Newbie alert

[Princy557 0]

HI

Total newbie to this group, so I might be in the wrong section. Please let me know.

Below is something I found and I notice it has red marking under arms and coat.

What does that mean and how do I sort it. I am assuming that it's nothing to do with the red axis.

Regards

 

[geert_2 557]

That are overhangs, which means they will need support material to print well, or they will sag a bit while printing if you switch off support. Has nothing to do with X-axis.

 

See an extreme example in the testmodel below: since there is nothing to support the long overhanging arc, the printer prints in the air, and the extruded sausages do sag. As you can see, the problem starts at a certain angle of overhangs. This angle depends on layer-height, material, temperature. If I would not want this sagging, I would have to switch-on support. Then it would print a sort of construction scaffold below the overhang, to support it.

 

If you are totally new to 3D-printing, I would recommend that you design or find a couple of test models, and print them with various settings. Keep watching closely while it is printing, so you see exactly what happens. In this way, you will get a lot of understanding and a feel of it, in a short time. It is well-spent time.

 

 

 

[Princy557 0]

Hi, Thanks for the reply and help.

I had seen the supports setting, so switched it on, but it has done nothing. (although I have not  tried to print yet).

I have an A20T, (currently not functioning, awaiting new mother board). I was thinking of printing with the Extruder 1 (white) and selecting the extruder 2 (Black) for the support.

But currently stuck and am doing the research to learn about Cura.

I was thinking that the supports would show up on the actual model on the screen?

Regards

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

It should show up as part of the slice.  There are a lot of settings in support and one of them is "Touching Build Plate" or "Everywhere".  If you use Normal support on that model it will build a rectangular support structure BUT if that base is part of the model (and it appears to be) then if you have the supports set to "Touching Build Plate" then the support structure wouldn't be built because it would need to grow from the top of the base.  In that case, switching to Tree supports (which grow at angles) might fix the problem.

Just keep playing with the settings.  Things line "X/Y distance" and the "Z distance" and the "X/Y overrides Z" option make a difference when the supports need to grow next to a sloped surface.

Supports can be tough to remove and usually leave scars when the support material is the same as the print material.  PLA doesn't stick to PETG very well and so PETG could be used for the support and it will break away easier.  There is also water soluble support material available.  With my single extruder printer I'm stuck building support with the same material as the print.  A set of Exacto knifes and a set of small pics (or dental tools) along with a micro-file set and a pair of needle nose pliers can really help.

[GregValiant 1,251]

Oh...here is my super special calibration shape.  It's good for seeing how your printer makes corners and goes around curves.  You can bring it into Cura and then scale it in the X and/or Y to stretch it into a different shape and see how different speed and acceleration settings affect the print.  If you print it with 2 walls and Infill Density = 0 and no top layers then you won't use up a bunch of material playing around.

 

GVCalibration_Shape.stl

Edited January 19, 2022 by GregValiant

[Princy557 0]

Hi GregValiant

Thanks for the information and the testpiece.

Spent quite a bit of time sorting out the levelling and got a good 2cm cubeXYZ. Very impressed with the quiality of the output. One ever so small shrinkage on one layer. Possibly warm room and opened to a cold outside.

Just done a test with your rGVCalibration_Shape at 20% to check printer is working and will do a 50% and 100% and see  how they go.

Being cheeky, do you have any test pieces which actually need supports so I can check that out?

OK, I'll be back after test runs.

Regards

[GregValiant 1,251]

Here is a horrible little model that we'll call "Supports 201 Pop Quiz".  There is one orientation that is better than the others, however it requires that you modify the model and turn it into an assembly BUT it isn't necessary to do that, simply more convenient.  I'll call it "extra credit" if you figure it out.  There is a clue in the model.

Be advised that you will have to post your solution here in order to earn your grade.  A 3mf file will suffice.

There is an expert here who has come up with a variety of test shapes.  Maybe @geert_2 has a diabolical one he would be willing to share.

 

GV_SupportShape.stl

Edited January 20, 2022 by GregValiant

[geert_2 557]

Obviously I do have that green model above. It was not designed as a real test model, but rather as a demo model to show people some of the limitations of this printer-concept, in case they come along and ask for impossible prints.

 

For example: "Could you print an M2.5 screw thread?" No, because that melts into a blob, like the top of the little cones, due to insufficient cooling: the nozzle staying on top of these cones, so they can not solidify.

 

Or: "Could you print this thing with steep overhangs?" Yes, but only with a support scaffold under it, which you have to cut off, causing an ugly underside. Otherwise the filament sags.

 

This model answers those questions.

 

I think it should be this file:

overhangtest3d.stl

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

I accept.

We'll see how it goes here in a little while.  Be advised that I am a known cheater.

[Princy557 0]

hi, again thanks for the input.

I'll try both of the examples in a short while.

