter are much stiffer and more easy to build and connect other stuff too. The old acrylic Anet A8 had a community rework to the AM8 which is the aluminium 2040 profile upgrade of the A8 parts; the acrylic parts where prone to break and flexed, hence the vast amount of upgrades for this printer. So, the A8 plus printer has a sturdy frame.
However, this is a budget printer, but so are the Ender and it's clones. It is way better than the original A8. One of the negative aspects of the Ender type machines is the roller system and the single Z screw driven gantry, you see many topics that relate to the tensioning of the rollers. The Anet A8 plus uses the linear guide rods we know from the well proven Prusa i3 design. This design can also give you problems with e.g. Z-banding when low quality lead screws are used.
A weaker aspect of the Anet A8 plus is the hotend/extruder combo. It houses a full size stepper onto the X-Z gantry, adding a lot of weight, there are better solutions for this combo. The hotend itself is fairly simple, e.g. the Ender range has decent hotends, but the default plastic arm of the extruders tend to be a problem looking into some recent questions.
All-in-all, yes, the Anet A8 plus could still be considered relevant and will give you decent prints. If it is the best choice is up for debate. It is a question of what you want! Do you pick a printer that is less popular, or one with a huge fan base and modding scene (also spare parts, upgrades, firmware flavors, etc.).
If we look at your background of tool and die making, you may want to build a printer yourself, the Anet A8 plus printer may be a first welcome addition to make your own. E.g. although the Prusa i3 style printers can produce decent prints, all top printers use different kinematics, e.g. CoreXY, H-bot or Ultimaker Cartesian.
---
*For me, printing started with a 180 Euro Anet A8 which has led me to building my own take on the AM8, a HyperCube Evolution (CoreXY) and buying an Ultimaker 3E...*
> 3 votes
---
Tags: anet-a8
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thread-18029 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18029 | Mid print error: Hot end pushed print bed clean of. Part still glued to the bed | 2021-09-07T07:17:56.923 | # Question
Title: Mid print error: Hot end pushed print bed clean of. Part still glued to the bed
I'm using a Creality Ender 3 V2 with BLTouch and Smith3D Marlin firmware.
Yesterday I designed a speaker adapter ring for my car in Autodesk Inventor. I converted the part to OBJ and sliced it in Cura. It was a fairly simple circular-shaped part that would normally not cause any issues.
The first layers went on great, did not expect it to go bad at all. When I woke up this morning, I found my print bed on the floor, luckily still in one piece, with the part still glued on. The clips holding the bed down flew off, and my BLTouch broke clean off.
I checked the part for warping, but it was straight as an arrow. I checked for burn marks, none. I couldn't find the area of impact either, probably because the BLTouch took most of the impact and flexed a bit.
I checked the Cura slice for weird motions but there didn't seem anything wrong.
What could have caused this? The printer was hours into the print when it happened.
The only thing I can think of is that Cura somehow incorporated bad G-code causing the Z-axis to move halfway through the print.
Any input is greatly appreciated. I don't quite trust my printer anymore.
I think we can safely assume that the print head moved down on its own. I live alone without any pets. Harry the house mosquito, albeit extremely annoying, is probably incapable of pushing the print bed off. The pushpin wouldn't be remotely strong enough, and the BLTouch mount snapped in half as well, so there was a lot of force applied here.
Would cosmic rays actually be able to cause this?
Nothing was connected via USB. So that leaves 2 and 3. I ran a clean version of Cura, that I always update, so it should be at the latest version available as of September 6th.
As soon as I find the time, I'll swap out the BLTouch or revert back to the stock one until new pushpins arrive. I'll probably try out a fresh slice from Cura and hope for the best I guess.
# Answer
Assuming that we know one thing for sure, we can identify 3 possible causes:
1. The print-head moved down
2. The BLTouch lowered its pushpin
3. Some external factor pushed the bed off
4. Cosmic rays could have caused a bit to flip
Assuming you kept your Ender 3 in Marlin flavour, the print head could have moved down in 4 possible ways:
1. something connected to USB sent a G-code signal
2. the printer inserted a G-code signal (very improbable that a printer sends self-destruct signals)
3. Cura inserted something into the code. Cura plugins sometimes add G-code that might not be visible in the preview. You can also rule this option out by printing from the same file from the same SD card again.
I don't know if the pushpin of the BLTouch is strong enough to break the BLTouch. Does it show any strain from sideways force?
Do you have cats? Dogs? Birds? Kids?
If a bit in the RAM of the AVR controller is flipped, it could for example, move the print-head down instead of up. This is very rare, but it does happen occasionally and cause big problems.
> 0 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, ultimaker-cura, print-failure
--- |
thread-18004 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18004 | Calculating suitable pressure for compressed-air-based cooling | 2021-08-31T22:56:17.570 | # Question
Title: Calculating suitable pressure for compressed-air-based cooling
I've heard a bit about folks using air compressors with tubing to the toolhead and outlet openings there as part cooling. One example is the Berd Air, but from the information I can gather, it works with rather low pressures where the expansion of the compressed air is unlikely to get the air significantly below ambient temperature, so it's basically equivalent to a low-end fan. Indeed, this video comparing such a system against the HevACS found it rather ineffective.
If one wants to harness the cooling of compressed air to hit the part with air significantly below ambient temperature, what is the relationship between pressure needed and temperature drop? I assume one can work it out pretty closely with ideal gas law, but I don't understand how to figure in both the change in volume and pressure when the air exits the high pressure part of the system.
# Answer
Maybe you're thinking of 'Vortex Cooling' which uses a tuned vortex tube to create hot and cold airstreams. The Wikipedia example uses 100 SCFM of filtered compressed air at 100 PSI to create a 70 °C temperature differential.
Here's one on Amazon which is targeted at milling applications. Here's another...
> 1 votes
# Answer
Firts of, I created a quick simplified simulation in Matlab of cooling from 210°C to bellow 50°C. Here is a plot showing the difference in temperature curves in time. As stated, it is simplified, because I guessed that a printed piece can get from 210 deg to 50 in less than 5 seconds when cooled properly to room temperature.
I used this differential equation:
where ***T*** is temperature, ***t*** is time, ***T\_target*** is target temperature (temperature of cooling air), ***a*** is a constant which I adjusted to meet the above specified criteria (*a* = 0.5)
As you can see, you save about a second of cooling time. You say whether it is enough. In my opinion it is irrelevant for standard printing.
Here is the Matlab source code if you want to try and experiment with it (it might run in GNU Octave as well, but I haven't tried it):
```
clear;
clc;
a = 0.5;
targetTemp1 = 23;
targetTemp2 = 0;
tempLine = 50;
timeSpan = [0, 5];
x0 = 210;
[t1, y1] = ode45(@odeFcn, timeSpan, x0, 0, a, targetTemp1);
[t2, y2] = ode45(@odeFcn, timeSpan, x0, 0, a, targetTemp2);
figure("Position", [360, 1220, 1200, 800]);
hold on;
plot(t1, y1);
plot(t2, y2);
plot([timeSpan(1), timeSpan(end)], [tempLine, tempLine], "Color", "black", "LineWidth", 2);
grid on;
legend("Taget temperature: " + targetTemp1, "Taget temperature: " + targetTemp2);
xlabel("t[s]");
ylabel("T[\circC]");
function y = odeFcn(t, x, a, target)
y = -a * (x - target);
end
```
---
That being said, here is how I calculated the needed pressure.
Constants:
***c*** is specific heat capacity of air, ***κ*** is Poisson constant for air, ***ρ*** is density od air, ***V\_2*** is volume at atmospheric pressure, I estimated this value, ***Δt*** is temperature difference assuming the pressurized air is at room temperature and need to be cooled down to 0 degrees
The needed energy too cool the air by ***delta t*** is given by this formula:
And assuming this is adiabatic process with ideal gass, we can use this equation to find ***p1***:
assuming ***V1*** is given by:
I calculated the needed work ***W*** is 0.3 J and the pressure ***p1*** is 148 kPa. To me this seems fairly low, I might have made a mistake somewhere or a wrong assumption. However, I would always suggest experimenting and finding an answer empirically, because there are too many unforseen variables like: air humidity, parts that would absorb/release the heat, direction and speed of the airflow, crossectional area of the outlet and so on.
Hope this helps.
\[Edit\] You can find the equations on wikipedia here and here. Sadly, it is in Czech, because the English variant does not have the equations in this format.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: cooling, temperature
--- |
thread-18027 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18027 | First layer inconsistency | 2021-09-07T02:08:31.523 | # Question
Title: First layer inconsistency
I have been having issues on my Ender 3 v2 for a while regarding the first layer.
As shown in the images, certain sections of the layer are decent while there are almost seemingly periodic points in the layer where it seems to be too low. I have leveled multiple times, checked my extruder settings within my slicer where I adjusted the extrusion multiplier to 105 % as I thought this was an under extrusion issue. Before adjusting the extrusion multiplier, nozzle, and bed temp, the problem was worse so it seemed to have helped a bit but it is still inconsistent.
Any ideas as to what could be causing this?
# Answer
> 1 votes
It's difficult to see your first layer well with this low magnification. Your 1st layer z-height appears to be too high.
This question isn't directly related to your issue, but may give you some insight: Wavy lines on 1st layer only
If your initial z-height is too high, the nozzle will not flatten out part of the first layer extrusion and the extrusion will not stick well to adjacent extrusions.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, bed-leveling, layer-height
--- |
thread-18032 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18032 | Wavy corners when printing calibration cat | 2021-09-07T17:17:49.050 | # Question
Title: Wavy corners when printing calibration cat
I've recently set up my Snapmaker 2.0 A350 again after moving apartments. I started by calibrating it. There was a couple of issues I'm familiar with that I could solve but one I don't know what to do about.
The corners of my CaliCat are wavy, the best I can describe them.
I'm using Cura as my slicer and the Snapmaker's filament. I know they're not good but I got it with the printer and want to finish it on less important jobs. My thermometer for the nozzle might be wrong, I was getting "elephant's foot" and drags marks in the bottom layer until I lowered the temperature to 180 °C. If I lower it to 175-170 °C, the prints fail. The rest of the settings are on default from Generic PLA and I'm using the Snapmaker profile that Cura came with.
# Answer
> 1 votes
It's worth measuring your heater-block and bed temperatures to verify that they are actually as far off as you believe.
1. The least expensive, but most difficult way is to use the thermocouple on a multimeter that can measure temperature.
2. Easier is to use a single point pyrometer for a non-contact measurement.
3. The easiest, but most expensive way to measure the temperatures, is to use a thermal imager that will tell you the highest temperature within the image.
Note: This is not the final answer, but too much for a comment. Please do not let this discourage posting a final answer.
---
Tags: print-quality
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thread-16054 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16054 | Randomly underextruding/overextruding small part on CR-10 | 2021-04-08T13:18:17.337 | # Question
Title: Randomly underextruding/overextruding small part on CR-10
I am printing fairly cheap, but highly rated, PLA and not sure whether this is underextrusion or overextrusion; but it just looks bumpy and not clean. My settings:
* 195 °C at 60 mm/s bed temp 50 °C
* 0.4 mm nozzle at 90 % extrusion
* 0.1 mm layer height
* 6 mm retraction at 60 mm/s with 0.50 mm coasting
I tried at 190 °C and it severely underextruded halfway through, but the outside looks much smoother; I also tried with and without coasting with no difference and tried adding -0.2 mm extra restart distance which didn't change much either. Could this be because I am just printing a rather small part (25 mm diameter)? I think this because I tried printing a much larger 100 mm diameter hemisphere just before, which printed perfectly using the exact same filament.
I've switched out to a new 0.4 mm nozzle, tried a 0.6 mm nozzle, but the only complete print I got had this rough and bumpy outside. It is printed in the orientation shown as removing support from those thin legs lead to them snapping.
I also had moderate stringing throughout, which I thought coasting and restart distance would fix.
Any ideas would be much appreciated.
Edit 12/04:
I have since reinstalled one of my all metal hotends, as I wasn't using them due to clogging issues, installed a brand new 0.4 mm nozzle, set the extrusion multiplier to 1.0 and disabled coasting. I also calibrated my e-steps, which means I needed to buy an arduino and burn new firmware.
Sadly I didn't print in between fixed, but these are the results I got.
The prints are **much** better but there is some pretty serious stringing and zits due to me needing to reduce the retraction distance for the hotend to 2 mm, as the 6 mm distance I was using before would make it clog; but since I'm using a bowden extruder it creates stringing. How could I go about fixing this? I feel like I'm playing a game of whack-a-mole.
# Answer
The first one has major extrusion problems going on, possibly combined with issues caused by things you did to compensate for it or other issues. You should not see "bubbly" surfaces like that. There are a lot of things it could be, but my best guesses are wet filament, clogged nozzle or damage in the ptfe tube (if your printer uses one), and your 90% flow rate. If it was really printed "right after" the successful hemisphere that probably rules out wet filament and indicates a clog of some sort or your changes to settings.
Your retraction amount is probably good if you have a bowden printer but excessive and likely to clog with direct drive. Coasting and extra unretract are always wrong; they were a hack from a long time ago trying to simulate what linear advance feature in firmware does, but with a fixed hardcoded offset. Flow rate as low as 90% is also wrong unless your steps per mm were miscalculated. You can only go up/down by a few % without messing things up badly; there just isn't that much room for error.
> 0 votes
# Answer
I just saw your update so I'm adding a new answer to address it specifically. Your print looks much better, and all the remaining problems are likely caused by Cura's bad default *Limit Support Retractions* option. It causes Cura to skip retracting when moving from one support structure to another, producing heavy oozing/stringing there and leaving insufficient material in the hotend for whatever is supposed to be printed next. This will result in underextrusion and other problems. So, turn of off.
If you have any additional weird options like *Coasting* or extra unretract after travel, disable them too. These intentionally do the wrong thing trying to compensate for other things being wrong, rather than fixing the core problem. Depending on whether you tuned your retraction to settings like this you'd changed, you might need to re-tune retraction too.
> 0 votes
---
Tags: pla, creality-cr-10, underextrusion
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thread-18040 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18040 | Exploding bubbles while printing polycarbonate | 2021-09-09T14:31:58.273 | # Question
Title: Exploding bubbles while printing polycarbonate
I have a Kuka robot that I use to print large objects (output around 18 kg/hour). I am printing recycled polycarbonate pallets.
The problem I am having is that exploding air bubbles are appearing frequently. The extruder has four heaters with temperatures:
* 210 °C (first heater)
* 230 °C
* 250 °C
* 260 °C (nozzle)
The fan is turned off.
Any ideas what could cause this problem?
# Answer
Some plastics, and PC is quite bad about this, are hygroscopic, and will absorb water if they are not kept in a low humidity environment.
Usually the manufacturer of the plastic pellets has a data sheet that specifies a drying process that should be used to condition the pellets before they are melted. Typically this consists of a baking process with a time/temperature profile, and can be incorporated into the pre-feed before it gets to the melt zone.
However, if the bake time is too long or your feed too fast, you may have to precondition them separately.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: print-quality
--- |
thread-17963 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17963 | What causes the FEP to be dented during resin printing? | 2021-08-22T02:55:16.230 | # Question
Title: What causes the FEP to be dented during resin printing?
Just a simple question about my FEP sheet getting dented after print. I just bought an Elegoo Mars 2 Pro and had trouble getting it to stick to the bed, after some painful bed leveling and realizing my exposure times were too low for maroon resin, I finally got it to stick to the bed by the 4th print.
Now before I start my next print, I want to know what causes the indents in the FEP sheet below so I can prevent it from happening again.
Is it too High exposure time, bed leveled too low/tight, or both? Now I will also note, that this print was with the standard rook test print the mars recommends you do first, also that my print was very hard to remove from the bed when finished, I had to use a lot of force to rip it off.
# Answer
> 1 votes
The rook is normally difficult to remove, it's designed this way.
Have you tried resetting the height of you build Plate? If it makes a grinding sound when doing the first 2 or three layers your build plate might be traveling too low.
Also try re-leveling your build plate, e.g. I pushed so hard when I tried to take my rook off that I un-leveled it.
# Answer
> 0 votes
You have not done anything wrong!
Usually, each resin type is suitable for a specific VAT floor. For example, for PDMS floor you should use very specific types of resins.
FEP is known to be very strong and difficult to ruin. But still a couple of things you need to consider:
* When the resin cures it does generate a substantial amount of heat, you definitely can decrease it by a better level (less resin) or dimming (slower chemical reaction). Some FEPs could stand 450 °C.
* Separation force, it will depend on the area being solidified and how strong the resin stick to your FEP.
* How tightened the FEP is also important. You do not want it to be very tight.
---
Tags: resin, elegoo-mars
--- |
thread-18046 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18046 | How to make Ender 5 use BLTouch probe for Z homing? | 2021-09-10T10:46:54.557 | # Question
Title: How to make Ender 5 use BLTouch probe for Z homing?
