NEW to reprap and I have an aurora Prusa Reprap i3 QUESTIONS!!!!

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong section, I am new to this forum.

So I have some problems and need some information and answers please.

1.) my windows 7 64 bit machine will not connect Cura 14.12.1 to my reprap Prusa i3
2.) it isn't printing correctly. I can get it to pull an image to print from an SD card. BUT the print head extruder floats to high above the bed. The bed is level Is there some sort of calibration I need to run so my Z axis comes down more? Or is my bed adjusted too low? I need some good resources on this please.
3.) when the nozzle is near the bed and leveled out it keeps picking up the part it is making and dragging it around or it will extrudes the PLA but it wont stick and moves. How can I fix that?
4.) Is there a website with information besides a forum? Does prusa have an official site or anything like ultimaker has?

5.) the limited switches dont seem to stop the motor but according to the manual they are correctly positioned and wired. the manual has nothing but assembly in it.

So basically it is assembled, turns on it moves when it prints, the bed heats and moves, and all other functions from the LCD appear to be functioning as well. I would say it is 90% there but since they did not offer a user manual I am in the dark about a lot of things.

Those are my issues any answers and directions are appreciated. Attached are some pics. And yes I know the wiring is a mess, I am trying to make it work before I clean that up with zip ties. Thanks.

Hi, i'll try to help with some if your issues.

The z calibration relies on the z axis switch to get the correct height. That switch should have some manual way of adjustment which you have to set. The nozzle height is very important because the first layer has to stick to the bed or the print fails, like it is happening in your case because the nozzle is too high.

The printer requires a driver, perhaps that is not installed. If you don't install it the first time it won't ask again IIRC . The driver is the same as the an Arduino driver in most cases.

The limit switches are only used for calibration and because of that they may only seem to work after the appropriate " home axis" g code commands have been issued. Without this commands the printer is going to consider the zero point as the position where it is when turned on.

Information can be found on the reprap wiki, mainly it applies to all repraps but it is not always user friendly.

You may also find useful to try alternative software. I found prinrun (pronterface) very useful for testing and calibrating the printer.

Repetier-host might be another alternative. Of course I do not actually use cura but I do not see the manual move buttons and temperature monitoring that someone might need when testing their printer.

Great that gives me some ideas.

How do I calibrate the steppers? I believe you nailed it with the calibration being off. But I have no clue how to calibrate that limiter switches.

This device did not come with a manual so I am totally in the dark. Given the choice I would not buy this if I had known.

this is what I bought.

AMAZON printer I bought

So I got it to connect to Cura 14.12.1 BUT I can not read the first message from the bed leveling wizard. Below is a screen cap of what I see. Anyone have any ideas?

Anyone know how I can get my Z axis to home to 0? It keeps homing to something like 0.30 instead of 0 the limiter switch does not have anything on it to adjust the switch. and When I run auto home from the menu it does not adjust the Z axis to 0 and often won't adjust the z axis at all.

any ideas on why that is happening?

well got it printing something now but I had to manually adjust my z axis before it started to lay down a lot of plastic. any thoughts? the comment above mentions what is going on.

finished print here is the first pic. If I can fix that z axix issue I will be all set.

Can you post a close up pic of your Z Axis endstop arrangement?

sure one moment

Here you go.

This is the switch it is labeled C NO and NC for the terminals that the wiring connects to. Currently it came wired to C and NO.



This is the mother board connection. The third black and yellow wire in the last white port on the mother board is what I have it connected to.




thanks I hope your answer can help. It printed fairly well on a first run manually adjusting the Z axis to line up. If I get that fixed I can finally print without issue.

OK what part actually operates that switch.

Using the NO contacts isn't actually a good idea as a broken wire will stop them working properly whereas NC is more of a failsafe option in that if a wire breaks the printer will be inhibited.

