Folger Tech 2020 Prusa i3 Build Log
- Thread starter markyoe
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Or just waste a little bit. Removing the hot end can be a pain, literally! Also you can make sure you're stepper is able to push against the pressure of the filament.
http://zennmaster.com/makingstuff/reprap-101-calibrating-your-extruder-part-1-e-steps has a nice explaination of what you're trying to do. If you're a long way off of 100 e-steps/mm you might want to really check out the filament path through the extruder. Does the knurled wheel that you attached to the stepper turn? If not is the axle turning? Is the stepper motor skipping? Make a mark with a sharpie on the axle so you can see it turn if you're not sure.
markyoe
Senior Member
Everything is turning the way it should be. That video was very helpful. I tried to upload the U8glib.h file with the rest of the files to my Arduino and it said "Error compiling." The only things I changed in this version is the steps per mm on the z axis and adding the U8glib.h file.
Any idea as to what I did wrong?
By the way, when I told the printer to use 100mm of filament, it only used about 68.5mm. It definitely seems like this is one of my problems.
That explains a lot. Just not the cause if you had the hot end installed. It could be misconfigured, or the nozzle could be clogged. Still the same two possible causes 
You might be able to see or feel if the extruder is slipping and grinding, which would indicate a clogged nozzle. If the extrusion is smooth and constant its more likely incorrecly configured.
You might be able to see or feel if the extruder is slipping and grinding, which would indicate a clogged nozzle. If the extrusion is smooth and constant its more likely incorrecly configured.
markyoe
Senior Member
That explains a lot. Just not the cause if you had the hot end installed. It could be misconfigured, or the nozzle could be clogged. Still the same two possible causes
Ok, I will give it a try with the hot end on. I did notice that, after a while, the gear on the extruder motor shaft slipped 2 or 3 mm. What should I use to keep it in place?
Did you add the U8glib.h so that the LCD would work? I did my e-steps without an LCD, but I also didn't need to add anything to get the LCD to work later on. I just uncommented the RepRap Discount Smart controller line in the Configuration.h
What were your e-steps set to when you did the test? The line in the Configuration is #define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT {x steps, y steps, z steps, e-steps). You don't want the gear to even slip, do you mean it spins on the stepper axle? If so you need to take the extruder apart and carefully tighten the set screws on the extruder gear. Be careful not to strip the head out of the very small screws. If you mean that the stepper slipped, ie. the gear stopped moving while extruding you need to see if there's a blockage in the hot end (if the nozzle was on), make sure the filament path to the extruder fairly clear and smooth and or double check the vref voltage on the stepper driver. If the stepper voltage is too low it won't have enough torque to push the filament.
markyoe
Senior Member
I tested it with the hot end removed.
markyoe
Senior Member
I received a compiling error when I tried to upload all the firmware and the U8glib.h, so I wasn't able to upload it. I can still navigate around on the LCD but I can't save the changes like the fellow in the video you linked a couple posts back. The e-steps were set to 90 when I did the test. How do I check the vref voltage on the stepper driver?
then there is no need to retest with the hotend installed. A clogged nozzle was one potential cause, if it was clogged, the extruder may not be able to push through what its commanded. But you dont get the proper amount even without hotend, so its either the e-steps (most likely), or your extruder that doesnt put enough tension on the filament to grab it. The latter also seems unlikely since without hotend, there is almost no back pressure. For the same reason I also dont expect it to be a stepper voltage issue.
finally,some results
It looks like you're over-extruding now. Possibly because you increased the feedrate when the extruder was slipping? Also did you dial in the Z axis steps? Last suggestion, you may also be printing a little too hot. Thats not just a function of the hotend temperature, when printing small objects, print multiple copies or slow down the print, otherwise the plastic has no time to cool down.
It looks like you're over-extruding now. Possibly because you increased the feedrate when the extruder was slipping? Also did you dial in the Z axis steps? Last suggestion, you may also be printing a little too hot. Thats not just a function of the hotend temperature, when printing small objects, print multiple copies or slow down the print, otherwise the plastic has no time to cool down.
