HE3D Delta -600 build review

If your reading this thinking that this will be a cool first printer DON'T DO IT, I would hesitate to recommend this kit if its your first Delta too, if you want a cheap fixer-upper then maybe its for you......


Having already got a RepRapPro Mendel and Fisher I decided what I really needed was a large delta for printing ABS, but my wife decided she needed to buy shoes, and paying for a decent large delta wasnt going to make me popular! The HE3D appealed mostly on cost, and I figured that if there was anything wrong with it then I stood a good chance that I could fix it myself. I bought the optional heated bed and it comes with a bed leveling probe

Because I already have two Duet based machines I also decided that Id like to stick with the Duet controller and bought an 0.85 board and PanelDue from Think3dPrint3d and a couple of DC42s differential probes, so I now have a new and unopened RAMPS controller that came with the printer.

Delivery was pretty good took just over a week, which about par from China to Australia, the Duet from the UK was 2 days quicker though, and I've yet to receive the bed probes

On unboxing there were a few disappointments the standard build plate was an MDF board covered with painters tape, the optional heated bed was 12V, there was no 24V power supply as indicated by HE3Ds web page and there was no glass build plate.

The rest of the kit appeared to be pretty standard, the aluminium extrusions looked well cut and the printed parts were OK to look at, plenty of screws and wires... and the instructions were initially hard to find as they were installed on the SD card......

hm..... the SD card, had a few problems with this, it seamed a little sluggish, which I initially put down to the Chinese compression, but what at first glance appears to be a Kingston 2GB card rather strangely has SanDisk etched into the plastic rear, and some investigation its clearly appear that someone has put a Kingston label on a SanDisk SD card..... further investigation leads me to conclude that the Kingston label is a forgery, and the SanDisk SD card has a grey switch protection, and since SanDisk always uses a white switch then its easy to conclude that the SanDisk card is itself a forgery! Guess that explains why its sluggish!

The card itself contains a copy of the Arduino software and Slic3r, but only found that after trying several unzip packages.....winzip worked well, but the first couple of zip packages I tried couldn't open the .RAR file.

The instructions are really bad, but this isn't news I had heard they were bad, they rely heavily on pictures without any explanation, and all too often I had to guess the correct length of screw to use...frequently getting it wrong, I didn't look at the electronics instructions as I was using a Duet instead of the supplied RAMPS.

The only issue I had with the mechanical build was one of the carriages was badly distorted and one of the screws that holds the belt holder to the carriage wouldn't fit without some modification, Ill have to make another at a later date, but managed to make do with them, the plastics were otherwise OK, many holes needed cleaning out with a drill and some trimming was necessary, but that is to be expected with printed parts.

On assembly of the carriages I felt that they didn't exactly feel smooth when moving on the rails, but that may not be a big issue, maybe they will bed it over time.


Many of the cables supplied were too short in fact I think ALL the cables for the hot end and extruder drive were too short!, and I had to cut them to spice extension cables in the middle, the key exception are the axis motor cables that are ridiculously long, so Ill probably be trimming them at a later date!

Once I had it built I had a few initial issues with commissioning, the Duet comes with a Kossel maxi configuration which I thought would work (it doesn't), but when I tried the sd card from my fisher I found it worked fine, so I just modified the fisher config,g to accommodate for the size and to reverse the extruder, add the bed heaters etc.

which brings me to the heaters!, 12V is inadequate to drive the heated bed and nozzle,

The bed itself is incapable of achieving a temperature over 80C, and when you bring the head near to the bed the fan quickly brings it down, on the HE3D 180 they brag that the heated bed can achieve 120C inside of 40 seconds.... it doesn't make this claim for the -600, which is just as well, looking at the HE3D website I notice that the optional kit indicates that it uses a 24V power supply, yet the bed on the kit is marked 12V and the -180 states it uses 12V

To give the hot end some slack I did make a double fan and cooling duct mount, which ended up making the nozzle incapable of holding a temperature over 200C, after reverting to the standard head cooling design I found it performed much better.... but it has poor part cooling features!.