On My I3 I have a screw on the X axis block that I can adjust for the point at which my switch operates looks like on yours you may have to do the adjustment by the Bed screws ie lift the bed a little you need to have it so that a piece of printer paper will move when between the nozzle and the bed but is quite stiff as well Hope that makes sense.

HTH

Doug

Hello Doug

The bed is leveled and a piece of paper goes between them without issue. The problem is when the printer starts the printer raises on the z axis and is no longer where it needs to be to lay plastic. So instead of being just above 0 its at something like 0.30 and then starts printing. This happens from an SD card read and also from CURA. though Cura is much better.

As far as what controls the switch what do you mean?

I have a Prusa reprap i3 and I mounted the z axis switch where it should be. I did not see any instruction for adjustment. it looks like just a piece of metal over a plastic button and clicks when its hit.

from the mount location it just wires into the mother board.

The print bed is where it should be and wont go higher in the molded casing.


So basically just my z axis keeps going to high to reach the print bed once the printer actually starts running and im not sure how to change that.


the bed and extruder are where they should be but the extruder is just to high to lay plastic on the bed ON ALL prints.

also the switch came pre wired as you see it in the picture. I did not do that. All of the switches share the same configuration C and NO.

What am I looking for? Do you have the same printer? I posted a link in the above replies as to what I bought. If you do can you show me?

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OO DURKE OO
Hello Doug

The bed is leveled and a piece of paper goes between them without issue. The problem is when the printer starts the printer raises on the z axis and is no longer where it needs to be to lay plastic. So instead of being just above 0 its at something like 0.30 and then starts printing. This happens from an SD card read and also from CURA. though Cura is much better.

As far as what controls the switch what do you mean?

I have a Prusa reprap i3 and I mounted the z axis switch where it should be. I did not see any instruction for adjustment. it looks like just a piece of metal over a plastic button and clicks when its hit.

from the mount location it just wires into the mother board.

The print bed is where it should be and wont go higher in the molded casing.


So basically just my z axis keeps going to high to reach the print bed once the printer actually starts running and im not sure how to change that.


the bed and extruder are where they should be but the extruder is just to high to lay plastic on the bed ON ALL prints.

Ah ok so you have it pretty much nailed then which Slicer are you using I think you want to reduce your first layer height a little try 0.2 for the first then 0.3 thereafter (This allows for the thickness of the paper) I think you can also increase the first layer extrusion amount as well which may help

Unfortunately I don't have the same printer but ir is very similar but I can't really show you what I mean as it is all hidden by Motors etc when it operates.

HTH

Doug

Doug my issue is the print head is about 1/4 of an inch from the print bed when the printer starts. Will a slicer fix that? I can align the print bed perfectly leveled out and down to the thickness of paper but once the printer fires up to print it flies up the z axis to about 0.30 where it shouldn't.

I am not using a slicer just Cura. I loaded an image stl file into it and Cura pushed it to the printer.

For Cura 14.12.1 I am just using the standard Prusa reprap i3 settings it came with.

Ah sounds like a config error What firmware are you using and can you post your config file for it not saying I will be able to solve the issue but am sure someone will be able to.

How do I find those things? While I am technically apt, I am new to this type of hardware/software. So I have no clue where to find things like that. I am using the software that the motherboard and LCD came with.

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OO DURKE OO
How do I find those things? While I am technically apt, I am new to this type of hardware/software. So I have no clue where to find things like that. I am using the software that the motherboard and LCD came with.

Did you get the FW supplied or is it just as it came with no software files for the Controller.

I should also point out if I perform auto home on the LCD functions it does nothing to the Z axis. but the X and Y axis for the extruder and bed will go home and 0 out.

no software files except for Cura and the Driver. And those took some looking to find on the disc. The steps also do not list anything for firmware installation either. This printer was supposed to be basically assemble and ready to go but it is turning out to be a hassle and then some to get this dang axis working right.

