Marlin V1.0, RAMPS1.4 Print speed issue

I have just completed upgrading my control electronics from Sanguinololu/Sprinter to Ramps1.4/Marlin and am having problems printing.

The problem occurs with gcode sliced with old and new versions of slicer.

The first solids layers print perfectly as they did with my old hardware/firmware. However, when the printer starts to print the hexagonal infill, it goes nuts! It's like its trying to move the print head way way too fast. Plastic is splodged everywhere and the motors start to miss steps. This happens with gcode that was happily printed using my old Sanguinololu/sprinter set up.

I think it's simply down to the configuration but I can't tell what I'm missing.

Does someone have a configuration.h file for a Mendel Prusa they could let me have?

I've attached mine to see if anyone can see anything obvious that I'm doing wrong.

PS Everything is calibrated and working well as far as I can tell.

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

I think google may have been my friend once again...

Forum post

I was using very, very silly accelerations.

Will try the new values later and post here.

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

Nope. Made no difference.

However have noticed that when I stop the print, the manual movements are very jerky. They were smooth before I started the print. I suspect that when the Marlin starts to print the traces with the higher feed rates after the first layer there is some software overflow which is screwing things up. Can someone please take a look at my configuration files?

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

I've taken some videos to help explain what I am seeing...

I ran some tests to check that it was not the case that I was just trying to go too fast. I ran a test script gcode file, attached, to get the printer to slew around. The rate for all moves are F28800 or 480 mm/s. This video shows that we have no trouble keeping up.

I then printed the attached gcode file, shown in this video which shows the first layer printing well (first layer prints at 30%) then the printer going nuts when it comes to the other layers and hex infill.

I then pause the printer. This is what it looks like.If I then use pronterface or the Front Panel to move the X and Y axis then the moves are very jerky in that they may make some move forwards and then a couple of moves back before moving forwards again. It will remain in this jerky state until I reset the Marlin electronics.

The important thing to remember is this gcode file printed perfectly OK with my Sanguinolou controller running sprinter.

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

OK, realised that I was using the latest github code on the Version 1.0.0 branch so swapped it for the tagged version referenced in the Marlin RepRap wiki page. Made no difference.

I also have a video of the stutter. Here it is shown in the extruder but the same thing happens in the other axis.

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

Quote

The rate for all moves are F28800 or 480 mm/s.

Maybe this is simply faster than Marlin on a 16 MHz ATmega-based electronics can follow.

---

Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

The video seems to show that it can keep up. Anyway, the maximum print speed I have configured in slic3r is 60mm/s. When I ran with the sanguinololu, it was OK.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

Solved...

By chances, found out what it was. I want to use the firmware controlled cooling fan. As I intend to use the E1 extruder at a later date, I thought I could control the fan using the first servo output on the Mega2560 shield. It turns out that when the fan is at any other value than off or 255, it screws up all the stepper motors. I have built the mostfet driver circuit for the fan so I now need to work out which pin to use and how to configure the software.

For some reason, I chose to change the pin designation from D4 to D11. Both D4 and D11 are servo outputs. Not sure why usig D11 broke things. Pehaps I'll have a look one day. Anyway, having the fan where it is meant to be on D4 ha my printer working again.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2013 11:34AM by MotoBarsteward.

---

Using ABSPrusa Mendel Zaphod with Pronterface and slic3r 1.3.0. Printing well with 3mm PLA and ABS through 2 x J Head Mk IV b and Wade Geared Exruders. Controlled using RAMPS1.4 board running Marlin_v1.1.9

I'm so glad I came across your post, because I've had exactly the same problem as yours.

After spending 1 day scratching my head on what could be causing the jerky axes movements, I followed your suggestion to remove M106 Sxxx (xxx != 255) from the Gcode and everything is running smoothly.

Thank you very much!!!

Apparently this has to do with how Marlin uses timers. Pin 11 uses a timer that it uses elsewhere so if you try to set a value to that it jacks up other stuff... I found this thread which got me on the right path.

You need to use the D4 and D5 pins for these outputs. If you have one of the RRD Fan Extender boards that seems to want to work on D6 and D11, you can just slide it away from the reset button 2 pins and it will work on D4 and D5. It will be plugged into 2 rows of pins and 2 rows of connectors will be hanging in the air. Works fine that way though.

Link to Marlin issue: https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/issues/2104

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2016 11:59PM by snowzach.