Ultimaker original+ - Z-Axis failure

[basteluwe 1]

Hi guys,

as of today my Ultimaker original+ shows Z-Axis problems.

It's no new machine, in fact I have printed many parts without problems. Since this morning, when the head moves to "Home" at start of printing, it seems to not correctly detect "Home" for the Z-Axis. It hits the  top position fairly hard and most unnerving, it moves downwards right after and making a real terrible noise like some broken gearbox. That noise is really bad! It won't stop until I hit the main switch to shut it off!

Same happens, when I choose "Auto Home" from the controller manue.

 

What could be wrong? Please help!

Regards, Uwe

[basteluwe 1]

Hi, It's me again,

I found the mistake myself. The little wooden plunger, that is supposed to hit the lever of the micro-switch was for some reason misaligned. Plunger and lever did meet for just a fraction of a milimeter at best, sometimes they didn't meet at all. I don't know what happened but it seems the plywood cover at the back of the heatbed, of which the plunger is a part, moved away from the backwall of the Ultimaker. I couldn't find e cure for that, so instead I put a 3mm distance-plate between backwall and switch. That made the switch move 3mm towards the centerline of the plunger.

Problem solved!

 

Regards, Uwe