Support for Fulcrum Minibot

[BenTanis 0]

I won a Fulcrum Minibot 3d printer in a contest and it showed up in the Post this past week.  This is my first step into this world and I'm really enjoying it, thus far.  The printer includes 20-30 or so preset designs to print, on an included SDcard.  While that is fun, I would like the freedom to download .stl files and print other designs.  I've tried using Cura (current version) and my gcode files do not print well - base layers rarely adhere and when they do, the resulting print comes out looking skewed or slightly melted.  

Is there any hope for me or must I wait for a profile for the Fulcrum Minibot to be added to a future version of the Cura software?

[GregValiant 1,357]

There are two kinds of profiles - one for the machine and one for slicing.

1. Cura needs to know your machine so it can generate Gcode files that the printer can understand.  You need to go into the machine settings in Cura (did you add your printer as a custom printer?) and make sure the build plate size (75x75x70?) and Gcode flavor (Marlin, RepRap, whatever) and the other options are set for your printer.

2. If you open one of the Gcode files that came with the printer (with any text editor like Windows Notepad), there are lines at the beginning that will give some information regarding some of the slicer settings and what software was used to slice the model.  You should learn about Gcode since it is what makes the printer print.  Something like "M104 S205" doesn't make a lot of sense to just look at (it sets the hot end temperature), but at the Marlin.org site the Gcodes and Mcodes are explained.  So deciphering the Gcode file a bit should give you enough information to come up with your own Cura software profile for slicing.  It looks like you'll be limited to PLA with a max hot end temp of 205.

Leveling the bed and getting a good first layer is covered in numerous videos.

[BenTanis 0]

First off, thank you for the response and offering insight.

To give a bit more detail...  I originally had set up a Custom Printer Profile in Cura, with the correct dimensions for the Minibot's bed (75 x 70 x 70mm).  I made sure the material settings were for 1.75mm PLA.  

The included designs (a bunch of vases, a hedgehog, a fish cup, etc.) print quite well but when I tried to generate my own gCode files it seems the nozzle height is incorrect - it's up off the bed slightly - I level before each attempt at printing.  Print temp (200° C) is right but the results were not good.

It had occurred to me that if I have existing gCode files that work, I could possibly translate those into a makeshift printer profile.  I will study, as you suggested, and see if I can gain understanding.

I ran through the included 200g of filament in 2.5 days so I'm currently waiting on more to be delivered, which gives me a few days to troubleshoot.

[GregValiant 1,357]

In a gcode file, just above or below the line that says ";layer:0" will be a line with a Z value in it.  The last Z value that you see before extrusions start is the height that the slicer software assigned to the first layer.  Compare that number from one of the files you sliced with Cura, to one of the stock gcode files that worked.

In Cura under Quality is "Initial Layer Height".  As it implies, it's the height of the first layer.  Set it the same as Layer Height.  Under Build Plate Adhesion is "Z offset" and set that to "0".

[StefanandLisa 0]

Hi Ben and Greg,

I've come across this brief exchange.

I also have a Fulcrum Minibot as of today and started test printing right away.

 

I opened the .fff file that the manufacturer supplied for the use with Simply3D (which I don't have) - and tried to transcribe what I saw to Cura and started a hexagon mesh print (gcode file below)...well, what happened first was that the nozzle dug itself into the magnet bed mat and then didn't print but edged itself into the bed... I aborted the print obviously. (The filament was loaded properly and the test print with one of the native .gcode files on the provided SD card worked just fine, fx "vase 4.gcode"). So it seems I have similar problem for which you describe a solution just above, Greg.

Unfortunately, the provided .gcode files do not have a line ";layer:0" - as far as I can tell from the .fff file though, I think the gcode is RepRap (" <firmwareTypeOverride>RepRap (Marlin/Repetier/Sprinter)</firmwareTypeOverride> ") but it isn't specified in any of the .gcode files from the manufacturer of the Minibot.

 

For now, I'll try to find someone who owns a copy of Simply3D and would convert the .fff file into fx a .gcode file I could use with Cura... but if you have any good ideas, I'd be happy to hear them.