# Backstory
I set up the BLTouch module as explained in the guide that came with it - **that included unplugging the Z axis switch, and replacing it with a pair of wires from the BLTouch module**.
I managed to burn the firmware available from Creality, however this didn't have an offset for the fact the BLTouch module is offset from the hotend, and I couldn't manually edit the `.hex` file to add in offsets. I tried using the G Code command to update it on the EEPROM, but that didn't work and it always probed off the edge of the bed.
I then decided to flash new firmware based directly off Marlin 1.1.x, as there are some videos on Youtube about how to do this. I used the pink USB ISP supplied with the BLTouch to flash the Arduino bootloader to the motherboard, and now I can use the Arduino IDE to program the board.
I uploaded my configured Marlin firmware (see below), but it isn't working properly.
# Problem
When I home the printer, the X and Y stops go to the switches, bump and zero correctly. However, when the Z axis is homing, the BLTouch probe stays retracted, and it starts heading for home - I forcefully shut down my printer when this happens because I know there's nothing to stop it from crashing into the print head and breaking things.
**How do I configure my firmware to use the BLTouch module as the Z stop probe?**
Although the probe clicks in and out a few times when I power on the printer, I'm not entirely sure that it is even working - going to the BLTouch menu and choosing `Cmd: Deploy` doesn't have an effect.
On the up side, when it goes to the centre to home (due to `Z_SAFE_HOMING`), the BLTouch module is over the centre of the build plate instead of the hotend.
---
## Configuration
You can see the Marlin repository I'm trying to use here on Gitlab, or a direct link to the diff between the inital Marlin configuration and my changes.
These are some hopefully relevant configuration changes I've made:
```
// Configuration.h
//#define USE_XMIN_PLUG
//#define USE_YMIN_PLUG
#define USE_ZMIN_PLUG
#define USE_XMAX_PLUG
#define USE_YMAX_PLUG
#define BLTOUCH
#define X_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER -44 // X offset: -left +right [of the nozzle]
#define Y_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER -6 // Y offset: -front +behind [the nozzle]
#define Z_PROBE_OFFSET_FROM_EXTRUDER 5.7 // Z offset: -below +above [the nozzle]
#define Z_HOMING_HEIGHT 4
#define Z_SAFE_HOMING
```
```
// pins_MELZI_CREALITY.h
#define SERVO0_PIN 20 // Wondering if this is correct?
```
These settings have been left as default, but they look relevant maybe:
```
/**
* Z_MIN_PROBE_USES_Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_PIN
*
* Enable this option for a probe connected to the Z Min endstop pin.
*/
#define Z_MIN_PROBE_USES_Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_PIN
/**
* Z_MIN_PROBE_ENDSTOP
*
* Enable this option for a probe connected to any pin except Z-Min.
* (By default Marlin assumes the Z-Max endstop pin.)
* To use a custom Z Probe pin, set Z_MIN_PROBE_PIN below.
*
* - The simplest option is to use a free endstop connector.
* - Use 5V for powered (usually inductive) sensors.
*
* - RAMPS 1.3/1.4 boards may use the 5V, GND, and Aux4->D32 pin:
* - For simple switches connect...
* - normally-closed switches to GND and D32.
* - normally-open switches to 5V and D32.
*
* WARNING: Setting the wrong pin may have unexpected and potentially
* disastrous consequences. Use with caution and do your homework.
*
*/
//#define Z_MIN_PROBE_ENDSTOP
/**
* Number of servos
*
* For some servo-related options NUM_SERVOS will be set automatically.
* Set this manually if there are extra servos needing manual control.
* Leave undefined or set to 0 to entirely disable the servo subsystem.
*/
//#define NUM_SERVOS 3 // Servo index starts with 0 for M280 command
```
# Answer
> 2 votes
I've solved this now. Here's the problem:
> ```
> // pins_MELZI_CREALITY.h
>
>
> #define SERVO0_PIN 20 // Wondering if this is correct?
>
>
> ```
Funnily enough, it wasn't correct. Pin 20 is the `Z MIN` pin, as defined in `pins_MELZI_CREALITY.h`, and **not** the servo pin used by the BLTouch module.
At 8:04 of this youtube video, he says that that value should be set to 27, "if we're using a pin 27 board or splicing pin".
I tried it, and the BLTouch module now responds, and homing works!
For anyone else who comes across this problem (it's strangely very hard to find online), add the following code:
```
#define BLTOUCH
#if ENABLED(BLTOUCH)
#define SERVO0_PIN 27
//#define BLTOUCH_DELAY 375 // (ms) Enable and increase if needed
#endif
```
---
Tags: marlin, bltouch, creality-ender-5
--- |
thread-18047 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18047 | Klipper firmware on OctoPi asks for MCU for flashing | 2021-09-10T12:08:57.433 | # Question
Title: Klipper firmware on OctoPi asks for MCU for flashing
I have Marlin firmware on an Anycubic Vyper 3D printer and I want to use Klipper.
My Raspberry PI 3B runs OctoPi and I installed Klipper from Github. Now I want to flash Klipper, but when I select **Raspberry Pi** for flashing I get an error that flashing on Raspberry is not supported. For the attached Vyper printer I have no knowledge of the MCU to select.
What MCU to select in Klipper for Anycubic Vyper?
# Answer
> 1 votes
The printer controller board (the controller that came with the printer) needs to have the basics for being controlled by Klipper, hence the flashing, you should select the MCU of the 3D printer, that is not your Raspberry PI. Usually it is a Atmega AVR or a 32-bit controller board.
It appears the Anycubic Vyper 3D is using a 32-bit Cortex-M3 MCU, but please check what your controller has.
Please read this article by All3DP, it describes exactly the same as above:
> Use your device’s arrow keys and enter button to navigate the pop-up menu, and go to the “Micro-controller section”.
> The Ender 3 V2 uses an STM 32-bit board, so click the “STMicroelectronics STM32” option.
---
Tags: raspberry-pi, klipper
--- |
thread-18051 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18051 | What is this white layer on my 3D printer? | 2021-09-10T14:44:26.930 | # Question
Title: What is this white layer on my 3D printer?
I left my printer to print a circular object and when I came back I saw it didn't print anything but left this layer of white on the surface. I can't get it off, I've tried washing it and scraping it off with the chisel, nothing works.
# Answer
My guess is it's damaged print surface from the hot extruder mashing against the print surface. Your description seems to indicate that it isn't a layer.
> 7 votes
# Answer
If it actually is residue from the material you were trying to print, pressed against the surface so tightly and so thin that you can't separate it, the best way to remove it is printing a new object on top of it, using the same material, with the bed properly leveled (i.e. not smashing the nozzle into it again) and with the bed and nozzle temperature high. If things go well, it will then come off with the print when you're done after the bed cools. This is because printable thermoplastics tend to stick better to themselves than to the bed.
> 2 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-5, build-plate, surface
--- |
thread-18055 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18055 | Inconsistent E-step calibration test results | 2021-09-10T19:06:04.340 | # Question
Title: Inconsistent E-step calibration test results
My Ender 3 has been having intermittent under extrusion issues. Layers of good density alternate with weak mesh. When printing multiple objects at once, sometimes one will be almost entirely good, while the piece next to it is all meshy; so it's not even consistent within layers, or between sections of the print bed.
I've cleaned it and replaced everything from the stepper handle to the hot end.
Today I've been trying to calibrate E-steps, and they're all over the place:
* Initial tests produced from 19 to 23 mm (should be 100 mm)
* I calibrated to an average of those, and then tests ranged 105 to 115 mm
* I tried a different spool of filament; that one produced 58 and 67 mm.
What can be causing these inconsistent results?
# Answer
Oops. I had replaced the tension arm, spring, and hob gear before calibrating. Turns out I attached the gear too low, so it wasn't pushing the filament through.
Adjusted the gear, and calibration tests became consistent. Printing nicely now.
> 3 votes
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, calibration, underextrusion
--- |
thread-18063 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18063 | Why does my print have extra layer(s) which keep moving parts locked? | 2021-09-13T18:10:11.857 | # Question
Title: Why does my print have extra layer(s) which keep moving parts locked?
I just bought & received my first 3D printer and built it and tried my first print on it. It is this printer ELEGOO Neptune 2S
I printed the following item (chip clip) as a test.
The top of the item looks exactly correct.
However, the bottom (where the print started) is slightly "bonded" (still connected). If you look closely you can see the outline of the teeth.
Can you tell me what might have caused this? Am I using an improper material? (This was test filament that came with printer).
Was the printer not close enough to (or too far from) the bed?
Is there possibly something I should've changed in the settings of the drawing? I left them the same as they were in the downloaded file.
# Answer
You have "elephant foot". Look at the left end of the grip section of the clip in your second image -- see how the thickness increases toward the top (which was the bottom, against the build surface, when printing)?
There are a number of causes for this; in your case, it continues for several layers, so the basic solutions (reducing first layer extrusion in slicer settings etc.) won't fix it; you probably have the same issue I do, with the Z axis not moving quite far enough on the first 3-4 layers after the initial.
I'd suggest you start looking for the solution by printing a calibration cube, and measure how much height you're losing. You might also want to draw up some simple calibration prints with one, two, three, and four layers to see the actual height those first few layers are getting, vs. what your layer height setting is.
This will help confirm the problem. Solving it might involve several kinds of tuning, but they'll all revolve around making the first few layer moves up from the start closer to their nominal height. Once layers 2, 3, and 4 are right, once you get a good initial layer, your prints will be significantly improved -- especially print-in-place parts like this one.
> 1 votes
---
Tags: 3d-design, layer-height, elegoo-neptune-2s
--- |
thread-18060 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18060 | Alunar Prusa i3 hot end replacement options | 2021-09-12T04:10:26.437 | # Question
Title: Alunar Prusa i3 hot end replacement options
I had a print fail a while back and the filament covered the hot end. I attempted to replace the nozzle to fix the no filament issue but it looks like the unit has a cheap Chinese heater block that I have seen mentioned or It's a really old model which is nothing like the current ones with heat sinks. I am hoping to find a replacement heater that will work in place of this hot end. I suspect from looking at the design and the things I have read that I will likely need a different heater block. It might just connect the heat tube with the nozzle if both are bottomed out which was mentioned as not a good thing. The heat tube/break seems to be the reason I can't properly get the filament out as it is letting it melt too far up since it has the nut against the heater block and no radiator.
This has a picture of the print head mount. I suspect I have to change that out in order to handle the new styles of print heads.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
It should be a heat break but does not look like it was implemented that way the first picture shows the unit. It screws into/through the bottom of the carrier has a fan on it but no proper heatsink.
# Answer
The Alunar M508 is very similar to the old Anet A8 3D printer (I'm positive that it is a copy). Note that both are acrylic frame printers based on the Prusa i3 concept.
The images of the Alunar M508 appear to show the MK8 hotend. As you mentioned, these are old hotend designs that have been caught up by new designs.
In order to use a different, higher quality hotend, you need to look out for community designs for your printer model. Thingiverse is a good source, e.g. Alunar m508 Upgrades is a good place to start. You could look out for an e3D V6 if you want a Bowden (remote extruder) or a BondTech type (direct extruder). You need to print out a holder (plate) to accommodate the bearings, securing/fixing the belt and holding to fans and the heat sink.
> 1 votes
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Tags: hotend, alunar-m508
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thread-18067 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18067 | Would it be possible to use an Arduino Uno to interface with my Ender 3 pro so I can program it to beep when done? | 2021-09-13T22:10:29.750 | # Question
Title: Would it be possible to use an Arduino Uno to interface with my Ender 3 pro so I can program it to beep when done?
I had an idea to make a program for my Arduino Uno that beeps whenever a print is done, but I can't find anything about interfacing it with the printer as all Google gives me is stuff about making a 3D printer from an Arduino.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Yes you could. But, as an alternative to the Arduino Uno, it might be far easier to send a beep by G-code `M300` (or here for Marlin firmware), this will bypass the need for an Arduino Uno entirely. You can even play the soundtrack/theme of Beverly Hills cop from this previous answer.
You can add the (set of) G-code(s) to the "end G-code" in your slicer.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, arduino
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thread-16722 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16722 | Is enclosure without ventilation enough to keep VOC's and printer fumes from leaking into my room? | 2021-07-13T10:51:07.273 | # Question
Title: Is enclosure without ventilation enough to keep VOC's and printer fumes from leaking into my room?
I am currently in the look for a 3D printer and one major issue I find it the fumes/VOCs that printing can emit. I am not planning to do ABS or similar but I've read from studies that PLA also may emit VOCs. I live in an apartment and I plan to put the printer in my office, in which I work remotely, so I spend 8+ hours per day in that room. Additionally, I'm not looking to print huge volumes, I'd rather say probably 1-2 prints per month or so.
Now, through my research I found that it's better to go with an FDM printer rather resin, as the latter not only stinks (and fumes are dangerous) but also is quite overwhelming for a beginner. Cool, then I was looking for FDM printers with enclosure (e.g. Qidi maker or da Vinci) and others without (e.g. Creality Ender 3 V2 or Prusa).
Let's start with the enclosed printers. So, most of them advertise that they have filters on their vents but from some quick research I see lots of people complain that these are useless. In some cases some have printed an adaptor, placed it on the fan's place and use an air hose to direct the fumes outside, to a window for example. That is fine, requires some bit of work but I guess it will keep most dangerous particles away.
For enclosureless 3d printers like Ender V2, I noticed that I can buy an enclosure, like the ones that Creality advertises as fireproof. Or still I could DIY one via IKEA parts. I thought that I could enclose my printer there when I needed to print something, seal it and when done, just put it in the balcony to rest, by opening the enclosure there for the VOCs to come out and disperse in the environment. Would that work? Would that enclosure keep the VOCs from contaminating my room? Does anybody tried something similar? Would that be practical? Would that affect the printing quality?
So in the end the question is: should I rely on an enclosure without ventilation and then put it on the balcony to rest and release the fumes? Or should I build a DIY air filtering system to redirect the fumes outside through my window? Which one would keep away those VOCs?
# Answer
> 4 votes
The VOC issue is overblown. Unless you print constantly, you don't need any air treatment. Often that kind of treatment is installed by people who like DIY for the fun of it, not because it's really needed.
Characterization of volatile organic compound emissions from consumer level material extrusion 3D printers shows that dangerous chemicals may, in some cases without ventilation, exceed some of the limit concentration, but not much. So, in general, nothing goes significantly above the allowed concentrations.
With less than 2-3 prints a day the natural ventilation of the room (which you need anyway if you work there) is enough to keep VOC to a safe level (unless you watch the whole print with the nose at few cm from it).
If you want to be extra safe, use one of those flexible enclosures around the printer. It won't be super good for PLA (it gets warm inside and PLA should not be printed in a hot environment) but it will contain the VOC. When the print is done, or simply when you finish work, remove the enclosure, open slightly the window and come back in an hour or so.
That's more than enough.
If you want to filter for the fun of it, buy a HEPA filter and put an activated carbon filter after it, plus the fans to push the air through these two filters. But then you won't be in the room to work due to the noise, so I'm not sure you gained anything.
# Answer
> 1 votes
For some filament materials an enclosure without ventilation is too warm. You could run a hose to the outside like a cloths dryer uses and use a fan to blow the air out through it. Then, a filtering system is unnecessary.
My understanding is a resin printing system is more complex to maintain. You probably would only want to go that direction if you needed the special characteristics of those systems.
If you expose your printer to the variations in seasonal temperatures, you may need to adjust your printer parameters based on the different temperatures during printing.
# Answer
> 0 votes
An enclosure without ventilation would definitely not be enough to contain VOCs from my experience with ABS and HIPS (both have relatively strong smells). The fumes will simply seep out of the openings in the enclosure.
I put my 3d printer in a bathroom with an exhaust fan. The fan's outlet is IP-controllable, so I have OctoPrint run the fan every few minutes to exhaust the fumes (or constantly). It works great. When the fan is on no fumes escape. You can verify by burning some incense and seeing that the smoke flows into the bathroom from outside. Putting a facial tissue close to the door will demonstrate the suction effect also.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, pla, prusa-i3, enclosure, ventilation
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thread-18078 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18078 | Can the Ender 3 Pro be upgraded to use PETG | 2021-09-16T15:27:37.270 | # Question
Title: Can the Ender 3 Pro be upgraded to use PETG
Is it possible to buy/upgrade the nozzle on my Ender 3 Pro to one that is suited for handling the higher temperatures needed to effectively print with PETG filament?
# Answer
No hotend upgrade is required to print PETG on an Ender 3 (pro or any other variant). The stock hotend can be used at temperatures up to 250 ˚C, and 230-245 ˚C is the range typically recommended for PETG. I print it at 245 ˚C.
