1 Topic by liyanage (edited by liyanage 2013-01-31 02:02:58)

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Topic: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

I tried my first print and it seems to me that the head starts out too low and presses into the platform really hard. When it puts down the first few layers, it is touching the platform and it smears over the previous layer. Once it is finally lifted up a short distance, the nozzle has been clogged up and no filament comes out. I had to pause, extract and continue.

Also since it was pressing really hard, it pushed the orange transparent protection film into one of the screw holes in the platform, probably damaging it at the screw hole's edge.

It appears to me that the device doesn't know where the platform is. Am I supposed to calibrate it so this doesn't happen? Can I otherwise fine-tune it so it starts out a bit higher?

2 Reply by Wavesurf

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Yes, you need to level the bed.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=5bzAE5-Q … bzAE5-QgUY

Ian has a video to show you how.

3 Reply by satman49

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

take a look at this : http://vimeo.com/55450537

SD3, E3D hotend,linear bearing on x/y axis',pillow block bearing on y conneting rod, ball bearngs on front y axis, fan on y stepper motor.

4 Reply by liyanage

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Thanks, that looks promising, I will try that tomorrow and report back.

5 Reply by Harvey

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Sounds unlucky to me... my SD2 was nicely calibrated out of the box, and there's a switch at the top of the Z axis to avoid the table going to high, normally, the table can never actually hit the nozzle (ou must adjust the little screw if it did, but again mine was pretty finely set out of the box).

6 Reply by solijohn

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Got everything up and running?

Former Solidoodle employee, no longer associated with the company.

7 Reply by liyanage

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

I think adjusting helped. After my first leveling attempt, the filament did not stick to the platform, presumably because I now had a bit too much space between head and platform. After reducing the spacing a little bit again, it seemed to work. I am not quite clear how much space there should be, the thickness of a sheet of paper? Or a bit more, like the thickness of a business card?

I also noticed that at the very beginning, the filament sometimes doesn't flow out of the head properly, it takes a few seconds, and the head is already moving along the path.

Lastly, when we tried to print a model that was very long and slim, it did not stick to the platform at all. This not sticking to the platform of the first layers came up a lot, is there something that would help? The extruder temperature is set to 200C and the bed to 50C.

Thanks again for the tips and links to the videos, especially the vimeo one (the one on youtube is not as helpful because there is no audio).

8 Reply by mm2tts

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Oh the bed temp should be up around 90 to 95. Make sure the bed is clean. People here have used acetone to clean the kapton.

9 Reply by liyanage

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Just to be clear, that 90/95 figure for the temperature, that is Celsius, not Fahrenheit, right? So the bed would be really hot?

10 Reply by Tomek

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

liyanage wrote:

Just to be clear, that 90/95 figure for the temperature, that is Celsius, not Fahrenheit, right? So the bed would be really hot?

Yes. It is quite hot.  That figure is in celsius.

11 Reply by mm2tts

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

Yes those temps are Celsius, close to boiling. ABS does not melt at these temps. For the Solidoodle people are using bed temps of 85C-100C degrees and extruder temps of 190C - 200C

12 Reply by liyanage

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Re: Head smashing into platform for the first few layers, clogs nozzle

OK, I will raise the temperature accordingly and try that model that wouldn't stick to the bed again.

Thanks everyone, you guys are super helpful.