My Newer Models Not Printing

[alphagenius 0]

I am using a CTC Formaker 4-in-1 Dual Extruder Printer, it is a Replicator clone that I have had for a few years. It has run fine up until now. I am also using Cura 4.6.2 on Ubuntu 20.4. When I try to print something, I can hear the print head moving, but it is not actually moving. It just stays in the upper right corner. Then the sound stops and nothing ever prints. I checked the cables and they appear to be fine. One thing is that when it moves all the way to the right, it makes contact with a limit switch and the green LED lights up but the noise it is making is a whining sound like it is trying to keep moving further to the right. I decided to try and print the last object that successfully printed for me. It worked perfect. No problems. So apparently there is something not right with the newer files that I am trying to print. I am not sure how to find this out, but I have attached the files to this post. The Narwhal is the one that prints for me. The others do not. I get the above situation. I do not know what is going on or how to fix it. I am hoping that someone will help me.

narwhal3.stl pimount.stl ssdmount.stl

[Enigma_M4 119]

Hi,

 

I can't help with your problem, but the attached files (STLs) don't help finding the issue.

It would be good if you post the gcode file that works and a gcode file, that doesn't print, and perhaps the corresponding cura project files.

These are the informations, the gcode-cracks in this forum normally need 😉.

 

Regards

[alphagenius 0]

Here are the gcode files. I do not use the gcode files to print from, I use an x3g file since that is what is recommended in the manual. Again, the narwhal is what prints, the other two do not.

narwhal3.gcode pimount.gcode ssdmount.gcode

[gr5 2,167]

It would also help if you posted a project file.  Do "File" "Save...".  I think only for the pimount file.  Sorry to ask for so much.

 

[alphagenius 0]

It is OK. I do not know what to supply unless you guys ask. I do not mind. I went ahead and attached both files to this reply.

pimount.3mf ssdmount.3mf

[gr5 2,167]

Those are not project files.  Please do "File" "Save...".  Not other file options.  I think maybe you did export?

[gr5 2,167]

So I went ahead and did a quick look at your gcode file.  It is for a delta printer.  You have the part centered on 0,0.  But you don't have a delta printer.  I'm not familiar with your printer but I'm guessing the head went to the left or front edge and stopped working there?

 

So you need to find the machine settings.  They are not on the right side.  They are on the left.  At the top go to "PREPARE" tab then in upper left area click on your machine and it pops up a menu and choose "manage printers", then "machine settings".  In there is a checkbox where you can have 0,0 be in the center of the machine (delta printers) or lower left corner (everything else as far as I know).  Make it so that 0,0 is in the lower left.  I think.  Unless your printer is unusual.

 

[gr5 2,167]

Alternatively, your machine could be unusual and it's supposed to have 0,0 in the center.  In that case I would need to see your project file.

[alphagenius 0]

9 hours ago, gr5 said:

Those are not project files.  Please do "File" "Save...".  Not other file options.  I think maybe you did export?

 

9 hours ago, gr5 said:

Those are not project files.  Please do "File" "Save...".  Not other file options.  I think maybe you did export?

I did do "File" "Save". That is the option it gave me to save it as that file type. What file type is it supposed to be?

[gr5 2,167]

Oh.  Well when I opened it, it didn't load any settings for me which is strange - it just loaded the model itself.  As though you did "file export".

 

Anyway I think I saw the problem.  Did you look at your machine settings yet?

 

[alphagenius 0]

Yes but I did not notice anything wrong. I know I am overlooking something as I am still learning. What am I looking for that is not right?

[gr5 2,167]

did you not read my posts?

[gr5 2,167]

On 8/10/2020 at 11:52 PM, gr5 said:

So you need to find the machine settings.  They are not on the right side.  They are on the left.  At the top go to "PREPARE" tab then in upper left area click on your machine and it pops up a menu and choose "manage printers", then "machine settings".  In there is a checkbox where you can have 0,0 be in the center of the machine (delta printers) or lower left corner (everything else as far as I know).  Make it so that 0,0 is in the lower left.  I think.  Unless your printer is unusual.

 

[gr5 2,167]

I have seen gcodes for hundreds of printers.  I'm 95% sure only delta printers have 0,0 in the center so the solution in the post above should fix your issue.  Maybe you could google "delta 3d printer" to realize how different those printers are from your printer.

[GregValiant 1,248]

On 8/13/2020 at 3:46 PM, alphagenius said:

Yes but I did not notice anything wrong. I know I am overlooking something as I am still learning. What am I looking for that is not right?

Here are the first few lines from the PIMOUNT.gcode file:

;FLAVOR:Repetier
;TIME:5329
;MINX:-47.039
;MINY:-50.663

A printer with 0,0 in the left front corner cannot have negative X or Y values.  Those locations would be off the print surface.

A printer with 0,0 in the center (see gr5 note about Delta printers) can move to a negative X or negative Y location.