You may however want to upgrade the extruder. The stock extruder lacks both torque and grip, and significantly skips/slips when trying to print PETG at any significant speed. Going over 40 mm/s or so is likely to produced failed prints. Look for an extruder with gear reduction and a hob that's designed to grip the filament better (vs the flat one that comes with the printer) or even dual driven hobs.
> 4 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, nozzle, petg
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thread-18082 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18082 | Lead screw orientation | 2021-09-16T19:43:04.380 | # Question
Title: Lead screw orientation
Wouldn't it be better to mount lead screws with the motor on top and the bottom end unconstrained? Compared to the conventional way (motor on the bottom) the lead screw would be under constant tension rather than compression and any misalignment would always be "pulled straight" and in this way minimize z-wobble.
Here is a image for clarification:
With the motor on top the load of the bed will help to move the lead screw in line with the mount. In the opposite case the load tends to further increase any misalignment.
# Answer
> 4 votes
No, but the answer could depends on how you set up the lead screws, what kind of lead screws are used and how they connect to the stepper. Also it is important how you transfer the linear Z motion into the X gantry.
Note that regularly used TR08 (Trapezoid, 8 mm) lead screws are stiff enough to not flex under the limited load of an X gantry. So, putting them upright or down should not make a difference. Furthermore, the whole X-gantry is usually constraint in movement by the use of linear guide rods or rails.
Note that lead screws are not perfect, certainly the cheaper versions (ball screws are better in that respect). The imperfections can cause the lead screw nut to move in the X-Y direction. If the nut is firmly attached to the X-gantry, this movement can be seen in the print like e.g. waves in Z-direction we call Z-wobble. There are designs like these or these to mitigate that problem. Leaving one end free (so not constraining both ends) of the lead screw is also a mitigation as with constraining both sides, you over-constrain the screw. Note that the spring couplers you see applied frequently are great for misalignment of stepper motor shaft and lead screw, but are detrimental for the Z-axis. When using such couplers for shaft misalignment, you should constrain at least motion in Z-direction.
# Answer
> 2 votes
The motor is mounted in a fixed position no matter if it's on top or bottom. You can imagine the lead screw as a rod hanging down and supporting the bed in the Z direction only, because all of the XY rigidity comes from the Liner rails the bed is attached to it works just as well if the stiff rod is under compression instead of hanging from the rod.
Any forces that might "pull it straight" are the same forces that can cause Z wobble so you would not want to even try to use the misalignment to straighten a bent lead screw.
The only thing this that really changes with this orientation is if the lead screw is under tension or compression. Even a relatively thin lead screw can easy counter the forces of gravity and the forces is the same in both directions. Its easy and cheap to make a smooth rod or rail straight but not so easy to make a threaded one straight.
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Tags: print-quality, diy-3d-printer, printer-building, mechanics, lead-screw
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thread-18085 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18085 | What is the optimal temperature for PLA+? | 2021-09-16T23:12:02.380 | # Question
Title: What is the optimal temperature for PLA+?
I'm planning on switching to using PLA+ and am slicing a few models, I'm wondering what the typical optimal temperature for PLA+ is with the Ender 3.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Usually the filament spool will have a range of temperatures for the best nozzle temperatures and bed temperatures to use. To answer your quesstion there are several considerations.
1. Not all PLA's are the same and that is probably even more so with PLA+. That is where the temperatures written on the spool come in handy.
2. Optimum temperatures will vary for different printers.
3. Optimum temperatures will vary depending on the print job: large versus small; thick versus thin; short verses long; etc.
4. Optimum temperature will vary depending on print speed, as well as enclosure or lack of, and air circulating through enclosure with fans.
You may need to tweak settings to get the optimum print.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, temperature, pla+
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thread-14662 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/14662 | How to test all pins of a STM32 board? | 2020-10-26T13:07:35.723 | # Question
Title: How to test all pins of a STM32 board?
I have an SKR PRO control board with a dead (shorted, it's burning hot) main processor. I ordered a new board, it was my mistake.
The voltage regulators work, so I ordered a replacement STM32F407 processor from STM (a free sample actually) and I'll repair the board in my free time.
How can I test all pins of the new board, so that I can ensure the board is working when I'll sell it/when I'll use it for my next project?
I think that programmatically turning on and off each pin would be enough, then I would use an oscilloscope or a LED to verify the result. The pins which have special functions (heater, fan, MOSFET in general) would be tested accordingly, but I still need the pulsating input.
# Answer
> 0 votes
A good starting point *could* be to use one of the two versions of the `RAMPS1.4_TestCode.pde` testcode, which is linked to by this thread on the RepRapWiki, RAMPS 1.4 test code:
> Please note it will switch on and off your heated-bed and extruder hot-end too besides moving all the motors and flashing the leds. Disconnect them if you do not want any heating while testing.
There is a later version, in this post on the same thread, which also checks the individual stepper motor steps:
```
#define X_STEP_PIN 54
#define X_DIR_PIN 55
#define X_ENABLE_PIN 38
#define X_MIN_PIN 3
#define X_MAX_PIN 2
#define Y_STEP_PIN 60
#define Y_DIR_PIN 61
#define Y_ENABLE_PIN 56
#define Y_MIN_PIN 14
#define Y_MAX_PIN 15
#define Z_STEP_PIN 46
#define Z_DIR_PIN 48
#define Z_ENABLE_PIN 62
#define Z_MIN_PIN 18
#define Z_MAX_PIN 19
#define E_STEP_PIN 26
#define E_DIR_PIN 28
#define E_ENABLE_PIN 24
#define Q_STEP_PIN 36
#define Q_DIR_PIN 34
#define Q_ENABLE_PIN 30
#define SDPOWER -1
#define SDSS 53
#define LED_PIN 13
#define FAN_PIN 9
#define PS_ON_PIN 12
#define KILL_PIN -1
#define HEATER_0_PIN 10
#define HEATER_1_PIN 8
#define TEMP_0_PIN 13 // ANALOG NUMBERING
#define TEMP_1_PIN 14 // ANALOG NUMBERING
void setup() {
pinMode(FAN_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(HEATER_0_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(HEATER_1_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(LED_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(X_STEP_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(X_DIR_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(X_ENABLE_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Y_STEP_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Y_DIR_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Y_ENABLE_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Z_STEP_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Z_DIR_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Z_ENABLE_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(E_STEP_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(E_DIR_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(E_ENABLE_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Q_STEP_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Q_DIR_PIN , OUTPUT);
pinMode(Q_ENABLE_PIN , OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(X_ENABLE_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Y_ENABLE_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Z_ENABLE_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(E_ENABLE_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Q_ENABLE_PIN , LOW);
}
void loop () {
// if (millis() %1000 <500)
// digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
// else
// digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
// if (millis() %1000 <300) {
// digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, HIGH);
// digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, LOW);
// digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, LOW);
// } else if (millis() %1000 <600) {
// digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, LOW);
// digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, HIGH);
// digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, LOW);
// } else {
// digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, LOW);
// digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, LOW);
// digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, HIGH);
// }
if ( millis() % 60000 < 30000) {
digitalWrite(X_DIR_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(Y_DIR_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(Z_DIR_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(E_DIR_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(Q_DIR_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, LOW);
digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, HIGH);
digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, LOW);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
}
else {
digitalWrite(X_DIR_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Y_DIR_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Z_DIR_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(E_DIR_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Q_DIR_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, HIGH);
digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, LOW);
digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, HIGH);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
}
digitalWrite(X_STEP_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Y_STEP_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Z_STEP_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(E_STEP_PIN , LOW);
digitalWrite(Q_STEP_PIN , LOW);
delay (200);
digitalWrite(X_STEP_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(Y_STEP_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(Z_STEP_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(E_STEP_PIN , HIGH);
digitalWrite(Q_STEP_PIN , HIGH);
delay (200);
}
```
As your board isn't a RAMPS you will probably have to change some of the `#defines`, to correspond with your board, but that should just be a simple *search-and-replace* exercise.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Well I got some problems with a batch of STM32 boards where some work and some don't. I'm trying to figure out the same thing.
The initial plan is a simple board with a socket for the micro and some LEDs, hopefully not 64 of them, and put in it a simple firmware that just goes around testing all the GPIOs, but I fear that the test could not be enough.
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Tags: part-testing
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thread-18092 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18092 | STL files and physical dimensions of a 3D printed object | 2021-09-17T20:52:51.643 | # Question
Title: STL files and physical dimensions of a 3D printed object
I understand that an STL file contains all the coordinates of all the vertices of all triangles that a surface may be subdivided into. But it does not contain the physical dimensions of the model. However, in Tinkercad, we create a 3D model with very specific dimensions in mm.
We then import the STL file into a slicer where it appears with exactly the same dimensions we set up in Tinkercad for the object. After converting the STL to G-code, the printer prints the 3D model with the dimensions we intended it to have.
How is all that possible if the initial STL file does not have information about the physical dimensions of the object?
# Answer
STL is unit-less, but everything that cares about units will pick one. Typically, the unit picked is mm.
But even if that's not the case, you can always scale it with a unit conversion ratio after importing it.
> 3 votes
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Tags: stl
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thread-17915 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17915 | Maximum recommended layer height for an Elegoo Saturn? | 2021-08-14T11:12:33.963 | # Question
Title: Maximum recommended layer height for an Elegoo Saturn?
I have an Elegoo Saturn resin printer and I want to print out some low detail models that are about three inches on each side. I'm going to add the detail in using traditional modelling, kit-bashing and painting after the models have been printed.
In order to get a faster print I'd like to increase the layer height, what is the maximum recommended height for a print of this size?
For example, if I'm printing tanks that have little or no surface detail.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Layer height affects the exposure time. Thicker layers mean that you need to expose longer. You would need to test and verify what works for you.
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Tags: resin, layer-height
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thread-18090 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18090 | Need help printing a quality first layer, but having adhesion and fill issues | 2021-09-17T19:17:21.883 | # Question
Title: Need help printing a quality first layer, but having adhesion and fill issues
I am attempting to print a model that is too tall to print up-right and it has a large flat side that would be my first layer but ultimately would be the side of the object and I'd like it to look presentable. I'm using wood PLA, so I intend to sand and stain it.
I've had no issues with adhesion when using a raft. The slicer lays down a thick first layer that sticks beautifully. Here's the first layer of a raft - nice thick lines:
But when I try printing without the raft (even when using a brim) that first layer is not only thin, but easily moves away. Also the lines meld together creating gaps in the layer. And that's no skirt around the outside, that's the side of the model that doesn't touch the fill. I have to imagine this would be awful rough and impossible to sand out if it finished.
By the second layer, the friction is picking up the first layer and it catches the extruder and bam:
I've done some research suggesting higher temps, both of the extruder and the plate. I did see an improvement in the lines, but it still doesn't stick well. And what is considered a good temp? how do you know if you went too hot?
Any recommended settings in the slicer to make the bottom layer smoother?
The printer is a FlashForge Creator Pro.
# Answer
> 1 votes
The extrusions look great to me, it just appears to me the nozzle is starting too far from the bed. If you go in to your slicer and subtract 0.1 to 0.3 mm or so from the Z-offset that might fix your issues. Or follow the supplied directions on how to tram (level) your bed as this tends to include setting the starting Zgap.
If you did set the gap to your satisfaction I would recommend still changing the offset in -0.1 mm increments and checking if the print sticks better each time.
I would always recommend a thicker first layer for most any FDM printer. It conforms much better to any variations in nozzle to bed distance. For a more reliable bed adhesion.
On a 0.4 mm nozzle I use 0.3 mm for a first layer height. You may have to adjust first layers speeds to help with this. Something around half normal print speeds have worked well.
Bumping up temperatures as you have you have done is a way to get better adhesion but I feel this should be more of a last resort, you have other better options for bed adhesion such as a proper Z gap and thicker first layer.
20 °C is a large extruder temperature increase, this could cause cooling or warping issues later. I have spent a lot of time tuning my printers and have seen first hand the dangers of tuning out one issue only to find out later that change solved the issue I was focused on at the time but added two more issues at a later time.
I recommend adjusting settings that effect the fewest other unrelated aspects first. In this case that would be starting Z gap, clean bed surface (free of hand oils) then maybe bed temps. Unless you happen to be printing at a unusually low extruder temperature I would avoid adjusting print temperatures to solve bed adhesion issues.
# Answer
> 1 votes
After some trial and error, the answer seemed to simply be to "add heat." I bumped both the heat of the plate by 15 °C, and the extruder by 20 °C.
I also increased the size of the first layer to between 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm and it's looking much better.
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Tags: print-quality, pla, adhesion, flashforge-creator
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thread-16713 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/16713 | How to restore languages to Creality CR-6 SE after firmware update? | 2021-07-12T01:47:19.397 | # Question
Title: How to restore languages to Creality CR-6 SE after firmware update?
I have been battling print issues since my purchase of a new Creality CR-6 SE. I chose to do a firmware upgrade to see if it's perhaps a patched issue. I used the Creality Download page and downloaded the zip containing the 4.5.2 mainboard firmware for CR-6 SE.
I cleared an SD card and then put the .bin found/named (CR-6SE 32bit mainboard firmware\4.5.2mainboard (C & E version/CR-6SE - V1.0.2.bin)
It loaded and then I had no text. I tried the next bin in the same folder, the same result... continued through all of them with the same result.
It appears that the other printer functions exist, I was able to run the bed leveling processes successfully, just no text is present to label anything or to indicate when it's working.
How do I get the text to return to my display?
Bonus: I navigated to the settings menu and clicked the language menu item (using icons to navigate) and then the printer UI freezes. I have to power cycle to interact with it again.
# Answer
> 1 votes
Whenever the UI of a CR-6 doesn't function correctly after a firmware upgrade, either the firmware upgrade didn't go well or the firmware of the screen is no longer compatible with the firmware of the printer.
If you know the screen and firmware are supposed to be compatible, try updating the firmware again. There is some sort of 'is this update the same as the current version' check on it, so you may have to alternate between different firmware files (.bin) or at least different filenames. Last time it took me 3 attempts.
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Tags: firmware, creality, creality-cr-6
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thread-17853 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/17853 | Thin bead not adhering to itself or bed very well, what am I doing wrong | 2021-08-05T04:40:46.287 | # Question
Title: Thin bead not adhering to itself or bed very well, what am I doing wrong
I'm just learning how to use a 3D printer, I have an Anycubic Mega Zero 2.0.
When I start printing the PLA filament doesn't want to adhere very well. I have leveled it out and all of my corners on my test print adhere well. However, when I go to print anything besides the test print I get basically a small bead - it doesn't smooth flat. If I try and adjust from there it starts pushing all the material around.
This lack of adhesion and bead continue throughout the print making it flimsy. It's weird because it looks nice but it's not strong.
# Answer
If you look at the multiple lines of the skirt, you see that none of the printed lines are touching the other laid down lines. This is an indication for under extrusion or a too large of a gap between the nozzle and the bed (or both). Considering you are talking about a bead/drop/blob of hot filament not adhering to the bed, this might be a good indication for a too large of a distance, if the gap is too large, the filament will not adhere to the bed and forms a blob. You could consider decreasing the gap by leveling with a thinner piece of paper or feeler gauge first. An alternative that might be quick to test is to re-define the bed height prior to printing using a plug-in in Ultimaker Cura or manually inserted in your G-code file. E.g. in you start code, add a move to a certain height and define that to a different height:
```
G1 Z0.2 ; move printer head to 0.2 mm height
G92 Z0.24 ; re-define 0.2 to 0.24 mm, if the first layer prints at e.g. 0.2 mm,
; the printer will move down 0.04 mm
```
The images aren't very sharp, but, from one of the top layers it looks like you are indeed suffering from under extrusion. First, check if the filament can unwind freely without too much force from the spool. Second, under extrusion should be fixed by adjusting the steps per millimeter value. Beware, a new printer should have the correct value already inserted in the firmware, you should definitely check the filament path for obstructions first.
A glass bed should be pretty flat, but it has been reported that there are glass manufacturers that produce low quality glass beds with dents. If so, you could shim the middle of the heated bed. An alternative is to flash new firmware and mesh the glass bed and the printer will automatically adjust for the height; this is not recommended for beginners.
You could also increase the temperature of the bed, PLA can be printed on a cold prepared bed, but works very well on beds at 50-60 °C. You could consider using an adhesive on the glass as well, certain hairsprays, certain glue sticks, and special adhesive print sprays like 3DLAC work very well.
Last but not least, incorrect filament diameter can cause under extrusion, older versions of Cura are notorious for resetting the filament diameter to 2.85 mm when you need e.g. 1.75 mm.
> 3 votes
# Answer
This looks exactly like you are extruding less plastic then you should be. Gaps can be seen on the top "solid" infill layer and even more telling is the gaps from one perimeter loop to the other. Suffering from weak prints is another indication of this. (or low extruder temps)
You may find solving the under extrusion issue goes a long way to assist with the bed adhesion issues you are having. I would recommend you first solve that and then see if the bed adhesion issue is still present. At the very least it should make is easier to dial in the bed adhesion.