Another issue with the hot end is the bed leveling switch, this is a simple system where the nozzle is articulated and spring loaded so that when the head is lowered into the bed it will activate a switch that senses displacement of the head..... the spring loading is from the micro switch itself, but the force required to cause a displacement to activate the switch causes the bed to bend (may be better with a glass build plate) and the switching position has a really poor repeatability! The fisher suffers a similar problem I'm hoping the DC42 probes will fix both machines!

The final issue with the hot end is the bowden tube, I was reading the topic about the flying extruder, and feel this may be the best fix, the length of the bowden tube means there is a lot of compression in the filament which causes drool and a lot of other issues that will require some tuning of the S3D settings.

All in all its what I expect from a Chinese supply, it more or less does what you expect it to do, but it does nothing exceptionall well and a lot of things poorly and its no shock that at least one of the parts was counterfeit! Fortunately most things are fixable, and I kinda enjoy fixing them, so, I've now got a printer that more or less works and a long(ish) to do list

To do list
- replace 12V PSU with 24V PSU (fortunately Duel can handle it)
- replace nozzle heater with 24V heater
- try not to burn out 12V bed with 24V PSU...otherwise need to replace bed!
- print box for panelDue screen
- print box for Duet
- print new set of carraiges, maybe replace rollers, maybe change to linear rails
- make baseplate for printer to hold the electronics in
- source 280mm glass build plate
- flying extruder mod
- design new effector and fan ducts to include mount for DC42 probe
- filament holder

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2016 10:07AM by bgkdavis.

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RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

Nice review!

Before you get a 24V PSU, if your 12V one is the standard Chinese LED type, you can turn the voltage up to about 14V using the potentiometer at one end of the terminal block. This will increase the bed and hot end heater powers by about 36%. The caveat is that the PSU needs to be capable of supplying the additional power. Can you tell us the resistance of the bed and hot end heaters, and the power rating of the PSU?

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

The bed has a resistance of 1.7Ohms and the nozzle heater 3.6Ohms, and your correct I was able to get 14V out of the PSU

The PSU is rated at 12V 10A

so.... the bed was probablty drawing 85W and is now 125W and the nozzle was 40W and is now 54W,

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RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

10A @ 12V is far too low for a 3D printer with a heated bed. They should have included a bigger power supply with the heated bas upgrade.

Anyway, your PSU is rated at 120W, and the bed heater and hot end heater together draw 179W, plus about 30W for everything else makes about 210W. So a 12V 300W supply would be a good choice if 14V (or whatever you can turn the PSU up to) provides enough heating power.

If you run the bed heater at 24V then it will draw 14A, which is a little on the high side but maybe just OK for a Duet 0.8.5 (not for a Duet 0.6). You can solder a wire on the back of the Duet to bypass a PCB trace that, on the Duet 0.6, is the weak link. But your best bet is probably to use a 24V PSU turned down to about 21V. That will give you a around 12.4A current and 260W of heating power. To make sure the hot end has enough heating power, choose a 24V 40W heater, not a 30W one.

---

Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

funny thing, it actually says 20A on the PSU, somehow I got it into my head that 12*10=240W!!!

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

Interesting news on the glass build plate issue, I went back to HE3D web page and noticed that it says the kit does include a glass plate, so raised the question with HE3D and they replied that they will "buy a glass plate and send it".... BUY!? I thought they would have had them already....maybe its a translation error, but I kinda feel sorry for them having to ship only a glass plate from China to Australia, but its worth a lot of customer support brownie points if they do!

