Prusa i3 z axis need help!!

I'm having problems with my printer

At first my window 7 64bit didn't recognize the printer driver so I installed a driver from nw reprap.


Now In pronterface I was testing out if the axis move and when I moved my z axis down in crashed on to the bed, when I tell the z axis to go up the axis spin but the motor won't go up, it basically keeps sliding and crashing down on the bed even if I move in manually.

Anyone know what the problem is?

Thanks in advance

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2014 01:26PM by sAyin.

Well it could simply be that when your head crashed the first time the trapped nuts in your Z axis spun out and are just spinning free under your Y ends. ..or have fallen off and are under your printer.

Thanks Mike

Thank you, that seems to have fixed my problem!


Also my z axis is not going all the way down to the print bed when I test on pronterface, can you give my a insight whats the problem there?

thanks in advance

There are several things that could be causing that. The first place I would look is at your Z endstop it might just be set slightly too high. Try moving it down the amount of space between your print head and the print bed.

After that if it's still not going all the way down make sure your z threaded rods are straight, if this is the problem you will hear your stepper motors struggling as they bind.

The next place I would look is in my G-code/printer settings..But I am not as familiar with that as I am with hardware problems so I leave that to someone more familar with the software to answer.

Thanks Mike

Thank you for the quick reply. I managed to fix that problem by moving the z endstops

Also can you tell me how to improve print quality? I done my first print of a cube and it didn't exactly come out right shape. I have straightened the bed and z axis are both the same height, any other suggestions? I've attached a picture of my print quality.

Quote
sAyin
Thank you for the quick reply. I managed to fix that problem by moving the z endstops

Also can you tell me how to improve print quality? I done my first print of a cube and it didn't exactly come out right shape. I have straightened the bed and z axis are both the same height, any other suggestions? I've attached a picture of my print quality.

Well You are printing Congratulations!
That is the first step.

First it looks like you are over extruding all the ridges and tails on the edge of your print look like too much plastic being squished out. Slow your feed down a bit either in the slicing software or in your printers firmware. The curve in the box could be your y belt slipping because it's too loose or it could be a problem with your firmware. Something to try is really slow the print down if it comes out looking good slow but not at normal speed look at your belts and the rest of your hardware. If it still has the curve then either your hardware is really really loose or the problem is in your software/firmware.

It took me a week of tinkering to iron out all the problems in my printer. Pictures are very helpful in helping us diagnose problems as is knowng what software you are useing.

Thanks Mike Happy printing.

Hi mike.

I've tried tighting the y belt but it was struggling to move so I've loosen it back to as it was before


What xy speed would you recommend on pronterface? I have it set to 3000 and z to 200. Is that okay? Or to high?


Thanks

Try dropping your XY speeds down to about 500 (I did this in the firmware), I was having a similar issue and this resolved it for me. Something about the steppers not being able to keep up with the acceleration and skipping steps. I just got my printer Tuesday and started printing on Friday and had quite a few bugs to workout. Now my prints are better quality than the plastics the kit came with.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2014 08:30PM by Rav0506.

What I did was take my speeds and take them to the absolute minimum for my shakedown prints. I think I had my XY set to 300 and my Z set to like 100. But the actual settings don't matter as much as you start slow then you slowly turn up the speed. I found something small I wouldn't mind printing dozens of then just went to work. Tuning your printer is a process.

[www.thingiverse.com]
and
[www.thingiverse.com]

As well as the calibration cubes

Thanks Mike