If any slicer changes or tuning was done a quick and easy sanity check would be to download and run a print with known good profiles for your model of printer. It's easy to chase and tune for one issue and unknowingly create another that shows up at a later time in a different print, especially if you are new to 3d printing. (ask me how I know)
> 1 votes
# Answer
If the print bed is contaminated with oil or fat, print bed adhesion may be too low. Cleaning with alcohol might help.
> 0 votes
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Tags: print-quality, pla, adhesion, bed
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thread-13897 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13897 | How to get a quality print of a thin single-walled shell? | 2020-06-17T03:13:22.580 | # Question
Title: How to get a quality print of a thin single-walled shell?
I would like to 3D print a small thin tub/mold for an epoxy resin. I have tubings inserted into holes, and I need to fix these tubings securely with epoxy (see picture below). The space is very limited, and the whole assembly must have a smallest possible footprint, so I have to confine the epoxy from spreading to the sides - that's why I need a tub. The tub itself must have as thin walls as possibly for the same reason.
**The wall thickness is constant, so theoretically the nozzle could just make one single loop to print a layer, and then move to the next one. Kinda a spiral motion**. It seems to be so simple! How do I get the slicer (I use Ultimaker 2 with 0.4 mm nozzle, CoPA material, and slice in Cura 4.6.1) to produce single outline walls?
I tried so many things, but I couldn't get this.
With the default settings for 0.2 mm layer a 0.4 mm wall (or thinner) will not be printed at all (left - 0.35 mm wall, middle - 0.4 mm, right - 0.45 mm):
Occasionally even the 0.45 mm-thick wall gets excluded from the print, which is really bizarre:
If I make the wall thicker, then the slicer tries to pack two discontinued lines next to each other, which is even worse. Cura has an option 'print thin walls', but this results in jerky, discontinued tracks.
At the moment I print 0.45 mm walls with the 'print thin walls' option turned on, this is the closest to what I need that I could find so far.
This may look fine in Cura, but the result is pretty ugly due to the additional nozzle movements... I really don't understand why the printer has to do them. It prints the outline, then jumps to the 'corner' and deposits a blob there. I can carefully remove these blobs with a scalpel, but come on, this is a disposable part and I need a ton of these!!!
If that helps, here is a link to a sample STL file with 450 μm walls.
# Answer
> 0 votes
After a lot of experimenting and trying several different things I finally discovered the **'vase mode'**. In this mode the 3D printer makes a hollow object with a single-layer outer shell.
The corresponding setting is called **'spiralize outer contour'** in Cura 4.6.1. In this mode the printer does not make distinct layers and prints the whole shell in one continuous motion (video), exactly as I need it. The print is done faster, and the quality is dramatically better!
The downside is that only one model can be built in this mode. If you place several models on the build plate, they will get connected by a wall. However, there is a workaround in Cura: under 'Special modes' set 'Print sequence' to 'One at a time'. Ultimaker will print several model one after another provided they are not tall and you leave enough space between them (dark area in the picture below). I could print up to 12 models at once, which is enough for me.
# Answer
> 3 votes
Cura is exceptionally bad at printing details comparable in size to the configured line width. Lower your wall line width to something like half the wall thickness (i.e. 0.225 mm) and see if that works. With a standard 0.4 mm nozzle I've had success printing tiny details with 0.2 mm line width or smaller. For example:
And here's your model printed at 0.225 mm line width:
I also had to slow down the print speed considerably to get first layer adhesion with such thin lines. I did 40% via the printer UI, relative to 30 mm/s base rate, so effectively 12 mm/s. After first layer increasing speed was no problem.
**Important:** You also need to set the "Outer Wall Inset" (`wall_0_inset`) setting to 0. This is a broken Cura feature that's supposed to compensate for wall line widths less than the nozzle width, but the math is incorrect and not actually needed, and if it's left at the default it will reproduce exactly the same "missing wall" issue you got with full wall line width.
# Answer
> 1 votes
You don't need to use vase mode. But vase mode will work.
I'm not familiar with Cura, I use PrusaSlicer, but I'm sure there are equivalent settings.
What you want to do is model the part in two pieces. The first piece will be the same height as the base. The second piece will be the top half. It can all be one model, but it helps to think of it as two.
In the bottom part, add your hole, and print it with however many solid layers as is required to make the base thickness.
For the top part, make it solid, and print it with 1 perimeter and 0 % infill and 0 top and bottom layers. You can decide the wall thickness by tweaking the extrusion width.
If you want to make the part perfect, you can size the bottom hole by taking the dimensions of the upper portion and subtracting whatever extrusion width you will use from the surfaces.
You can print as many of these as you want as close together as you can because it isn't using vase mode.
# Answer
> 0 votes
I recently wanted to print something with small walls as well and this site helped me out. Basically just set horizontal expansion to 0.04 and Cura does a better job.
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Tags: ultimaker-cura, slicing, ultimaker-2
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thread-18108 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18108 | OctoPrint suddenly no longer able to heat up hot end / extruder | 2021-09-20T06:43:09.237 | # Question
Title: OctoPrint suddenly no longer able to heat up hot end / extruder
My OctPrint and Monoprice Maker Select IIIP (A Wanhao i3 Duplicator Plus clone) were working fine, but suddenly today the hot end won't heat up anymore. I tried disconnecting the OctoPrint USB and resetting the printer power, and it still couldn't heat up the extruder, such as through the filament menu.
But then it got weird.
I left it off for a few hours and turned it on to see if it was getting 12 V to the hot end, and it was heating up again! So I plugged in the OctopPrint and we're back to square one, the extruder has just been cooling down. I know the thermistor is working, because it's accurately following the temp, such as following the cooldown after the heating stopped working again.
Is it possibly I have a dead hot end and for some reason it temporarily started to work again? Maybe an intermittent short?
I guess the next step is to open up the base and look at the connector to the motherboard, and or measure for 12 V
# Answer
This has nothing to do with OctoPrint itself, the cause is related to the printer itself, not the print server running the printer.
This is a pretty commonly seen issue (usually seen at heated beds), this is caused by faulty wires/cables or connectors. This usually happens after a vast period of usage. You should (periodically) check the cables and connectors. You could even test if the heater cartridge works by connecting it directly to the power supply.
Considering the limited amount of costs involved to replace the heater cartridge, it is preferred to replace the heater with a similar specification heater element (voltage and power).
> 2 votes
# Answer
Measure your heater resistance of the heater in the heater block. Approximate heater resistances are 4.8 Ω for 12 V 30 W and 3.6 Ω for 12 V 40 W. See Proper hotend heater for Reprap x400 Pro V3
Note: you could have a heater measuring the correct resistance but have a poor connection in one of the connectors.
> 0 votes
---
Tags: extruder, hotend, wanhao
--- |
thread-18100 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18100 | Marlin firmware 2.0.9.1 for X5SA example : MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT Compilation Error | 2021-09-19T12:43:49.567 | # Question
Title: Marlin firmware 2.0.9.1 for X5SA example : MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT Compilation Error
I have a Tronxy X5SA printer upon which I want to install the latest Marlin firmware v2.0.9.1.
I take the configuration example on GitHub for the X5SA printer and modify the lines in `configuration.h` as recommended in the guide (see this URL).
In Visual Studio Code, when I compile, I obtain this error :
```
Marlin\src\gcode\motion\G2_G3.cpp: In function 'void plan_arc(const xyze_pos_t&, const ab_float_t&, bool, uint8_t)':
Marlin\src\gcode\motion\G2_G3.cpp:154:7: error: 'MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT' was not declared in this scope
MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marlin\src\gcode\motion\G2_G3.cpp:154:7: note: suggested alternative: 'MAX_ARC_SEGMENT_MM'
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAX_ARC_SEGMENT_MM
Compiling .pio\build\chitu_f103\src\src\gcode\sd\M20.cpp.o
*** [.pio\build\chitu_f103\src\src\gcode\motion\G2_G3.cpp.o] Error 1
========================================================================================= [FAILED] Took 71.95 seconds =========================================================================================
Environment Status Duration
------------- -------- ------------
chitu_f103 FAILED 00:01:11.945
==================================================================================== 1 failed, 0 succeeded in 00:01:11.945 ====================================================================================
PS D:\TRONXY\Marlin-2.0.9.1\Marlin-2.0.9.1> echo "done" >C:\Users\myUser\AppData\Local\Temp\ipc
PS D:\TRONXY\Marlin-2.0.9.1\Marlin-2.0.9.1>
```
Here is the code in `G2_G3.cpp` on line 154, but I need some help to understand why it's wrong, and how to fix...
```
// Start with a nominal segment length
float seg_length = (
#ifdef ARC_SEGMENTS_PER_R
constrain(MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT * radius, MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT, ARC_SEGMENTS_PER_R)
#elif ARC_SEGMENTS_PER_SEC
_MAX(scaled_fr_mm_s * RECIPROCAL(ARC_SEGMENTS_PER_SEC), MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT)
#else
MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT // LINE 154 HERE!!
#endif
);
// Divide total travel by nominal segment length
uint16_t segments = FLOOR(mm_of_travel / seg_length);
NOLESS(segments, min_segments); // At least some segments
seg_length = mm_of_travel / segments;
```
I have tried to compile the BugFix version successfully, but unfortunately the bugfix version does not work properly with my printer (I can't get the bed to lift to the probe. I have opened another post for the bugfix version issue).
# Answer
> 1 votes
The compiler can't see the definition of `MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT`. Find the file that it is declared in and ensure that file in included in the compile command, as an include (`#include`) or path or whatever.
Looking at the current `Configuration_adv.h` on the Marlin Github repository, the definition is at Line 2033 in the section at Lines 2028-2041
```
//
// G2/G3 Arc Support
//
#define ARC_SUPPORT // Disable this feature to save ~3226 bytes
#if ENABLED(ARC_SUPPORT)
#define MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT 1 // (mm) Length (or minimum length) of each arc segment
//#define ARC_SEGMENTS_PER_R 1 // Max segment length, MM_PER = Min
#define MIN_ARC_SEGMENTS 24 // Minimum number of segments in a complete circle
//#define ARC_SEGMENTS_PER_SEC 50 // Use feedrate to choose segment length (with MM_PER_ARC_SEGMENT as the minimum)
#define N_ARC_CORRECTION 25 // Number of interpolated segments between corrections
//#define ARC_P_CIRCLES // Enable the 'P' parameter to specify complete circles
//#define CNC_WORKSPACE_PLANES // Allow G2/G3 to operate in XY, ZX, or YZ planes
//#define SF_ARC_FIX // Enable only if using SkeinForge with "Arc Point" fillet procedure
#endif
```
Ensure that you have `ARC_SUPPORT` enabled - do not have the following line (2031) commented out:
```
#define ARC_SUPPORT
```
---
Tags: marlin, firmware, tronxy, tronxy-x5sa
--- |
thread-18113 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18113 | What are the best DICOM files to print 3D hearts? | 2021-09-20T22:28:30.650 | # Question
Title: What are the best DICOM files to print 3D hearts?
I am working on a project to 3D print (models from) human hearts. I want to know if anyone has done it before using DICOM files.
# Answer
I have some experience with VR visualisation of DICOM scans. I can tell you that these kind of scans usually are way too "hazy" to simply be 3D printed. To give you the best images possible you need to make a high-resolution scan of only the heart (smaller region scans make better quality images). Siemens has had some fantastic result with their new range of scanners. You also need some kind of software to convert it to a 3D model. This will need to make a pointcloud of the heart, clean up unneeded tissue and then make a polygonal model to be able to print it.
Or maybe did I misunderstand your question... in that case you need to look at turbosquid.com, thingiverse.com or cgtrader.com for example.
> 1 votes
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Tags: 3d-models
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thread-18116 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18116 | 3mf circles are printing as polygons | 2021-09-22T07:03:49.463 | # Question
Title: 3mf circles are printing as polygons
When I'm using a .3mf file from Fusion 360 the circles are coming out as polygonal shapes that are very easy to see.
When using a .stl file from Fusion 360 the circles are near perfect the polygons that make it up are small enough that you can't see.
Is there any way to fix this in Fusion 360 to export the file properly or is it a problem related to PrusaSlicer?
# Answer
> 5 votes
The problem lies in Fusion 360.
If you export using file export as .3mf then the refinement (poly count) is set to low. Thus it creates a low-quality circle.
If you export through the mesh tab, select 32d print and make sure the refinement is high then it exports a nice-looking perfect circle.
---
Tags: prusa-i3, stl, fusion360, prusaslicer
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thread-18119 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18119 | Bed surface stability vs head movement efficiency question | 2021-09-22T23:30:28.787 | # Question
Title: Bed surface stability vs head movement efficiency question
I have an STL (Raspberry Pi 4 casing) that automatically places itself like below on the bed surface:
Would it be a better and more efficient print if I place it like this:
At first, I thought this is no-brainer, the bigger surface should be the bottom layer. However, the horizontal print might result a more efficient head movement.
# Answer
The second placement is a better choice from an overall standpoint. In the vertical placement, adhesion is going to be more critical, although Prusa printers have good bonding for PLA and ABS, from my direct experience.
The other aspect of more importance is that the holes are going to be distorted in the vertical arrangement. The cut-outs in the smaller portion will also "droop" unless otherwise supported. If supported, you'll have greater post-processing labor and unsightly surfaces.
The design is quite well done, as the corners have radii which allows for smoother carriage travel, rather than abrupt stops with direction changes at each end.
Importing the model and having the result appear as in the first image means that the designing software swaps the z-axis and the y-axis, which is relatively common.
> 10 votes
# Answer
You've already got the correct answer, but I want to address an additional misconception in your question: head movement efficiency. Most 3D print jobs are *acceleration-bound*, not *top-speed-bound*. Without really cranking up the acceleration limits (which requires Klipper and input shaper tuning), the head will only reach the requested speed on *long linear moves*.
The orientation lying flat has a lot of those: the 4 sides are all long, and the diagonal fill line are long.
The orientation with the part standing up on one end has very short lines, and a lot more of them.
> 4 votes
# Answer
Long story short, laying the design horizontally is a lot less problematic when compared to laying it vertically. I'll explain:
\[ Vertical \]
* Bridging becomes more of an issue with the edge overhang. You'd need stilts to support the overhang which would fill the entire inside of your case.
* Wear on the printer is a concern because of the short travel distance. You'd have to print along the grain which would result in a structurally weaker design.
* Holes are very difficult to do vertically and may need to be cleaned up afterward.
* Excess heat build-up from the printer head may be an issue due to it having to stay in the same area for longer, which may cause problems like melting or sharp hooks/spurs.
* Vertical clipping is more of a concern as the printer head has more of a chance of knocking over the design (thus ruining the print and wasting time/materials). Also, less surface area for adhesion for the first layer means the design is more prone to falling over.
\[ Horizontal \]
* Bridging is a lot less of an issue other than the cable/power porthole on the side of the design.
* Wear on the printer is a lot less of an issue because of the longer travel distance in either direction (printing with the grain or against)
* Holes are much easier to create when laying horizontal.
* Few changes to build up heat resulting in your print being more consistent, not warping or melting.
* Low clearance and large base level surface area make it near impossible for the printer head to clip/catch and ruin the design.
In most cases, it's best to keep your design as low and spread out as possible, though I've had some prints where that wasn't an option.
> 4 votes
---
Tags: print-quality, print-orientation, efficiency
--- |
thread-18104 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18104 | Under extrusion issue only in one vertical area but inconsistent | 2021-09-19T15:32:54.450 | # Question
Title: Under extrusion issue only in one vertical area but inconsistent
This is a new issue to me. I'm using Repetier and Cura to slice. I never had issues prior to this. What is throwing me off is the issue (Which appears to be under extrusion) only occurs on the front right side of the print (Has happened the last two prints) and it went away completely during one print for a good 20-30 layers. The other 3 sides are perfect. I have hundreds of prints on this printer and it's never occurred before and the fact that it is inconsistent has me baffled. Any input would be appreciated.
# Answer
I'd probably start with ensuring the bed is level (you can use a bubble/spirit level if done manually) and/or move any fans in the room as those could cause inconsistent cooling rates causing it to warp (among other issues).
To make troubleshooting easier on yourself and if you are able, try to only print 10 layers or so. This can be done by modifying the G-code by ending the print at a certain height, though some slicer software have a setting for that (I can't remember at this moment which slicing software allows this to be done easily).
> 1 votes
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Tags: print-quality
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thread-18101 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18101 | Are heated beds or auto-levelling systems worth paying extra for on an entry level filament printer? | 2021-09-19T13:13:43.223 | # Question
Title: Are heated beds or auto-levelling systems worth paying extra for on an entry level filament printer?
