Steves new build project. Sept 2015

[Eaglezsoar]

You do that in the startup gcode.

You should even be able to change tones and make it beep like r2d2.

That R2D2 sound would be cool, maybe someone can post the codes for the tones.

[Stevolution]

Well I write Arduino code myself for my projects, and I have no idea where the heck I would add a 'beeper' command in all that Repetier coding

Edit... And I don't know how to G-code anything yet!

[Stevolution]

Well I thought I had it dialled in

Basically tonight has been a exercise in printing stringy mess. The first layer of a support mesh just wont stick. Gets dragged up and pulled all over the hotbed by the next layer.
Can't put any more UHU stick down... the glue+Kapton tape is costing more than buying the item I want to print ready made.

Anyone want to buy a 3d printer?

[nebbian]

Buy a sheet of PEI. Best investment you'll make for your printer.

[geneb]

If you're using glue, it should be Elmer's Disappearing Purple glue stick not UHU...

g.

[Tincho85]

Sorry Gene I must disagree here. UHU can do the trick. I've used it and works great.
But get a PEI sheet. I can't imagine printing without it now.
That and astrosyn dampers. The noise reduction is incredible. Some say they compromise print quality but I can't tell the difference.

[geneb]

I've got dampers on White MAX and they're great.

I've never tried UHU, so I can't recommend it. I do print ABS all the time on Elmer's without issue.

g.

[Stevolution]

UHU stick has worked fine (in fact, its pretty hard to release it afterwards). But my issues seem to arise when printing with a support structure. The first layer doesn't stick well enough and the second pass seems to drag up the first.
Maybe slow the print right down if using a complex support?

Elmers glue - I looked, but expensive to get hold of in the UK.

PEI sheet. I did buy a sheet and when I stuck it on I ended up with a bumpy appalling mess. The glue sheet went all clumpy and I ended up having to remove it again due to lumps of glue all over the bed.
Not sure its re-useable, and an expensive first mistake.

As a side question... do you still put the adhesive on the top of PEI sheet, or does it stick well enough on it own?

The speed slider at the bottom of Mattercontrol (under tuning adjustment).... is that the speed of extrusion (or retraction), or a general control of the print speed?

[Tincho85]

Nope, just the PEI. That's why I love it.

What's your first layer print speed? Try 15mm/s and increase the extrusion multiplier.
Also, check with another filament. Natural white is the best one to print in my experience.

[Stevolution]

OK. Made a new profile in Mattercontrol - much slower and that seems to have helped (so far). Print is 2.5 times slower than before... but lets see where it goes.

My extruder makes a squeaky/ratchety sound.... its not slipping or skipping, just a bit noisy... is that right?
If you put your finger on the white gear, you can feel it lightly vibrating. I assume that is OK.

I already have cork dampers on the stepper motors, carbon arms and anti-lash straps. All seems OK on that front.

Beeper. OK, I know now that M120 S4 P200 makes it work.
How do I get that G-code into the correct place to beep before it starts printing? If I am using Mattercontrol, is it possible? I have not dare try messing around with stand-alone Slic3r or anything yet.

In the G-code for startup, I thought I could add it after M109S (Wait for extruder to temp), just before G28 - Home command. But it just beeps and stops the fans. Never progresses.

This PEI sheet I salvaged. What would you recommend I try sticking it back on with? I did think of a very thin layer of the thermal paste (that I have loads of)... and leave it overnight under a heavy weight.

[RocketMagnet]

Beeper. OK, I know now that M120 S4 P200 makes it work.
How do I get that G-code into the correct place to beep before it starts printing? If I am using Mattercontrol, is it possible? I have not dare try messing around with stand-alone Slic3r or anything yet.

In the G-code for startup, I thought I could add it after M109S (Wait for extruder to temp), just before G28 - Home command. But it just beeps and stops the fans. Never progresses.

http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php ... net#p63539" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stevolution]

Thanks for the G-code for the beeper. Works fine and a great help.

Re-installed the PEI sheet, but getting nothing but failures with it. The filament just won't stick.

Think I will have to go back to Kapton tape and UHU

[teoman]

Increase the temp

With pei, my bed is at 115 degs.

[Stevolution]

Wow... the bed takes its time getting 100deg!
I have taken it off again for now. Its failing every time. I will continue with Kapton+UHU for now.
Basically, I have had to massively reduce the print speeds, otherwise it just fails (for various reasons). I knew 3d printing was slow..... but not this slow!

[teoman]

Lately i am printing fist sized parts at 8 hours per part.

[IMBoring25]

Since you have a v6 on it anyway, one of the larger nozzles would make a significant difference, provided there are no sections of fine detail in the model that require the smaller nozzle. If surface finish is not critical, larger nozzles can also go to taller layer heights for an even more significant reduction in print time.

Also, the first layer is the really critical one that can benefit from a significant increase in extrusion width and reduction in speed. Subsequent layers should be able to speed up.

[Tincho85]

Wow... the bed takes its time getting 100deg!
I have taken it off again for now. Its failing every time. I will continue with Kapton+UHU for now.
Basically, I have had to massively reduce the print speeds, otherwise it just fails (for various reasons). I knew 3d printing was slow..... but not this slow!

