SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — Using a dial indicator

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (Claghorn) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 02:02:42 +0000

I did just use this thing to level my bed, and was able to work out a technique to get pretty reproducible readings even after taking the mount off the rails and putting it back on. I've added the description to my web site (see above in post # 4), but basically it consists of homing the Z axis then moving the bed down to the point where RH is displaying the same Z height for each position. I got numbers like 0.26mm on one try and 0.24mm on the next after removing the mount, then coming back later for a 2nd reading.

Better yet, the part I printed after this adjustment seemed to print quite well, so I think it actually did manage to level the bed.

I also think I've worked out a way to set the Z-stop. Little pieces of paper just don't seem to work well for me (though I use them to get somewhere around the right level). My new procedure is to print a really wide brim and watch it going down. If it can't stick and the individual strands are mostly round, then the nozzle is too high. If it does go on flat, but when the nozzle comes around to print the next inner layer of brim it pushes the old brim off the bed (especially if it is making a sharp turn around a corner), then I've got the nozzle too low and it is squishing out the brim wider than it thinks it should be. I kill the job, tweak the Z-stop a bit, then start the job again. Seems to work. At least one part I printed with these new rules came out nicely with no trouble in the brim. Time consuming, but hopefully once adjusted it will stay in adjustment for a while.

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (Claghorn) — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 01:52:39 +0000

For what it is worth, I've uploaded what I have to thingiverse: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:171900

I haven't actually tested my own copy yet to see how consistent the readings are though (I'm waiting for the epoxy on the magnets to fully cure).

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (IanJohnson) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 20:53:11 +0000

I could certainly use this now. No current design quite works around the E3D as I have it mounted, and the one that comes closest is a little too flexible for me to trust the readings. Mounting to the rods makes it more universal.

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (muddtt) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 02:11:18 +0000

Cool. Like the blue color.

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (Claghorn) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 01:45:58 +0000

Well, I've started on this and built one prototype that allowed me to find flaws and change the parts a bit for the second one. Needs more testing, but this is what the parts look like now:

Full story at: http://home.comcast.net/~tomhorsley/har … mount.html

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (Claghorn) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 22:43:40 +0000

I hadn't thought about the magnets, but that seems like a good idea to hold it to the rails with constant force. If I design one for the solidoodle, I'll definitely include magnets. Thanks for the pointer.

Re: Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (muddtt) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 21:09:27 +0000

Some of the makerbot guys made one like that. Seems like a good idea

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:23257

Using a dial indicator

null@example.com (Claghorn) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 21:04:39 +0000

I have tried lots of things with my dial indicator, and I can't get consistent results with it mounted on the extruder. I really think the natural rocking built into the stock solidoodle mechanism allows the readings to vary a fair amount, especially with dragging the filament around, pushing the cable bundle, etc. Possibly the mount itself isn't holding the dial tight enough and allowing it to move a little as well.

Is there some technique that works better than others for getting consistent readings? So far, my most consistent results have been lowering the bed before moving the carriage, then raising it too far, then lowering it back down again before taking a reading.

Has anyone ever thought about getting the carriage out of the equation by mounting the dial gauge directly on the two X rods? Take readings with the carriage moved out of the way to the other side.