I've been using a resin printer for some time now, and am looking for a filament printer to compliment it. It will mostly be used to print scenery or bases to match 3-6" models printer on the resin printer.
I'm aiming for an entry level printer, or possible a mid level one on black Friday sale if I can find one.
Should I limit myself to looking for one with a heated bed or auto-bed leveling, or should I mark these down as being bonus features that are nice to have but which are not essential for the kind of printing that I will be doing?
I will probably be using basic budget filament to print items under 6". Probably no more than 2 prints a week.
# Answer
Most "auto-leveling" is not leveling but compensation for a non-flat or non-level bed surface. It's helpful to beginners who don't understand bed leveling or evaluating bed surface flatness and replacing a bad bad, for the sake of being able to get started without prints failing to adhere, but it will necessarily give you moderate to severe accuracy problems in the first cm or so of your print unless you manually level the bed right too. (This is as opposed to real three-point, three-motor leveling systems, which *do* really level and are great, but won't be found on entry-level printers.) Decide whether you want to spend money on that accordingly.
Personally, I find heated bed unnecessary unless you'll be printing ABS, ASA, or maybe PETG (it's hard but not impossible to print PETG without it). Heating the bed kinda makes PLA print worse (at least there are tradeoffs; it does help adhesion though), and flexible materials never need heat. However, pretty much all popular printers nowadays offer a heated bed anyway, so I don't think you'd be saving anything by going without it, and you're likely enough to want it at some point that you should just get it.
> 3 votes
# Answer
Both features are "nice to have" bonuses, BUT are worth it if you can afford it.
They will save you time and money from print problems and on occasion, disasters.
Both make your prints more consistent and have less issues with larger (or taller) prints by cutting a lot of prep time and also ensuring your first couple base layers are done correctly (if those first couple layers mess up, then your entire print likely will be messed up). They also help a lot with materials that have issue with warping or bed adhesion.
> 2 votes
# Answer
FWIW, what I consider the primary entry-level filament printer, the Creality Ender 3 (under $200 any, sometimes lower depending on daily exchange rates) is sold with *heated bed included*.
Beyond that, a so-called self-leveling system is IMO overrated. For 20-25 dollars you can get a glass build surface, which eliminates non-planar build surface; combine this with proper tramming technique using a feeler gage set that costs under $10 and you can pretty easily achieve results equal to or better than what a "self-leveling" setup would give on a poorly trammed or warped bed.
Conversely, if your idea of "entry level" is the few sub-$100 printers, their tiny build volume and lack of any option to install either heated bed or upgraded extruders and hot ends takes them out of the running for anything other than toys.
> 0 votes
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Tags: heated-bed, bed-leveling
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thread-15108 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15108 | Ender 3 X Axis stops moving mid print at random times, only makes Y movements after | 2020-12-26T03:07:38.037 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 X Axis stops moving mid print at random times, only makes Y movements after
I have an Ender 3 that suddenly starting having an issue. The X-axis belt randomly stops moving when extruding the first layer. It doesn't always stop at the same exact spot, but once it stops, the only movements that are made are back and forth Y-axis movements.
I am able to freely push the carriage back and forth and there does not seem to be any binding. The printer has no issue performing auto home. I've checked all cables multiple times, on the external side and the internal side. The motor does not seem to be very hot if even warm at all. I've even tried swapping SD cards with a known working G-code/printer.
The only thing I haven't tried is swapping out the motor which I can't at the moment all my printers are busy, however, all the threads I've read mention the motor failure is the least likely answer. I'm not sure what would have caused this. All I've recently done is install a new cartridge and thermistor, and everything was working totally fine until I re-leveled my bed a few hours ago, and when I started a new print after leveling this started happening, and was giving me no issues prior. I can't find any similar threads, so I feel pretty hopeless right now.
# Answer
> 1 votes
One thing that would stop the X stepper is if the X-stop limit switch were stuck "on."
The main function of the stop switches on the three axes is to prevent the printer from continuing to attempt to run after reaching "zero" position. If you trip the limit switch, the firmware will decide that you were at the zero for that axis, and offset the rest of the print, but if the switch *stays* closed, that axis will not move. If I were designing the firmware, I'd probably command a couple steps movement toward positive in the affected axis, check if the switch has opened, and if not stop with an alert -- but especially in older 8-bit board versions of the Ender 3 there was a shortage of space for firmward features (they infamously also lack thermal runaway protection for this exact reason).
Therefore, check if the X limit switch (under the QR code label, just below the X rail) has gotten jammed; if not, unplug its cable and check with a continuity tester or multimeter to be sure it doesn't have an internal problem with the same result.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, x-axis
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thread-18132 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18132 | What does the Fusion360 client app do? | 2021-09-24T20:57:41.373 | # Question
Title: What does the Fusion360 client app do?
I have a beginner question: Tinkercad is a fully cloud based and the STL files are/can be stored locally on our computer (STL files are not stored in the cloud). Fusion 360 is also fully cloud-based. However, I installed a Fusion360 client app on my pc. Is the app I downloaded just a client that communicates with the actual Fusion360 software via the internet connection?
Could I use Fusion360 without downloading that app and just via the browser as we do with Tinkercad? I feel like the client app on my computer I downloaded is quite slow.
# Answer
Yes, you can use Fusion 360 via the browser without downloading. You just need Autodesk account. Here is the link.
However, if your computer was too slow for desktop app, you might also have problems via the browser.
> 3 votes
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Tags: fusion360
--- |
thread-18088 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18088 | Running SLA printer in the bedroom | 2021-09-17T16:11:25.727 | # Question
Title: Running SLA printer in the bedroom
How safe do you think it is to run an SLA 3D printer in the bedroom? I am planning to run Mi Air Purifier 3H/C while the printer is running, I am also thinking about adding this inside the actual printer (Elegoo Mini Air Purifier with carbon filter).
Is this safe or still too risky?
# Answer
> 2 votes
## Danger Will Robinson!
#### Fumes
SLA/DLP printer resins contain skin irritants inside the solvent, and those create rather noxious fumes. As described in Best way to deal with Resin Printers in your living space that can become a health hazard, and can result in pulmonary irritation. Those irritants are *molecule* sized organic compounds, and even the best filters require an industrial-sized filter stack to catch everything.
In industrial manufacturing, rooms with resin in them usually require PPE that includes at least basic breathing protection, so having it in your bedroom, where you spend on average 4 to 8 hours a day, does expose you to more than the maximum allowable dose for an industrial worker.
#### Spillage
Working with liquid resins is like working with 2 component glues: as careful as you are, you'll have some spillage or rests on trays. These need to be handled, and while with very high viscous epoxy one might get away without gloves and low-level PPE on a small level, the very fluid resin and the IPA used to wash your prints make spillage and droplets escaping the confinements where they belong a problem that is not just academical but bound to happen.
A dedicated wash-and-cure area for your resin 3D prints in somewhat close proximity to the printer and both outside of your sleeping environment is something that is highly advisable.
#### Conclusion
While lower irritant resins have come to the market since 2020 that have less odor and release fewer noxious solvents, the best way is still to minimize exposure and thus put the resin printer in a room that isn't your bedroom.
# Answer
> 1 votes
I'm running an Elegoo Saturn in a spare room, the smell is barely noticeable.
People tend to be over cautious about these things. Particularly Youtubers, because of fear of litigation, and because they tend to be at close quarters to resin for long periods of time.
It's perfectly safe to have a resin printer in a bedroom so long as you run the printer next to an open window, and keep the cover on.
My advice would be to store your resin separately (in a garage, for example) and to cover the tank with a proper snap on cover (or better yet to pour the majority of the content back into a bottle and store it outsides) over night.
Don't try to run the printer while you are sleeping. Not because of the fumes (which I would be concerned about) but because it will absolutely destroy your ability to get a good night's rest due to the repetitive noise.
For me, it's actually the IPA fumes which are the biggest problem.
---
Tags: sla, safety
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thread-18138 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18138 | Are there any common household chemicals that will degrade or erode the most common types of resin from an SLA printer once cured? | 2021-09-25T12:30:26.313 | # Question
Title: Are there any common household chemicals that will degrade or erode the most common types of resin from an SLA printer once cured?
Are there any common chemicals that will damage, degrade or erode (Causing pitting, for example) the most common types of resin used in an SLA printer once it has been cured?
For example, chemicals found in household cleaning products, paints, or motor vehicle maintenance, or hobby\crafts?
# Answer
# NOPE
UV-cured Resins are Duroplastics. Most of them are chemically inert to anything short of concentrated strong acids does nothing to them. Even strong acids such as sulphuric acid (battery acid) will take quite some time to work on it - if it works at all.
If you have access to metal or glass etching equipment, those acids might have a chance, though that is not exactly *household* equipment. My best bets would be concentrated phosphoric, sulphuric, nitrous, and of course hydroflouric acid. But you don't want to work with concentrated hydrofluoric acid if you can avoid it.
> 1 votes
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Tags: resin
--- |
thread-18141 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18141 | How to determine the firmware and firmware version of a Frankensbox fx-800? | 2021-09-25T17:06:22.170 | # Question
Title: How to determine the firmware and firmware version of a Frankensbox fx-800?
I recently purchased a used Frankensbox fx-800 3D Printer and I am coming up with little info on it. I've tried the website, Google, and their Facebook page looking for some kind of support.
I am curious about the firmware it has. If I can't get any info about its firmware and/or how to get in to it then I'm wondering if maybe I need to change the motherboard or maybe can add a chip in order to communicate with the current one.
How can I determine the firmware and firmware version of a Frankensbox fx-800?
Any info or insight would be awesome.
# Answer
### Rebranded Dedibot DF3
DediBot seem to produce the Moria software, that is included with the Frankensbox - primarily for medical purposes: according to the third page of this PDF on the Dedibot website, For medical use - Dedicated series 3D printer or 屏幕快照 2017-10-24 下午1.37.16.
Dedibot also manufacture the DF2 and DF3 printer/bot.
Given the above and also that step 3 on the support page states "select DF3 if needed" (see **Poor Support** below), then that would suggest that the Frankensbox software is just a *rebranded* version of Moria.
Backing this up, the Frankensbox is apparently just a rebadged Dedibot DF3, according to this post, Newbie seeking suggestions:
> ... just purchased a Frankensbox FX-800 3D printer. It is a rebadged Dedibot DF3 Delta printer.
Also worth noting, further down in the same thread, is this cautionary tip about the firmware (the emphasis is mine):
> Edit: More info; after talking with tech support, they suggested 215 C for temp, and to update to the latest firmware. ***Important tip, do not try this from the software that is on their site, it has a bug that can render the printer useless***. Don't ask me how I know!
Although, unfortunately, the poster doesn't provide a link to the suspect firmware, nor is there a firmware link on the sparse support page.
Nevertheless, given that the Frankensbox *is* a rebadged Dedibot DF3, searches for DF3 firmware (and other support) may prove to be more fruitful.
---
### Changing the controller
After looking at the Moria DF3 user guide, the software interface *does* seem to be particularly limiting, and I am starting to understand why you would want to replace the board to maybe something more conventional (i.e. an off-the-shelf board, like RAMPS, or Melzi, etc.). Whilst that probably is possible, and maybe quite easy to do physically, ***if*** all of the plugs and connectors are the same, and the new board fits or can be easily mounted (if it doesn't mount easily, then some hacking and cutting could be involved and the printer may well begin to adopt an actual Frankenstien-eque character).
However, you would then obviously need to do some configuration of some firmware, i.e. Marlin, (which may or may not be straight forward for that particular printer).
This is all purely speculative of course - without seeing a photo of the original board and its connectors.
Nevertheless, this would be like (partially) going down a DIY printer route, and all of the work that entails. Totally possible, but maybe not super easy.
### Reflashing the existing board
Another option is to reflash the existing board with an new image, i.e. Marlin or something else, *if the chipset is supported*. **However, this is rather dangerous, in that, without knowing what is already on there, it could brick your board.**
If you can get an image of the existing firmware, then it wouldn't be so risky as you could then just reinstate the old firmware and set the printer back to its original state. However, given the state of the printer's support, such an image could be difficult to find, unless the manufacturers, or dealers, were contacted directly.
It might be possible to get an image, or hex file, of the existing firmware from the board, that you could save for future reflashing. For example, *if the board is Arduino based*, then you could use `avrdude`, see how to download the current code from an arduino board?. For example:
```
"C:\arduino-1.0\hardware\tools\avrdude -p m328p -C C:\arduino-1.0\hardware\tools\avrdude.conf -c arduino -D -P COM5 -U flash:r:output.bin:r"
```
Although it might be a bit of a pain.
---
### Poor support
You apparently have to use proprietary software for this printer. Presumably you have already installed the Windows software required to use this printer, on your PC. If you don't have a PC running Windows then you might be stuck. Even though the manual states that OS X is supported , there isn't any OS X software provided.
Apparently Moira and Cura are provided in the package as well.
From this page or this page, Moria is said to be firmware, but that would seem to be incorrect, and is in fact a desktop application (like Cura):
> Question: Where can i get firmware?
>
> Answer: Cura is a good one to use or you can use the manufacturers firmware Moria. You'll have to look up Dedibot Moria. Also if you plug the SD card from the machine into your PC you can also download Moria or Cura from it.
From their support page (which Google throws up large malware warnings about because the security certificate for this website has expired):
> **Downloads**
>
> Download the latest Frankensbox fx-800 3D Printer software for Windows:
>
> 64-bit: Frankensbox\_V3.0.9\_x64.exe
>
> 32-bit: Frankensbox\_V3.0.9\_x86.exe
>
> Unsure which version to use? In Windows Search, type “about your PC”. Look under “Device specifications” to see your System type.
>
> **Installation**
>
> 1. Before installing the above software, it is recommended first to power on the printer and physically connect it to your PC using the included USB cable. Windows will recognize the device and install the appropriate drivers.
> 2. Install the Frankensbox software, along with any associated files. If Windows Defender or similar anti-virus programs appear, select “More info” then select “Run anyway”. Also select “Yes” to User Account Control, if needed.
> 3. Upon launching the software, select “DF3” as the printer model, if needed.
> 4. You should now see the main printing screen, with the printer status indicator at the bottom showing “Connected”.
> 5. Now it’s time to load the filament. First, remove the top cover by turning it slightly counter-clockwise. Next, feed a cleanly-cut end of the filament into the printer through the feeding hole at the bottom of the filament tray. Pull about 6 inches of filament through the hole. While holding the filament with your left hand, squeeze the spring on the extruder with your right hand. Now feed the filament straight down into the hole at the top of the extruder. Proceed once you are able to feed an inch or more of filament downward into the white tube.
> 6. Close the printer door, and select Settings at the right of the top toolbar. Now select the Change Materials tab and select Feed Material. Select OK to feed material. The printer will now heat up (to appx 220C), and begin to feed filament through the extruder, and down to the nozzle. Click OK when feeding has succeeded. Wait several seconds for cooling, then remove any loose material that was extruded.
> 7. Under the Machine Control tab, select Leveling Start. The default distance should be adequate for now. Once auto-leveling is completed (appx 1 minute), click OK.
It would seem that as this is a printer aimed at beginners, perhaps they don't want you to access the firmware. However, there may be a setting or menu within the proprietary application that allows you to see the firmware version.
The support page is shockingly bad, with only the information being shown is the quoted text above. The reviews that I have seen, from experienced users of 3D printers, are quite damning as well.
> 2 votes
---
Tags: troubleshooting, firmware
--- |
thread-18105 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18105 | Are these normal surfaces from an Ender 3 Pro with PLA? | 2021-09-19T17:08:02.777 | # Question
Title: Are these normal surfaces from an Ender 3 Pro with PLA?
Prints are generally successful, but I always get a herringbone pattern on the top and bottom surfaces and striations on the sides. The herringbone is finer with finer print qualities, but it is always there. Ditto the sides. See photos.
Always there, regardless of temperature (using a heat tower), speed (even very slow), quality in Cura, etc.
Perhaps this is the best an Ender 3 Pro can do? If so, that's fine. I'm only trying to determine what this printer is capable of.
(Perhaps I can improve the top surface with ironing, but that isn't my question.)
Some things I've done with no effect: Run PLA spool from a drying cabinet; replaced extruder; reset Bowden tube; replaced nozzle; leveled bed numerous times.
One thing I haven't tried yet (will soon): using a better grade of PLA.
It's a heat tower, so the top surface was 190 °C. Speed was about 50-60 mm/s (don't remember exactly). With the belt tightened, the herringbone is much finer, but still there. The walls are much smoother, by still the layers are visible. I'm just not sure what to expect from this printer. Am I supposed to get surfaces that are perfectly smooth, or is some texture to be expected?
# Answer
> 0 votes
With a replaced Bowden tube and better PLA, the herringbone is a little better, and the layering on the sides is more regular, but still there. So, based on this and photos from others here (especially @Oscar), I think the answer to my question is YES: These ARE normal surfaces from this printer.