 

Rule #5:  Never blindly trust a gcode file that somebody else sliced.

[alphagenius 0]

On 8/13/2020 at 11:23 PM, gr5 said:

 

I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back, I just have not been feeling well. I did have the origin at the center in my machine settings. I unchecked that box so then the center moved down to the bottom left. I sliced and saved my file. The documentation for my printer recommends that I save it as an X3G file which is what I have always done to print the models. Anyways, I also put the default values back for my nozzles so that there were no negatives as suggested by GregValiant. I had the Nozzle Offset X and Y set to -0.011 which is what was in the manual for my printer. I also left the X-Min, Y-Min, X-Max and Y-Max to their default values. I even uninstalled all of the plugins. So when I went to print, I heard sounds like something should be moving but nothing ever moved. The bed stayed lowered and the print head stayed in the upper right corner. Then the LCD screen cleared and went back to the home screen and nothing ever printed.

[GregValiant 1,248]

3d printing can make anybody sick.

 

If you'll post that newest Gcode file I'll take another look.  Glad you're feeling better.

[alphagenius 0]

Here is the newest Gcode file for a print I want to do.

safetyglassesmount.gcode

[GregValiant 1,248]

Line 21 is M141 S28 and sets the temperature for the heated chamber.  Do you in fact have a heated chamber?  If you don't then the printer may be hanging up on that line.  You would need to un-tick the Heated Build Volume box in the machine settings of Cura.  You could put a semicolon in front of that line and then try to print the file.

[alphagenius 0]

I unticked the box for heated build volume and tried to print again. Nothing printed. I am not sure what happened from my last successful print, which still prints by the way since I never deleted the X3G print file, until now. Something obviously has changed. The only thing is that I am now on Ubuntu when my last successful print was while I was on Windows. I have also upgraded Cura since then too. I tried to add back the settings that I have always used in the past with the heated build volume box unticked. Still nothing. I am quite sure that in the past I always had the box ticked for origin at center but it does not print now whether I have it selected or not. I wanted to ask you if it would help to delete all of the config and cache files for Cura on my system and then rerun Cura from scratch? I am using an AppImage.

 

I did upgrade to the latest version that just came out but still I get nothing. I remember having issues with Cura on Windows and a tech person told me to delete all of the cache and config files and try again and that fixed the problem. I have attached the newest gcode for the file to this post in hopes that you will look at it again. I have also attached the recommended settings for my printer that came in the manual when I purchased it. Going by that and the settings available in Cura, maybe you can help make sure I have everything set properly. I am not new at 3D printing but I am new at troubleshooting. I have had this printer for about 4 years and I have not had a problem until now. So I do not have any experience with troubleshooting. I am very grateful for your help and patience. I hope that we can get this sorted out soon. Once again, thank you so much so far.

safetyglassesmount2.gcode printer-settings.log

[GregValiant 1,248]

The Gcode file doesn't have anything odd in it and it prints on my Ender.  Looking back at the first post where you say it goes up against a switch and just stays there making noise with the switch light on...maybe you should take a closer look at the switch and it's wiring.  If the switch doesn't work then the printer never gets the signal that the axis is home.

 

This is a terrible pun but "The lights are on but the printer ain't home."

 

Move the carriage all the way to the other side and then send it Home then quickly hit the switch with a pencil eraser or something similar.  If the switch works the carriage should stop moving towards the switch.  If it doesn't then get out of the way really fast.

[alphagenius 0]

I started up the printer, pressed the switch and the carriage stopped. It started making a lot of annoying noise so I cancelled the build to stop everything. Now what? Thank you for your quick responses.

[GregValiant 1,248]

You're going to have to figure out those annoying noises.  Where they're coming from and why.

Time to get the wrenches out.  My advice is to take LOTS of pictures and use ziplock bags to keep the loose parts in.

And keep your fingers crossed in the faint hope that the noises are the in-expensive kind.

[alphagenius 0]

I will do that. Thank you. I do have to ask though, why would these problems only happen with new stuff and not the older stuff? It just seems these problems would affect both.

[GregValiant 1,248]

Back in the day people used to do a "burn in" on computer stuff.  If the component lasted 24 hours it was good to put in a machine.  A percentage did not make it but they didn't get put into machines either.  So a company could warranty something with confidence that their Mean Time Between Failures was accurate.

Very few do it anymore.  It's expensive and time consuming and they just don't care.  Generally if a component is going to fail in the first 6 months it fails in the first few hours.  If it lasts through the initial burn-in (which used to take place in the factory instead of in my house) it's good to go for a long time before it wears out.

 

The new business model includes

"Screw'em, we've got their money".

"90 day warranty" which is often a bald faced lie.

"24hr tech support" which is almost always staffed by people who don't know as much as you, or are just there to put salve on irate customers.

Getting into your pockets for a "Monthly Fee" rather than just selling you something at a one time price.