Prusa i3 Complete Kit

Thanks Greg, It was the Z steppers, not overheating though but underdriving - I turned the potentiometer another 1/8th turn on the Z axis and it works now.

Hi all,

I have one of Gregs Kits! Although I have only printed a few cubes in PLA, I was amazed at the quality of the prints! I have bought a few spools of ABS so I am going to have a crack at building a bed levelling servo/fan holder and then having a go with ABS.

I do have one question. I did have to calibrate the extruder steps in the firmware as it was slightly out, the other axis are set per usual i3 specs. If I change to ABS do I need to re-calibrate? If so, Is there an easier way to go back to PLA settings other than re-flash the firmware?

Thanks,
Shaun

Hi Shaun, you won't need to calibrate when switching materials (as long as the filament diameter is the same). You just need to adjust the hot end and bed temperatures in gcode (e.g. in Filament Settings in Slic3r).

Cheers,
Greg

Still cannot solve the issue of the Z axis, there is a fan directly pointing to it and every version of marlin that I get throws a load of compiling errors. Even trying my existing version starts giving compiling errors. It's extremely frustrating.

Any ideas?

Are the errors to do with u8glib? You can install it from here: [code.google.com]

Well after a few successful prints I managed to clog my nozzle - and despite using the right size spanner I rounded the edges off it taking it out so it needs replacing. What size nozzle do you use in your kits - I'm guessing 0.4mm? Also any suggestions where to get a new nozzle (and heatsink too as that's clogged up as well)? Or is there an easy way to clean up the heatsink?

Thanks

Aleks

Hi Aleks, best place to get replacements for the hot end components is from E3D direct: [e3d-online.com]. To unclog, you can try heating it and then pushing the plastic through with an alan key or awl.

A quick question about noise from the z axis motors. If the motors are run at more than about 250 I get an unpleasant noise. Bit like grinding. This happens at the beginning of a print and seems to be a Slicer standard - it sends G1 Z5 F5000*1.

If I disconnect either of the motors the other one sounds fine at whatever speed

I've changed the driver board and that hasn't made any diference. I've tweaked the voltage pot but get the same problems.

Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Or what I should do next for diagnosing

Thanks

Hi Aleks, is that 250mm/s!? That's way to fast for the z. You want to limit it to about 2mm/s or 120mm/min. You can set that in the firmware here:
#define HOMING_FEEDRATE {50*60, 50*60, 2*60, 0} // set the homing speeds (mm/min)
For such a command, you'd want it to be more like G1 Z5 F120. Although, having looked at some gcode of mine, it seems like the layer changes are similar to what you have, e.g:
G1 Z0.600 F4800.000
I guess such a speed is ok over 1 layer (e.g. 0.3mm), but not over 5mm.

Cheers,
Greg

Thanks this answered a question I was coming on here to ask, just switched out my nozzle to a .8 and the layer height of .6 just never seemed to work out.

In my G-code the lines were along the lines of "G1 Z1.100 F6000.000"

Ill try and adjust the firmware and see if this resolves the issue. I did increase the voltage and that helped a bit.

I was using the Slic3r defaults which is where my F5000 came from. Now behaving much better.

Thanks again Greg

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2015 05:33AM by aleksdeg.

Hi,
my printer with an e3d hotend prints very good at start, but after a while it stops extruding Pla.
It is always the same result.
Picture

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/2015 01:39PM by yannik.

Hi Yannik, is the hot end fan on? It needs to be on all the time. Also, what temperature are you printing at? (And what's your layer height?)

hello you have test video?

Hi boolat, see our facebook page: [www.facebook.com]

The Fan is on.

Thanks for your fast answer

Yannik

I found the problem: the temperature is 20°C hotter than it is displayed. So I reduced the temperature and the print is perfect.

Great :-) That's quite a big difference! Is the thermistor secure?

Hey Greg

Unfortunately I have not got in contact earlier as I have been burdened with College, I am now starting my own business and I have a question. I bought a pre built printer from you around October, a few months later I had about had it where I wanted it but the Z axis end stop switch slipped and I don't know where it should be positioned, I am also wondering whether there are any preventative measures I should take to stop it happening again.is it just a case of me needing to regularly tighten it.

