Multiple files slice but will not print

[steveadamsgm 0]

I'm a lifelong geek, but new to 3D printing. I've read through the forums and have seen several folks with similar issues, but none of their solutions work for me.

 

I have a Monoprice MP Mini Delta V2 3D Printer and can’t print much more than the canned files that came with it.

 

I’ve downloaded free STL files from several sites and very few print. Ultimaker Cura (4.11.0) says they aren’t watertight or sometimes there is no warning. I’ve used X-Ray view and installed Mesh Tools and fixed holes & models. Slice works, but the printer just eats the Gcode and restarts. I've tried downloaded tools like Meshmixer and online tools like https://tools3d.azurewebsites.net/ and https://formware.co/OnlineStlRepair. Some identify problems, but no "fixed" files work. 

 

Attached is source STL and failing Gcode. Any help would be appreciated! Again, this is just one of many files that fail.

Faryn.stl MPMDV2_Faryn.gcode

[GregValiant 982]

Post one of the canned Gcodes that prints.

 

I looked at the gcode you posted but nothing jumps out as being a problem.  With a stock gcode I can compare them.

[steveadamsgm 0]

Thanks Greg. Attached is a small canned file. 

 

CatRing.gcode

[GregValiant 982]

There isn't a lot of difference.  The canned file has a bitmap image.  They always start with W221 and end with W222.  There is also an M73 line that re-sets the print percentage.  Your Cura StartUp Gcode doesn't have any of those (but I wouldn't think it would be a problem).

The G29 Auto-Level command in your StartUp Gcode has a parameter Z0.4 and the CatRing file does not.  I think a couple of adjustments to the StartUp Gcode might be something to try.

 

Start Cura and go to Manage Printers.  Add a new "Monoprice MP Mini Delta V2" printer.  You can change the name on the right side of the dialog box.  (The is so your original installed printer will be a backup to these changes.)

Select the new printer in Cura.

Go to Manage Printers and select Machine Settings.

Delete the StartUp gcode text and then paste this into the box.

 

;(**** start.gcode for MP Mini Delta V2****)
W221 ;Start of bitmap image
W222 ;end of bitmap image
M73 P0 ;reset the Print Progress percentage
G21 ;Metric units
G90 ;Absolute movement
M82 ;Absolute extrusion
M106 S0 ;Shut the fan off (M107 is becoming deprecated in some firmware)
M140 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ;Start heating the bed
M109 S170 ;Start heating the hot end and wait till it hits 170 to prevent oozing during leveling.
M190 S{material_bed_temperature_layer_0} ;Wait for the bed temp
G28 X Y ;Home the X and Y
G28 Z    ;Home the Z
G29       ;Auto-Level
G1 Z15 F300 ;Move up 15
G1 F2400 X-50 Y0 ;Move to the side in case of oozing.
M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} ;Heat to your print temperature and wait
G92 E0     ;Reset the extruder
G1 F200 E3 ;Extrude 3mm of filament
G92 E0     ;reset the extruder
G1 F2000   ;set the print speed for the initial moves
;End of StartUp Gcode

 

A couple of the Monoprice printer definition files have been found to have "errors of omission" in them.  Yours is pretty straight forward and I didn't notice anything that would keep your files from printing.

 

Regarding your settings - if you are printing PLA then 230 is too hot.  Make that 210 until you get a good feel for it and can dial it in.  The bed temperature should be adjusted to 50 to 60 as well.

 

 

[steveadamsgm 0]

Thanks for the attempt. I uninstalled Cura & reinstalled. I added a new printer and used your startup code. Temp set to 210/50 as suggested. File seems to indicate all those changes successfully, but still no luck. 

 

When I select a canned file, it tells me filament=PLA, time is 20 minutes, etc. When I select FarynGreg, there is no information. If I select to print anyway, the machine restarts. 

FarynGreg.gcode

[steveadamsgm 0]

Greg, I think I've narrowed down my problem to a hardware issue. Don't knock yourself out too much at this point. So frustrating!

[GregValiant 982]

It's either this or work on my bathroom remodel project.

 

Here is a little light reading on Reddit.  There are a couple of other posts regarding your printer.  They will come up if you search for Monoprice Mini Delta.  Maybe another owner can shed some light on this.

 

The poster on Reddit mentions the SD card.  The Creality printers ship with small volume SD cards (16gb) and won't read a card over 32gb.  It's getting harder to find the small capacity cards that some of these machines seem to require.

[steveadamsgm 0]

I guess you could 3D print a nice bathroom if you have a LOT of patience. 😉

 

Confirmed that my SD card was just buggy enough to work sometimes and not other times. I formatted it and all is now well. I thank you for the debug. I learned more about the process by doing this. And yes, a backup SD card and card reader are already on the way. 

 

Silly to have a $200 printer fail due to a $10 part. I'm actually on my second printer. I suspect now that it was the same root cause. So Monoprice had to pay for return shipping + shipping of the new printer. 

[GregValiant 982]

"3D print a nice bathroom if you have a LOT of patience."  I think it would take less time to print than it does waiting for people and parts to show up.  I had to go to 4 different stores just for a couple of 1/2" CVPC end caps.  Stupid.  A lot of shelves are empty at Home Depot and Lowes.

 

It's good that the problem is figured out.  I've seen a couple of problems with Monoprice printers but as I said, it's a problem in the definition file that they supplied to Ultimaker for inclusion in Cura.

 

I'm more of an angle iron sort of printer (functional things like faucets and 2 x 4's) but there are some artists around here.  Some of the character STL files are poor.  The characters are created from a comic book or a scanned model and the translation/conversion is bad.  That's where a lot of "not watertight" things come from.

If you are using Windows MS 3D Builder isn't bad at repair.  I use https://formware.co/OnlineStlRepair and they seem pretty good so long as the model isn't too bad (there is a time limit of 4 minutes once the repair starts).  I like it because it gives a breakdown of what it found.

 

Anyway - Good Luck. 

 

[steveadamsgm 0]

Agreed. We've had a lot of no shows and bad quality work on folks coming to our 'new to us' house as well. 

 

I'm learning about those impossible files too. No all are made for 3D printing. But I'm learning! 

 

I'm on a mac, but I used onlinestlrepair at one point during this saga. I never figured out if it worked due to the memory card, but I have the site saved for future fun!