First prints...

[LePaul 354]

I'm using the default settings to print the robot.

It looks like a melting snowman.

Then it started printing way off on the X axis

 

[nick-foley 5]

Loose pulleys. Also, start out with thicker layers (0.15 or 0.2), as they are easier to diagnose.

Also, print with thicker shells and bottoms to give yourself more printed area to examine. Mostly solid prints are easier to achieve than hollow-ish ones.

 

[gr5 2,268]

1) Please don't do .1mm - it is most likely going to come out much better with .2mm layers. People have said how much better .1mm layers is but I disagree. It's slightly better - sometimes - but usually worse. And it takes longer.

2) Congrats on finally getting the first layer down. Is the problem that the X axis is moving or the robot is moving? If the former then tighten down the set screws. If it is the robot that moves, then try wiping the blue tape first with isopropyl alcohol. This removes the wax which was preventing the pla from sticking as well as desired.

3) I have not touched my Z switch since the day I started printing. Don't touch it. All adjustments should be with the 4 screws in the 4 corners of the platform. The Z switch position is just to get it rough so that you can then do fine control with the 4 screws. Plus if you keep moving the Z switch you are bound to strip the threads as plastic switch doesn't really have threads.

 

[LePaul 354]

Wow, guess what i found? The X axis set screw flew out.

Back in!

Looking for a tinhy allen wrench to torque that bastard in

So no changes other than .2 mm

 

[gr5 2,268]

There's a second set of set screws - not sure if you already put them in - I lost track - that come with the UM kit.

 

[LePaul 354]

Yes comes with black set screws, silver ones in

 

[LePaul 354]

Printing now

When it first starts, it bangs/bumps (not violently) into the left side, then starts its work....what's that?

 

[illuminarti 18]

The printer only knows what position the head is in by referring to how far it has moved it from the origin. So at the start of every print it 'homes' the head all the way left, forwards and down, until it hits all three axes' endstops. That they determines (0,0,0) and it then keeps track of head position based on how far it has tried to move the head since that time.

That's why, if the pulleys are loose, or the head catches on something, or tries to move faster than the motors can keep up with, the prints will go wrong, and never recover - because the printer thinks the head is in one position, when it's really in a different one.

 

[LePaul 354]

Does that cause damage tho?

Ok first print, let the suggestions fly!

 

[illuminarti 18]

No, it's supposed to do it.

Looks like a pretty good print! Congratulations.

 

[LePaul 354]

What would be some good test prints, like the owl? Do you have a direct link for the med size one like you printed?

 

[gr5 2,268]

I'm wondering if you have another broken limit switch (x axis left switch). In fact maybe you swapped the wiring on left/right?

When each axis homes you should hear it head to the limit, then when the limit clicks it should stop, go back and it should unclick, then it should go forwards again more slowly and it should click a second time. This all happens very fast.

If on the other hand the limit switch is broken, it hits the switch, keeps going, sometimes makes a loudish noise and sometimes vibrates a bit and after a few seconds gives up and continues like nothing is wrong.

 

[LePaul 354]

Well recall it failed the calibration (see post from yesterday)

 

[gr5 2,268]

But that was the *right* x axis switch which isn't used in homing.

 

[gr5 2,268]

I told you to try all the other limit switches but you didn't mention if you tried it. I think you have your X and Y switches backwards but I really don't know.

 

[gr5 2,268]

Your robot looks great. Congrats. The first layer is definitely too much squished into the tape. You need to lower the bed a bit. The skirt is basically non-existent.

 

[LePaul 354]

Should i use the adjustments in the bed (those four scews) to lower that a smidge?

Well I havent had a way to go beyond the error I got in Cura. It asked to touch the front X limit switch, I do....and the program stops there.

 

[illuminarti 18]

Oh, yes, I assumed that you had removed the skirt for the photo... if not, then yes, it looks like the first layer is digging into the tape a bit too much. Just screw each of the 4 screws in by a quarter turn or so.

If you take a look http://www.thingiverse.com/illuminarti/made/ you can see some of the stuff I've made from Thingiverse. The 3D knot was my very first print. The Octopus is a fun early print. The owl and the tree frog can be a bit tough to get right, but might come out of, given that your first print seems really nice.

 

[LePaul 354]

Scaled down to 45mm tall

 

[gr5 2,268]

I thought it was the front right switch though. Did you hit all 6 switches to see if it was wired wrong?

See I predict it asks for front right switch and you press it and nothing happens. Then you press front left switch and the software says "good job - now press this other switch".

This would indicate that the two switches are swapped. Do you follow me? This is the 4th time I'm bugging you about the damn switches.

Also I still feel like you aren't following my detailed leveling instructions.

The owl looks great but the skirt looks bad. Looks still too tight. When you try to print larger parts you will have trouble if you aren't getting a good first layer.

 

[gr5 2,268]

Here's an example of a good first layer and good skirt. See? Squished flat. And beautiful. Perfect height adjustment. Prefect leveling.

 

 

[LePaul 354]

Firefox bombed on me earlier, it looks like one of my replies didn't make it...

I did level out the platform and to fine tune it some, as Illuminarti suggested, further refined it by adjusting the acrylic bed with the 4 screws. Since I did that, I printed the gear and owl, which look really good now. Before, yes, it was plowing into the tape some.

Here's how the first layer of the gear printed. Its not flattened out as your vimeo link showed...but it wasn't plowed into the tape the first pass or two...so...getting closer?

 

[illuminarti 18]

Yay! The owl looks pretty nice. Good job!

 

[LePaul 354]

As for Cura, there's no instructions I could find that say to hit other limit switches if that one doesn't come up

That's been my frustration to, I was waiting for the detection routine to give up/move along to the next test...and it never did. CURA is ok but the documentation for the first time setup/calibration is a little light. Especially if it doesnt go right, as I found out

I can try push the other switches...I wasn't ignoring you. I simply had no idea how to proceed, thus the post (I did submit a support ticket to Ultimaker Support but no reply yet)

 

[aaron 2]

Congrats on the successful assembly! It feels nice to have it done (almost).

However, I might sound like an ass with my next comment so please don't take this personally. It looks to me like every time you encounter the smallest problem, you shoot strait to the forums and don't try to troubleshoot the issue yourself. Trust me, it is much easier to learn things when you learn them yourself. Tinkering and troubleshooting is also part of the fun of owning a 3d printer. And when you rely on the forums who are always completely ready to happily assist you and provide you information on everything including application problems, I don't think you really learn anything. At least to the extent that you would have had you fixed the printer yourself. So I guess what I am saying is I recommend the next time you have an issue, you should try to fix it yourself.

Anyway, you can take my advice or leave it if you don't agree. And I apologize if I came across as condescending.

Happy tinkering!