First unbox and Build - Prusa I3X DIY Tech Shop

Can you post the Marlin firmware that worked. The one from DIY doesn't compile/verify

Thanks for your write up.

Nice Sjerguy!!!

For everyone, here is a copy of my working Marlin Firmware. Obviously no warranties, just trying to help. You will need to make some changes, endstop and stepper inverts, depending on your wiring. Also, when you calibrate the extruder you will need to adjust this
#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT
660 worked out to be my magic number with 1.75 filament

Just fyi, I have not tested the LCD yet, but the code is there
Here is the link;
[www.mediafire.com]

WOW!!!! it is all I can say once you actually print your first few objects all your hard work pays off!!!

Here are 2 pics, 1st object, then some adjustments, then a reprint. I actually used the first one, I had do do some cleanup but needed the endstop mount anyway. BUT the second one, HUGE improvement.
First endstop;

Second endstop;


I am printing PLA, 185 initial layer 180 after bed 65 initial then 60 printing directly on glass no tape, no glue no hairspray, and I will tell you I have wicked adhesion. I was worried I would break the glass getting them off, even though I waited for the bed to cool.

Never Mind forgot that I installed the libraries incorrectly on another firmware I downloaded and the folder was still in my libraries folder. Thanks to those that pm'd me to try to help.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2014 03:09PM by kmo.

n9jcv,

DId your heated bed come with an LED either installed or in the boxes?

Just wanted to find out what you used for the heated bed indicator

Not supplied, but used my own.

Hi,

I´m very happy to find this thread here and get in touch with other guys using the i3 or i3xl. First of all I would like to give thanks to n9jcv for his build report and all the photos

I´ve bought the i3xl kit from DIY Tech shop at the end of December and received it after 5 weeks. That´s not too bad since I´m living here in Austria (Europe). The good news was that there weren´t many parts missing, just some washers and the wing nuts for the printer bed. In the meantime I managed to put the printer together at least all the mechanical stuff, including the belts and the extruder. I had many of the above mentioned problems with this kit myself as well, so I had to repair some plastic parts or at least file them. One of the nasty thing was that many of the nuts didn´t fit on the threaded rods so I finally had to replace them. Fortunately I´ve many of the needed hardware in stock and a great toolset as well, so I managed to get around almost all problems.

The idea to put the whole printer on a panel and screw it down is a good one. I know that from the experience with my CNC milling machine.

I´ve now reached the point where I need to deal with the firmware and I´m open for every hint that makes my life easier. I´ve already downloade the firmware file from n9jcv, let´s see how far I get...


Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2014 02:28PM by ciutateivissa.

Short update...

I wanted to start with the wiring tonight and found out, that the endstops are missing in the kit! No chance to get them tonight, have to wait untill tomorrow

n9jcv and Sjerguy,

What Filament size and nozzle did you choose? I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on the i3x, and I'm thinking of going w/ the 1.75mm filament and 0.40mm nozzle. I want as fine of printing as I can get, and I'm willing to pay for it with time of printing.

Based on what I've read the 3mm has a higher tendency to jam on smaller nozzle sizes and given that the material pricing and availability today is close, I think I want to go w/ the 1.75mm to prevent potential jamming issues.

Thoughts?

I went with 1.75 filament and a .5 nozzle to start for my 1st printer. You can easily swap nozzles later

I can't talk about 1.75 mm I use 3mm

I am using .5mm hotend.

You can print .2mm or 4mm layer with .5mm nozzle, you can't print .4mm layerwith .4mm nozzle. Rule of thumb is largest layer should be no more than 80% of nozzle size.

I can't talk about smaller nozzle size jamming.

Thanks guys, can you go print a .1mm layer w/ the .5mm nozzle?

I've never done it, but in theory, why not?

Wonder if the PLA output would have to be decreased to do that, or even to print .2mm with great quality.

I printed at .2 last night and it turned out great see here

Looking good!

Just an update, I forgot to put this in my build log. I disassembled the hot end before using. I took out the ptfe tubing. At the bottom end, I angled(chamfered), about 45 degree angle, this makes the ptfe mate better with the brass hot end.

I noticed I have just a bit o leakage from the peek tubing now, just a few drops after about 20 objects, I do believe the angeling of the ptfe tubing has prevented a larger leakage, as I have heard others with this kit, has much worse leakage on the hot end.

I'm actually really worried about the quality of the hotends; you're not the first to mention this.

Anyway, I'm loving these updates! Great build log!

EDIT: Would you mind posting a video of this thing in action? I'm really curious to see what it looks like when it runs.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2014 01:22AM by KD0SKH.

Hey no problem, here is a print of a LED Ring Light Holder, I did last night. I need to test it today. If it works I will post the files and parts in case anyone else wants one
Video of DIY Techshop Prusa I3X

Update from my Prusa i3xl

The printer is now complete and I performed some tests with Pronterface. All axis are moving in the right direction, printer is running smoth and all settings in the configuration.h files seems to work properly...

