Lot's of trouble leveling bed since heated bed install

[neotko 1,417]

But, since the big aluminium base and central spring it's near the linear bearings blocks (on their big rods + z rod), that would not be like a 3 legged chair, but a 6 leg chair, with 3 control points... Unless you somehow bend the bad ass aluminium base...

Edited January 26, 2016 by Guest

[Labern 774]

But, since the big aluminium base and central spring it's near the linear bearings blocks (on their big rods + z rod), that would not be like a 3 legged chair, but a 6 leg chair, with 3 control points... Unless you somehow bend the bad ass aluminium base...

 

The 3 control points are the 3 legs. The linear rods are outside of this equation as they don't join onto the glass. its the glass you are making flat and they have 3 adjustment points. Even if the aluminium base is bent this wont effect it as long as the glass is flat. You only ever need 3 points of adjustment to make something level. With 4 legs you can always be fighting against one of the other points.

[LePaul 321]

Tonight I had a chance to use your ideas....I downloaded a test print, added about 6 levels of skirt and did the 'crazy finger dance' to manually raise/lower the bed to get the smooshed plastic result.

Of course, I had to write myself a note...

As usual black filament photographs poorly (and I hate how the top of this print looks!)

BUT...note the skirt is properly squished in there (sorry, no idea why sideways)

[LePaul 321]

And...just printed a larger piece and had to do more adjustments for that.

Looks like skirt and tuning is a good regular habit to get into

I need to make the skirts spread out a tad...hard to see them after that 4th pass

[LePaul 321]

I wonder......How much leveling/bed calibration do UM2 users go through? Each print? Every few days?

I know the UMO is for the Experimenter....and yes, it is certainly living up to that role! It seems prior to each print is requiring some tweaking. Not horrible, now that I'm using the extra skirt/adjust method gr5 details.

[cloakfiend 995]

i rarely recalibrate. It tends to hold once you do it right. But some people do it after every print?. What do the official people of ultimaker recommend i wonder? only recalibrate when you need to i assume, otherwise whats the point?

[LePaul 321]

Well I thought my first calibration and good print....a small box (1 inch square) in the middle of the plate, would suffice. But when I moved on to a print that was 6" wide, i had to re-level since I was running into the same issue, no filament extruding/bed too close, again.

Experiment, experiment, experiment. Boy, all this information, from installing the upgrade to getting good prints will make quite a video

[yellowshark 153]

I only recalibrate if I change the nozzle; no guarantee that the distance has not changed. I did once try measuring the distance from the extruder edge but I was not happy I was getting it accurate.

[cloakfiend 995]

I was thinking about making a video as i am very happy with how i do it, but it would need accompanying reasoning as to why you would be doing everything, otherwise people will just be copying what you are doing and then would just complain if it didnt work. That is the main issue with 3d printing, you need a feel for it. Its like dancing, if you cant feel the rhythm you cant dance, no matter how hard you try. You also need a light touch, and common sense and a little bit of a deeper understanding of how things work and why certain things need to be done.

I believe the thickness of paper you use is very important as lets face it, if all you are using to judge the distance to the bed. Fine tuning is a whole new ballgame, especially on the fly, lol. For that you need a calm mind and patience, and be willing to fail many times before you understand how to get it perfectly level, but basically its just turning three screws a bit.

Ultimaker should really provide an ideal piece of some variety of material to calibrate with. Card, paper, plastic, metal, or at least state a certain gsm. instead they leave it down to people who have no clue as beginners as all of us did back in the day, but on the other hand we all found our own fav bits of paper. I think a bank statement is perfect personally(but again it depends on the bank, but this could also change one day). But regular thin A4 paper is also good.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Guest

[LePaul 321]

You make a lot of good points, there should be some better education on bed leveling, calibration and how to best use the heated bed. I melted my first Ultirobot test print...poor overhangs!

[Labern 774]

Ultimaker actually provide a calibration card with the printers now for bed leveling.

[cloakfiend 995]

They provide a card? well better late than never! Lol can i get one? They should bring a bunch with them to 3d print fairs for us old lot. I used two um2s none came with any cards. I assume its the + models then.

I personally hate that robot model, i know its there to demonstrate overhangs and such, but it always looks poor to me, where all my stuff looks fine. Its was a bit of a let down printing that robot after spending so much money. They should provide something really cool to print. But at least with the robot you know things just aren't gonna always look awesome and it does make you think why it looks crap at certain points to learn to model better. The fact of the matter is that i doubt people analyze things as obsessively as i do and question them.

