No extrusion

[bigmoozer 0]

Hi all

I have tried to get our ultimaker working. It has been working, but after being on a shelf for a couple of weeks, it doesn't work anymore.

The bottom line is that it doesn't extrude anything. No motor movement, no heat, no resistance. The motor is simply inactive.

Comment about my debugging

- I have tried replicatorg, cura, and a direct connection through the serial connection - I am sure it not a software problem on the PC side :-)

- I reports the default extrude steps per unit to be E865.89, and that seems to be a common value.

- I have checked the motor by exchanging the cable with the Y-axis, and I was able to see movement on the extrusion motor.

Suggestions are most welcome.

regards

moz

PS. I have tried with windows xp, linux 32 bit and linux 64 bit.

-- some dumps --

When I connect to it, it says

echo: External Reset

Marlin 1.0.0 RC2

echo: Last Updated: Marlin-Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:33:42 +0200 - b67dacdc8f1bd489e058e16d92ba29c364b2a8e5 | Author: Build-Me-Marlin

echo: Free Memory: 4494 PlannerBufferBytes: 1232

echo:Using Default settings:

echo:Steps per unit:

echo: M92 X78.74 Y78.74 Z533.33 E865.89

echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):

echo: M203 X250.00 Y250.00 Z5.00 E45.00

echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):

echo: M201 X9000 Y9000 Z100 E10000

echo:Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration

echo: M204 S3000.00 T3000.00

echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum xY jerk (mm/s), Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s)

echo: M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Z0.40 E5.00

echo:PID settings:

echo: M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00

echo:SD init fail

[hcpl 0]

So you have E commands in the resulting gcode? I had an issue before where these were missing and had to check the "dimension" > "activate dimension" option in the applied replicatorG profile.

Can you get the motor running when you use the control screen in replicatorG? If that fails I would say it's a wiring/hardware issue for sure.

[eduard.dk 0]

I have the exact same problem.

I have tried to exchange the motor controller - it works fine.

Moving the extruder motor to the x-axis controller allows me to move it just fine.

It is not a matter of resistance or power - the motor turns fine when pushing it by hand - and I run it w/o any filament just to see it move.

When I try to step the extruder from Cura and the hot end is cold I DO get the "hot end cold" error.

When I heat the hot end and try to step from Cura I do not get any errors, but the extruder does not move.

There simply seems to be some flaw within the software. The extruder does not receive any signal.

I am running newest CURA and have upgraded firmware.

Other than this, the ultimaker prints fine. It takes a some practice and a huge amount of patience to crank the extruder by hand!!

So - any ideas?

 

[eduard.dk 0]

No help for our poor Ultimaker?

No ideas that we have not tried?

 

[snowygrouch 1]

Ummm well your post isnt very clear which doesnt help.

 

"the extruder does not move"

then later....

"the ultimaker prints fine"

Also if you upgraded firmware, have you tried putting the old one back in ?

Its not easy to diagnose anything with:

no pictures

no Gcode

no firmware number

 

 

[eduard.dk 0]

Right, sorry about that.

I use the newest (april 20 2013) version of cura and I updated to the firmware that came with that.

The thing I try to print is the lille ultimaker bot, that gomes standard loaded. I did not change anything, just pressed the compile and hit the print.

When I wrote it printed allright - I meant only - only- when hand-turning the extruder gear.

I have not been able to get the extruder stepper to "step" while connected to its own port (it works fine when switched to any of the other z,y,x ports, and the same is true for its hardware driver - all have been switched).

I do not know what I should take pictures of - please suggest and I will comply!

I can check the Gcode and upload it, if that helps.

Best wishes.

 

[snowygrouch 1]

please upload short Gcode program that does not work for you.

Then someone can either find an error from the code visually, or just try printing from it.

Stupid question.....but there are 2 ports for the stepper motor for the extruder (in case you fit dual extrusion)....

just making sure you are not plugging the extruder stepper into the 2nd port. I guess not..but....

C.

 

[phanc60844 0]

I had exactly the same issue after replacing the electronics. All motors except the extruder would work ,the extruder motor would work from the Z axis socket fine and also with the extruder stepper fitted on the Z axis drive. I was about to chuck the whole lot in the bin when I thought about trying to update Cura and the arduino firmware, now it works fine. The only issue I had was that the firmware would only update if I disconnected the arduino

Paul