Cura with Wanhao duplicator x4

[GregValiant 1,243]

There is an "M141" line just before the print starts and it is after the StartUp Gcode.  Does that printer have a Heated Build Volume (a separate controllable heater).  If it does not then you need to go into the Cura Machine Settings and de-select the "Heated Build Volume" option.

If it doesn't have a separate heater for the air in the chamber then that "M141 S28"command may cause a hiccup in the firmware.

 

Other than that question - the gcode is correct.  The printer should home, move up 15, heat up, purge 6mm of filament, move to "G0 F3600 X87.231 Y58.337 Z0.3" and start the print.  I assume that "0.3" is your "initial layer height" you set in Cura.

[PrintPrint32 0]

On 6/1/2022 at 9:26 AM, Apostoliszev said:

Good moring. I tried to put the definition file you posted and my temps loading perfectly. But when it comes the time to print, my extruders does not move from the up right corner and the printer is printing on the air. I post the gcode file.

WD4S_spiral_kwnikosswlhnas.gcode 8.12 MB · 4 downloads

Hi, I'm very new to 3d printing, especially with the Wanhao Duplicator 4. This thread helped me a lot to get started with Cura, but I'm stuck at the same point. The printer will start printing at the top right corner, without the extruder being above the bed. Did you find a solution?

[GregValiant 1,243]

@Apostoliszev was last here in September.  I don't know if he got it working or not.

We can start over.

• Load a Benchy or calibration cube in Cura.
• Set Cura up to slice.
• Use the "File | Save Project" command to create a 3mf project file.
• Post the 3mf file here.

How many extruders are on your printer?

Edited November 6, 2022 by GregValiant

[PrintPrint32 0]

Hi,

 

Thank you for your reply!

It's a Wanhao Duplicator 4 with two extruders and an additional, working, part cooling fan.

The printer works with Makerbot Desktop, but I would like to use Cura. I've got 5.2.1 with the .x3g add-on.

I tried using the files from GitHub, which led to the printer not heating up, like Apostoliszev's printer. I then used your definitions file. Now, it homes, the bed heats up, the active extruder heats up and then it starts the print, YAY! But, on the home position, making a lot of noise. (and next to the bed)

It would be very nice if you'd be able to help me, Thank you!

Here's a file for a calibration cube:

WD4S_xyzCalibration_cube.3mf

Edited November 8, 2022 by PrintPrint32

[GregValiant 1,243]

That's a 3mf model file.  I need a project file.

Load it again and use the "File | Save Project" command.  A project file contains everything about the printer as well as the model and all the Cura settings.

[PrintPrint32 0]

I'm sorry. This should be the proper file:

WD4S_xyzCalibration_cube.3mf

[GregValiant 1,243]

After doing some searching here and on the internet I have two questions.

• Is your printer "Origin" at the mid-point of the bed ("Origin at Center")?  Some 4s printers do.
  • If it is an "Origin at Center" printer then that box needs to be checked in the Cura Machine Settings.  If there is a mis-match between the Cura setting and the actual printer then a print will happen at the wrong point on the printer build plate.  You can check this by Auto-Homing the printer and then using the LCD control to move the nozzle up and then to X0 Y0.  If the nozzle ends up over the midpoint of the bed then you need to check the "Origin at Center" box in Cura.
• Are you positive that the printer is running Marlin firmware?
  • Some of them run RepRap firmware.  There isn't a large difference, but there is a difference.

 

There are some other threads here regarding your printer.  HERE is one and a search of the forum will turn up others.

Edited November 9, 2022 by GregValiant

[odonnse 0]

I am running into the exact same issue. The bed and extruders now both heat up with your definitions file but it prints in the back right corner opposed to the center of the bed. It also jogged the z-axis down a few millimeters even though it was already homed, not sure why but it is just something I noticed. I am running sailfish and the printer does home in the back right corner and home in the center is unchecked.

[GregValiant 1,243]

@odonnse welcome to the forum.

Post one of your gcode files sliced with Cura and we'll see where exactly it's printing.  The printer will put the origin of a gcode file at the Home Offset location stored in the printer.  As I said above - some 4S printers do have their "Origin at Center" and so may need that box checked in Cura.

After you Auto-Home, raise the Z a bit and use the LCD to move the print head to X0 Y0.  Where is the print head?  Still near the back right corner or is it over the middle of the build plate?

