GregValiant

If you want to. It might help someone with the same sort of problem.

"it's a different problem depending on the orientation" That is always an excellent indicator that the problem is in the model. I uploaded it to formware.co/OnlineStlRepair and here is the report from there. -> Analyzed your file: --> 46 Naked edges (?) --> 0 Planar holes (?) --> 1 Non-planar holes (?) --> 100 Non-manifold edges (?) --> 51 Inverted faces (?) --> 0 Degenerate faces (?) --> 40 Duplicate faces (?) --> 0 Disjoint shells (?) -> Repairing: 100.00% ----- Repair completed in 1008ms ------ -> Vertex count changed from 2529 to 1356 (-1173) -> Triangle count changed from 5120 to 2708 (-2412) Was the model supposed to be a tube? The repaired model is not and the surface created mid-tube is on an angle that seems to have something to do with the helix angle of the threads. I think this one needs to be repaired in the CAD software. Your uploaded model is on the right and this is in Cura's Preview "X-Ray" view. The red areas indicate model problems.

Also try lowering the "Skin Removal Width". It's in the Top/Bottom section.

If you are using Octoprint then USB printing might make a difference. I think the Octoprint setup can be adjusted to make changes to gcode settings on the fly. I don't use it though so I'm not sure. Set up a model or models that will use all three extruders. After setting Cura up use the "File / Save Project" command and post the 3mf file here. I have played around with virtual multi-extruder machines in Cura. I seem to recall this behavior being mentioned before (either here or on Github).

A lot of things can effect the print time. If you can post a project file (File | Save Project) it may have some clues in it. Actually, if you can post a slow project file and a fast project file using the same model then that would be best.

If you haven't done so - go to the Marketplace and load the Printer Settings plugin. Within the Printer Settings are "Extruders share heater" and "Extruders share nozzle". I recall that the AxxT printers are 2-in-1-out printers. Cura needs to know that. You may also have to create custom materials. A normal situation with separate dual hot ends would be for the inactive hot end to cool to "Standby Temperature" so it doesn't drool. Your custom material could be altered so the Standby Temperature is the same as the Print Temperature. Once you have that sorted out you will need to tell Cura when to change temperatures. The ChangeAtZ plugin is the tool for that. Go to "Extensions|Post-Processing|Modify GCode|Select Settings|ChangeAtZ". You would need an instance for every temperature change. The first might be "change at layer 25" and the second would be "change at layer 40" and then "change at layer 55", etc.

If it is an Ultimaker printer then someone else will have to respond as I don't know them. If it another brand of printer you can add something like this to the StartUp Gcode: G92 E0 ; Reset E G28; Home XY axes G1 Z10.0 F3000 ; Move Z G1 X1.0 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move G1 X1.0 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; First purge line G1 X3.0 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move G1 X3.0 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Second purge line G1 E28 F1800 G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder The purge lines above run to Y=200 and would need to be adjusted if your bed isn't that big.

Some printer definitions include "purge lines" that print before the actual model starts to print. In Cura you can enable a "skirt" or a 'brim" that goes around the model and is for the same purpose (to get the plastic flowing).

You need to play around with the Cura main screen menus and buttons and just click on things to see what comes up and where the settings are. Each material you may select will have default printing temperatures. The settings on a fresh installation of Cura are basic but can be set to Advanced mode. On the right side of the Prepare screen right below the titlebar is a slide button. Turn on "Custom". Then you will see the Settings Search box. To the right of that search box is an icon with three lines on it. It is the Settings Visibility button. Click on it and set the visibility to "All". Temperatures are in the Material section. Go to the MarketPlace. There are various plugins (add-in programs) that you can install. One of them is Printer Settings and another is Material Settings. They contain some non-mainstream settings and you will want to be aware of them. If you click on Settings/Printers/Manage Printers/Machine Settings you will bring up a dialog that shows how your printer is defined as well as the StartUp and Ending gcode scripts. It's stuff you need to know. Just play around. It isn't like you can hurt anything. Start with simple models from Thingiverse and other sites.

"...and actually feel a bit stupid" HA. Welcome to the club. In my case the "a bit" part would be understated. I have a wide skillset and the friggin' printer drove me nuts. I could go on and on, but here are some points... #1) The Chinese do not provide any meaningful support for the machines. Creality is not the only company guilty of this. Once they have your money they are done with you. It seems to be the business model that they all agreed on. #2) The printer components are the absolute cheapest they could get by with. Surprisingly, the stepper motors appear to be reliable. Everything else, not so much. The word "junk" comes to mind. #3) Do not assume that just because some sections are pre-assembled that they were assembled correctly. The machine works hard. I don't know how many thousands of hours I have on mine, but it's a lot. Once I swapped out the hot end for a Micro-Swiss, scrapped the layer cooling fan and went with a 5015 ball bearing model, and scrapped the other 3 fans and replaced them with ball-bearing models, things were a lot better. Getting rid of the original hot end (that was constantly plugging up) was huge. The mechanical parts of the printer need to be calibrated. The firmware (Esteps, Home-Offset, PID, etc) needs to be calibrated. Cura (and any other decent slicer) are not simple pieces of software and so there is a fair learning curve. I was very familiar with Gcode when I started out, but most people aren't. Users need to understand Gcode and be familiar with the oft used commands. Then there is CAD software and STL editing software that needs to be learned in order to get the most out of the printer. The learning curve can be tall and steep. I'm retired. Nothing I do is "Mission Critical". But I have a thing that if I'm going to do it, it should be done right. My printer is finally a tool that I have confidence in. It just took a while to get it there. And that @disco_stu is this mornings rant. Sorry. PS: Here is the logo I decided on. 30 years in CAD design and this is where I ended up. It's a beautiful thing.