This is the start code from CURA

;Sliced at: {day} {date} {time}
;Basic settings: Layer height: {layer_height} Walls: {wall_thickness} Fill: {fill_density}
;Print time: {print_time}
;Filament used: {filament_amount}m {filament_weight}g
;Filament cost: {filament_cost}
;M190 S{print_bed_temperature} ;Uncomment to add your own bed temperature line
;M109 S{print_temperature} ;Uncomment to add your own temperature line
G21 ;metric values
G90 ;absolute positioning
M82 ;set extruder to absolute mode
M107 ;start with the fan off
G28 X0 Y0 ;move X/Y to min endstops
G28 Z0 ;move Z to min endstops
G1 Z15.0 F{travel_speed} ;move the platform down 15mm
G92 E0 ;zero the extruded length
G1 F200 E3 ;extrude 3mm of feed stock
G92 E0 ;zero the extruded length again
G1 F{travel_speed}
;Put printing message on LCD screen
M117 Printing...

Now I read it. This may be the cause. I know it says move it down 15 mm but it may be moving it up 15 mm on my printer. which makes me think the motors are on the wrong side but that shouldnt matter much. they werent labeled.

What are your thoughts? And if so how can I fix that?

"G1 Z15.0 F{travel_speed} ;move the platform down 15mm"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2015 05:05AM by OO DURKE OO.

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OO DURKE OO
no software files except for Cura and the Driver. And those took some looking to find on the disc. The steps also do not list anything for firmware installation either. This printer was supposed to be basically assemble and ready to go but it is turning out to be a hassle and then some to get this dang axis working right.

I have seen other post's from users of this machine (Think you will find them on page 3 or 4 of this section if you scroll down it may be worth a PM to those guys.

Also if you watch the LCD screen when it boots up it should tell you the Firmware version guess it will be Marlin vx.x.x or whatever having that info may help. else you could try and use Repetier Firmware (I can give you pointers to that if needed) and it has a very nice online configuration tool.

also try downloading Repetier Host as that can interrogate the contents of the EEPROM so we can see what has been set.

Doug

there is no off switch and it doesn't boot up like that. it just flashes squares on the screen then its on and displaying the options.

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dougal1957

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OO DURKE OO
no software files except for Cura and the Driver. And those took some looking to find on the disc. The steps also do not list anything for firmware installation either. This printer was supposed to be basically assemble and ready to go but it is turning out to be a hassle and then some to get this dang axis working right.

I have seen other post's from users of this machine (Think you will find them on page 3 or 4 of this section if you scroll down it may be worth a PM to those guys.

Also if you watch the LCD screen when it boots up it should tell you the Firmware version guess it will be Marlin vx.x.x or whatever having that info may help. else you could try and use Repetier Firmware (I can give you pointers to that if needed) and it has a very nice online configuration tool.

also try downloading Repetier Host as that can interrogate the contents of the EEPROM so we can see what has been set.

Doug

Can I get some pointers to that info and maybe a link to installing a new firmware that offers more control. I think this one may be too basic.

any clue on how to hard reset this printer? maybe it needs to be started from scratch to zero back out?

This is an image of my LCD screen after the bed heats it sends everything to this setting which in turn causes my Z axis to be higher than the beds actual level.

try checking this guys post's he may be able to help you

[forums.reprap.org]

Repetier can be found at www.repetier.com

when you download the firmware from there you get the option to use the online config tool which makes it really simple (You will need to know your steps per mm etc but it is fairly intuitive There is an M command that should print those values from your current config I think it may be M501 just checked it is M501 and current Print settings can be found with M503)

You can find a full list of these commands at [reprap.org]

Doug

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OO DURKE OO
This is an image of my LCD screen after the bed heats it sends everything to this setting which in turn causes my Z axis to be higher than the beds actual level.

fnbyh0.jpg

M502 resets back to factory settings

ahhhh what? I am not a coder. I am technically apt and in the IT field but coding by far is not my thing. So what am I doing exactly here?