If you have a stock gcode that came with the printer (cat or dog or something) post that as well.

 

As a side note - The Creality Ender 5 and Ender 6 printers have their origins at the right rear while all the other Creality printers are at the left front.  The E5 and E6 models just have the entire origin system rotated.  It looks odd and prints seem to be facing the wrong way when compared to the Cura build plate, but everything prints fine.

[odonnse 0]

Thanks for the quick reply!!

I unfortunately do not have the original files with the printer and I have gotten it running years ago but with different slicers. Unfortunately I do not have any of the original g-code just .x3g files. I attached two gcode files of benchy. One with the origin at center checked (as indicated by the file name) and with origin at center unchecked. Both have the flavor of gcode as Marlin within Cura. I cannot find zero on X or Y because when I jog in the LCD menu, it does not indicate position. When I do home it puts the head in the back right corner and raises the bed all the way up. One interesting thing I noticed is when I ran the .x3g file for "origin center checked" it dropped the bed most of the way down and was printing in mid-air, however with origin center unchecked it did not drop the bed. In both cases the extruder was attempting to print in the back right corner and the benchy is centered within Cura.

WD4S_3DBenchy(Origin at center-Marlin).gcode WD4S_3DBenchy.gcode

[odonnse 0]

I also attempted to use the Makerbot flavor of gcode with origin at center unchecked and it did a similar thing to Marlin with origin at center checked. It first homed, then dropped the bed all the way down until it almost hit the bottom (there is no end stop on the bottom of the z-axis). Once up to temp it started printing in mid air in the back right corner. Also it seems like the extruder is trying push out way more filament then it needs to, I can hear the gear skipping on the filament. This does not happen when I use the printers LCD to load filament. Within the extruder settings the material is set correct (1.75mm) and the nozzle size is correct (0.4mm) All these prints have been set with a layer height of 0.2mm, also heated bed has been checked and heated build volume is unchecked. I attached the gcode for the makerbot version.

WD4S_3DBenchy (makerbot).gcode

[GregValiant 1,243]

What you are looking at here are the two gcode files read into AutoCad.  One prints at the Left Front Corner which is my 0,0 origin point (that is your Origin At Center checked file).  The other file prints near the middle of my bed which is likely a different size than yours to it doesn't look quite correct.

 

What I get from this is that one of those files should have printed correctly.  You can see that the Origin At Center gcode straddles the negative quadrants of the coordinate system but the other gcode is right in the +X +Y quadrant and should have been fine.

When my Ender loses position because the steppers have disabled there are a blinking X Y and Z on the LCD.  Those are the axis positions and normally tell me where the print head is located.  It seems very odd that your LCD doesn't tell you where the print head is.

[odonnse 0]

Since my home is the back right corner and the bed raised all the way up, I wonder if the gcode thinks my home is somewhere else, such as the front left corner and is just hitting the stops for x and y. Also I did locate the home offset on my machine is X:146.198mm, Y: 73.497mm, and Z 0mm. Toolhead offset is X: 33.387mm, Y: -0.074mm. I am not sure why that would impact it as those numbers have never been changed since I owned the machine, but I figure it is worth bringing up. I will try to connect my printer via USB and jog it using my computer, maybe that would provide some results.

[odonnse 0]

I setup in makerbot desktop and had much more success. It is printing normally, I have attached that Gcode. It seems to be more successful by moving the head to the front left of the printer during the heating phase and then starts the print.

3DBenchy.gcode

[GregValiant 1,243]

That gcode was sliced with "Origin At Center" enabled.  Maybe that's what you need to do in Cura.  From what I've read some of the Wanhao 4S printers are configured that way.

[odonnse 0]

I did try that previously with very similar results as "Origin At Center" unchecked (which seems unusual in its own right). I will try slicing again in cura with Origin At Center checked soon. I am battling my COM port connections now, trying to stream gcode commands to my printer to troubleshoot a cooling fan issue. But once I resolve that and get some clean prints in makerbot desktop I will get back into Cura. I enjoy Cura and would prefer to use it as a daily driver.