Blender, TinkerCad, MS 3D builder...There are much better softwares for editing STL files than Cura. That being said, Support Blockers can be used in a lot of ways. Moving them into exact positions in Cura can be difficult. The model on the right has been merged in MS 3D Builder and the letters are gone. The model on the left still has the letters but there is a Support Blocker configured as an Infill Mesh that covers the letters. In the X-Ray view you can see the difference. The rectangular shape around "Creality" in the model on the left is the support blocker configured to print just the walls. The outside wall exactly coincides with the outside wall of the model. The right model would print better as there are no "over-lapping" meshes in the slice. Now it is true that I could post the model with no lettering, or a project file with the support blocker. In the long term it's better that you run up that "Learning Curve" all by yourself.

The things I don't know about firmware fills libraries. From reading around here and there - it is apparent that Creality plays fast and loose with their mainboards and firmware. If they are building Ender 3's and run out of mainboards (it has happened) instead of stopping until they get more mainboards they just stick Ender 5 mainboards in. I feel that is an exceedingly bad idea but they didn't ask me. Evidence suggests that they had a very poor implementation of the original firmware for the 4.2.X boards. They were configured for conventional LCD screens and the printers were being delivered with the newer TFT type LCD's. So the mainboards didn't speak exactly the same language as the display circuits and so commands that send messages to the display (M117, the M0/M1 pause commands, M600, etc.) didn't work because the TFT couldn't display the message and so the command is simply ignored. Greg's Rule #2 - NEVER upgrade an operating system. But you may be stuck having to do just that. Moving to firmware from another compiler (TH3D, Jyers, as opposed to Creality) may be the fix. At least you will know if it is for your specific board. If there are options such as BLT capability that you need then just make sure you pick a version that has it / them. On this forum @tinkergnome has compiled firmware for Ultimaker printers. Maybe he would have a thought on this. For myself, the whole firmware "upgrade" thing is a rabbit hole I've never wanted to go down.

It's odd that they aren't marked. I would guess a .2 and a .6 but guessing can get you in trouble. If you received a cleaning needle with the printer then it should just barely fit through the .4, it won't fit at all in a .2, and it will rattle around in a .6. Does that mean they aren't a .3 and a .5? Nope. Using something with a known diameter as a go-nogo gauge will give you a closer idea.

Well congratulations. That looks pretty good and it will be a lot stronger as well. I haven't had any luck keeping spiral vases waterproof and so the wife just uses them for dry flowers. That thicker hull has a much better chance at keeping dry on the inside. I suppose if you paint it that would help as well.

Cura isn't involved with those. They are simple gcode files. Just copy and paste them to an SD card and print them. I would print the M211_test file first. "I think for what ever reason the end stop is not getting the signal that it is being pressed as if the wiring wasn't hooked up". So the printer isn't doing a proper Auto-Home? I thought the problem was just that it wasn't using the new build plate size because of the software endstops keeping the machine size down to 220 x 220? You can copy and paste into the Startup and End gcode boxes using the CTRL+C and CTRL+V hot keys on your keyboard. I don't know why, but the right click menu is not enabled for those two textboxes.

About 1 1/2 years ago Creality took Marlin firmware and made their own proprietary version. If they run out of a particular mainboard they stick in whatever they have laying around and they don't appear to bother to put the correct firmware on those boards. They also don't bother to tell anyone those sorts of things. Here are a couple of little gcode files with some basic moves. The first line in one is M211 S0 and in the other is M121. Print them to see if either command works in a simple situation. There aren't any extrusions, just some back and forth movement out to X350 Y350. I figure if it will go that far it will go the rest of the way. M121_Test.gcode M211_Test.gcode

I don't know what to tell you. I tried going to the 3dSystems website to see if there was some support there but I didn't have any luck. It would appear that the BFB Rapman firmware is proprietary. There were good reports about the BFB machines. After 3DSystems bought BFB (2010) the reports went downhill. Did the printer come with a slicer program (3D Sprint??)? You might have to use their program.

To the right of the Settings Search box is an icon with three lines on it. Click on it and set the visibility to "All". Your draft shield settings should all be grouped together in the Experimental section.

