A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

User-Generated tips and tricks for the Rostock Max, Orion, H1.1, or H1 Printers
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mhackney
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Not yet Tinyhead. It is still underdevelopment. But, I started with the standard cage fan Rostock holder and cut and glued straws so you should be able to do that.

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Khalid Khattak
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Khalid Khattak »

mhackney... One thing if you can help me... as i do not have money to purchase atleast at this time Simplify3D and it look odd to ask others to generate Gcode for me. Is it possible if you give me screen shots of your Slicer software (the one you are using) . This will help me a good start for all parameters later which will be fine tuned as per my need.... A humble request, if possible please..
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by texsc98 »

Great post Michael, very detail oriented & insightful as always!
DIY instructions/videos/hardware links:
Carbon fiber rods w/ ball joints for Rostock MAX ~$40 http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2165
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Khalid, I can't endorse Simplify3D. You can read my posts about it elsewhere on this forum. I'd save the money if I were you. I use KISSlicer. The free version should be fine for your requirements. I use it for 90% of my slicing.

My parameters are finely tuned for my Kraken hotend, ezStruder extruders and setup. Your best option is to get KISS, install it and use the options I posted in the KISSlicer topic here on SeeMeCNC.

cheers,
Michael

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by geneb »

mhackney, are you using the latest build? I'm still on 1.1.0.14.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

I run KISS 1.4.1.12 routinely and have the latest beta to test and tweak.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Tonkabot »

Okay, we know you run KISSlicer. Do you run all your jobs off the SD card then? Is your control board still a RAMBO running .91 Repetier (I can never spell that, and I can't pronounce it either)?
Or instead of the SD card is Mattercontrol or repeatier or some host software constantly hooked up? Do you have the trick trucks or trick arms installed, or other mods?

I don't think you specified these things above [ in the ten? steps sticky] , as I suppose a lot of it is personal preference. But you clearly get excellent results and machine 'mods' and configuration contribute something to the results.
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by texsc98 »

I've used KISSlicer the past 2 years I've had my printer... But I gotta say I'm really liking the gcode movement the new Cura bundled with Repetier v1.0.6 is throwing out. I was having issues with KISSlicer blobbing right at the end of a movement so figured I'd try something else. Not sure what caused the blobbing to start, should've followed rules #7 Keep Notes & #8 Be Consistent. I think I upgraded my firmware, KISSlicer version, upgraded Repetier, and rebuilt the hot end all in pretty short order. But it did lead to me trying out the new Cura which lead to being able to do this today :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-TOa20kg6k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I still do like KISSlicer, and will probably still use it, I can't say I'm a Cura convert yet... Especially after using KISSlicer for 2 years!
DIY instructions/videos/hardware links:
Carbon fiber rods w/ ball joints for Rostock MAX ~$40 http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2165
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Tonkabot, I do not run off the SD card, I mainly use Repetier host to control the print. I like the control it provides. I am now running an Azteeg X3 Pro since it can drive 4 hotends on my Kraken. I am running Repeitier .91 firmware. I had magnetic ball arms but they would occasionally dislocate running fast with the Kraken setup. Several weeks ago I installed Tricklaser's carbon fiber arms and ball joints. They are fantastic, I can't tell any difference between them and the mag ball arms. Layer registration is near perfect. I have Tricktrucks to install and they are set up and ready to go, I just don't have time right now in the aftermath of the Field & Stream video that was released this week on my 3D printed fly fishing reel. I also have a 1/8" aluminum heat dissipator plate on top of the Onyx and I print mostly on PEI. When I got my Rostock we still had Steve's Extruder. That was replaced with 4 ezStruders (I love them).

My goal was not to tell people what my machine config is so they can replicate it. My goal was to describe how YOU can get the most from your machine. I can (and have) sat down at a stock Rostock Max and can get excellent prints. The new arms on the V2s are perfectly fine. I doubt you could tell the difference in print quality at normal speeds. But I push the envelope and print some things that I sell VERY fast. That's when the mods come to play - arms, trucks and the hotend I use.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Tonkabot »

Texsc98,
The surface finish looks not very smooth, and you have lot's of stringing. It also looks like it is printing extremely fast.

I actually meant that question specifically for mhackney, who I am sure will respond. Not that I am not interested in hearing about your experience, but I am more interested in these specifics of Mr. fishing reel.
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

texsc98, it's all a matter of persistence and tuning. I get no blobbing from KISS at all. It is very possible that the default config for Cura is better matched to your setup. I run Cura and Slic3r just to stay current. I still prefer KISS and it's gcode. When the nozzle comes down and the print starts, it is like watching a gymnast in the olympics stick her landing! I also couldn't live without KISS' curved infill, it plays a critical role in the aesthetics of my parts. If it only had concentric shell fill I'd never need to touch Slic3r.