Does you printer have a fan to cool the print? Looking at some pictures, it looks like it may not ? Only one to cool the heatbrake. If it doesnt have one, print one and mount it, Im sure your controller board has another fan header and there is probably a design for a mount on thingiverse. Especially when printing PLA, a cooling fan can make a huge difference.
edit: here's one:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:929577
Not the most compact or elegant design ever, but better than nothing
edit: here's one:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:929577
Not the most compact or elegant design ever, but better than nothing
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markyoe
Senior Member
Does you printer have a fan to cool the print? Looking at some pictures, it looks like it may not ? Only one to cool the heatbrake. If it doesnt have one, print one and mount it, Im sure your controller board has another fan header and there is probably a design for a mount on thingiverse. Especially when printing PLA, a cooling fan can make a huge difference.
edit: here's one:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:929577
Not the most compact or elegant design ever, but better than nothing
No, there isn't a fan to cool the print. I printed the design that you linked, but my nozzle clogged 4 hours into the print. It was a big bummer because it was printing nicely. How do I calibrate the z steps? I tried following these instructions but Repetier Host didn't respond to the M501 in Step 1 of the instructions. http://www.instructables.com/id/Calibrating-your-3D-printer-using-minimal-filament/?ALLSTEPS
I have the heat turned down to 190. I am printing this mount right now: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:774907/#files Apparently it is not the best, but it should help.
markyoe
Senior Member
Maybe the nozzle didn't actually clog. During the print of the new fan mount, about an hour in, it stopped and said "Communication timeout - reset send buffer block" What does that mean? It looks like when it stopped, the filament was tangled and not able to be pulled/unrolled. Could that have cause the communication timeout?
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How are you printing now? From SDcard or directly from repetier on your laptop? If the latter, then the laptop going to sleep is not a good thing . Though I wouldnt be sure if its cause or effect, if the print stalled, the laptop idled and therefore might have gone to sleep. No idea, just turn off sleep mode when plugged in.
The error message means what you'd think it does: a communication problem. Assuming everything is configured properly (baud rates!) and especially if it happens only occasionally, it could point to a dodgy USB cable. Try a short, shielded (thick) one. Do you have any manual control over the printer in repetier?
. Though I wouldnt be sure if its cause or effect, if the print stalled, the laptop idled and therefore might have gone to sleep. No idea, just turn off sleep mode when plugged in.The error message means what you'd think it does: a communication problem. Assuming everything is configured properly (baud rates!) and especially if it happens only occasionally, it could point to a dodgy USB cable. Try a short, shielded (thick) one. Do you have any manual control over the printer in repetier?
BTW, a clogged nozzle wont stop the print. It will continue its movements, there just wont be flowing much, or even any filament from the nozzle. The hobbed bolt will often end up grinding through the filemant like this:
As for temperature; lowering the nozzle temp doesnt really help for the lack of cooling. On large prints, you may not have any problem, but those test blocks you where printing, near the top they are only one tiny cube and the time between layers will become really small, so each layer is deposited on a previous layer thats still too hot. In Slic3r there is a setting for this in filament / cooling / "slow down print if layer time is below". But even that doesnt help a great deal, because even if you do slow the print, the hotend will still be very close to the tiny top, keeping it warm.
A better solution for this, as long as you dont have a cooling fan, is printing 2 or more instances of the same object and putting them far apart on the bed. It will take longer and the nozzle will move from one to the other, allowing them to cool.
As for temperature; lowering the nozzle temp doesnt really help for the lack of cooling. On large prints, you may not have any problem, but those test blocks you where printing, near the top they are only one tiny cube and the time between layers will become really small, so each layer is deposited on a previous layer thats still too hot. In Slic3r there is a setting for this in filament / cooling / "slow down print if layer time is below". But even that doesnt help a great deal, because even if you do slow the print, the hotend will still be very close to the tiny top, keeping it warm.
A better solution for this, as long as you dont have a cooling fan, is printing 2 or more instances of the same object and putting them far apart on the bed. It will take longer and the nozzle will move from one to the other, allowing them to cool.
markyoe
Senior Member
How are you printing now? From SDcard or directly from repetier on your laptop? If the latter, then the laptop going to sleep is not a good thing
The error message means what you'd think it does: a communication problem. Assuming everything is configured properly (baud rates!) and especially if it happens only occasionally, it could point to a dodgy USB cable. Try a short, shielded (thick) one. Do you have any manual control over the printer in repetier?
Yes, I am printing from my laptop and I have manual control. In the Printer Settings in Repetier host, the baud rate was 250000. I turned it up to 256000. I am not sure if I did the right thing, but we will see. My USB cable is only about 18 inches long. It is just the one that came with the printer. I will look into getting a different one if the problem persists. I am printing another simple calibration cube right now.
I think the extruder gear might have ground into the filament a little bit. I think I caught the problem not long after it occurred.
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