I''ve been printing, filament guide and one nosie reduction corner.

I have a few questions from those prints and one that is going on at the moment. (pics attached).

During filament guide print I got one of the 'lumps' of filament. It formed and was flicked off by the nozzle. Second print did the same with another piece. The actual pieces that printed were perfect all but two cats whiskars that is.

Now the print that is going on now is the gingerbread house from somewhere. You will see from the picture that there is a malformation . Everytime the nozzle goes over it catches, but that has now cleared. Again other than the malformation bit it's a perfect print.

Any ideas what can be causing this?

 

The original test piece came out perfect at full size, all corners were square and rounds were fine also.

Regards

 

[Princy557 0]

HI,

I've found the reason for the lumps.

Darn it the nozzle was not fully tight. When I had a look under the heater & nozzle I found a mass of filament oozing out from the junction area.

Just printing another noise reduction feet, see what happens while that's going on.

 

Have had a quick look and nothing seems to be oozing now.

 

Regards

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

I was typing this and got called away..

 

I think you may have a leak either at the nozzle, or above the heat block where the heat break screws in.  Pull the cover off the hot end and see if there is a build up of plastic down the sides of the nozzle, inside the silicone insulator, or on top of the heat block.

If there is (and I'm suspecting there will be) it is easy to remove the plastic from a warm hot end using a pair of tweezers.  Just be careful not to hurt the wires for the hot end or thermistor.

If the leak is from the connection on top then you will have to disassemble the hot end to tighten up the heat break.  Some people have had success wrapping the heat break threads with PTFE tape used to seal pipe joints in propane gas systems.  I prefer thermal paste as it takes up the spaces but doesn't impede heat transfer to the heat sink.  PTFE tape is yellow instead of the normal white teflon tape used for most threaded pipe joints.

Remember that the bowden tube should be in contact with back end of the nozzle to create a seal there.  The end of the bowden must be cut exactly square to make that seal.

 

Printing "bling" for the printer is excellent practice even though a lot of it is useless.  I believe my design for a baffle for the power supply on the Ender 3 Pro is the absolute most useless piece of bling ever created.  I like it.

 

 

[Princy557 0]

Hi GregValiant

Well it looks like I sorted it. Nozzle to hot head was the problem.

As for bling, I think my better half has designs on me manufacturing stocking fillers by the dozen. 6 Grand children, 3 Great grand children.

One more quick question, off topic I know.

The workplate (magnetic) seems to have already gone off. By that I mean I seem to have a white stain on it.

I think (know) it was my own fault, I went and used Acetone  to clean a stuborn bit of an outline off. I had meant to use Isopropyl. Any suggestions as to how to clear the white stains off? Isopropyl does not work. I have only used PLA .

My glass bed has just arrived and should not give me that problem in future. 

Regards

[Princy557 0]

As I've called it Newbie alert, I think I should be OK asking another question.

 

The firmware on this device seems to be Marlin 1.0.1 But I see Creality have a version 4.*

I have downloaded, added to a blank SD card (the .bin file), and started the 3D printer. But nothing happens, it just says there is no SD card.

Am I doing something wrong?

Regards

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

"Never upgrade an operating system." - Me

• Something won't get the memo.
• There will be hidden complications (but you have already learned that).
• Anything that uses the word "Bootloader" automatically  sucks.

You can change the firmware when you can point to specific features you feel you need and that you don't have now.

My printer has 1.1.8 but it is an Ender 3 Pro with 1.1.5 board.

Edited January 20, 2022 by GregValiant

[Princy557 0]

If it works, don't fix it!

Yep Know what you mean.

Regards

[GregValiant 1,251]

OK @geert_2.  Here is my effort on your model.

 

 

And this is how I cheated...this time.  I did miss a trick on the "Retraction minimum travel".  There was some webbing between the small cones.

[geert_2 557]

On 1/21/2022 at 11:13 PM, GregValiant said:

...

And this is how I cheated...this time.  I did miss a trick on the "Retraction minimum travel".  There was some webbing between the small cones.

 

 

If it produces better prints, I would not call it cheating, but rather "advanced methods".   :-)

 

Standard supports are good for standard situations, but special cases might be better off with custom supports. Then you can provide features to not damage the underlaying features (like the bottom plate with text here), or to make removal easier by providing holes to insert pliers, or do less damage to the underside of the supported model, etc.

 

[Princy557 0]

Sorry guys (n gals),

I'm back with more tales of woe!

 

A20T CURA 4.13.1

 

OK I managed to fix the A20T of a friend and it's gone back. My own has now  had an replaced motherboard and is 'working' ish.

1. I'm struggling with knowing how to  find the .hex update for Marlin to v 2.x
2. I'm having issues with cura and A20T switching off the heaters before the print has started.

Notes 1

I have found various references to updating firmware, but they all seen to have to have some form of compilation done to them (Visual studio), Vert seems to be the source of the code everyone likes. Just can't find the hex file.