# Answer
> 3 votes
The top image looks as if the (top) layer(s) are **under-extruding**, the walls don't appear to be suffering from the same problem.
The following image from a recent PETG print is typical for an FDM product. The deposited lines need to touch (actually, slightly overlapping, but the slicer will take care of that) each other:
You will see texture (especially when there is a non uniform surface, e.g. with holes, and without an option as monotonic fill in Cura 4.11 or similar disabled), but the lines need to touch each other, you may not see the layer beneath.
There are various reasons for this to happen, for instance: under-extruding because of speed or temperature issues or positioning accuracy. The walls seem to closely adhere, so this may find the cause in slicing parameters for the filling in of the layer.
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, quality, surface
--- |
thread-18135 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18135 | Any way to have slicer make a stronger lattice work? | 2021-09-25T10:01:01.140 | # Question
Title: Any way to have slicer make a stronger lattice work?
I'm trying to 3D print a lattice work or truss, basically some beams forming a rectangle and additional beams forming the diagonals and where those beams cross, they should be fused. So, something like this:
The problem is that any slicer I give a form like this to starts drawing triangles around the inner openings and in best case those triangles then touch if you use enough walls, but the pull strength you would get from beams in such a truss is lost because the opposite corners of the rectangle are not connected by a single length of filament laid down. Here as example what PrusaSlicer does for every layer:
Basically this gives separate triangles at the top, bottom, left and right with some rectangular walls at the outside. Not bad, but I think that for extra strength it would be better if on even layers there would be long extrusions going all the way from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner (and hence interrupting extrusion on the other diagonal) and on odd layers having just the opposite (so long extrusions from bottom-left to top-right).
So, my question: is there any way to tell the slicer to do something like that? So, having extra long (alternating) corner to corner extrusions next to the triangular "outer" walls that it normally puts down? Or, is there some other trick I could use to get a similar effect (while also having long extrusions between adjacent corners)?
# Answer
## Yes you can!
To have stronger prints you would have to choose the correct direction of filament deposition paths/traces. This answer demonstrates changing the direction of the filament path in Ultimaker Cura slicer.
To do this, it requires some tinkering of your model and choosing the correct slicer parameters (decimals aren't allowed in changing the direction in Cura, only integer or round-off degrees).
To recreate the experiment I have created a similar model in OpenSCAD:
```
union(){
difference(){
cube([100, 50, 1],center = true); // outer contour
cube([90, 40, 1.1],center = true); // inner contour
}
// add 2 cross beams
for (i=[-1:2:1]) {
// Note:
// 26.565051177078 would have been exactly corner to corner, but
// decimals aren't allowed in Cura, hence the choice for 26 degrees
rotate([0,0,i*26]){
cube([100, 5, 1],center = true);
}
}
}
```
Which gives you:
Create an STL from the code and load this into Ultimaker Cura slicer.
The trick is to direct the deposition of the top/bottom pattern \[`lines`\] and the infill \[`lines`\] in the direction you need (and for infill a high infill percentage). Remember the 26° angle of the cross beams, the definition of Cura line direction is different, so the angle of deposition needs to be ±(90 - 26) = ±64° which is denoted as \[64, -64\] in the slicer. Note the top and bottom contain 2 layers, the rest is infill. You can also have no infill by selecting very large top/bottom thickness, or, no top/bottom layers and only infill (this answer demonstrates **both options**, but you could choose just one).
Look at the bottom layer (see slicer settings on the right):
The second layer looks like:
First infill layer:
Second infill layer (needed to lower the top layer to a single layer to be able to display this):
As seen by the sliced layers, you can have an alternating pattern where the filament path is continuous for each cross-beam every other layer. This should increase the load (tension) the beam is able to support opposed to the given pattern in the question body.
> 3 votes
# Answer
If on even layers, the routing is in one direction and on odd layers, the routing is the opposite diagonal, you'll have a much weaker structure, as there will be no material after the crossing point.
Addressing that aspect, one could consider that the design is implemented in such a way that the nozzle creates the odd layer continuously from one corner to the other and then creates the "missing" segments from corner to center on the opposite diagonal.
I know of no slicer which will create such tool paths from a model imported to the workspace.
This leaves a relatively impractical option of creating the g-code manually. One of my clients is a machinist from the 50s who can look at an engineering drawing and hand-write the g-code for the machine center on which the part is to be created. Of course, that's not additive manufacture, it's the reverse and the cutting tool can remove far more material than a 3D printer can add.
It's not an impossible task, but would be quite tedious. One might create a python code to generate appropriate g-code, given layer heights and machine-appropriate data such as speeds and temperatures, etc.
Consider an alternative post processing specific to PETG, if PETG is an acceptable material for your project. One uses 100 percent infill in the model and then embeds the part in flour salt (finely ground salt), packing it in tightly. The salt-encased part is then re-melted. The part becomes "non-layered" removing the objections in the original reference. If you consider this method, some experimentation is indicated.
The above link is a six minute YouTube video showing the process for multiple models, one after the other. PLA is shown with possibly poor results compared to PETG, hence the reference to experimentation.
> 1 votes
# Answer
The way I get rid of voids, like your triangular shaped voids the slicing program interprets as fill area, is to increase the number of vertical/perimeter shells (the shells on the side).
> 1 votes
# Answer
Have a look at Chisel infills there are very strength optimised, limitation is currently that they must be single line width, but multiple-lines thick infill will be supported soon. After that, it's very simple, basically setting double corrugated infill with corrugation size 1 for your rectangle model.
> 0 votes
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, 3d-design, slicing, fdm, prusaslicer
--- |
thread-2736 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/2736 | Conversion of DICOM files to STL files | 2016-09-05T12:08:17.990 | # Question
Title: Conversion of DICOM files to STL files
Good morning everyone,
I am developing a consulting job in a clinic of dental CT scans.
This work involves the development of administrative software, and preparing a routine for conversion of tomographic files in DICOM format to STL format. The files in STL format will be used for both visualization and analysis of 3D models, such as printing in 3D printers.
Our problem is just the conversion DICOM to STL.
Has anyone come across this kind of situation? We did not find any documentation or tool for this purpose in our searches and we are really with a gande urgency in the solution.
Advance grateful for any assistance.
# Answer
> 3 votes
The marching cubes algorithm can convert voxel data into a surface mesh. A global threshold to determine the surface in the greyvalues is used. This article might be helpful.
# Answer
> 2 votes
there is a nice software to do it, a brazilian one, called Invesalius (http://svn.softwarepublico.gov.br/trac/invesalius). Itksnap is probably a better initial choise, since it is more intuitive (http://www.itksnap.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php).
But anymways, it is not a easy job to do, and probably you will need other softwares to help you clean the mesh, like meshlab or Geomagic.
Good luck
# Answer
> 2 votes
Yes, invesalius (free software) is the way to go. I was able to export a CT scan a few months back using invesalius to either OBJ or STL format for 3d printing (can't remember which). But i do remember i was then able to open it in Lulzbot's version of Cura (a free 3d printing slicing software). But there are 2 things to keep in mind.
1. The image i was able to export was a huge file.
2. The image i exported had lots of extra junk that i did not want to 3d print, so another software like meshmixer or some other mesh editing software would probably be needed. It's not an easy process, but it can be done for those willing to do it.
# Answer
> 0 votes
There is this software that should work: https://www.slicer.org/
If that doesn't cut it, I use this site to convert images to STL: http://www.online-convert.com/
They do have DICOM listed as a supported format, but whether it would convert correctly or not I can't say for sure. I've had varied results.
# Answer
> 0 votes
This software *may* be of some use to you.
Whilst looking into software/firmware for a Frankensbox FX-800, I came across this document For medical use - Dedicated series 3D printer, on the Dedibot website, which on page 4 states the following:
>
The relevant part (in text form) is this:
> It can be used to read DICOM format CT/MRI/Micro CT/Micro MRI/Industrial CT images and non-DICOM common image formats BMP/TIFF and so on.
---
Tags: 3d-models, file-formats
--- |
thread-18146 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18146 | Big permanent layer shifts on X-axis, looks like something is holding the stepper motor but its not | 2021-09-26T20:25:29.427 | # Question
Title: Big permanent layer shifts on X-axis, looks like something is holding the stepper motor but its not
I have an Ender 3 with a 32-bits version 4.2.2 controller board (5 weeks old, \<10 prints).
This is a video of what it does during a mesh bed leveling MBL (9 points):
I upgraded the firmware to Marlin 2.0.9.1 to get the MBL feature. Did a few short prints, 1-2 h, and everything was fine. When I was printing a 4 h print, sometime after 2 h I got a huge permanent layer shift in X-axis (5 cm) and it started printing mid-air.
Unaware of all the possibilities I generated the G-code again and checked belt and bolts for loose parts. Started the print again and this time I got the layer shift way sooner, like 30 minutes.
Then I started looking online for other solutions. I swapped stepper motors and again it was the X-axis. Swapped cables and again it was the X-axis. When the stepper was alone at the table with no belt it got the same "holding" that we can see on the video. It does a weird sound like something is holding it. And instead of moving the 10 cm for each point at the MBL it struggles to move 1 cm.
When using the "Move X" it goes smoothly with no problems; 0.1 mm, 1 mm, 10 mm all fine.
I tried to reduce the `DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION` to 300 but nothing changed. I also reinstalled the Creality Ender 3 firmware and the problem persists. Now when I try to print a simple cube at the middle, it starts printing at the left side and with nasty layer shifts.
What could it be? I am running out of hypothesis to test.
# Answer
> 1 votes
This is an issue I have had when doing maintenance on my printer. If your belt is too tight, it will cause resistance to the motor turning. In addition, you may not have properly set the motor current (tiny trimpot next to each motor driver).
---
Tags: creality-ender-3, stepper
--- |
thread-18096 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18096 | Slicing a non-closed mesh - extrude only on faces, no volume | 2021-09-18T20:59:28.847 | # Question
Title: Slicing a non-closed mesh - extrude only on faces, no volume
I have a seemingly unique problem. I'm trying to design models that print with single extrusion walls and are not closed volumes. For example, a topographical map model printed on an edge. It has height and width, but no depth. I want the model to print with a single, non-closed extrusion per layer. Printing back and forth as it moves up the model.
When slicers cut up a model, historically each plane must result in a closed shape. The slicer then determines the tool path to create that shape. But what if, instead of a closed shape, the slice results in lines. No area or volume, just lines. Couldn't the slicer then create a tool path at each line?
Is there anything like this available anywhere?
Also, to be clear, I've been doing this 3D printing thing for a long time and know pretty well how slicers work and their resulting models. I've also been 3D modelling for a long time.
The simplest solution I can think of would be to modify a slicer or find a plugin or something that already does what I'm looking for. The second possible solution would be to find 3D software that can "extrude" an arbitrarily complex surface in such a way that normal slicing software with the "detect thin walls" setting enabled would result in a single extrusion resulting in the desired outer surface. I haven't found either in my searching.
The solution should work with nearly any extrusion width or any nozzle. You have a 0.4mm nozzle, you can print the part with wall widths anywhere from ~0.4mm wide to around 1mm. Your choice when slicing. If you have a 1mm wide nozzle, you could print the part with much thicker walls. It would be configurable in the slicer because the model only defines the surfaces, no volume data.
Like I said, this is a seemingly unique problem.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Use Cura to slice and check out the "Surface Mode" option (might be hidden by default; if so, search for and unhide it). Also known as `magic_mesh_surface_mode`. The "Surface" choice sounds close to what you want and might suffice.
# Answer
> 1 votes
If you are designing a model that has single extrusion walls, you are constructing a design which has volume. A single extrusion wall will be dependent on the nozzle diameter and extrusion multiplier. For the sake of discussion, consider the theoretical nozzle 0.4 mm with a true 0.4 mm extrusion and a 0.2 mm layer thickness.
Your design should reflect this fact. You can/should design your non-dimensional lines to be 0.4 mm wide and 0.2 mm thick in whatever manner you use to create models.
Slicer settings can be adjusted to permit single extrusion walls. A common example is vase mode, in which the printer is directed to construct a single extrusion wall in a specified pattern, usually with an appropriately thick base.
The caveat in this case is that the model file was created to match these requirements. It will be represented as a solid with a thickness to the wall appropriate to the nozzle size.
If you create test models representing a small sample of your overall project and slice them with your preferred slicer, you can examine the resulting g-code, or use the preview feature common in slicers to determine if your objective is accomplished.
In summary, every 3D printed model has all three dimensions. This cannot be avoided, other than in a virtual/simulated environment.
# Answer
> 1 votes
You can also have a look at Chisel, it basically does what you want - creates G-code directly from parametric patches (Bezier, Nurbs), you have fine control over extrusion width in every part of your model (perimeter, infill...).
It's optimised for efficient structural panels so currently always expects 2 faces + infill configuration (could be none for hollow structure), but I will very soon add features like specifying arbitrary number patches with no infill, that way you will have full freedom to design part however you like.
---
Tags: slicing
--- |
thread-18161 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18161 | Initial Layer Line width in PrusaSlicer | 2021-09-30T03:18:31.880 | # Question
Title: Initial Layer Line width in PrusaSlicer
In Cura, there is a setting called: `Initial Layer Line Width`. What is its equivalent in PrusaSlicer?
# Answer
> 5 votes
If you look in **Print Settings** \> **Advanced** tab, you will find `First Layer` under **Extrusion Width**.
However, do not assume that every option in Cura will have an equivalent setting in other slicers.
---
Tags: ultimaker-cura, prusaslicer
--- |
thread-18163 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18163 | Bridge infill does not stick to the perimeter | 2021-09-30T10:55:52.950 | # Question
Title: Bridge infill does not stick to the perimeter
I'm printing small detail on Prusa Mini with Prusament PLA @ default 215 °C.
Model was sliced with the PrusaSlicer with default 0.15 mm quality profile.
The problem is that when the printer is making the bridging infill it does not stick it properly to the perimeter layer. Making the place where head turned back hanging.
**What may be the issue and how to prevent it?**
# Answer
In my experience, the ends of bridges must always be supported by the layer below them — not the perimeter of the same layer. Add a feature to your model which makes the area under the end of the bridge solid, not a gap.
> 2 votes
---
Tags: prusaslicer, prusa-mini, bridging
--- |
thread-10785 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/10785 | How to fight lots of stringing with PLA at low temperature (185 °C)? | 2019-08-11T11:17:25.210 | # Question
Title: How to fight lots of stringing with PLA at low temperature (185 °C)?
I just got my first 3D printer (Creality Ender 3) on Friday, 2 days ago. It works great, but for some reason I'm getting a lot of stringing on my prints, especially the ones where the extruder head has to move a long distance between columns/posts, etc.
I'm using Hatchbox "True White" PLA, which has a recommended temperature range of 180-210 °C. I've tried printing at 200, 190, and 185 °C and didn't see much improvement. I've also made sure I've enabled the 'retract' setting in the slicer (4.5 mm) and verified the printer is retracting when it should.
I'm not sure what else I can try... any suggestions?
# Answer
> 6 votes
4.5 mm is a low retraction distance. Cura's default is 6.5 mm, and the Ender 3 profile provided with Cura sets it to 6 mm. The first thing you should try is increasing the retraction amount up to at least 6 mm. Also, make sure you actually enabled retraction. I saw one question here where a Cura user had enabled "Retract at layer change", which **does not** enable retraction (but of course it shows the options like retraction amount since you need to be able to select it for this too).
Your low nozzle temperature of 185 °C is also a problem. You'll have very low flow at that temperature, resulting in under-extrusion and pressure building up in the nozzle instead of extruding the material. That in turn will make it so, even after retracting, there's still material (and pressure) at the nozzle and it will keep oozing, unless you set a **really** high retraction amount (and even then problems will build up over time during the print, but you might get lucky and not see them). The only way to print PLA at 185 °C is really, **really** slowly.
In general, some people would also recommend trying a different filament, based on reports that some vendors' PLA oozes and strings badly, but I don't think that's an issue for you. I use Hatchbox filament on my Ender 3 all the time and never have a problem with stringing from it. And even if the filament is prone to stringing, you can almost surely avoid it with proper settings. Even very soft flex filaments can be printed on this printer without stringing as long as your retraction, temperature, and speed are tuned to avoid having pressure at the nozzle during travel moves.
# Answer
> 2 votes
The way to optimise retraction is to use this retraction optimisation tool, which tests various retraction distances and speeds.
Remember to perform this calibration AFTER you set pressure or linear advance, which has a higher priority.
You will be able to pick the settings which work the best for that filament brand and type. You will have to do it again if you switch material or brand.
