Ultimaker Original Plus HELP

[killjoy 0]

Good evening to all,

As any new member would; please accept my thank you in advance for any help what so ever. I am having problems with my prints. I realigned the z axis, and leveled the bed already so I know those two options are ok. Bed temp was set to 60c and nozzle temp was set to 205. I am using 2.85 PLA filament from ultimaker (white color).I am not sure of the cura version but I know its the latest 15 something.

Setting in CURA were set to HIGH QUALITY; I then switched over to advance settings carrying over the settings. I only updated the temp as I was thinking it was too high at 210. Please keep in mind I am a noob to 3D printing so this may be a good print? not sure... Ive seen some awesome prints here so I am hoping its something that I can correct/adjust.

[neotko 1,417]

Hi and welcome!

It look nice, there's a few good places to read about the many thinks that can be done to improve your prints.

For example

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/7574-a-visual-ultimaker-troubleshooting-guide

And some really good tips to improve settings

http://support.3dverkstan.se/article/30-getting-better-prints

Basically for example PLA needs as much cooling as you can (saving the first layer to you don't loose bed adhesion).

The smaller the area you print the harder it gets since you need to allow at least 5secs per layer so the current layer has cooled. (A basic rough idea). So yea you need to play with fans, heat, speed. Ofc the settings highly depends on the material you use, and it can change slightly from one brand to another.

So play! Try everything! If doesn't work come ask and read that guides, there are some really good tips to fix and improve the prints.

[killjoy 0]

Thank you for the response and links. I do not see these two issues on these articles hoping they are normal? (Burn marks and leakage)

[rowiac 53]

Thank you for the response and links. I do not see these two issues on these articles hoping they are normal? (Burn marks and leakage)

 

I had the same problem with my new UMO+ after about a week of use. I had a leak at the joint at the PEEK isolator/brass threaded tube/heater block. To fix it, heat up the nozzle to operating temperature (180 - 210°C) and with a small wrench carefully tighten the PEEK isolator (the brown part) onto the brass tube and heater block. Try to keep the heater block from rotating while you tighten it. You don't need to tighten it much. The assembly instructions say to hand tighten it, but I think it needs a little bit more torque than that.

While the heater block is still hot, wipe up the molten filament material as best you can with some small pieces of towel and wipe the nozzle too. Otherwise you will get more brown "boogers" and burnt material on your print until it finally all drips off.

I periodically check for leaks and I have had none since I tightened the connections. No more brown spots on my parts.

[neotko 1,417]

Thank you for the response and links. I do not see these two issues on these articles hoping they are normal? (Burn marks and leakage)

 

Yeah that's not normal and it's a leak between the barrel that's insde the peek and the nozzle.

The best way to cut the leak IMO its

a) Do an atomic pull to clean the inside of the hotend (google 'atomic pull' for more info)

b) After everything it's clean take out the aluminium fancap

e) Now you have two paths. You could try the method explain by rowiac but I don't recommend you that just because if you overtight a bit more than necessary it will famage the upper threads of the peek (the area that connects with the ptfe coupler).

f) Heat to 100-110 and with a tweezer pick the residue from the top of the block (at that temp should be easy to pull, at 90 it might be easier but depends.

g) Now you need to tighten the nozzle a bit while the hotend it's hot (metal expands) to remove any leak.

I always used this method for that:

 

[rowiac 53]

neotko,

Your method sounds like the right way, while mine is the "lazy" way. I will defer to your vast experience on this matter .

[neotko 1,417]

neotko,

Your method sounds like the right way, while mine is the "lazy" way.  I will defer to your vast experience on this matter .

 

Yeah yours can work too, year and a half ago I got some leaks, the problem it's that while that way works it's a bit easy to overdoit (using the peek) because when it gets got its really easy to destroy the inner threads applying force, I broke my printers peek at least once because of that.

Also because the barrel can go inside the peek pushing the ptfe coupler you can 'smash' the coupler a bit too much and the life span of the coupler gets shorter because it deforms and gives extra pressure on the extrusion.

[killjoy 0]

Well thank you all for the help. I successfully completed the Atomic Pull then ventured over to remove the brass fitting above the Heater block. I did NOT heat up the heater block and broke off the part lol. I ordered a new hot end and I should be receiving it tomorrow though. (Metal Expands when heated - Retracts when cooled) LOL

Now when re assembling should I heat up the heater block and re tighten the brass fittings? I can only assume the instructions advise us to hand tighten, but when the block heats up it expands and thats the culprit.

[rowiac 53]

killjoy,

Follow neotko's instructions above. In step (g) he says it should be heated up when you tighten it a bit more than hand tight. Aluminum has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than brass, so evidently that's what causes the leak.

In my non-recommended cheater's method, I had to heat up the block to tighten it mainly because the PLA remnants inside need to be molten otherwise they act like glue. That's most likely why you snapped off your brass tube. :angry:

[neotko 1,417]

Ouch men :(

It's really important to unscrew the stuff while hot, bellow 90C pla works like glue, and at 130-140 minimum it just doesn't generate friction and it should be easy to remove. I been on your pants, I broke a few brass tubes on my early days.

Do you have a tool to remove the broken barrel inside to save the alu block?

Edit: About setting a new one from start. I don't like the by hand method because it can leak. This it's what I did on my umo+ to cut any leak.

When screwing both parts by hand on the alu block (one side peek/barrel and the other nozzle) I leave a small distance from the nozzle to the block (almost half mm or less). Then before closing all (before installing the aluminium fancap) I heat everything at 200C with hightemp gloves I hold one part with a wrench and with the other hand I tight the nozzle a bit, never overdoit, be gentle. A good way to don't overdoing it it's to use the olsson wrench (but ofc you can't print it atm...) I prefer to leave a bit of distance because on the worst case I can go back a tight it a bit more.

Also remember that if you reuse the aluminium block, the threads will have pla residue inside, to clean that you can use a hairdryer to pull the pla inside (pla sticks to pla so you can use a filament peace). It's easier (but messier) to clean with heater/sensor and heating it to 150 to stick pla inside and the colddown to 90-110 to pull it out (like a reverse atomic).

Edited September 8, 2016 by Guest