Until the resin printers at least half in price, i wont invest as im just having fun now, and there is no cheaper better alternative than the um2 or um2+. Im gonna try install my newly printed fan shroud and see if it improves my overhangs a touch, but im very happy as it is. Filament is dirt cheap compared to all the stuff you need for the form style printers. I just dont have money to burn on those printers.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Guest

[yellowshark 153]

Lol you do not need paper or card, just change the z offset in cura start gcode and set to any measurement you want

[cloakfiend 995]

Lol, its all good now, i got my method, and like you, do it so rarely that it doesnt really matter. I have my fav setting in cura too, and dont really want to start changing now . I like the paper method and feeling the nozzle scraping gently against it.

[valcrow 144]

I usually level by eye, if you watch the reflection and guestimate 0.5mm you'll be in a good place. Do a print and fine tune the adjustment as it prints and done!

One problem with the paper method is sometimes people forget they actually slightly push the bed down just a touch at the extremities (front left and front right) resulting in slight inaccuracy. (I say slightly lots because its like 0.02mm or something)

One way I use to remember which direction to turn the knobs, if you tighten screws, things get closer, so logically the glass will get closer to the aluminum thereby moving away from the nozzle. If you loosen the opposite happens. Keep this in mind the next time you do it and it will become intuitive soon enough!

Or perhaps I've just leveled one too many beds...

[LePaul 321]

Hi @valcrow, thanks for chiming in

I'm finding I have to level for each print, which probably isn't a bad idea.

I guess from my many months of watching Ultimaker 2 videos of first prints and such, I expected much the same. I certainly don't recall seeing any videos where people are hurriedly adjusting those screws while the skirt is printing. Maybe it's just this way with the UMO? I mean, I do view the U2 as a better printer than mine...since it was professionally assembled and all

Like everything in 3D printing, it's an ongoing education.

[cloakfiend 995]

if i manage to repair my um2 ill do you a video, as i will need to recalibrate now anyway.......

[LePaul 321]

I'm sorry to read your Olsson Block upgrade went badly

[SandervG 1,521]

The Z-stage on the UM2 and UMO+ is similar and should be comparably sturdy.

I don't think you should need to level it every other print or so unless you change nozzle size or something.

You may need to develop a different feel for bed leveling since you are no longer printing on tape but on glass. With tape you could literally press it in the tape a little bit so you had some more room for play. With glass it is a little bit more precise.

I don't use paper, since the thickness of paper is something to be discussed and the level of friction you should feel too.

I always do it on eyesight (don't know if that is easier to explain) but the way I do it is put it as close as possible but when it looks like it is completely closing off the nozzle put it the littlest amount of distance away from it as you can establish by using the thumbscrews.

[neotko 1,417]

SandervG, the z stage of umo+/umo bed upgrade has the same parts of um2, as far as github says, isn't similar, it's the same.

[SandervG 1,521]

Ok ok, this might be a case of lost in translation or something. I meant you can compare it to the UM2 because it is the same. We're all on the same page

[LePaul 321]

The Z-stage on the UM2 and UMO+ is similar and should be comparably sturdy.

I don't think you should need to level it every other print or so unless you change nozzle size or something.

You may need to develop a different feel for bed leveling since you are no longer printing on tape but on glass. With tape you could literally press it in the tape a little bit so you had some more room for play. With glass it is a little bit more precise.

I don't use paper, since the thickness of paper is something to be discussed and the level of friction you should feel too.

I always do it on eyesight (don't know if that is easier to explain) but the way I do it is put it as close as possible but when it looks like it is completely closing off the nozzle put it the littlest amount of distance away from it as you can establish by using the thumbscrews.

It's a different creature, for sure. I thought I could level it once and be good for a few weeks! Still learning!

[neotko 1,417]

If you wait it to cold down, don't push it, clean it with love and don't ever push it. It should stay level for weeks.

[anon4321 16]

You might find this helpful. It is python code that outputs gcode that prints circles around the edge. Very helpful for dialing in the leveling as it is printing.

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/6951-calibration-utility-leveling-ringsgcode

[LePaul 321]

You might find this helpful.   It is python code that outputs gcode that prints circles around the edge.   Very helpful for dialing in the leveling as it is printing.

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/6951-calibration-utility-leveling-ringsgcode

 

Noob question follows....how do I use that? Copy/paste to the SD card?