Nicolinux

Hi, I have an object that looks alright in 3d but when sliced it is evident that it won't work as intended. I'd like to connect the two halves so that they stick together after printing. I have created this object in Photoshop CC (3D object extruded from text layer and exported as .stl). How would I go about it? I don't know enough about 3D in Photoshop to do it there... Thanks.

Haha, nice pose. And this Ultimaker fandom corner looks pretty sharp.

Well I am at the point where I'd try anything, randomly hoping for success. You know, like in Monkey Island (or other old school adventure games) where you got stuck on a puzzle and started to combine everything with everything I'll try it.

Illuminarti, I have read the entire thread again and your first post with the extrusion test reminded me of something. In your tests with Ultimaker PLA, did you also run a test where the spool was on the default spool holder? For some reason my PLA is very stiff and even if I straighten it by hand I couldn't get it so far so it won't curl any more. I couldn't achieve a straight...ish line like the one you have here: http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/gallery/image/2815-straightened-filament/ So I wonder, maybe my extruder is allright, but I just had bad luck and always tried filament that was too stiff. On the other hand, before I was aware of the underextrusion problem, I printed from the default spool holder without problems. But then again, maybe I was always under 4mm^3/s so I didn't notice it. However, would you mind to run another test with Ultimaker PLA from the default spool holder? Would be nice to see if and when it fails. I could reproduce the test with the same filament here and we would have a direct comparison. I have the folowing filament colors (all from Ultimaker): White Pearl-White Green Orange Red Silver-Gray Silver-Metallic Transparent Bronze (which I thought was gold but now see that they sent me the wrong color :shock: ) Or if anybody else would like to print with one of these colors, let me know and I will run the test too (the no-retraction version).

Of course I did. Was the first thing I tried (because it was the easiest one...). No change though...

Good catch, thanks. It wasn't an issue until today. Now the cable decided to rub against the fan and make noise. Good timing

Ok, the gap ist 2.2mm wide. I have found a nice workflow to 0 play with the bowden tube (head). Lower the gap between the teflon piece and the milled fitting, then insert the bowden tube and secure it. Then unscrew the milled fitting so it moves up against the bowden tube a bit. This alone has eliminated any play there. Regarding orange PLA from Ultimaker. This prints beautifully on my printer. Way better than silver-grey or gold.

Ok, status update. Took the head apart, checked for a clog, cleaned even if there was no need to. I then ran the extrusion test again (spool on the back of the printer and on a lazy susan). I also took the dustfilter off. That made a bit of a difference but not much. Printer still fails around 5mm^3/s The temperature sensor is correctly connected (also took a peek under the electronics cover. Here's how it looks on the back of the head: Also did the wather boiling temperature test. The temp. sensor seems to be off by 2-3°. I saw tiny bubbles (and heard the faint boiling sound) at around 102-103°. I also changed filament. Then I noticed that all my Ultimaker filament spools are marked like this one - temperature up to 260° Except for two (Ultimaker Gold and Grey Metallic - the one I mostly use for tests because I don't like the color). This one goes up to only 220° This is not the reason for the failings, but I wonder what's up with this filament. Low temperature PLA only? Or incorrectly labeled? However, what could I try next? Obviously I'd love to spend more time printing real models without underextrusion than debugging stuff. I fell like the time with the UM1 all over again :/

Somehow this post took the wrong turn. I'd hope I would fix you guys with this news so someone would actually sit down and dig into the new features and report back here

It was a tiny drop - swear! But I'll have to take the head apart anyway to check the temperature sensor. In the process I'll clean everything. They way you are saying it, it sounds like you are no stranger to this issue

Yes you are right. I hope so. Will have to put up with the inevitable down time, but let's hope the issue is solved then. I'll let your extrusion test on my sdcard and you can bet that will be my first print when it is fixed

The latest update brings support for 3D printing. You can load an .stl file and do some neat things with it. Like generate support (Meshmixer style) or print directly to a connected printer (very few printer supported - guess which...) http://blogs.adobe.com/richardcurtis/?p=2412

Ok, I think I'll stop debugging here. My printer seems to be broken. I wanted to print something and when I switched it on I saw this: Then I did't it Windows style and after a restart it started as usual. I then changed filament. Usually when I do this, the new filament flows out of the nozzle smoothly. This time it barely came out - a good indicator that the temperature sensor is failing. I'll contact support. I am sure they'll tell me to check all cable connections and maybe do the 90° drop of water test. I'll do this in advance.