 

I only get:

; G-Code generated by Simplify3D(R) Version 3.0.2
; ÈýÔÂ 27, 2020 at 2:50:54 ÏÂÎç
; Settings Summary
;   processName,Process1
;   applyToModels,»¨Æ¿1
;   profileName,king (modified)
;   profileVersion,2016-09-21 11:57:11
;   baseProfile,Default
;   printMaterial,
;   printQuality,
;   printExtruders,
;   extruderName,Extruder 1
;   extruderToolheadNumber,0
;   extruderDiameter,0.4
;   extruderAutoWidth,1
;   extruderWidth,0.48
;   extrusionMultiplier,1
;   extruderUseRetract,1
;   extruderRetractionDistance,4
;   extruderExtraRestartDistance,0
;   extruderRetractionZLift,0
;   extruderRetractionSpeed,3600
;   extruderUseCoasting,0
;   extruderCoastingDistance,0.2
;   extruderUseWipe,0
;   extruderWipeDistance,4
;   primaryExtruder,0
;   layerHeight,0.1
;   topSolidLayers,4
;   bottomSolidLayers,3
;   perimeterOutlines,3
;   printPerimetersInsideOut,0
;   startPointOption,2
;   startPointOriginX,112.5
;   startPointOriginY,0
;   startPointOriginZ,112.5
;   sequentialIslands,0
;   spiralVaseMode,0
;   firstLayerHeightPercentage,90
;   firstLayerWidthPercentage,100
;   firstLayerUnderspeed,0.5
;   useRaft,1
;   raftExtruder,0
;   raftLayers,1
;   raftOffset,2
;   raftSeparationDistance,0
;   raftInfill,50
;   disableRaftBaseLayers,1
;   useSkirt,0
;   skirtExtruder,0
;   skirtLayers,1
;   skirtOutlines,1
;   skirtOffset,2
;   usePrimePillar,0
;   primePillarExtruder,999
;   primePillarWidth,12
;   primePillarLocation,7
;   primePillarSpeedMultiplier,1
;   useOozeShield,0
;   oozeShieldExtruder,999
;   oozeShieldOffset,2
;   oozeShieldOutlines,1
;   oozeShieldSidewallShape,1
;   oozeShieldSidewallAngle,30
;   oozeShieldSpeedMultiplier,1
;   infillExtruder,0
;   internalInfillPattern,Rectilinear
;   externalInfillPattern,Rectilinear
;   infillPercentage,20
;   outlineOverlapPercentage,40
;   infillExtrusionWidthPercentage,110
;   minInfillLength,1
;   infillLayerInterval,1
;   infillAngles,45,-45
;   overlapInfillAngles,0
;   generateSupport,0
;   supportExtruder,0
;   supportInfillPercentage,30
;   supportExtraInflation,0
;   denseSupportLayers,0
;   denseSupportInfillPercentage,30
;   supportLayerInterval,1
;   supportHorizontalPartOffset,0.5
;   supportUpperSeparationLayers,1
;   supportLowerSeparationLayers,1
;   supportType,0
;   supportGridSpacing,2
;   maxOverhangAngle,45
;   supportAngles,45
;   temperatureName,Extruder 1 Temperature,Heated Bed
;   temperatureNumber,0,0
;   temperatureSetpointCount,2,2
;   temperatureSetpointLayers,1,3,1,10
;   temperatureSetpointTemperatures,210,195,40,0
;   temperatureStabilizeAtStartup,1,1
;   temperatureHeatedBed,0,1
;   temperatureRelayBetweenLayers,0,0
;   temperatureRelayBetweenLoops,0,0
;   fanLayers,1,2
;   fanSpeeds,0,100
;   blipFanToFullPower,0
;   adjustSpeedForCooling,1
;   minSpeedLayerTime,15
;   minCoolingSpeedSlowdown,20
;   increaseFanForCooling,0
;   minFanLayerTime,45
