filawinder losing auto settings

Thanks for your speedy response, Ian.

So if the filament disappears between reads that would cause a reboot?

I can tell that everything happens much slower in troubleshooting mode but it happens in normal mode, too, just not as often. I have been testing with a piece of filament held by a "third hand" so I can control the movement. Usually it will run a long time if the filament is steady but if I move it up and down by hand I can always cause a problem.

Jerry

The new Nano is this one from Amazon:

HOSSEN® Mini Nano V3.0 ATmega328 board for Arduino IDE (Arduino-compatible) + Free USB Cable

but the silkscreen seems to be exactly like the one that came with the Filawinder kit, "ARDUINO NANO V3.0 GRAVITECH.US" and with the large G logo.

Thanks, Ian.

I will try that firmware tomorrow and let you know my results.

I ran into that bug working with arduinos that didn't already have values in the EEPROM.  I'll get it reposted later today, but in the meantime, make this addition to the set_sensor() function-

void set_sensor()                                    //Calibrate the reflectance sensors  Add LED indication that calibration is happening
{
  qtra.resetCalibration( );

I found that when calibrating, if the max value it detects is less than the previous max value, it will go with the previous one and not update.  Since it started out with a value 65535 before making any readings, it was never going to update it with a real reading.  This change resets the values before calibrating so it will always go with the current values from the sensors.

After adding the
     qtra.resetCalibration( );
line to the v10a firmware and reflashing, the FilaWinder is working well with 1.75mm filament. The arduino seems to reset once in awhile, but it continues to wind without issues.

I am using the more powerful beta Filastruder motor.

With 3mm filament, there is so much twisting during extrusion and the filament is so much less flexible that it is hard to keep the FilaWinder from affecting the extrusion process. With 3mm the extruded filament seems to be semi-molten for an inch or so beyond the nozzle so it is much easier for twisting or jerking to affect diameter and straightness of filament.

I need to try a longer loop, I think. How long a loop works best with 3mm?

I know vertical placement is best for the Filastruder but I am using it horizontal to keep the filament size in the usable range. It has been around 2.4-2.6mm with standard bore melt filter nozzle at 180C with OSPrinting pellets. I plan to eventually rebore the nozzle and use a 45 degree or vertical mount.

Has anyone tried to minimize corkscrewing by making something like is used in a laminar flow water jet? I think Tim said that commercial extruders use something like that.

"That's surprising about the diameter - that'd be negative die swell. I wonder if the thermocouple is reading improperly or something, as the 3m mnozzles are drilled to 2.78mm by default. You could move up to a 1/8" bit, that's 3.175mm"

I am extruding with the nozzle 62" from the floor, Filastruder horizontal, standard bore melt filter (a 7/64 drill bit just fits), beta test motor, 180C, and MG94 ABS with no colorant. I ran a test by letting the temp get up to 180C, waiting 15 minutes more and then extruding until the filament touched the floor. At that point I stopped and measured what had been produced. About an inch from the beginning it is smooth and measures 3.03mm so yes, there is die swell. In the middle it is 2.50 and the area that was touching the copper filastruder guide when the machine was stopped measures 1.70. Isn't it the pull from the mass of the filament hanging off the machine that causes the decrease in diameter?

I know from experience that if the machine is left running the diameter will stabilize eventually. For me it stabilizes at about 2.4 to 2.6mm with the above conditions. Wouldn't going vertical decrease the diameter because there would be no drag from the guide?