Newbie troubles printing robot - solved

[hoodle 0]

Hi

I was wondering if someone could please help us. We are new to Ultimaker and 3d printing.

We have setup the printer and successfully printer the Ultimaker robot that ships with the printer. We then didn't use it for a month and went to print the robot again and now it doesn't print correctly (please see photo).

The settings are the default settings for pla.

What are we doing wrong.

Thanks

Steve

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4q398OPfQ_PUjRlRmRTVVhYUkk/edit?usp=sharing

 

edit by gr5: added image to gallery here:

 

[donmilne 2]

Did you try re-levelling the bed?

 

[gr5 2,172]

I don't think it's a bed releveling thing as the bottom layers look okay.

1) Did the part slip? Did it come off the bed during printing?

2) UM Original or UM2 printer?

3) Well it looks maybe too hot. On Um2 default settings aren't ideal - default bed is 75C. Lower that to 60C. Slow the print down a bit - whatever you were printing at, try 2/3 speed.

4) Could the printer have slipped or lost steps? It looks like each layer lines up properly with the layer below but maybe not?

5) Make sure the side fans are working (or single side fan on UM1). If fans aren't on then that could explain everything. A quick way to test the fans on UM2 is to click PRINT, then choose anything, then go immediately to TUNE menu (this will keep the print from starting). Then go to the fans setting and crank them to 100%. If they don't start spinning don't panic - it's easy to fix - post your results. First step for fixing the fans is to slide up that plastic sleeving at the top of the print head and expose the fan wiring underneath is 90% of the time that's where it fails.

 

[gr5 2,172]

Oh and next time you post a picture please put it on this forum so that it lasts for years. Click "gallery" at the top left of this page and then click the blue Upload button. After uploading start a new post and click "my media" next to smile icon.

 

[hoodle 0]

Hi

Thanks for the advice.

The fan is not working. We followed your advice and tuned the print and set the fan to 100%. The fans didn't work. So then we jiggled the electrical cables gently that are next to the pla tube. If we pushed these away from the pla tube the fans would work. But then they stopped, so I'm assuming it is a loose wire.

I don't know what you mean when you say to "slide up the plastic sleeving at the top of the print head"? Is tghis the black mesh that surrounds the wires?

Thanks for your help and patience.

Steve

 

[hoodle 0]

Hi

 

We've taken the black plastic sleeve off the wires and it looks like possibly the green wire has a problem?

 

Thanks

Steve

 

 

[gr5 2,172]

and it looks like possibly the green wire has a problem?

 

Maybe but this looks much worse - this bare piece of metal I think should be shoved back into the connector. I arrowed what looks like the problem to me. Certainly the green wire connects the two side fan connectors so you are close:

 

[hoodle 0]

Fantastic - fans now working. I am about to go away for two days and will print a sample on my return and post the results. Thanks so much for your help.

Kind regards

Steve

 

[hoodle 0]

Hi

Thanks for the help. The fan now works a treat. You were correct it was the wire that needed to be pushed in further to the connector.

We have now successfully printed three things.

Thank you.

Steve