made good progress on the to-do list

- replace 12V PSU with 24V PSU (fortunately Duel can handle it) uprating the PSU output fixed this
- replace nozzle heater with 24V heater
- try not to burn out 12V bed with 24V PSU...otherwise need to replace bed!.... still not impressed with heat performance maybe glass build plte will improve issue
- print box for panelDue screen
- print box for Duet
- print new set of carraiges, maybe replace rollers, maybe change to linear rails
- make baseplate for printer to hold the electronics in
- source 280mm glass build plate
- flying extruder mod
- design new effector and fan ducts to include mount for DC42 probe
- filament holder..... kinda, amazing what a cable tie can do!

few pictures of the finished printer, makes my fisher look tiny in comparisson

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

Looking good. Once you've gone through that todo list you'll have a nice printer. Most of what I thought you needed to do is already on the list.

One thing I'd add to it, is to add some diagonal braces to the two planes facing away from you (ie X-Z and Y-Z). If you put a large square up against the towers you'll probably find that they're way off square. You'll struggle to print reliably without adding some extra stiffness and squaring it up properly. I used turnbuckles and wire, in a big X on each face. This allows you to easily adjust each angle and you can take out both twist and tilt by turning the turnbuckles. Remember to get all towers parallel first (measure distance between towers at both top and bottom, all 6 measurements should be within 0.05mm).

Heatbed that warps 5mm when heated to 50C...fn awesome!

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

Very nice review bgkdavis
Thanks for the detailed review.
That's right this is not for the new person like me, but unfortunately I bought it. I assembled it with no problem at all.
Now comes the hardest part
Connection and the first print.
I wasn't able to even attaché it with the computer at all. I also have many difficulties in manually controlling the unit.

Is anybody using this printer with the Mac ?

if you used the RAMPS controller that came with the box then I cant help you mines still wrapped in the box, but the good news is the RAMPS controller is very popular and anyone familiar with RAMPS should be of help.

Did you get the kingston/Sandisk forged SD card too?

did you get a glass build plate?

BTW if you got the heated bed, then you may want to cut away some of the MDF under plate the relieve the blob of solder that causes the bed to bulge in the middle, trying to calibrate a delta with a convex bed is incredible fun!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/2016 12:04AM by bgkdavis.

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

Thanks bgkdavis
Yes I am using the RAMPS controller that came with this printer.
Yes I got the sd card
No Glass plate

I can't change the eeprom settings
My computer is not talking to pronter.

I am thinking to return this printer, if I need to setup everything and they are making the money just for supply of the goods it's not worth.
Please suggest some other kit

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2016 10:59AM by hvashist.

Strictly speaking that what most kits do, the designs are open source and the suppliers just supply the kit of parts, but usually you get better instructions, despite the problems with the kit, you do have everything you need to build a delta printer, and you have a well supported controller, you just have to work on filling in the gaps.


The support you are looking for will be in the RAMPS forum here [forums.reprap.org] because all HE3D have done is take an established design and established controller you can leverage help from anybody with experience with the RAMPS controller.

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

Thanks bgkdavis
Is there any way that I can start this printer ?
I used MacBook Air , Windows 7 both. But I can't control the printer with the software accurately.
Since the instructions are very poor and the no straight instructions. Can you please suggest what firmware and repetier host version should I use.
I am about to give up on this. I have wasted a lot of time already.
Thanks again

You have not gone to the forum I pointed too and asked there have you, the help you need in in the RAMPS forum not here

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

I'll go there too.
But can we just use the arduino or any other board and display.
Thanks in advance

You can use any board, I have a preference for the Duet so used that instead of the RAMPS, which is why I cant help you.

If you don't have programming experience of like me cant be bothered to develop your own interface from scratch, make sure you use a control board that has DELTA support, ie like the RAMPS or Duet

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

This is by far the absolute worst purchase I've ever made. I bought this printer nearly 2 years ago and after about 2 months of absolute hair pulling, wrong instructions, missing parts, wrong directions from manufacturer (THEY ARE ATROCIOUS), I finally just tossed it on my workbench in disgust, about 90 percent done, and bought a used Mendel that wasn't working. I fixed the Mendel in 1 day and have been printing with it quite happily. Now I want to get this piece of crap working so again, I find myself pulling my hair out even after nearly 2 years in the 3d printing world. How in the world does the hot end on the hinged effector spring back after touching the bed surface? Do you have a working firmware? Anything that I find online just won't compile. I’m really trying to avoid configuring firmware from scratch but that’s what I’ll probably do via the Repetier online configurator. Any help you could offer would be so much appreciated.