Sublime Layers - my blog on Musings and Experiments in 3D Printing Technology and Art

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A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Tonkabot »

Mhackney,
Thanks for the answers. I realize that you want the 'A [12 steps so far] Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints' to be generic enough for any 3d printer. And it is.
I was just curious what your setup currently was, [which you have posted bits and pieces of all over] answered in one spot.
I am also working designing my own 'Smoother' board, an advance over the smoothie board and azteeg (faster ARM with an FPU, and more memory. Also will use Smoothieware - I didn't realize the Azteeg could use the repeatier OR smoothieware firmware) and you might call this market research.
My board will be able to do at least 12 steppers...

[edit] Oh, I see the Azteeg X3 and X3 pro are still running the ATMega, and the X5 runs ARM and smoothieware.

I just finished the tricklaser arms, trick truck, and astrodyn dampers installation last night, and I very crudely reset the 3 home set screws and z-height. Did one print of the hollow cube and I can already see that the head is much more rigid. I'll be going through full calibration again using your Strategy this weekend.
Last edited by Tonkabot on Fri Jan 23, 2015 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Tonkabot, Panucatt makes several controllers. I think you are confusing the X3 Pro with the Azteeg X5 - which is a Smoothieware board (and I use on a mini Kossel) . The X3 and X3 Pro are both Arduino based controllers and I run Repetier firmware on them.

Oh, I have the astrodyn dampers too, love them! Much quieter printer with them.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

And I have replaced the power supply with a 12V supply for motors and hot ends and a 24V supply for the Onyx. It is controlled through an Auber SSR. I use a Viki display on the X3 Pro board. I also just installed 2 of the top mount filament spool holders from Tricklaser. My Kraken is water-cooled (they all are). I have special PTFE tubing for the Bowden and I modified the couplers on the ezStruder to let the tube protrude and go right to the drive gear.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by texsc98 »

mhackney wrote:texsc98, it's all a matter of persistence and tuning. I get no blobbing from KISS at all. It is very possible that the default config for Cura is better matched to your setup. I run Cura and Slic3r just to stay current. I still prefer KISS and it's gcode. When the nozzle comes down and the print starts, it is like watching a gymnast in the olympics stick her landing! I also couldn't live without KISS' curved infill, it plays a critical role in the aesthetics of my parts. If it only had concentric shell fill I'd never need to touch Slic3r.
I didn't used to get blobbing either... One of the many things I've recently introduced seems to have started that, and just got a BuildTak in today so there's another variable abou to be introduced...

I did use a lot of the defaults in Cura, and threw in a few changes to somewhat match what I use in KISS. I think the major advantage it made for my issue was the "minimize crossing perimeters" option. Sometimes it goes crazy and out of the way, but it does leave the outside perimeter nice & clean. When printing a single wall cylinder for calibration I still prefer the way the one generated from KISS comes out though, not sure how that can really be much different between the two since there's not retract/prime/wipe/hop enabled, just straight extrusion. But the KISS one just seems to look better somehow, haha!

Haha very poetic w/ the gymnist, I absolutely love to watch the MAX spin round & round, very mesmerizing! By "curved infill" in KISS, you're referring to the "rounded" or "octagonal" option? I've always used octagonal...

Also, I haven't used Slic3r since I first found KISS after I got my printer (which was actually within about 2 weeks of you getting the Rostock MAX too), but outside of the concentric shell fill isn't there any features or good things to say about it evolvement over the past couple years vs KISS/Cura? And sorry in advance I probably should have started a separate thread for this I'm now realizing

Cheers,
Austin
DIY instructions/videos/hardware links:
Carbon fiber rods w/ ball joints for Rostock MAX ~$40 http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2165
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Tonkabot »

Mhackney,
I thought you mentioned in the ASSGP [unfortunate acronym for your 'white paper' or whatever you think it should be called] that you were going to post [links to?] a bunch of test .STL's that can be used to calibrate a machine. I haven't seen them yet (hint hint).