Notes 2

From some source I was given a multi-colour testfiles which printed in pink, red and green. It was a gcode file. It worked perfectly by loading it directly into Cura 4.13.1. However if I try to compile a new item and send it via usb it generally fails.

It prints the outline then lo and behold if you study the g-code it's got a M104 T1 (or 0 or 2) and a temp of S0.

No reason why, materials used are all set up with the correct temperatures. Cura has also got all the temperatures set correctly, including standby temeratures . all materials temperatures have been set to 200 . 

 

Procedures used

All my printers are newly added, all older ones that I had messed with were removed. All materials (x4) have been set up with the correct temperatures etc. I have created a new profile and set up as per a chap who's name I've just forgotten. says to. He has three part series on YouTube.

I have found a simple Chinese dragon and reduced itx&y to 50%, kept thickness the same so there were 12 layers .I use the Printer I have setup and the profile I set up. I select the dragon and click on the red PLA and then send it to USB printer.

It happily warms up the bed, then the nozzle to 60 and 215, prints the skirt in white, changes to the red filament. speedily does a few rapid moves in red within the skirt.. LCD suddenly changes to 0 for nozzle temp and the temp starts dropping. followed very closely by Beep and message on the LCD saying Temperature too low., ....

 

And folks that's where I've been for days.

I've viewed the g-code and there are definately problems with this having a number of M104 Tx S0 at various (logical points). By that I mean logically places where the filament colour should be changing..

Cura, to me, seem s to have a problem.

I have put Post processing scripts in.  Search and replace  M104 T1 S0 I then found that I needed to get rid of the references to all M104's. Once I did that it worked .

I seem to be going around in circles at times.

 

I'm hoping that the .hex firmware update might sort it all out???

 

Should I ditch everything and reinstall maybe? 

 

Where are the Post processing scripts kept on the system so I can scan them and check them.

 

 

Regards

☹️

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

I know nothing about firmware.  Can I assume that the printer worked "as delivered" with the stock firmware?

 

If you would load a multi-color model and prepare Cura to slice it, and then use the "File | Save Project" command and post the 3mf file here someone will take a look.

 

[Princy557 0]

Hi GregValiant,

Well yest and NO.

When it arrived it would only go + on the Z-axis. So it would never actually do a home. This was reported and I then had to wait a long time for a replacement motherboard.

Fitted and now I can print many things in a single colour.

I'm partially disabled and I'm suffering today, so tomorrow, all being well I'll try and get a file sent in.

Regards

 

[Princy557 0]

Greetings, I'm back after a short spell of rest.

Geeetech came up with a different 'Slicer' EasyPrint3D lite.

This slicer is working as expected and so far not seen a problem like on Cura 4.13.

I'm going to try and build a small test cube which goes through the colours. G-code it and see what it does on both Cura and on easyprint 3D lite.

Unless anyone has one already built and can let me have a copy please?

Might take me a day  or two.

Regards

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

When I play around with my "Virtual" multi-extruder I just place 2 or 3 calibration cubes on the build plate and assign each to a different extruder.  You can scale them separately, place them on top of one another or touching side-by-side like kids building blocks.

 

All of this takes some experimentation on your part in order to get things to work smoothly.  Here are some things to consider:

 

In the Cura MarketPlace is a plugin called "Printer Settings".  You need to load that plugin and re-start Cura.

Within Printer Settings are two settings you need to enable.

 

You might want to create Custom Materials and make the standby temperature the same as the printing temperature.  

In the Dual Extruder settings you will want to enable the Prime Tower so the nozzle has somewhere to dump material when it changes extruders.

You can find multi-color models (including 3D Benchy boats) on Thingiverse and practice with them.  Changing colors when one of them is White requires more purging than going from say black to dark blue.

HERE on the Marlin site are a couple of cool commands (scroll down to M163, 4, 5, 6) you may have enabled in your firmware.

 

USB printing from Cura hasn't been updated in years, and because no Ultimaker printers use it, there are no plans to upgrade it.  Printing from the SD card is much more reliable.  If you insist on having a remote print server then Octoprint/RaspberryPI is probably the best option.

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by GregValiant

[Princy557 0]

Hi GregValiant,

Sorry slow in responding.

Once again a big thanks, the two highlighted 'switches' have made a whole lot of difference to the output.

I hope to do a test piece later which confirms its OK.

 

Regards

 

[Princy557 0]

Hi,

Well I printed it and it worked fine. However I'd made my stack a little small so there is the odd trace of either red or green in the opposies colour mix.

I have it printed but have no idea what or how to get the bits to stick together. Perfectly good hole in one piece, but the other seems to have a fully connected bar across,, obviously to go in the hole, but it's connected how the heck do you get them to merge.

Can't find any reference to it 

Regards