;   maxCoolingFanSpeed,100
;   increaseFanForBridging,0
;   bridgingFanSpeed,100
;   use5D,1
;   relativeEdistances,0
;   allowEaxisZeroing,1
;   independentExtruderAxes,0
;   includeM10123,0
;   stickySupport,1
;   applyToolheadOffsets,0
;   gcodeXoffset,0
;   gcodeYoffset,0
;   gcodeZoffset,0
;   overrideMachineDefinition,1
;   machineTypeOverride,0
;   strokeXoverride,75
;   strokeYoverride,75
;   strokeZoverride,75
;   originOffsetXoverride,0
;   originOffsetYoverride,0
;   originOffsetZoverride,0
;   homeXdirOverride,-1
;   homeYdirOverride,-1
;   homeZdirOverride,-1
;   flipXoverride,1
;   flipYoverride,-1
;   flipZoverride,1
;   toolheadOffsets,0,0|0,0|0,0|0,0|0,0|0,0
;   overrideFirmwareConfiguration,1
;   firmwareTypeOverride,RepRap (Marlin/Repetier/Sprinter)
;   GPXconfigOverride,r2
;   baudRateOverride,115200
;   overridePrinterModels,0
;   printerModelsOverride
;   startingGcode,G28 ; home all axes,G1 X11 Y60 F3000 ; bring extruder to the front,G92 E0 ; zero the extruded length,G1 Z0.3 ; lower,G1 X35 E20 F225 ; purge nozzle with 30mm of filament,G1 X45 Y70 F2100,G92 E0 ; zero the extruded length again,
;   layerChangeGcode,
;   retractionGcode,
;   toolChangeGcode,
;   endingGcode,G92 E0,G1 E-8 F4800,G28,M104 S0 ; turn off heaters,M140 S0 ; turn off bed,M106 S0 ; turn off cooling,M84 ; disable motors,G4 S5 ; delay 5s,,,
;   createX3G,0
;   celebration,0
;   celebrationSong,Indiana
;   createMB5G,0
;   postProcessing,
;   defaultSpeed,3600
;   outlineUnderspeed,0.5
;   solidInfillUnderspeed,0.5
;   supportUnderspeed,0.5
;   rapidXYspeed,4800
;   rapidZspeed,1000
;   minBridgingArea,50
;   bridgingExtraInflation,0
;   bridgingExtrusionMultiplier,1
;   bridgingSpeedMultiplier,1
;   filamentDiameter,1.75
;   filamentPricePerKg,70
;   filamentDensity,1.25
;   useMinPrintHeight,0
;   minPrintHeight,0
;   useMaxPrintHeight,0
;   maxPrintHeight,0
;   useDiaphragm,0
;   diaphragmLayerInterval,20
;   robustSlicing,1
;   mergeAllIntoSolid,0
;   onlyRetractWhenCrossingOutline,1
;   retractBetweenLayers,1
;   useRetractionMinTravel,0
;   retractionMinTravel,3
;   retractWhileWiping,1
;   onlyWipeOutlines,1
;   avoidCrossingOutline,1
;   maxMovementDetourFactor,3
;   toolChangeRetractionDistance,12
;   toolChangeExtraRestartDistance,-0.5
;   toolChangeRetractionSpeed,600
;   allowThinWallGapFill,1
;   thinWallAllowedOverlapPercentage,10
;   horizontalSizeCompensation,0
G90
M82
M106 S0
M140 S40
M190 S40
M104 S210 T0
M109 S210 T0
G28 ; home all axes
G1 X11 Y60 F3000 ; bring extruder to the front
G92 E0 ; zero the extruded length
G1 Z0.3 ; lower
G1 X35 E20 F225 ; purge nozzle with 30mm of filament
G1 X45 Y70 F2100
G92 E0 ; zero the extruded length again
G92 E0
G1 E-4.0000 F3600
G1 Z0.200 F1000
; layer 1, Z = 0.2
T0
; tool H0.222 W0.400
; raft
G1 X22.980 Y24.838 F4800

... more of that code...

FFF parameters.pdf vase 4.gcode CFFFP_hexagon_mesh_v1.gcode