I just spent the last 1.5 hours doing my end stop calibration and horizontal radius to get my bed flat [well, it gets the end effector moving flat and assumes the bed is flat]
[after the trick arms and trucks upgrade]

Now I wanted to go back and get the first layer nailed like in step # 4 in the ASSGP so I checked to see if you posted your test .STLs yet.
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Tonkabot, that was before the tsunami I got this week when Field & Stream posted a video review of my 3D printed fly reel in action. The response was/is a bit over the top and I'm trying to keep up. I'll get the files up as soon as I can, they still need some tweaking.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Ok, I added the first set of calibration things and instructions to the bottom of the first post.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by texsc98 »

mhackney wrote:Ok, I added the first set of calibration things and instructions to the bottom of the first post.
Drawing inspiration from Highcooley's design I threw together this quick one in openSCAD, and made it parametric so it'll work for any size round bed! Can customize the outer diameter, number of inner rings, width of rings/axis lines (extrusion diameter + ring perimeters), and diameter of center circle. The default settings are catered towards the Orion, with the outer ring being 5" diameter. Hopefully some may find it of use :)

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:651077" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
DIY instructions/videos/hardware links:
Carbon fiber rods w/ ball joints for Rostock MAX ~$40 http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2165
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

Cool, thanks. I'll link it to the 1st post.

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Tonkabot »

texsc98 wrote:
mhackney wrote:Ok, I added the first set of calibration things and instructions to the bottom of the first post.
Drawing inspiration from Highcooley's design I threw together this quick one in openSCAD, and made it parametric so it'll work for any size round bed! Can customize the outer diameter, number of inner rings, width of rings/axis lines (extrusion diameter + ring perimeters), and diameter of center circle. The default settings are catered towards the Orion, with the outer ring being 5" diameter. Hopefully some may find it of use :)

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:651077" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I downloaded your parameterized one, then downloaded open scad. I changed the diameter line to 280 and recompiled it, and exported as .stl.

Before printing, I realized that was probably to big and would run into my clips or something so I changed the number to 250 and tried again.

Strange thing though the .stl is the same size, I can't see anything when I load the 250 one into the slicer. the 280 that I made and the orion size that you made are both there.

I know very little about scad, but I did the right things for a 280mm size one, but for some reason I can't get the 250mm one to show up in the slicer - even though the stl file is the same size.
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by texsc98 »

Tonkabot wrote:
texsc98 wrote:
mhackney wrote:Ok, I added the first set of calibration things and instructions to the bottom of the first post.
Drawing inspiration from Highcooley's design I threw together this quick one in openSCAD, and made it parametric so it'll work for any size round bed! Can customize the outer diameter, number of inner rings, width of rings/axis lines (extrusion diameter + ring perimeters), and diameter of center circle. The default settings are catered towards the Orion, with the outer ring being 5" diameter. Hopefully some may find it of use :)

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:651077" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I downloaded your parameterized one, then downloaded open scad. I changed the diameter line to 280 and recompiled it, and exported as .stl.

Before printing, I realized that was probably to big and would run into my clips or something so I changed the number to 250 and tried again.

Strange thing though the .stl is the same size, I can't see anything when I load the 250 one into the slicer. the 280 that I made and the orion size that you made are both there.

I know very little about scad, but I did the right things for a 280mm size one, but for some reason I can't get the 250mm one to show up in the slicer - even though the stl file is the same size.
Not sure what could've happened... Maybe you didn't hit F6 to render the model before export to STL? Anyway, added a 250mm one to the thingiverse files http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:651077/#files" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (direct link: http://www.thingiverse.com/download:1048182" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
DIY instructions/videos/hardware links:
Carbon fiber rods w/ ball joints for Rostock MAX ~$40 http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2165
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by mhackney »

I've added three more STLs to the first post under "Layer Tuning" at the bottom. These are simple objects to help you tune first layer adhesion issues, quality issues, etc. They are quick to print so you don't waste a lot of time testing. They are also great for testing slicer configurations. Watch closely as these print, take notes and you'll be surprised how much you'll learn.

I start EVERY DAY's print session by printing the simple .2mm tall single layer cylinder. I watch it and as it prints I tweak my tower offsets to get a perfect first layer. If should be able to print a perfect one of these repeatedly.

TIP: The 3 layer (.6mm) version makes a perfect coaster for your favorite beverage.

Cheers,
Michael

Sublime Layers - my blog on Musings and Experiments in 3D Printing Technology and Art

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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by Eaglezsoar »

The best guide I have seen that is all in one place.
As usual, a job well done!
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Re: A Strategy for Successful (and Great) Prints

Post by aTanguay »

Thank you for taking the time to write all of these great guidelines down.
As a new user, this is a GREAT place to start.
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