[odonnse 0]

Good news, I found that if you add the following line, between the square brackets, to the definition file ["machine_x3g_variant": "r1",] and check "Origin at center" in the machine settings the printer operates as expected. I made some additional correction/modifications to the definition file which I will upload once I iron out the last bug I am running into. When trying to use extruder #2 (left) it will heat fine and 'T1' will appear at the top of the gcode when "Build Plate Adhesion Type" is used and 'Extruder 2" is selected as "Build Plate Adhesion Extruder". However if I select "none" for "Build Plate Adhesion Type" it will only heat extruder #1 (right) and Cura always places 'T0' to start the gcode. I am using M104 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} in my start gcode. Any thoughts?

[GregValiant 1,243]

You could try

T{initial_extruder_nr}

At the end of your StartUp Gcode.

Cura will put in the number of the first tool used in the print.  You will need to work out the heating arrangement for it to insure you don't get a cold start.  I think that:

M109 S{material_print_temperature_layer_0} T{initial_extruder_nr}

should work.  You will need to test that.  You may have to activate the tool before you can set the temperature.

Edited January 12, 2023 by GregValiant

[odonnse 0]

That does not seem to work. the 'initial_extruder_nr" value seems to match the value that cura automatically places at the beginning of the gcode. The only way it seems I can get it to change to T1 (left) is by selecting a 'Build Plate Adhesion Type' and choosing Extruder 2.

[GregValiant 1,243]

"initial_extruder_nr" is the extruder that Cura has figured out will start the print.  I can see that if the skirt/brim is set to T0 then that is what will start the print.

If you don't intend to use T0 for the print have you tried disabling it?  It looks like if T0 is enabled then the build plate adhesion defaults to it.  I guess you either need to manually set the skirt/brim to T1, disable extruder T0, or disable the Build Plate Adhesion.

[Wintermute 0]

Reanimating an old topic: got Wanhao Duplicator 4S second hand real cheap. Looked like a machine with good specs, but old.

What I did:

- updated Sailfish firmware to 7.7 (followed the guide here https://groups.google.com/g/wanhao-printer-3d/c/-0pryBjsd1g, the firmware page moved to https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32084). No issues from the first look: printer runs and responds properly.

- was not able to connect it to 5.2.1 Cura at all - cannot find it on USB. But, ages old ReplicatorG slicer does find it - can connect, slice and print. Too bad that I don't want (and cannot on my new Mac) use a 10+ year old slicer...

- connected it to a current stable Octoprint server on Raspberry Pi 4. After installing and configuring GPX plug-in, can connect to printer and control/start printing.

 

Sooo, everything is tip-top now, but, I have quite a bit of under extrusion, especially bad on the infill, but somewhat noticeable on walls too. Absolutely failed print is 20% Grid infill - just spaghetti on the inside.

100% line infill, 120% flow compensation, e-steps checked (100 mm extracted, no tuning needed). Looks better, but still small pieces of under extrusion.

I also tried 60% infill: in general it looks as if when infill starts, the wall quality deteriorates significantly too. No infill - little to none issues.

eSUN ABS+, range of different temps (220-265), and flow comp (100-120 for everything excluding the first layer).

That's supper annoying and if someone has similar experiences, let me know;

[GregValiant 1,243]

In the Cura Machine settings Extruder tab - make sure that the filament diameter is correct.

 

If the printer is set for "Volumetric" Evalues and Cura is set for "Normal" Evalues then you can get under or over extrusion.  Cura and the setting in the printer must match regarding "Volumetric".  The LCD might say "E in mm³" and if that is enabled then the printer is in Volumetric.

 

A partial plug in the hot end can occur between the back of the nozzle and the end of the bowden tube.  The bowden has to make a seal there but since the  bowden tends to rotate in the keeper fitting a gap will develop after 40 or so hours of print time.  When it happens the bowden needs to be trimmed back by 5 or 6mm.  It MUST be a nice square cut.

[MikeyDK 0]

On 5/25/2022 at 1:57 PM, GregValiant said:

Have you gone to Manage Printers, Machine Settings, Number of Extruders and set it to 2?

Your screen should look something like this...

 

 

I found this thread while trying to configure my Duplicator 4S, but on that screen I can only set "Number of Extruders" to 1, there is no option to change it to 2.

 

Is there a way to persuade it into accepting the printer having two extruders?

[GregValiant 1,243]

What version of Cura?

The second extruder should be there.  Different Cura versions can contain different printer definitions because people submit definition changes.  Adding an extruder isn't difficult but might require that you copy and alter some files.