It took me 2 months of arguing with Creality before they finally admitted that the first 1.1.5 silent board they sent me had a bad E-driver right out of the box. I think they were just hoping to out-wait me. In the end they sent a new board. Other than frying the 25v input terminals it has been running fine. A good question would be - if you load Jyers firmware then what does that do to the warranty? I'm sure Creality won't tell you. You might be better off in the short term to reload the stock firmware. If the problem is with the X driver on the mainboard, then the problem will still be there. When the printer first boots up it sends some information over the USB. That information includes the firmware version. In the screenshot below I have it circled in red. The information below the yellow line is my printers response to M115. The response notes that the firmware name is "Marlin Creality 3D" but doesn't note the version number. If it is truly a hardware problem (and I'm leaning towards that) then the firmware doesn't matter. Moving to a different firmware MIGHT resolve the situation. If the problem doesn't go away then it would be a further indication that it is indeed a hardware issue. This is a perfect "Catch 22" situation. You may be damned if you do and damned if you don't. Here is a little gcode file. The hot end heats to 150, the bed to 50, then it homes and the print head moves around. It repeats the moves 3 times and there are no extrusions. If a simple file like this screws up it may tell you something. Excercise X Y.gcode

This is the StartUp Gcode that should be in the gcode file for the CalibrationShapeA file. One problem that I forgot would show up - I hand level the bed every print and then don't allow the Z to auto-home after leveling because my Z stop switch is so inconsistent. The X and Y do home though and so the head should have stayed near the left side until the skirt started to print. After the purge lines the X moves to X20 and that is as far as it goes to the right. ; Greg's Start G-code ; M140 S50 ;start to heat bed M109 S210 ;heat hot end and wait G92 E0 ; Reset E G28 X Y; Home XY axes G1 Z10.0 F3000 ; Move Z G1 X1.0 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move G1 X1.0 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; First purge line G1 X3.0 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move G1 X3.0 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Second purge line G1 E28 F1800 ;retract 2mm G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder G1 Z12.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed G1 X20 Y35 Z12 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish M220 S100 ;reset feed M221 S100 ;reset flow ; ;End of StartUp Gcode This is starting to look like a firmware/mainboard glitch. For reference - I'm on my third Creality mainboard and I have a 4.2.7 board sitting here just in case.

That is just the model. A project file would contain your printer, the model, and all your settings in Cura. I didn't find any problems with the model and using my E3Pro and my standard settings it looks good. The screen shot is with the supports turned off.

It is really handy to be able to send individual commands and see how the printer responds. M211 S0 works on my E3Pro. After sending it to the printer I get: "echo:Soft endstops: Off Min: X0.00 Y-5.00 Z0.00 Max: X235.00 Y230.00 Z250.00" as a response. Then if I tell it to go to Tiera Del Fuego it will try to get there and make a huge racket when it can't. After sending M211 S1 it responds with: "echo:Soft endstops: On Min: X0.00 Y-5.00 Z0.00 Max: X235.00 Y230.00 Z250.00". In that condition the print head stops at the soft "Max" endstops at 235. My printer is a couple of years old with an 8 bit mainboard and Marlin 1.1.8. The M120 / M121 commands look to be similar. Unfortunately they don't work with my firmware but they might work with yours. M121 is Disable Endstops and M120 is Enable Endstops. I have an app I wrote (for Windows only) if you want to try it. It's kind of like Pronterface in that you can directly communicate with the printer via USB. There are lots of buttons for things like homing, gcode macros, printing from the SD card in the printer, jogging the printhead around, tuning prints on the fly...I automated a lot of stuff. There is a large textbox that shows the printer's responses to commands. I'll post it if you think you are interested. It's an unsigned app so you would likely need to fool your anti-virus to install it. One question I have is how big is your actual printable area?

For the hearts: I would extrude the solid heart, edit the sketch and offset all lines .5 to the inside, and then make those offset lines a new sketch and cut out the center of the heart with it. That will leave the walls as you want. You could also use the Shell command to make them hollow and have the program ignore the top and bottom surfaces so they stay open. When you have to use splines in a sketch there can be problems as the geometry is tough for the software to describe mathematically. Better to use polylines and /or arcs and circles. Lofted features are OK until you go to cut holes through a lofted surface. For the most part we don't see a lot of issues with models created in Fusion 360 (unlike Sketchup or Blender models). You'll learn what works and what to watch out for as you go along.

That could be an error in the model and Cura is getting confused about where the inside is. If you post the STL or use "File | Save Project" and post the 3mf someone will look.

That is always an issue with small features. It makes a lot more sense when the features are large and the infill simply carries on upward. Skin Removal Width = 0 coupled with Skin Expand Distance = 3 ??? (play with it) affect that. Sometimes I'll bring in the lettering as a separate model and print it on top of the first model. I don't get that effect when doing it that way either. Take a close look at the preview. You might have to alter things with a support blocker configured as in Infill Mesh or a Cutting Mesh.