Dim3nsioneer

To my personal experience underextrusion is first seen in the non-solid-infill, then in the solid infill and finally in the shells. Some time ago I determined the filament diameter exactly the same way as you do. Then I had some underextrusion effects and began to take the smallest diameter I measure in ten measurements. So far this works very well without having overextrusion. Might be worth trying for you? I hope you get better results with the Colorfabb PLA/PHA than me... :???: I decided to stay with the pure stuff (only PLA)...

Newbies should wait until UM decides to activate the option in the default firmware. Marlin is the name of the firmware. You find the source code at http://github.com/Ultimaker/Marlin (the latter is the default UM firmware). If you're able to compile the firmware by yourself, you are not a newby anymore...

I fear your alarm bells were not ringing for nothing. :( It looks rather like a classic underextrusion problem than like a problem with not-correct z-shifting as it occurs between layer 2 and 6. It's exactly what I know from my UM1 when using settings which result in an underextrusion. It's not happening on the first layer as due to thermal expansion of the hotend the gap is actually a bit smaller than the amount of filament is calculated for. Before you despair of having an underextrusion issue again also with the second machine, make sure you checked all the simple reasons like a filament diameter entered thicker as it is (btw: how do you determine the diameter?). On the UM1 there is a simple test to check if the feeder is behaving as it should. It's the test where you dismount the Bowden at the feeder's end and measure how much filament it is transporting actually. Maybe it's worth doing this test also on an UM2? If this test is ok, then you might have to check how well the filament slides inside the Bowden tube (maybe you have to dismount the feeder for that test?). I don't know if it is an option for you to exchange the feeder. From what I read so far in the forum, Robert's design works quite flawlessly.

This one displays the text as it should. All numbers are present (tested only with 3 digits) and no dot at the end...

Thanks for specifying it. So, a bit of bad luck for all UM1 default firmware users. However, I found the setting in configuration_adv.h and will test it on my UM1.

I think Valcrow is not telling the truth. This is not a 3D print. It's a real working lightsaber and Valcrow built it himself as he is actually a Jedi. At least the lightsaber looks like that. There is nothing more to say than that: Awsome print and paint job! :cool: The Force was definitively with you when you built that!

The Bowden tube must not slip at all. Do you have a Bowden clip at the feeder's end? If not, print one ( there are various designs @ Thingiverse). If you already have the clip, then something is definitively wrong with the Bowden tube and/or coupler. I also don't recall feeling the Teflon piece when inserting filament. You may have a small gap between Bowden tube and the Teflon piece.

Sounds like a classic short cut on the Ultimaker shield. Although you're through quite a story I recommend you open a trouble ticket on Monday (not today). The only things that come to my mind what you could do by yourself to track the error down would be out of the category 'search the needle in the haystack'. But maybe someone else here in the forum has a brilliant idea?

I agree, leave the flow at 100% Would you say the gaps grow linearly and it gets worse and worse and worse... (would it completely stop if you print higher objects?)? Or does it get worse for the first - uhm - five or so layers and does it stabilize after that height?

Box A has a bottom? It's really very transparent! Great you figured it out! And thank you for the very helpful comparison!

Do you get a connection if you have it connected including the Ultimaker shield but the printer switched off?

Looks as if it's not just the very top layer but also the second last layer. Is that correct? Have you yet found out if it's not enough filament or rather to much volume for the correct amount of filament, i.e. a larger z step or similar than there should be? I guess the spacing of the lines is correct, isn't it?

Yes, the print I referred consisted only of one object. Don't worry too much, it's just a detail. The flickering comes from total refresh of the display for M117 commands (Marlin internals). I may have a test what would happen if the display is only partially refreshed for a M117.

Is this the top or the bottom surface?

Are you referring to the default UM firmware or to Marlin in general?

Your print settings are indeed very reasonable (I use the identical ones). Does the filament slide well inside the Bowden tube? Maybe try it with the print head at different positions. You may also check if there is a very fine strand inside the Bowden tube. Such a strand could block a proper filament feed. I assume you made sure that the feeder screw is well adjusted and the teethmarks in the filament look as they should. If you have a spare Bowden around, feel free to exchange it but I would not especially buy one until you're sure it's coming from the Bowden (e.g. if you see a buckle in the Bowden tube). The same goes for the nozzle. Just check (with a magnifying glass) if it looks ok or if it might be damaged. About the filament diameter: Is 2.85mm the value you actually measured or the value specified in Cura? If you haven't measured the diameter yet you should do it. I guess 2.85mm is quite ok for Ultimaker PLA but I would double check for Swiss / German RepRap filament.

1. Hardly. A fan which runs at around half of the voltage level it is specified for (35% of 19V compared to 12V) is quite well performing. There are high end fans on the market which do not start until 60-70% of nominal voltage. 2. What if Cura would take the minimum fan setting for a start? In addition to the 'full at layer' setting there should be a 'start at layer' setting. @Daid: This is certainly something for pink unicorn, what do you think?

The only thing I ever had which might be somehow related to your issue was the effect of having a rougher surface at the lee side of the print due to small irregularities of the line thickness. Can you please give some more information about print settings? It would be nice to know at which speed, at what temperature and with what kind of material (including brand) you're printing.

Die Wohnung sollte aber schon gross genug für einen anständigen Ultimaker-Happy-Corner sein... ;-) Viel Erfolg bei der Wohnungssuche!

I think Daid is right, it's about trademarks. The question is, which register does apply? That of the country the server is standing in, the one of the domain registrar or the one you're officially living in?

Hey Ian Congrats for the new job!

The RetractWhileCombing plugin should be able to override the not-retraction during brim printing.

I'm more the Gru type...

@Daid: If I have a thin object in Cura 14.04-RC1, I get a moiré like pattern and some kind of strange partial transparency in normal view mode: The thickness of the displayed object is 0.6mm. Cut off is set to 0. Layer view is ok. Do you see any chance to improve the situation?

The 'new' Cura sounds a bit like christmas. Hopefully, we will not have to wait until christmas... :???: