1 (edited by iDeNoh 2015-08-09 22:34:19)

Topic: Issue with z-home/z-offset calibration

I've been having an issue for the last few months with my press that is making it essentially unusable. I am able to home the x and y axis just fine, and am able to use all three independantly. However when I try to run the z-offset calibration or home the z axis it will deploy the probe like always, and then just drive the bed up until it drives the hotend into the bed. If i'm running the z-offset calibration it will *sometimes* move the probe over the bed and then probe in the wrong spots; usually 3 times in the same spot, move on the y axis by one or two inches, and then probe once before driving back into the wall and then it drives the bed into the hotend again. I've tried m502/m500 to reset the firmware settings, I've tried using m851 to manually set the z-offset, and no matter what I do it happens. I tried getting in touch with solidoodle support but the articles they sent me as a suggestion are...laughable at best.

http://i.imgur.com/5NmwAEK.png

the only one I can imagine that might have something to do with it is the trimpot one, but I've checked those and they are all good.

So far I have checked to ensure that all three motors have a good connection and their wires are not breaking. They aren't skipping steps as far as I can tell. And like I said before I am able to move the printhead to a specific location or tell it to move a certain amount in any direction and it will do that just fine. I also checked both the x and y endstops to ensure they aren't broken or misfiring, they are reading properly as far as I can tell.

I've tried running the newest version of soliprint, I've tried an old version, I've tried it on windows 7, 8.1, 10, and mac OS 10.10, I've tried using just the g29 command in s3d and repetierhost and they both run in to the same issue. As far as I can tell this seems to be a firmware thing, but I'm worried it might be an issue with the motherboard.

Any ideas to point me in the right direction would be much appreciated, Thanks!

2 (edited by kel4714 2015-12-08 14:06:57)

Re: Issue with z-home/z-offset calibration

Hi iDeNoh, I have been printing fine for awhile, till the same problem that you mentioned suddenly surface. The last print I did, the extruder did X & Y homing, then moves to the left most side to retract down the z end stop switch. But then it refuses to move over to the bed area, and the bed continues to move up and hit the extruder nozzle, at times moving less than an inch. Immediately I cut the power.

I manually lower the bed and retract up the z stop switch. This time I did a X & Y homing, but while doing the Z homing, same thing happens, extruder moves to the left most side to retract down the z end stop switch. But then it refuses to move over to the bed area, and the bed continues to move up and hit the extruder nozzle.(This time I cut the power supply before the nozzle slams onto the bed)

I tried many times, out of a bunch of times, I would only get one success. But when I carry on to load STL, slice and start print, the extruder fails to move over to the bed area again.
I did use M502 and M500 to reset factory setting too. But does not solve the problem either.
I have sent a report to solidoodle support, let's see what solution they offer.

3

Re: Issue with z-home/z-offset calibration

kel4714 wrote:

Hi iDeNoh, I have been printing fine for awhile, till the same problem that you mentioned suddenly surface. The last print I did, the extruder did X & Y homing, then moves to the left most side to retract down the z end stop switch. But then it refuses to move over to the bed area, and the bed continues to move up and hit the extruder nozzle, at times moving less than an inch. Immediately I cut the power.

I manually lower the bed and retract up the z stop switch. This time I did a X & Y homing, but while doing the Z homing, same thing happens, extruder moves to the left most side to retract down the z end stop switch. But then it refuses to move over to the bed area, and the bed continues to move up and hit the extruder nozzle.(This time I cut the power supply before the nozzle slams onto the bed)

I tried many times, out of a bunch of times, I would only get one success. But when I carry on to load STL, slice and start print, the extruder fails to move over to the bed area again.
I did use M502 and M500 to reset factory setting too. But does not solve the problem either.
I have sent a report to solidoodle support, let's see what solution they offer.


Hey Kel, Sorry about being nearly half a year late on this reply, but I finally got the issue fixed! I thought the problem might be with the firmware, or even the motherboard but it turns out it was the x axis endstop, the wires weren't making a good connection. I found this out after I took the right side off of the printer and I noticed that the x-axis stopped moving every time the wire (now movable) was hitting something sideways. I bent the pins back, glued it down and its working great now. I'll probably have to go in and re-solder the endstop but its been printing fine ever since.

4 (edited by seven2099 2016-06-29 03:50:40)

Re: Issue with z-home/z-offset calibration

Omg man

THANK YOU FOR POSTING YOUR SOLUTION.

I got this exact same behavior today while printing and was lost on what to do.
Can you take a picture of which switch caused your issue?

I only know of the two switches but when I run G28, and then sometimes G29 it flips out and my G29 is offset for some stupid reason.

really frustrated because it just started happening after months of working fine.

5

Re: Issue with z-home/z-offset calibration

When G29 is happening its almost as if the printer doesn't sense it is not moving so I get 3 or more calibration drops onto the same point and then it all goes downhill as the z-probe crashes into the lip of the print bed.

Any help would be really appreciated.

6

Re: Issue with z-home/z-offset calibration

Fixed by checking one of the axis cables, which seemed to be loose.