Well the good news, is this is now by far my best, fastest, quietest and most accurate printer (I have three) and it prints extremely well with both PLA and ABS

The bad news..... there isn't much left of the original kit
- aluminium extrusion
- motors
- sprockets
- belts
- some bed components
- power supply
- axis limit switches
- bowden tube
- power switch
- a fan (maybe)
- some wires
- mounting screws and nuts
- plastic conduit

In answer to your question about the hot end, the return spring on the original kit is provided by the limit switch

to transform this heap of garbage you need the following parts

ESSENTIAL
- Duet Wifi + DC42 bed probe
- robotdig aluminium corner kit
- robotdig aluminium effector
- E3D V6 hot end
- will need to print a fan/probe effector mounting block (see thingiverse)
- new solution for carriages, recommend robotdig 600mm linear rails and aluminium carriages, but better rollers may be all that is required, NB the 600mm rails will mean you lose 200mm of print height, if you want to keep the print height then get 800mm rails

ADVISED

- E3D titan extruder (actually this may be borderline essential, but if you can get the HE3D extruder to work OK then great
- carbon arms
- bed stabilization mounts (printed)

NICE
- 240V bed heater
- 240V SSR
- aluminium heat spreader
- ceramic paper insulation
- DC42 screen kit




Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2016 09:16PM by bgkdavis.

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD

I have to admit I had a chuckle when I saw your pictures. About the only thing I recognize from the DLT-600 are the 2020's. lol Nicely done friend. Looks like a beautiful (no so) little bot. What are you using as a print bed? Where did you get that aluminum spreader??? I can't find one that big anywhere.

I was actually considering going with a smoothieboard since I've heard some good things about it.

...and let this be a warning to others....DO NOT BUY FROM HE3D. I paid nearly $1000 for that printer (Canadian) with all the upgrades (heated bed, dual ext etc) and will probably end up replacing 75% of the components. Shame on HE3D.

Well again, nicely done man. Maybe one day I'll get mine to actually move....

Cheers

..... the MDF plate at the bottom of the heat bed is original.....

There are certainly easier ways to build a printer, and knowing what I know now I would just build it from scratch, but I think it was a valuable learning process trough which I was able to source a lot of great suppliers of the key parts, its easy to look at the finished thing and identify that there is nothing left of the kit, but the build process was incremental and there were maybe a dozen stages between the original kit and the current printer where there were increasingly fewer kit parts

The choice of board is really a matter of personal taste, even the RAMPS with good firmware isn't necessarily a bad board, I just have experience with the Duet and would not hesitate to reccomend the Duet WIFI.

The heatbed is made from a borosilicate glass plate from Robotdigg, the heat spreader I made from aluminium that I made round using a router table, and bought a 240V flexible heat plate and SSR, and printed some parts to help keep some distance from the electronics and stabilize the bed, the ceramic paper serves as an insulator, and also accommodates the bulges in the heated mat (which is attached to the spreader plate upside down). The bed itself is sprung in much the same way as the original kit, but I added the guide blocks to improve its lateral stability.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2016 09:49PM by bgkdavis.

---

RepRapPro Mendel 3 Tricolour
RepRapPro Fisher
-Carbon Arms
-Easy adjust Carriage+effector
-axis stiffness mods
HE3D -600 delta
-Duet 0.8.5
-PanelDue
-DC42 Height probe
-RobotDigg metal components
Simplyfy3D
RS Design Spark CAD