# Answer
> 0 votes
decrease retraction speed to 25-30mm/sec
# Answer
> 0 votes
Try changing retraction to 6 mm but slow it down to 25 mm. Stopped all of my stringing issues with Hatchbox.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Something strange happened to me (Ender 3 with CR Touch), changed my firmware and stringing happened. I was slicing with Cura and went through three days of breaking my head. You know how I fixed it? Simple, I looked for a pre-made retraction temp. And guess what? It was the slicer all along. I changed to Simplify3D and all of my stringing disappeared. I can't explain what happened, but Cura decided to flop on me. maybe look for pre-sliced G-code tests online, hope you can fix your problem.
---
Tags: print-quality, pla, creality-ender-3
--- |
thread-18173 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18173 | What else can I print with my stock Ender 3 | 2021-10-02T19:26:16.673 | # Question
Title: What else can I print with my stock Ender 3
I have used PLA and PLA+ so far and I know that it can use ABS and PETG but I'm curious what other materials could I in theory use with my Ender 3?
It is a stock configuration, for the time being at least until after Christmas, and my grandfather and I have designed an enclosure to build together.
# Answer
PLA is just about the only common material that prints *well* on the stock Ender 3. The extruder lacks proper grip and/or torque at the hob for printing PETG well, and printing TPU with a bowden tube is very slow and error-prone. All of these should work if you're willing to go very slow (20-30 mm/s top) though. ABS and ASA are probably doable, at least with a simple enclosure, but I don't have any experience with them. Most other common materials need significantly higher temperatures than the hotend's safe limit of 250 ˚C.
However there are a couple uncommon materials that should print well:
* PVB (polyvinyl butyral, probably best known as Polymaker Polysmooth). It prints at temperatures similar to PLA, but is soluble (and therefore smoothable) in isopropyl alcohol (IPA).
* PLC (polycaprolactone) is a very-low-temperature material most commonly used in "3D pens". In fact the temperatures for it are so low (70-140 ˚C) that you'll likely need to send special gcode commands to disable the "minimum extrude temperature" in the printer's firmware or flash firmware without that limitation.
Finally, I guess I should mention that POM (Acetal/Delrin) is within the range of the stock hotend and extruder's capabilities, but is utter hell to print. It doesn't adhere to anything but itself, and warps badly as it cools.
> 0 votes
# Answer
A (pre-2019) stock ender3 can't print tpu because of a 3mm gap between the driver in the extruder and the bowden tube. But there are multiple adapter plates on thingiverse that close this gap, and then tpu works fine (with some tuning).
I got tpu to work for small parts even without the adapter plate.
> 1 votes
# Answer
Consider **Wood PLA**. It is similar to PLA but more abrasive, and with different happy-temperatures.
Especially useful if you want to paint your output, or if you have woodworking skills/tools then prints can be (somewhat) worked and incorporated into larger projects.
Imagine printing detailed **scallions** or **crenellations** or **gargoyles** for a spooky dollhouse - the main walls would use an inordinate amount of filament whereas sheet-wood is cheaper.
> 0 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, material
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thread-18066 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18066 | Ender 3 V2 ignories Z-axis limit switch | 2021-09-13T22:01:51.413 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 V2 ignories Z-axis limit switch
My shiny new Ender 3 V2 seems to ignore the Z-axis limit switch, when I print a model. It moves the nozzle so far down, that it scratches on the bed and destroys the nozzle.
However, when I use the Auto Home function it lowers the nozzle until the limit switch clicks and than stops.
After disabling the stepper motors, the printing platform can be leveled. When after that a printing process is started, Z-axis comes down, the limit switch clicks, but the Z-axis goes about 1.5 mm further down ignoring the switch.
As a result, the nozzle is pressed with such force to the platform that no filament comes out of the nozzle and is grated with such force that the nozzle and the platform get damaged.
I checked the Z-axis offset in the software to be zero. I moved the Z-axis limit switch higher, to check if the behavior changes without success. The installed firmware version is 1.0.2.
Can someone tell me why it ignores the Z-axis limit switch during printing, when it reacts to it during the leveling process? I just want to print my first ever model.
# Answer
> 3 votes
I finally found the problem. The threaded rod of the Z axis was not mounted tight enough to the motor. This resulted in the slipping of the Z axis by large accelerations of the motor.
So... tightening the threaded rod connector socket and redoing the leveling solved the problem.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, bed-leveling, z-axis, homing
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thread-13634 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13634 | CTC i3 Y-axis thin / no filament deposition | 2020-05-10T08:13:58.563 | # Question
Title: CTC i3 Y-axis thin / no filament deposition
I have this CTC i3 printer; when I print square test prints, as it moves along the Y-axis back to zero (front). It extrudes lines but very thin or none at all.
But opposite direction along the Y axis is 100 %
# Answer
I can see a couple of problems in your images:
1. Your bed is clearly and awfully unleveled. Check on Youtube some manual leveling using a paper.
2. Though I think your problems will be solved by correct leveling, if not, check this thread where I explain a little bit about E-step and flow rate calibration. Having these parameters right is crucial for a good first layer.
3. I don't know what you are using for layer adhesion but if after doing steps 1 and 2 the problem persists I would heat up a little bit the bed and change the adhesion material (glue, hairspray).
> 1 votes
# Answer
Looking at the first image, it appears that the nozzle is a little too close to the glass build plate. You clearly see that the nozzle scrapes over the glass and filament is deposited on either side of the nozzle. Re-level the bed with a (thicker) piece of paper or with a feeler gauge. Alternatively, increase the height of the nozzle by re-defining the height or add an extra Z raise in the slicer (see question: "How can I add an offset to the first layer to increase clearance?").
> 1 votes
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Tags: prusa-i3, pla, y-axis, underextrusion
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thread-13629 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13629 | Creality CR-10 problems with extrusion while printing | 2020-05-09T12:33:43.223 | # Question
Title: Creality CR-10 problems with extrusion while printing
I have an extrusion problem with my creality CR 10 3D printer while printing. I am using a standard 0.4 mm nozzle with a 1.75 mm diameter PLA and I use Cura as my slicer.
This printer worked perfectly fine and I stopped using it a few months ago right after the problem started.
When I try printing a `.gcode` file, the first layer is very thin but visible (it seems like the glass bed is engraved). However, after the first layer is complete, the extruder stops working properly. It moves forward then jumps backwards so it looks like the filament isn’t moving (I can also see the extruder’s marks on the filament). Also, the axis seem to move fine in all directions as I’m able to see a clear first layer.
However, when I go into the “prepare” menu of my printer and move the extruder, it works great as the filament flow is very smooth.
Hence, the problem is only visible while printing. I don’t think there’s a problem with the `.gcode` files as I printed them perfectly fine beforehand.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Without images of the problem it is difficult to diagnose, but, the described symptoms sounds as if the nozzle is too close to the bed. If the nozzle is too close to the bed, and the extruder not strong enough, the filament flow is very limited due to pressure caused by a very small opening between the nozzle and the bed. Skipping of the extruder may wear out (grind) the filament and stop extrusion altogether.
Re-level the bed with a (thicker) piece of paper or with a feeler gauge. Alternatively, increase the height of the nozzle by re-defining the height or add an extra Z raise in the slicer (see question: "How can I add an offset to the first layer to increase clearance?").
# Answer
> 0 votes
Clearly you're having an extrusion problem. Extrusion problems usually come either from a clogged nozzle (as @Adam S. said) or from the extruder it self. To determine where the problem is located I would first do a flow rate test using this. When doing this test you can determine if the extruder is grinding the filament or if it's not grabbing it too much. After the calibration of the flowrate you can be certain that the printer is (by .gcode) pushing the correct amount of filament. If the problem persist I would first do an unclogging (since it's cheaper than the following option) using something like this.
If both previous options do not solve the problem, I would highly recommend you to by a mk-8 like metal extruder. After a while, the plastic one that comes with the printer loses force and you'll lose steps. Personally, I had a similar problem where the first layer was printed in a droplet pattern and was solved by changing the extruder to a metal one.
Try these options and if the problem persist you could upload some pictures of the first layer or a video. Other possibilities I think of are that the filament is having trouble passing through the Bowden tube or maybe you'll have to reasemble the hotend.
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Tags: filament, extruder, extrusion, creality-cr-10, underextrusion
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thread-18179 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18179 | What are the advantages and disadvantages of Eryone's 15% metal PLA compared to other PLA? | 2021-10-02T23:52:18.500 | # Question
Title: What are the advantages and disadvantages of Eryone's 15% metal PLA compared to other PLA?
I am thinking of using it for a project or two but am still somewhat new to this.
So, I was wondering what are the advantages and disadvantages of Eryone's 15% metal PLA and X% metal PLA in general?
# Answer
> 1 votes
Advantage: It should print like regular PLA at PLA temperatures.
Disadvantage: the embedded metal particles are abrasive and will widen your standard brass nozzle over time. The fix is to use a hardened steel nozzle, or for the extreme, there are options like ruby-tipped nozzles.
Advantage: It should look "metallic" in a way that is more durable than a paint-on topcoat finish, with a depth instead of a surface-only appearance.
Disadvantage: I can't find the product you're referencing. The nearest I can find is **Metal Silk Rainbow PLA** and **Ultra Silk PLA**
That latter one is available in gold, bronze, copper, silver, etc. which sounds like metal, but only printing some will show you in person what it looks like.
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See also Additional mods for printing metal filled filament with Ender 3 V2?
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Tags: creality-ender-3, pla, material
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thread-18200 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18200 | Is it normal for belt tension to differ between sides of a CoreXY printer? | 2021-10-05T15:20:50.813 | # Question
Title: Is it normal for belt tension to differ between sides of a CoreXY printer?
When I pluck the belts of my CoreXY printer, I feel significantly different tension between the two idlers on the back and the tension on the sides, between the gear on the stepper shaft and the idler on the back.
Is this normal? If not, what could be the cause?
For reference, I'm using this support for the idlers:
# Answer
> 1 votes
If you are referring to the tension in a single belt, but ar different positions, the tension is everywhere the same. It is one belt, the force/tension is the same in the belt. If the length of the belt is shorter because of a carriage to idler, the plucked sound may differ but the tension is the same.
If you are referring to different belts, e.g. the top versus the bottom belt, for CoreXY machines, the tension in the two separate belts should be equal to allow equal force pulling the carriage. If uneven, this may lead to incorrect/skew prints or binding of linear bearings (from experience). A typical layout of the mechanism is shown below. Note that there are several solutions for placing the belts; they can be in the same plane (where the belts cross in the back, as depicted below) or have the belt each in their own plane (as in the HyperCube Evolution design as depicted in the image of the question).
<sup>Drawing published by Ilan E. Moyer, taken from http://corexy.com</sup>.
For both options, incorrect belt tension causes for different forces onto the the printhead carriage and result in a torque on the carriage (either in X-Y or in X-Z). E.g. a tight blue belt with a less tight red belt cause a resulting counter-clockwise torque on the carriage in the image below:
I use a tool (gauge) to determine the tension to compare both belts and make sure the tension in both is the same:
Many CoreXY designs can adjust the tension of the belts at the carriage by screws. Some designs feature the stepper in the back and an adjustable pulley in the front.
# Answer
> 0 votes
The belts of a CoreXY should be identical in length and tensioned simultaneously to ensure proper operation. Any slack or springiness difference will result in prints that are askew. In that case, where the tension or springiness cannot be removed, the Marlin firmware allows for compensations for skewing as M-Code 852
https://marlinfw.org/docs/gcode/M852.html
# Answer
> 0 votes
The tension of the belts on CoreXY printers, is always the same in both belts. Since they motion system requires coordinated movement of both belts. You probably need to re tension them both, also check the length. It needs to be identical.
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Tags: belt, corexy
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thread-18204 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18204 | Ender 3 pro Z axis homing | 2021-10-05T21:02:59.040 | # Question
Title: Ender 3 pro Z axis homing
Whenever the printer homes, the nozzle ends up digging into the bed and causing damage. This also happens when I start prints, the first layer is shoving the nozzle into the bed, this happens every time.
This only happens when the bed is level. It only stops when I lower the bed completely. And when I do it is too far down and the nozzle is about a centimetre away from the bed.
I haven't thought much about it until now as I am thinking of replacing the bed because of the damage.
# Answer
> 2 votes
Sounds like you have incorrectly set up your machine, specifically the Z offset. Or your Z endstop is physically too low and not set up properly.
I'd suggest recalibrating your machine from the start as that would help dial it in as well as potentially solve this issue.
I recommend following this guide at the Teaching Tech 3D Printer Site \- it's extremely good. (there's also a page for troubleshooting different issues including testing your Endstops to confirm they are working)
Good Luck. 3D printers can be hella finickity but all in good fun.
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Tags: creality-ender-3, bed-leveling
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thread-18155 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18155 | Creality Ender 3: Layer shifting at high speeds | 2021-09-29T12:09:51.647 | # Question
Title: Creality Ender 3: Layer shifting at high speeds
I am printing Benchies at high speed, I successfully printed one at 300 mm/s. If I set the speed to 400 mm/s, the Y axis begins shifting around. This is usually accompanied by a banging sound.
In addition, the extruder motor occasionally clicks. When it clicks, the filament shoots back out a little bit.
Print settings:
* Infill: 100 %
* Hotend: 200 °C
* Bed: 60 °C
* Material: PLA
* Infill: Lines
* Walls: 2
* Top/bottom layers: 2
* Speed: 400 mm/s
* Jerk: 400 mm/s
* Acceleration: 1000000
I am running custom Marlin-based firmware on the stock mainboard.
The printer shakes my desk when printing like this.
# Answer
TL;DR: Don't do that.
Detailed answer: You need motion limit parameters that actually make physical sense, and firmware capable of executing a motion plan according to them. Your jerk and acceleration settings absolutely don't. Marlin's whole implementation of jerk is wacky (note: modern Marlin versions don't even use it but an alternative they call "junction deviation" instead) and likely to cause problems above very low values; I never was able to take it above 25 or so on Marlin without layer shifts. Acceleration is dependent on the stepper motor torque and the mass you'll be accelerating. For the Y axis, that's the bed, and it has enough mass you won't accelerate it above 12000 mm/s² or so, much less the requested 1 km/s² plus near-infinite acceleration from the extreme near-instantaneous 400 mm/s velocity change ("jerk").
The speed of 400 mm/s is achievable if you don't do it instantaneously. Stepper motors begin to rapidly lose torque beyond a certain speed due to limits on how fast the magnetic field can build up and be reversed, which has to happen for each step. This calculator can compute the limits if you know the properties of your motor. For the Ender 3 Y axis motor, the limit is around 425 mm/s or so if I'm remembering right.
For actual print speed, though, the hotend and extruder cannot keep up with anything nearly that high. 150 mm/s is about the limit with that hotend, and it might even be lower with a stock extruder. Fortunately, Benchy is mostly acceleration-bound, not top-speed-bound, so if you can get your acceleration profile right, you can still print quite fast.
Now the next limit you'll hit is Marlin. Marlin is... not good at high speeds and accelerations. Often the layer shifts you hit with Marlin aren't even physical limits but Marlin bugs. If you want to go fast, you need Klipper, not only because it lacks these step timing bugs, but because you need its Input Shaper feature to keep the high acceleration from tearing your printer apart (literally, vibrating all the screws out!).
> 6 votes
# Answer
Ok, so you are having multiple problems, lets break it down:
At the speed you are pushing, it would not be weird to have the Y belt slipping around. Also inertia comes into play, so please, dont do that.
What you are mentioning about the filament going out a bit, also makes sense. You are exceeding the max volumetric flowrate for the ender 3. I would recommend going for a higher flow nozzle/Hotend combo.
> 0 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, fdm
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thread-18191 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18191 | Printer has stopped extruding | 2021-10-04T11:15:33.853 | # Question
Title: Printer has stopped extruding
I have been printing toy cars for about a month now and my Ender 3 has stopped extruding plastic even when I insert filament, it has been about a day since it stopped working. Is there any tips for getting it working again?
I tried manual feeding which worked.
# Answer
You need to figure out what is not working
* Is the hotend getting hot? If not, melted filament won't come out.
* Is the nozzle clogged? In your toolkit was a bit of thin wire for poking into the nozzle - try that and see what happens.
You may need to heat the hotend, extract the filament, wait for it to cool, remove the bowden tube and push the wire up from below, if the obstruction is too big to come through the 0.4mm nozzle.
* Is the extruder pushing/feeding filament? Undo the bowden tube at the top, tell the control panel to extrude and observe if plastic moves. An Ender3 V2 has the round handle on top, you should see it slowly revolving.
If you can see the gears turning and the filament is not coming through, try snipping that piece off and inserting a fresh end. Also clean inside the pushing gears of the extruder, could be simple plastic detris laying about.
* Are you having reel problems? Can you tug on the filament and have the reel turn? If not, it might be binding on the roll, or knotted/tangled.