Hey guys, Another day, another oddity. I have followed a killer tip from user Takei Naodar and added a drop of oil to the ball bearing inside the extruder. Also changed filament to orange. The extrusion test went through very well (no retraction). The retraction version failed at 7mm^3/s. So deffinitely an improvement. But then I just changed the filament (back to Ultimaker Silver Grey). This time the no retraction test failed directly at the begining (extruder started slipping). Now every time I hear it slipping, there is underextrusion at once.

Maybe it was a mistake while it was assembled and someone screwed it too far. Or maybe it is planed to be "parked" there. Since seemingly no other UM2 hast another extruder setting, it may have been designed to be adjusted but then it turned out that's not needed I tried it but the grub screw sticks out too far. The mantle of the knurled bolt is very thin (maybe 1mm) and does not take in the screw too far. With the longer screw, the bold wouldn't turn and bumped against the extruder case.

Not bad, came out well (except for the meshmixer support remnants). Thank good the boobs didn't need support or they'd been ruined too

Exactly, the screwhead does press against the inside of the enclosure at the top. The white part houses a nut so when you unscrew, the white part with the spring moves down which in turn pushes the lever that pivots around the bottom right point. This moves the ball bearing to the left and thus adds pressure to the passing filament. However there is very little place left between the bottom of the lever and the bottom part of the enclosure. So I am not sure if adjusting the extruder to max strength would be able to move the white squares piece with the spring, all the way down. But as the extruder grinds filament at even the slightest adjustment, I doubt that it is relevant.

Argh! This printer sucks big time right now. I started another print and it stopped extruding right in the middle of it. The filament was ground down to the point where the knurled bolt didn't have any grip. Upon removal the lower part of the filament broke off and the rest was stuck inside the extruder. So I had to take the extruder apart and clean the mess. I then adjusted the extruder tension back to factory settings (all the way up - no tension). @gr5: I guess the test isn't necessary any more. The extruder is strong enough to grind filament down. Besides, I don't know what would happen if we find out that our extruders pull different weights. What would that mean? That my board was set to provide too little curent to the extruder motor? By the way, after putting everything together and inserting new filament, I now see the phenomena you described earlier about filament curling at the nozzle tip. I don't see why a partial clog would occur right now, but who knows. Oh and I ran another extrusion test. Fails at 7mm^3/s (no retraction) with the filament on the ball bearing spool holder. So here I stand, axe in hand, ready to "fix" this thing for good :evil:

So I took the extruder apart and checked it for any problems. Here's how it looks disassembled: Notice the screw on the top left is way to far down. I don't know if it was me or if it was like this from the begining. So the white screw holder with the spring pushes the L shaped white part down wich in turn pivots around the bottom right and presses the ball bearing even stronger against the filament. When one unscrews the screw at the top, the white part with the spring move down increasing the pressure. And here is the knurled bolt. The left screw is the original one which was already in pretty bad shape when I disassembled it. I guess it was overtightened during initial assembly. I wanted to use the right one (I have a few of these spare), but it was too long. Also tried to shorten the screw but failed misserably. After I put everything back together, I adjusted the extruder and moved the white plastic square one notch down (so now the extruder should be tighter and have more grip). I then ran illuminarti's extrusion test with no retraction enabled. On the left I let the spool on the original spool holder. So nothing changed. Extruder is still to weak. I'll try to tighten it more although I don't know when things start to "break" or what other downsides there are to a too tight extruder. On the right I put the spool on a new ball bearing spool holder (link). Much better but still no where near illuminarti's result. I don't know what to do/try next. I could call it a day and never print over 4mm^3/s or 7mm^3/s volume but this will just defeat the purpose of owning a fast Ultimaker.

Thanks for the tests George. I guess that settles it that the UM2 should be fast enough to print fast at 0.2 layher height.

Very nice indeed. The golden and chocolate ones look very nice. What brand are they? Just no-name ebay stuff? Is there a sticker on the spool?

I am printing on glass. But right now I am printing a model from someone else. But thanks for the tip.

Man this printer drives me crazy. Printed another piece and it came out flawlessly (retraction on, filament on the floor). This printer must be a girl because she features interesting but inconsistent behavior...

Or maybe illuminarti just got a special printer. You know, something like an Ultimaker 3 prototype disguised as an UM2 that was wrongly delivered to him (just like Apple likes to disguise their iPhone prototypes). And now the Ultimaker crew is all skittish and nervous and try to lure his printer back to the UM HQ for "routine inspection" :-P

Ha ha, ok. Thank you master Yoda. I'll start lifting stones and remembering posts right away :mrgreen: