Zreeds Print Journal

[zreed 0]

This thread will document my adventures in 3D printing with the UM2

Ok, so I just posted in the welcome section but I am already seeing issues on my first print

I have the filament loaded, the old stuff came out, I chose the robot for my first print.

I see little to no filament coming out of the print head. its going through the motions acting like its printing but nothing is coming out

I am using the provided blue filament and like i said it loaded fine and old stuff came out and i saw a glob of blue come out, but it's not printing with it.

What do i do?

 

[illuminarti 18]

What version firmware is on your printer? Go to Maintenance -> Advanced -> Version to check.

You may have just ground up the filament at the start of the print - that's a bit of a problem with recent firmwares. Try this patched version instead...

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/5935-z-axis-homing-inconsistent-on-um2-workaround-and-patch/?p=57095

Just download the hex file, then install it using Cura's 'Machine' -> 'Install Custom Firmware...' option. Also, if your filament has gotten ground down in the extruder, remove it (via the 'Change Material' process on the printer) and then cut off the damaged part before re-installing it.

 

[shurik 87]

Maybe, re-leveling would help. If the distance from the tip of the head to the glass is too big, the plastic will form a glob on the head without touching the glass.

 

[bob-hepple 59]

You have a steep learning curve I'm afraid and you probably picked the worse of the files to print I am in the same boat as you only getting the filament to extrude is the first issue and yes it has probably ground a grove in the material I'd get use to that little issue. I'd check it and as long as you've done a decent half job of setting the height of the plate with paper .15 thick is what I used you should get some sort of result. But the robot has issues see my first results

[zreed 0]

So after I saw no filament coming out, I decided to start all over from the beginning.

I did the leveling and all that fun stuff. When it came time to do the filament again, I assumed it would pick it right up because it was already loaded...

..it didnt

So, I was surprised at how much force it took to load it initially so I decided to give it another hard push. It took it right up and I havent had a problem with extrusion? is that the right term? since. My prints are looking beautiful!

The only problem I have now, which illuminarti addressed in the welcome thread that I need to reread and try, is that the print head, when zeroing (i think), when it goes to the top back left corner, it just wants to keep going through the side of the wall. it makes a HORRENDOUS noise that makes me cringe :( $3000 machine :(

I see the little metal tab sticking out of a small black rectangle, is this this the issue? I need to get it resolved ASAP before it burns the motors out.

Otherwise, this thing is pretty awesome if I can just get that fixed.

 

[illuminarti 18]

You won't do any major harm with the horrendous noise, but yes you should fix it. Yes, it's the metal tab sticking out of the black rectangle that's mounted under the top plate of the printer body.

Turn the power off, and slide the head around by hand. The rear black plastic sliding block should catch on the lever, and you'll hear a 'click' when the switch activates. You need the click to happen before the fan hits the side wall of the printer.

 

[zreed 0]

the little metal tab was just dangling there like a tooth about to fall out. I went to push the button you were talking about and the metal tab just fell off! I didnt do anything but touch it with my finger when i pressed the black button! :( What is it's purpose? to align the axis block to hit the black button?

After this print finishes, I will try to manually slide the print head back to make sure they align but as of right now its not evening coming close. The switch its too far left of the block on the axis i think you are talking about. What should I do?

 

[illuminarti 18]

I'm curious.. When you got your printer, was there cardboard wrapped around the axis rods?

Anyway, the lever is what the head hits, and then the base of the lever trips the switch. You are going to need a new switch....

[illuminarti 18]

And now I'm looking at it on the computer, and can see your photo, I realize that it's the Y endstop that's the problem. I've got no idea how the lever managed to end up bent like that... it's supposed to point up, not down. Are the cross rods that pass through the head fully seated in the sliding blocks at each end? Make sure there isn't a gap between the rod and the black plastic part.

 

[zreed 0]

Thank you for your help! Cross rods look ok. I am making really nice prints and see no gaps under or over the rods.

When I got the printer there was only cardboard wrapped around the axis on the right side of the printer. Nothing on the left. The side of the damaged switch... coincidentally? I actually found that piece of cardboard when I manually raised the build plate! It was smashed underneath! :( $3000 printer! Nooooo

For now, I am manually pushing the stop switch when the printer is resetting itself because I cannot stand to hear that awful noise anymore.

Illuminarti, i truly appreciate your help with this. Thank you very much!!!

 

[stevegt 1]

Simon, you might recall me mentioning this to you and Sander at Bay Area Maker Faire -- recent UM2s, including mine, are shipping with the glass bubble-wrapped and stuffed vertically in the left side of the printer, nestled against the left inside wall, rather than under the bed. There's only cardboard around one of the axis rods -- I think it was the right-hand y axis rod. The other piece of cardboard is for some reason folded flat and mashed under the bed, where the glass is supposed to go, rather than being wrapped around an axis rod. All of my recollections match what ZReed's saying.

I'm not sure if the bubble wrap around the glass could have snagged ZReed's y-axis switch lever, but it seems possible, particularly if the box gets inverted or hits some serious bumps in shipment.

Steve