> 3 votes
# Answer
My comment refuses to upload so I think it’ll be ok if I just put it here:
Thanks this fixed it I had to replace my hot end as the one had broken for some reason but now it is fully working again, thank you so much!
Sorry for all the mistakes in formatting, I am new I joined 3 days ago.
> 1 votes
# Answer
This happened to me once - no plastic would come out, the extruder was jammed. I was stumped as to what was happening, as I couldn't put any filament through the hotend, but it was definitely still hot. The problem: don't ask me how it happened, but a small screw had somehow found its way into the hotend.
> 1 votes
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Tags: creality-ender-3, extruder
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thread-18022 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18022 | Which glass for heated bed | 2021-09-06T09:15:46.073 | # Question
Title: Which glass for heated bed
I am building my CoreXY 3D printer with 350x350 mm heated bed at about 4 mm thickness. I just found out that borosilicate glass is unavailable at the local glazier. He offered tempered or ceramic glass instead. Which one should I go for? I read that both are a more expensive option to borosilicate glass, but I worry about the temperature stability, warping of the glass (in case of the tempered one), and parts (not) sticking to it. Any experience is appreciated.
PS. The ceramic glass of this size would cost me about 45 USD. The glazier did not tell me the price of the tempered option, but I reckon it will be around 30 USD, which is much more acceptable if it does the same job.
# Answer
> 1 votes
The primary advantage of borosilicate isn't that it's resistant to thermal shock -- as someone already noted, there's not much in the way of rapid heating or cooling in FDM printing (yes, the filament is hot, but its mass is low enough the glass it touches won't pick up much heat). Rather, it's the low expansion. Common soda-lime glass (window glass, mirror glass) expands several times as much as borosilicate, which means it will also shrink several times as much when it cools back down.
If you're holding constant temp throughout the print, and give adequate preheat time, that won't matter, but if (for instance) you heat the bed 10 °C hotter for the first layer, then cool it, plain glass will shrink enough to potentially cause the print to come loose, while borosilicate won't.
Ceramic glass is like borosilicate only more so (akin to Corningware) -- but again, not worth paying for unless you expect to change your bed temperature during the print.
For any kind of glass, my own preference is to use glue stick. I apply a "squiggle" (a precise metric volume), use 91% isopropyl to spread it evenly over the build area, and my prints stay stuck, but pop right off when the glass cools a little.
# Answer
> 0 votes
People choose borosilicate because of its thermal properties.
Between ceramic and tempered, I would suggest tempered glass, it's not good as borosilicate when comes to adapting to rapid temperatures but better than ceramic. The other option I would suggest will be "Aluminium", which is much better.
# Answer
> 0 votes
Mirror glass is commonly used. It's flat and cheap. There isn't really a sudden thermal shock to worry about, and if you're going to be printing at temperatures that *need* borosilicate glass, you might find the aluminium parts of the bed sagging. Remember to ask for the edges to be smoothed.
Thinner glass will transmit the heat better - but you might be able to get tempered glass as thin as 1/8" thick (~3.2 mm).
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I print with PLA and use 3 mm mirror glass secured with a bulldog clip near-ish to each corner, and Elnett "Normal Strength" hairspray for adhesion (applied holding the glass over the bath to avoid it getting everywhere) - it's easy to clean off under running water. Demounting the parts cleanly is a simple matter of popping it in the fridge for half an hour if they don't come off with a slight nudge.
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Tags: heated-bed, glass-bed
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thread-18217 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18217 | Does abrasive filament require a special hotend? | 2021-10-09T16:03:13.827 | # Question
Title: Does abrasive filament require a special hotend?
I know that you need a special nozzle to extrude abrasive filament (carbon fibre, copper, ...). I do have such a nozzle (coated steel) and am printing carbon fibre and copper filament. Last time I used it to print carbon fibre PLA. It worked well, however when I removed the nozzle from the hotend I realized that I could no longer screw the non-abrasive nozzle in (the dirt cheap 0.1$ china nozzles that work well enough for most materials) and the thread of the hotend was completely loosened up.
I had been working on a few other things with my printer, so I am not entirely sure what caused the thread to become loose, but I was wondering, are there some requirements to the hotend excluding the nozzle when printing abrasive filament?
# Answer
Abrasive filaments require a stronger nozzle indeed. They also require an all-metal hotend. If your hotend wasn't all-metal, there's a good chance you've damaged it.
The PEEK/PTFE in your hotend doesn't like going above 240 Celsius and tends to be irreparably damaged if used too long above 250 Celsius.
> 3 votes
# Answer
The hotend itself consists of basically 3 parts:
* The filament path, aka Coolend. It consists of the heartbreak, cooling solution and anything up from it.
* The heater block, that holds everything together
* The nozzle, in which the filament melts and is pushed out.
The part of the hotend assembly that gets to be in the most contact with the particles that are inside the abrasive filament is the nozzle through which the molten polymer gets out. Unless you have heat creep and the filament melts in the heartbreak, it is the only part that ever will encounter the abrasive particles even.
Since even the most abrasive filaments come as rather smooth filaments, only the nozzle needs to be special. Hardened Steel will hold some kilos, while people printing a lot of carbonfiber filled material swear on ruby nozzles.
> 1 votes
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Tags: filament, hotend
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thread-18222 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18222 | K-Thermistor vs Ender 3 Stock Thermistor: Problem with bad reads | 2021-10-11T03:46:14.397 | # Question
Title: K-Thermistor vs Ender 3 Stock Thermistor: Problem with bad reads
I have changed my hotend on my Ender 3 v2 with Dragonfly BMS.
In effect, because I wanted to reach higher temperatures, I also changed the thermistor with one that is 3mm wide and does not have the bead shape.
> This is what it looks like
The connector is the same as the Creality Ender 3 v2 one (JST).
It was listed as "HT-NTC 100K 3950 Thermistor for Reprap Hot-End" and "Working temperature: -50 °C ~ +350 °C, can replace the original K-thermistor. Suitable for printing high temperature filaments."
I replaced the stock one and did a PID callibration.
However, when I attempted to print parts, first I observed bubbles and degradation of the fillament (PETG at 240 and PLA at 200). I tried lowering the temperature and it started printing well (PETG) at 200 C, which obviously is way too low. Same goes for PLA, which I can't print over 170.
Here's the product on amazon
Does anyone have experience with this kind of problem? I have access to modifying Marlin firmware. I am not sure if this is a different type of temperature sensor.
I'm using OCTOPRINT to see the temperature.
When the sensors are off the hot end reports 22.1 degrees while the bed reports 22.
# Answer
Even if it works properly (which it seems not to do), this type of thermistor will only have a resistance of around 100 Ohms at 350°C, which is too low to be useful in your printer. It is rather suspicious that the seller does not specify an accuracy for the thermistor, so it is probably of a low accuracy, which will make things even worse. I am not surprised that you are getting poor results with it.
Maybe use a Platinum RTD, instead of a thermistor. A PT1000 RTD will have a temperature of 1000 Ohms at 0°C, and so should be usable in your printer without needing an amplifier board. E3D-Online sell one that is rated up to 500°C. You will need to change the sensor type in your printer's firmware, which will probably mean recompiling and re-flashing the firmware.
I used this thermistor calculator to calculate the expected resistance at 350°C.
> 1 votes
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Tags: hotend, petg, thermistor, temperature, all-metal-hotend
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thread-18224 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18224 | Should I cure my 3D printed resin model before or after sanding down imperfections? | 2021-10-11T08:42:01.200 | # Question
Title: Should I cure my 3D printed resin model before or after sanding down imperfections?
When printing a 3D model on a resin printer should I sand down imperfections and marks left by supports before or after curing?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of doing it either way?
# Answer
> 4 votes
# Postprocessing AFTER Curing
Liquid or not fully cured Resin is a skin irritant and should not be handled without gloves. Exposure to it is to be reduced to an absolute minimum.
To make sure you work with an inert chunk, you need to first wash and then cure your items before handling any postprocessing, such as sanding. Only this way you can avoid getting in contact with any liquid resin in case any spot inside is not cured, possibly due to enclosed cavities or places that were not reachable by washing but which might be exposed during postprocessing.
As a side effect, abrasive post-processing works much more evenly, the less ductile and more even the material is. As an example, woods that have very hard and very soft rings interchanging, are a pain to sand smoothly without the aid of a contraption and do sand differently with than sideways to the grain, while even materials like steel file smoothly in all directions. A fully cured resin print is much more monolithic than a raw print.
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Tags: resin, post-processing, safety
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thread-18228 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/18228 | Looking for 3D filament thats compatiable with HHO-oxyhydrogen and NaOH sodium hydroxide -lye | 2021-10-12T04:17:31.103 | # Question
Title: Looking for 3D filament thats compatiable with HHO-oxyhydrogen and NaOH sodium hydroxide -lye
I'm testing a HHO generator (oxyhydrogen - browns gas generator) and I use 1% NaOH solution (sodium hydroxide -lye). I made some **M8 threaded adapters** for it using PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol) which works for storage. But I notice the **M8 threaded adapters starting to disintegrate** when the generator is running. Does anyone know of a low cost filament that will work with a HHO generator (oxyhydrogen - browns gas generator) and a 1% NaOH solution (sodium hydroxide -lye).
1. I'm not using glass in the main generator
2. I'm using 2 bubblers for safety with flashback arrestor.
3. The printer I have access to is a Prusa Mk3s FDM
4. The HHO generator doesn't use more than 2 amps to generate HHO so the device is cool to the touch (not much heat is generated)
This is what some of the M8 PETG adapters look like.
https://pawplus.wordpress.com/3d-designs-page-2/
Thanks
# Answer
Polypropylene should be good, and relatively easy to print. Prinsco rate its resistance to NaOH as A-Excellent.
Ultimaker provide a useful guide to the chemical resistance properties of 3D printing filaments.
> 2 votes
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Tags: filament, material, filament-choice, filament-quality
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thread-13737 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/13737 | Print gets worse with every layer - Ender 3 | 2020-05-24T09:36:23.200 | # Question
Title: Print gets worse with every layer - Ender 3
First of all, I'm still new to this 3D printing and I've bought myself a second hand Ender 3 with some mods done to it.
I've successfully printed with PLA in different colors but after a good first layer the print seems like it is skipping lines.
I've already tried to:
* Change the nozzle
* Set the bed level (like a million times)
* Download calibration files (e.g calibration squares)
I have used Cura with the Ender 3 Pro profile:
* I print in PLA at 200 °C
* A print bed temperature of 60°C
* Cooling fan at 100%
* Layer height of 0.2 mm
* Line width is 0.4 mm from a 0.4 mm nozzle
* Printing Speed is set to 50 mm/s for walls and 25mm/s for infill
* Retraction is 6.5 mm/off at 25mm/s
I really don't know how to fix it the bad quality.
# Answer
Many questions on 3D Printing SE are answered, at least by me, not with a "this is the problem", but instead, this is how I would analyze it.
Looking at the picture you supplied, there is something strangely periodic about the under-extrusion in the top visible flat layer.
I don't think it is an X or Y axis problem. It is too low-frequency to be an extruder drive problem, such as a slippery drive hobbed gear. It seems too high frequency to be a filament feed problem, unless you are very close to the end of a spool with a small inner diameter. This is less likely because you have printed many things, and I would infer that you have seen this with full spools and empty ones.
The Ender 3 looks like a Bowden-fed printer. You are printing PLA, which should work well with Bowden.
Temperature variation could also cause this problem. If the nozzle were cooling and heating in an unstable control cycle, where the nozzle is cooler you would find under extrusion and even non-extrusion. This looks compatible with the results.
What could cause thermal problems?
* Not delivering energy to the heater, perhaps because of a bad connection, or perhaps because of an intermittent heater cartridge
* Not sensing the temperature correctly, perhaps because of a shorting thermister
* Thermal control look is out of tune, which I consider unlikely since you haven't messed with it, and in my experience that is pretty forgiving
* Not conducting heat from the heater to the nozzle, which is unlikely
If you have an infrared thermometer, put a piece of masking tape on the heater (to get a consistent IR emissivity) and monitor the temperature. Is it cooler when under extruding? It might only be a few degrees different, but that could be enough if you are right on the transition temperature.
If the temperature is stable, you might try printing 10 degrees hotter, just to see. Some variation is normal, and you might be on the edge.
It is possible you have a filament that widely varies in diameter, but for that strong an effect, you would have noticed that the filament was thinner in some places than others.
My best suggestion is to look at temperature.
## Further Reflection
It is also possible that you have something dragging on the filament spool. I don't like it as a solution, but it is consistent with printing a lot (at the beginning of spools) and then encountering this problem. A problem feeding, although I discounted it in my earlier answer, could produce a periodic under-extrusion if the drag on the spool changes. If the problem was one-time, then it may have been bad winding in the spool so that once per revolution it requires some extra tug to unwind the filament. That tug would reduce the torque available to push the filament through the working side of the printer. There might be extruder jumps (pops, clicks, etc.) coming from the extruder as it skipped steps.
> 4 votes
# Answer
I'd suggest running through basic maintenance. Check
* Is the nozzle clean/unblocked? If not clean it out
* Is the nozzle worn? If so, replace it
* Is the bowden tube okay in the hot end ? If not, replace, or at least shorten it.
* Are your e-steps calibrated correctly?
...etc
Also consider whatever mods were made, and whether they help or not. There's a chance something there was sub-optimal, which is why it was sold off by the previous owner.
> 0 votes
# Answer
I had this exact issue - PLA wasn't sticking to itself. It was intermittently being dragged around by the nozzle, and prints literally fell apart when removing them.
The problem: bad filament. I bought a new roll and the printer worked fine afterward.
> 0 votes
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Tags: print-quality, pla, creality-ender-3, troubleshooting
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thread-9973 | https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/9973 | Why is the center of my glass print bed lower than the corners? | 2019-05-18T13:56:47.227 | # Question
Title: Why is the center of my glass print bed lower than the corners?
I have a new Creality Ender 3.
I suspect that I have not adjusted the eccentric nuts correctly, on the X-axis head carriage mounts.
Even after a glass bed upgrade, using the Level Corners routine of the TH3D firmware, I can get the head to scrape a sheet of paper all 4 corners but that same sheet of paper does not then scrape the head in the center, unless I fold that paper in half.
I could understand this if the rail on which the hot end travels is very slightly higher at the side opposite the extruder. I have tried turning the eccentric nut on that side until the head does trap the paper, but when I then repeat the Level Corners routine, the gap at the center has come right back.
I already adjusted the eccentric nut on the extruder end because the wheels on the hot end carriage were showing an accumulation of brown dust in a ring around each wheel, which I heard was likely a sign that the carriage was "too tight." So basically, I am messing around with the eccentric nuts at both ends of the X-axis rail, chasing two problems at the same time, but I don't really know what I am doing.
Recommendations?
# Answer
> 7 votes
This seems to be a common problem with ender-3 and cr-10 printers from Creality. Mine is the same way but not enough to keep prints from adhering.
Typically the aluminum bed is not perfectly flat. If it’s not the glass may be able to flex enough that it can make a difference. There are a few ways to try to fix it.
1. Shim the low spots in the aluminum bed with aluminum foil or another thin material. Then the glass will sit on a flatter more well supported surface.
2. Bend the aluminum bed until it is flat.
3. Add a 5th leveling point under the middle of the bed. You could either make it adjustable which would be tricky to get to or create a support piece accurately or get one close and shim it.
The shimming process is probably the easiest and the one I may end up doing. But whether you shim it or do the other trick you need to measure for points that are out of flat.
If you get a decent straightedge and some feeler gauges and/or or shine a bright light from the other side and look for spots of light between the straightedge and the aluminum bed you can see where you need to shim or otherwise adjust it. You’ll need to move it at various angles through the center and other spots on the bed. That way you can see whether it is just the middle or if the edges are an issue too.
Also, once you check the aluminum bed, check the glass as it may not be flat either.
There was a YouTube video on the cr-10 I think that showed part of the shimming process and checking for level. I’ll try to see if I can find it to add a link here.
I still didn't find the video I was looking for, but here is a useful related one that talks about tramming the bed (what 3d printing people call leveling) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcAmZqb-ZEE
And here's a reddit thread about the issue. Someone incorrectly says the glass plate can't flex that much but it certainly can. We're talking small tolerances. Even granite slabs flex small amounts. https://www.reddit.com/r/CR10/comments/7d7gyh/aluminum\_bed\_warped\_cant\_get\_it\_to\_do\_anything/
# Answer
> 1 votes
I had the same problem with an Ender 3 out of the box. I ended up adding a thin raft under each print. This would solve it if you don't want to do the manual adjusting.
# Answer
> -2 votes
I had the same exact issue, you have to make sure all of your printer is leveled, start with the base, than the poles that hold your x axis gantry. there are numerous youtube videos on how to do that.. make sure it's all leveled and try again.. this tip helped a few people already
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Tags: creality-ender-3, bed-leveling
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