neo-ninja

Im now getting this issues since the update too, i cant solve it i have tried tighting all the nuts , how do you measure that 14mm its impossible as you cant see it very clearly. Has anyone resolved this?

First thing to check in this case: There's a connector at the center of the board that is labeled "8/16 step". Take sure that there's nothing connected. If you accidentally plugged in the 5V connector (orange/blue cable) there - it would explain the symptoms... Oh really nothing should be plugged into the middle of the board? I copied all plugs like for like from the old board and that wire was plugged in.

The board should be brand new for a UM2. I have been playing around. I think maybe i hadnt pushed in the wire enough for the stepper as thats fine. But I have having a similar issue with the z axis, its moving almost exactly at half speed. I have tried all the connections again and no success.

Hi Guys, After some thoughts. I just bought a new board (as the old one fried) everything is working great. APART from the feeder for filament. It is almost going at half speed, and i cant work out why. I made sure i installed the UM2 not the UM2+ firmware. The board all seems sound everything works apart from its slow. So it means when i eject filament it aprox does about half of it and when i put new filament in it takes ages. Motor itself is good.

so i have 8 UM3s right now, and run all of them 24/7. so far no real issues with that, I also started out years ago with UM2s, then Um2+ now UM3.. as far as maintenance cost, it actually went down quite a bit, I've had print cores that have done 3500+ hours and are still going strong.. it's not an official Ultimaker statement, I know, but so far, I think i've replaced 2 or 3 print cores, 1 because it was simply done (at around 2800 hours i believe) and 2 because I had to do a carbon fiber print for a customer and i did not have the ruby nozzle yet.. so for me, the upgrade from um2+ to um3 certainly made sense.. OK wow this is what I am looking for. Thank you very much. You might well have just sold me on the upgrades!

When i say upgrade, i actually just mean sell my UM2s and buy UM3s. I find the Teflon currently lasts me 200-800MAX. before it needs a change, depending on the print, material etc.. It sounds like from your messages with PLA filament that a print core should last a very long time. But is it more on average then 800 hours? My worry is I currently run LOTS of printers, I can buy new teflon for around £15. Changing it is very easy. For the UM3, a new print core is around £125 which means for the upgrade to be worth it I would expect it to last at least 4000 hours. What I am finding very frustrating actually is the complete lack of information on this site about the print cores. Is it because the machine is still so new that not many people have experience with them? In which case I feel like Ultimaker should be doing more to test and explain how long they on average last or at least give a rough idea. At the moment i actually find it quite misleading as its never mentioned anywhere... I have seen 3dsolex is selling upgrades that seem to have changeable teflon but it is a bit unclear how they work too.

I currently run UM2 and UM2+ i find the Teflon needs to be changed anytime between 200-500 hours. I have had them last longer but it can be as short as that. Does the print core not use teflon then? How long are people finding they last for? What other parts wear? Currently on my machines the teflon is really all i am changing, occasionally other bits have gone wrong but some of them have been running at close to 10k hours. There is almost no information i can find about it online.

Hi Everyone, I am thinking of upgrading one of my machines to a UM3. Is there anything I should consider? Does it still use the same teflon etc? (I have quite a few spare) I cant find the answer to this anywhere. My worry is that my machines are running 24/7 365 days a year. Some of them are on 8k+ hours. I change the teflon between 200-1k hours. Teflon currently is around £15. But if on the UM3 i need to buy a hole new AA piece at £100 that makes it very pricey.

For some reason my message didnt post. I have through a process of unplugging them from the board elimination determined that both switches and both motors work fine. Actually is the Y Motor input on the board that there is an issue with. Any ideas on how to solve that or is a new board needed?

Crimping or soldering isnt an issue at all for me. Thank you for the link. All the google searches I did, didn't actually come up with any retailers, and lots of confusing messages about them being different sizes and will they fit. I cant find a reseller in the UK that actually sell them. Most seem to be US based and postage etc.. i very expensive. If i search for that model, I cant seem to find anyone selling them, i get alot of NEMA 17 motors? Any idea? I bought the exact model on a reseller here in spain. In uk zappautomation doesn’t seem to have the one with the same length. I would try ebay for respetable sellers. Found one that the sticker matches the one of um and its pololu brand https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pololu-Stepper-Motor-NEMA-17-Bipolar-200-Steps-Rev-42-38mm-2-8V-1-7-A-Phase-/272330221721?_mwBanner=1 Umm out of stock.. Maybe other things on ebay has it I will have a look around on ebay. Thank you for your help so far

Crimping or soldering isnt an issue at all for me. Thank you for the link. All the google searches I did, didn't actually come up with any retailers, and lots of confusing messages about them being different sizes and will they fit. I cant find a reseller in the UK that actually sell them. Most seem to be US based and postage etc.. i very expensive. If i search for that model, I cant seem to find anyone selling them, i get alot of NEMA 17 motors? Any idea?