Hi Daniel, yes regular tightening (of everything) should be done - maybe every 10-20 prints or so. To reposition the z switch, you'll have to use a bit of trial and error until your first layer height is just right (there should be a M3 bolt on the x motor piece that hits the z switch - getting the switch roughly in the right place and then adjusting with this bolt is easiest. 1 turn is 0.5 mm).

Hi all,

Currently in progress with my prusa i3 build from semiu.co.uk

I've gotten to the point where I am installing my stepper motor drivers, and am wondering what jumper settings I need to match the firmware supplied. What part of config.h lists the current settings?

many thanks

newelley

Hi newelley, not sure what you mean by jumper settings. The firmware already on the Mega 2560 should be good to go. If the 2-pin jumpers aren't already on the pins under the stepper drivers on the RAMPS, you'll need to put them on.

Hi Greg,

the 2-pin jumpers were not on the RAMPS board, I wanted to check that they all needed to go on ( I.e for 16x micro-stepping ) I did this anyway and completed my first print this morning. I did a 20x20x20mm calibration cube and had a few questions.

1. After levelling the bed, and clicking print in repetier host, the printer makes quite a high pitched noise for half a second, before springing into action, then starting to print. however, the skirt and the first couple of layers are really smashed into the surface of the glass and not an awful lot of plastic was laid down. after layer 7 or so, the plastic started to extrude as expected and finished the print. it measured OK in X and Y but was a little smaller in the Z axis. What am I doing wrong.

2. Looking at the layers going up, I seem to have a regular indent on the cube every 6mm ( I can attach pictures if needed )

3. On every layer as the square was printing, after laying down the 3 wall lengths and flicking to fill the middle of the cube, the edge/corner raised by a fraction, meaning that one corner of the cube is printed higher than the others. Is this unavoidable, or is the extruder changing direction too fast?

I hope my questions are clear, I'm happy to send pictures if needed or try to explain better

newelley

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2015 11:26AM by newelley.

Hi newelley,

1. Sounds like your z home position is too low. First layer should be slightly squashed, but not overly so. Nozzle 0.2mm above the bed is good for the Z home position. With a bit of experience, you should be able to judge it by eye with the reflection of the nozzle tip in the mirror.

2. Could be the extruder skipping, or the hobbed bolt not gripping enough (does it happen once every turn of the hobbed bolt?)

3. Is it the corner peeling from the print bed? If blobs of plastic are being left behind, you could try increasing the retraction between depositions.

You can try my Slic3r configs here: [www.dropbox.com]

Cheers,
Greg

Thanks for the replies Greg.

My printer has a 1.75mm e3dv6. will the 3mm configs work correctly with this hotend? Do I just change the filament diameter?

I'll certainly take a look at the things you mentioned, try the settings file, and post the results.

newelley

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2015 05:38AM by newelley.

i have a problem wih my printer:
My Filament is pla and i printed with the temperatures between 180°C and 220°C at the hotend and 55°C and 78°C at the heated bed.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2015 10:55AM by yannik.

Hey Greg thanks for the reply I followed your advice and got it working again but unfortunately I believe the fault is not with the the switch bracket slipping but the switch itself. It has again failed to stop the motors in a prompt and timely manner and I believe that replacing the switch is the best course of action. Do you have any thoughts suggestions or advice?

Many thanks
danieljoses

Hi Daniel, I've not had to replace an endstop switch before, but I guess you could try it? (or maybe swap the z with either the x or y, axes where it doesn't matter too much if they don't stop straight away).

Hey Greg/everyone,

Can't believe I have had my printer from you for over a year! It's still going strong.
I was wondering if you had any suggestions for a part to have a fan directed at my print? Been looking around but can't seem to find any that look like that would be good for this setup.

thanks,
Pierce

Hi Pierce,

We've used this one on some of ours: [www.thingiverse.com]

Cheers,
Greg