Yes, with the stock PSU it will, but you can optimize it by covering the bed while it heats up. A towel, cardboard or a hot pad from the kitchen will do the trick.
Also, thicker wires from Rambo to Onyx will help.

For the PEI to properly work you need to have Z0 nailed almost perfect and the bed at minimum 100ºc (at least for me).
It must be very clean. You can clean it with isopropyl alcohol.

But, if you already removed it, try ABS juice. It gives more margin of error and prints stuck really well.

How slow is too slow? I mostly print between 35 and 55mm/s. 70mm/s if I need it fast and for first layer 15mm/s or 20... I can't recall.

[Stevolution]

I did upgrade the cables to the Onyx plate. Gets to 100 deg pretty quick if you cover it with a tea towel (which is why I needed the beeper when ready..... had a couple of hotend into tea towel moments).

The PEI sheet I got originally went on with 3M sticky tape and was appalling. Quite probably user error... but it looked like the Alps and had to come off again.
I cleaned it up with isopropyl alcohol and tried again, but its possible that it is now knackered.

If I could find a UK supplier of 0.063mm PEI I would probably have another go. I have read that people are simply clipping it on with the glass clips and not actually glueing it.

My last print was entirely at 20mm.... way too slow. I dropped it to 15mm to start and ramped it up later on however to x1.5. Trouble was then basically a pile of stringy PLA crap all over the place.
The finished part is pretty rough. Not to mention I could not get it off the UHU/Kapton tape! It goes from not sticking to stuck fast.

Most of my prints are reasonably detailed, so I don't really want to go to a larger nozzle. Not yet at least.

I thought PLA was the easier stuff to print with, but I am getting far better, stronger and easier prints with ABS - which surprises me.

Its all a learning curve. I knew it was finicky and took time to dial in, but I don't think I will ever get it good enough, or identically repeatable for the manufacturing of lots of custom parts as I planned.

[Eaglezsoar]

I did upgrade the cables to the Onyx plate. Gets to 100 deg pretty quick if you cover it with a tea towel (which is why I needed the beeper when ready..... had a couple of hotend into tea towel moments).

The PEI sheet I got originally went on with 3M sticky tape and was appalling. Quite probably user error... but it looked like the Alps and had to come off again.
I cleaned it up with isopropyl alcohol and tried again, but its possible that it is now knackered.

If I could find a UK supplier of 0.063mm PEI I would probably have another go. I have read that people are simply clipping it on with the glass clips and not actually glueing it.

My last print was entirely at 20mm.... way too slow. I dropped it to 15mm to start and ramped it up later on however to x1.5. Trouble was then basically a pile of stringy PLA crap all over the place.
The finished part is pretty rough. Not to mention I could not get it off the UHU/Kapton tape! It goes from not sticking to stuck fast.

Most of my prints are reasonably detailed, so I don't really want to go to a larger nozzle. Not yet at least.

I thought PLA was the easier stuff to print with, but I am getting far better, stronger and easier prints with ABS - which surprises me.

Its all a learning curve. I knew it was finicky and took time to dial in, but I don't think I will ever get it good enough, or identically repeatable for the manufacturing of lots of custom parts as I planned.

Windex can be used to help you apply the PEI, see this link: http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php ... 775#p68077" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stevolution]

Do you think the PEI has to be glued? I realise for heat transfer it is probably slightly better, but if you can get it clipped flat... I think I would rather have it removeable.

Thank you - by the way - for all the advice given so far. Everybody seems to have different results and experiences, so you can only apply methods and results and see if they work for you.

At the moment, I think I am going to stick with ABS. I get much more satisfying results with that.

[Stevolution]

I will get it to print PLA..... I will.....

Found the first problem... Y axis was VERY slightly out of height adjustment... that fixed the rough surface on the first layer print.

But, the first layer (and probably subsequent layers) have a few slight gaps between the laid lines (not between vertical layers). Would this be a temp issue? Started at 190deg and increased it to 200 deg. However it oozes a lot at 200 deg.

[IMBoring25]

That's underextrusion, unless your Z=0 is significantly too high. Have you calibrated your extruder steps per mm?

[Stevolution]

Yes... calibrated the extruder. That should be fine. Seemed to get better when I adjusted the extrusion multipler up to 1.5 (what does that actually adjust? - all settings?)
I recalibrated all the towers + Z height earlier on. No reason the extruder calibration should have changed, but I supposed I could check it again.

Anyway.... 2 hours in and it released from the hotbed again and failed.

Patience with this thing is wearing thin to be honest. I don't mind tinkering and adjusting, but the payoff for the time put in is way out of balance at the moment

[Stevolution]

Has anyone got the new Injection Moulded Carriages? I am finding them very 'squeaky' and 'creaky'. I have read a few reports of them not being all that.... just wondered if anyone else had issues?

[geneb]

I've seen zero instances of them "having issues", so I'd love to see where you saw folks talking about them.

Can you take a pic of one from the back? I'd like to see how you have them installed.

tnx!

g.