Ultimaker 3 E Step calibration

[skoopa92 0]

Hi, My Ultimaker 3 has been producing inconsistent prints and my local print shop recommended I calibrate the E steps. The problem is that every single guide on E step calibrations is for other printers. with settings the Ultimaker 3 doesn't have. So how do I go about calibrating the E steps on my Ultimaker 3?

[IRobertI 517]

E-step calibration is not something that is generally needed or done on an Ultimaker 3, something else is causing your problems. If you describe the problem in detail, ideally with pictures as well, we can start figuring out what's going on.

[skoopa92 0]

On 8/9/2022 at 7:20 PM, IRobertI said:

E-step calibration is not something that is generally needed or done on an Ultimaker 3, something else is causing your problems. If you describe the problem in detail, ideally with pictures as well, we can start figuring out what's going on.

Hi, okay so my problem is that the print layers are inconsistent,  It appears to be smoother and almost perfect on the X axis, but the Y axis has the issue. I went through checking for play on the axles, tightening them and all that. It was working fine before I got it (the old owner included some test prints) so I'm guessing something got bonked on the trip to my place. If that helps

[IRobertI 517]

I would check the bearings in the head. If you grab the head and try to twist it around the rods that go through the head you will find that for the X rod it will be quite firm and not really wiggle much at all. On the Y rod you have a much smaller bearing in the head and it's normal to have a wee bit of wiggle there. But if the bearing is in bad shape you might find that you have a bit too much wiggle. One sign of a bearing that isn't doing so well is a buildup of a lot of black... "goo" on the rod.

 

It could also be that the "slot" for the bearing isn't holding it in place as well as it should. A very thin piece of tape around the bearing might take care of that.

[skoopa92 0]

11 hours ago, IRobertI said:

I would check the bearings in the head. If you grab the head and try to twist it around the rods that go through the head you will find that for the X rod it will be quite firm and not really wiggle much at all. On the Y rod you have a much smaller bearing in the head and it's normal to have a wee bit of wiggle there. But if the bearing is in bad shape you might find that you have a bit too much wiggle. One sign of a bearing that isn't doing so well is a buildup of a lot of black... "goo" on the rod.

 

It could also be that the "slot" for the bearing isn't holding it in place as well as it should. A very thin piece of tape around the bearing might take care of that.

Thanks! it does have a bit too much wiggle only in the y axis, so for the tape solution i would put the tape around the inside of the bearing slot on the head? or around the whole rod?

[IRobertI 517]

You would need to take the head apart and put it around the outside of the bearing to take up the extra space.

 

Here's a video I recorded for a customer on how to take the head apart. This was to show the lifting mechanism so I don't take out the bearing in the video, but you will get close enough here to get it out. If needed you can also remove the print head board that the bearing goes through. It's held in place with one screw from the back.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q356qgu1tsfqtfv/head_disassembly.mp4?dl=0

 

I would start with just a single wrap of something like painters tape, it doesn't take much.

[skoopa92 0]

1 minute ago, IRobertI said:

You would need to take the head apart and put it around the outside of the bearing to take up the extra space.

 

Here's a video I recorded for a customer on how to take the head apart. This was to show the lifting mechanism so I don't take out the bearing in the video, but you will get close enough here to get it out. If needed you can also remove the print head board that the bearing goes through. It's held in place with one screw from the back.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q356qgu1tsfqtfv/head_disassembly.mp4?dl=0

 

I would start with just a single wrap of something like painters tape, it doesn't take much.

The bearing is the short metal tube thingy?

and the tape goes around it?

(sorry just making sure i understand haha)

[IRobertI 517]

That is correct 🙂 There's a longer one, the one I remove at 17 seconds in the vid, and then the shorter one that remains in the head that goes through the white vertical PCB that remains in the head in the video. That's the bearing that usually has issues.

[skoopa92 0]

1 minute ago, IRobertI said:

That is correct 🙂 There's a longer one, the one I remove at 17 seconds in the vid, and then the shorter one that remains in the head that goes through the white vertical PCB that remains in the head in the video. That's the bearing that usually has issues.

okay awesome, I just need to get the long screws out, one of them is stripped to heck so i'll have to dremel a groove into it to get it out LOL

[skoopa92 0]

1 hour ago, IRobertI said:

That is correct 🙂 There's a longer one, the one I remove at 17 seconds in the vid, and then the shorter one that remains in the head that goes through the white vertical PCB that remains in the head in the video. That's the bearing that usually has issues.

Hi, i've wrapped tape around it and it seems to not wobble as much, however the back left screwhole (no matter which of the 4 screws i use) is so tight and impossible to tighten all the way (thats how i stripped one of the screws to begin with) is that normal for the printer?

[IRobertI 517]

Might be a little bit of LocTite in the threads that is causing you problems. In my experience switching screws around has always worked when one of them was being stubborn. Inspect the threads of the screws for damage or debris and clean them up and see if that helps.

 

Heating the screw up a bit before inserting it might work to soften leftover LocTite a bit. Note that I have never tried that myself, just a thought I just had. And obviously you'd need to be very careful not to melt the plastic parts of the head. So maybe skip that altogether 😄

 

If all else fails your local Ultimaker reseller(s) can help you get new screws should that be necessary.

[skoopa92 0]

1 hour ago, IRobertI said:

Might be a little bit of LocTite in the threads that is causing you problems. In my experience switching screws around has always worked when one of them was being stubborn. Inspect the threads of the screws for damage or debris and clean them up and see if that helps.

 

Heating the screw up a bit before inserting it might work to soften leftover LocTite a bit. Note that I have never tried that myself, just a thought I just had. And obviously you'd need to be very careful not to melt the plastic parts of the head. So maybe skip that altogether 😄

 

If all else fails your local Ultimaker reseller(s) can help you get new screws should that be necessary.

OKAY so I got it all put back together and this is the result. HUGE improvement I notice a TIINY amount of the layer inconsistencies but its hardly noticeable now.

 

Thank you SO MUCH you have no idea how long i've been trying to fix this thing, the ultimaker support staff had me trying so many things that didn't work and yet you were able to figure it out. absolute legend 

 

(im guessing to fully fix it i'd have to make the tape slightly thicker but im fine with how it is now lol)

[IRobertI 517]

Glad to hear it helped 🙂 Say hi to UM-support for me 😛