Both switches look fine, in one of the videos i am testing the x switch to show you what happens. But i have swapped the switches on the board to see if it swaps the issue to the other axis and there is still a problem.

Hi Guys, I am really struggling to find the correct replacement motor to buy, on these forums no one has really answered the question very clearly. What is the motor called for a standard UM2 X or Y. And in the UK where is the best place to get one? Also can someone please explain to me what a stepper controller is? As i have read a few people saying to try changing that before changing a broken motor etc.. Thank you in advance.

Hi Everyone, My second printer has now packed in. When I go to print something something very strange is happening with the print head. It moves ok in the x axis but not the y axis. All pulleys are tight. I have swapped the x and y motor on the board and both motors are fine. I have swapped the switches on the board and both work fine. When off the head moves very freely around. I am really stumped as to what is causing the issue. Here is two videos that give you an idea of what is happening. Its almost like the y axis motor is jumping back and forward erratically. Please help as I now have two machines out of service.

Oh interesting but where can i get that and secondly the axis isnt moving at all any more.

Bump - anyone?

By ball bearings I mean the two linear bearings in the print head that the two shafts go through. Unlike the bronze bushings on the X and Y axles, these bearings have recirculating balls in them, hence my use of the term "ball bearings", sorry for the confusion. I just wanted to make sure that these weren't sticking, and it sounds like you have checked that. Hi Guys, SO i got the new belts installed, and the problem persisted. But it also made some crazy clicking sound. Now i am pretty sure it has fried the board. I have swapped the x and y motor on the board and both motors work, but the board doesnt seem to be working on the y axis. Where is the best place to buy a new board?

So I was more just wanting to confirm what was happening to see if that offered another explanation before i bought a new board etc.. It just seems strange that the belts are moving along and im not sure if thats because they are old or if there is another option. It moves freely in the Y axis when off and manually pushing. Shafts are oiled with Sowing machine oil. When you say ball bearings in the print head what do you mean?

Hi Guys, So i moved the motor down that has stopped the belt doing the wierd thing, but i have stood there watching while printing and what happens is the belts move to the right and then try to slip off the cogs. But as its not possible it sort of clicks and goes back. I have moved the belts to the left and the keep pulling to the right... Any ideas

So I have really tried to a few different things today. What i did notice is when the print is moving in the Y axis the belt almost seems to bunch up, it also seems to shift from the left to the right of the top cog. What i think might be happening is that is the belt is running to the very edge of the top cog and sort of getting caught trying to slip off. I have untighted the tough to get to screw and retighted it but it still seems to be doing that - if i move the belt all the way to the left it moves to the right still. I recorded a little video where you can sort of see the belt bunching up

Done belt tension and they all seem fine. No oil or grease as far as i can see.

Yes im sure i have as much as i can.

Hi All, On one of my UM2 machines my prints are slipping in the Y axis. But what is strange is its completely random, sometimes it works fine on the same print and other times it fails. I could do with some advice. The machines are used for prototype work and are almost constantly going and have been going probably around 8k hours. I have tried: tightening all the belt nuts. Reducing the current to the X/Y motor Making sure the glass is held in place Making sure the printer head cables are not catching. Any other ideas? What else could it be?

Hi Everyone, I have managed to pin it down to the Hot head heater. If i go to heat that up it cuts out. I checked the circuit board and it looks like the heater had come out of its green circuit holder. I have put it back in the correct hole but it seems to still be doing the same issue. Could it be the heater has fried?

Hi Guys, One of my machines cuts out when I use the dial to go to Change filament. As soon as i click it it cuts out. Any ideas? Its not a lose connection at the brick end or in the wires from the back. Any ideas and thanks in advance!