Compensate Bent Frame with Cura? Fix?

[Attenbach 0]

Dear Community,

 

I have been using 3D printers since 2012 and my Ultimaker 2+ since 2016. 

Recently due to unfortunate circumstances, the printer fell on the ground from 1m height, the glass plate shattered and was replaced.

I reassembled the gantry and luckily it still worked fine after calibrating the build plate, or so I thought.

 

I now printed objects that fill the entire build plate and noticed that circles aren't perfectly round, rather oval. Googling came to the conclusion that the frame was indeed bent, I can measure squares being 88.7° instead of 90°. This is unacceptable for the current project, including 52mm dia. bearings,  >300N etc.

 

Theoretically this could the compensated in Cura in the short run. Does such "ovally streching" exist?

Long term, how would you solve this issue?

 

Thank you,

Attenbach

 

PS: the frame shows indents from the chute but is in an overall working condition, not crooked or broken.

[gr5 2,210]

There are 2 common things that can be crooked.  The entire frame.  Or just the cross bars through the head.  First check the two bars through the head for perpendicularity.  I usually assume the frame is fine and just push the head to the center of each of 4 sides and check that the blocks are hitting all at the same time.  If not loosen a set screw and make the 2 bars perpendicular.

 

However if your printer landed on one of the 4 vertical corners (or a true corner) it may now be out of square (the gantry).  Some people have just put tons of weight on the printer to get it back in square.  I've never had to fix this but if it were me I would loosen all the screws first and try to shove it back into square.  Sometimes people purchase just the top plate of the printer to get the gantry square again.  You can get any part of the printer by contacting your reseller.  If you don't know who your reseller is then you can just contact one of the bigger sellers in your area.

[gr5 2,210]

You could also write a post processing plugin extension if you know how to write code.  They are in python and there are example ones you can start with.  You could add a little bit to every Y position depending on the X position (or vice versa).  Something like y+= x/200*0.3  (over 200mm course of X, add 0.3mm - linearly).

[Attenbach 0]

I have now ordered a replacement "top panel" for the printer and will report again. Thank you (and for the reader, see you soon)

[gr5 2,210]

Let us know what happens!