To be honest: almost all settings are correct, anyway my endstops have a strange behavior on all 3 axis: If the endstop is hit, the steppers is continuing for about 2 or 3 mm then stop and go backwards to zero position! This is not an issue on x or y axis, but on Z!

I didn´t find any setting to stop this behavior, any suggestions?

I've just ordered one! I think I'll be making my own build log as well.

Man, I'm so excited!

Cuidatatevissa, the end stop behaviour on mine os the same, i thik it is normal.

Kd0skh. I know exactly how exciting it is. Good luck

n9jcv,

I´m not sure that´s normal... The nozzle is always "crashing" in the printer bed, until it goes to the 0 position. Maybe it is possible to slow down the speed for the homing of the Z axis, but what setting this could be?

I had a look in the configuration_adv.h as well but there is just spezified, how much the axis is moving backwards to hit the endstop slowly then:

//homing hits the endstop, then retracts by this distance, before it tries to slowly bump again:
#define X_HOME_RETRACT_MM 5
#define Y_HOME_RETRACT_MM 5
#define Z_HOME_RETRACT_MM 1
//#define QUICK_HOME //if this is defined, if both x and y are to be homed, a diagonal move will be performed initially.

Is there a certain speed setting in any config for homing speed?

Regards, Ralf

I mis-understood, my nozzle does not crash, it just comes very close to the bed. There is a setting for the speed of homing in the config file;

Here is what mine is set at
#define HOMING_FEEDRATE {50*60, 50*60, 4*50, 0} // set the homing speeds (mm/min)

my z is substantially slower homing than X or Y

Hope this helps

n9jcv,

thank you for your response. I changed my printerfirmware now completely and tried to use your adopdet Marlin firmware now. I´ve just changed the settings for extruder, extruder temperature and the size of the printerbed. I added the LCD now since the LCD is enabled in your firmware anyway.

After swiching on the printer everthing is fine except the extruder stepper motor: it vibrates constantly and make noise but don´t move... For sure there is some setting not applicable for my extruder (it is the original Wade with little brass hotend). I asume the extruder should do nothing at power on?

I´ve attached both configuration.h files...

the old_i3xl_configuration.h where extruder stepper was working

the new_configuration.h (modified from n9cv) where extruder stepper is NOT working

Again, your help is highly appreciated

What settings did you change for the extruder? Sounds like it's skipping steps (could be caused by you asking it to rotate too quickly). One other thing to check is the potentiometer for the extruder stepper motor, but it sounds like this problem stems from the recent firmware modification.

My first guess to fix this would be to up the voltage on the E stepper driver, easy to rule out

Then there are some settings that you could possibly change
You could try dropping the E's on these to like 1000
#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION {9000,9000,100,10000} // X, Y, Z, E maximum start speed for accelerated moves. E default values are good for skeinforge 40+, for older versions raise them a lot.

#define DEFAULT_ACCELERATION 3000 // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for printing moves
#define DEFAULT_RETRACT_ACCELERATION 3000 // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for retracts

KD0SKH and n9jcv,

thanks a lot for your suggestions, I´ve tried both, but it doesn´t change anything...

I´ve changed the settings to the following values:

#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION {9000,9000,100,1000} // X, Y, Z, E maximum start speed for accelerated moves. E default values are good for skeinforge 40+, for older versions raise them a lot.

#define DEFAULT_ACCELERATION 1000 // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for printing moves
#define DEFAULT_RETRACT_ACCELERATION 1000

but after power on - pronterface NOT startet yet - the stepper was contining both cklicking and vibrating alternating randomly.

Change the voltage on the stepper driver board doesn´t change anything as well.

The remaining question is: What makes the extruder stepper "move" at power on when all others are not doing anything (as it should be). Btw, starting Pronterface does not change this behavioir, however the machine can be connected and other axis can be moved.
Other observation: The LCD shows an Min Temp Error at power on, but I guess this is clear since the bed is not forced to heat up?


I would hate it changing back to the original firmware, however if the firmware works for you it should work for me as well? The difference is just the extruder, the size of the bed and the heatbed...

Regards, Ralf

The firmware should definitely get you going. Perhaps the stepper driver board or motor is bad. Try swapping with Y and see if it is still strange

Yes temp warning is normal. You are very close

Did several checks with exchanging different steppers and stepper driver boards this evening, here are the results:

Stepper driver boards --> all OK
Stepper motor x,y,z --> OK
Stepper motor extruder --> didn´t move regardless where I connect this stepper. Had a spare part here and replaced it. New stepper motor works on all axis, but NOT on the extruder

Change of firmware didn´t change anything, this was expected

It seems that there is no signal for the extruder, could be Arduino or RAMPS1.4... No chance to replace these parts within a few days since DIY shop does not react on emails, is there anything else I could try?