1

Topic: Whats wrong?

So recently I wanted to print something on my press, I start it up like usual and about to print, it calibrates and then goes to print the actual object. I noticed that it was printing about a mm higher above the bed. Of course nothing stuck down to the bed so I re-started thinking the calibration was off, same thing happened. I tried a different model and I still had the same problem. I went into Soliprint and ran the calibration test, moved the nozzle closer but that changed nothing! I am using  Repetier(not latest version). Should I update to see if that's the problem? I heard another person have a problem with the new version. I can post a video if you like. Just to let you know, before my printer was very reliable and never had something like this happen, I am stumped since the problem appeared out of the blue (plus I am fairly new to 3D printing).

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Re: Whats wrong?

Has your start code changed, is there anything in there that might be causing it?

3

Re: Whats wrong?

You wouldn't happen to have a "G28" rather than "G28 X0 Y0" in your startup code?
Also, look through the printer console logs for the G28 and G29 and see if it's printing out an error message when processing those.

4

Re: Whats wrong?

Also check the Z-Offset and set it closer to the bed.

Fat kids are harder to kidnap!

5

Re: Whats wrong?

This line is a Z offset..  G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle ...  Do you need the nozzle to be that high from it's home position? Maybe try changing that number to 1 less and see if your problem goes away. Slic3r which is the slicing engine that RH uses has a start and end gcode in it's settings so check there for this line.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

6 (edited by xnex8080 2015-08-04 03:15:37)

Re: Whats wrong?

carl_m1968 wrote:

This line is a Z offset..  G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle ...  Do you need the nozzle to be that high from it's home position? Maybe try changing that number to 1 less and see if your problem goes away. Slic3r which is the slicing engine that RH uses has a start and end gcode in it's settings so check there for this line.

Yeah that is just what is default I guess, I just put in my own settings to just get the printer working when it first arrived and I think thats just what was in there. do you know the settings for the Cura slicing engine in RH? I know this isnt the post for it but I am just wondering. But thanks for the suggestion! I will look into it

7

Re: Whats wrong?

xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:

This line is a Z offset..  G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle ...  Do you need the nozzle to be that high from it's home position? Maybe try changing that number to 1 less and see if your problem goes away. Slic3r which is the slicing engine that RH uses has a start and end gcode in it's settings so check there for this line.

Yeah that is just what is default I guess, I just put in my own settings to just get the printer working when it first arrived and I think thats just what was in there. do you know the settings for the Cura slicing engine in RH? I know this isnt the post for it but I am just wondering. But thanks for the suggestion! I will look into it

The Cura slicer is experimental in RH so I would not use it. Cura gives a lot of people issues with Z axis offsets and such.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

8

Re: Whats wrong?

carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:

This line is a Z offset..  G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle ...  Do you need the nozzle to be that high from it's home position? Maybe try changing that number to 1 less and see if your problem goes away. Slic3r which is the slicing engine that RH uses has a start and end gcode in it's settings so check there for this line.

Yeah that is just what is default I guess, I just put in my own settings to just get the printer working when it first arrived and I think thats just what was in there. do you know the settings for the Cura slicing engine in RH? I know this isnt the post for it but I am just wondering. But thanks for the suggestion! I will look into it

The Cura slicer is experimental in RH so I would not use it. Cura gives a lot of people issues with Z axis offsets and such.


Darn, it looked like it generated some really nice slicing.

9

Re: Whats wrong?

xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:

Yeah that is just what is default I guess, I just put in my own settings to just get the printer working when it first arrived and I think thats just what was in there. do you know the settings for the Cura slicing engine in RH? I know this isnt the post for it but I am just wondering. But thanks for the suggestion! I will look into it

The Cura slicer is experimental in RH so I would not use it. Cura gives a lot of people issues with Z axis offsets and such.


Darn, it looked like it generated some really nice slicing.

Cura has a complete host package. You could download it and see if it will connect to your printer, then try setting it up but it will probably give you the same issue as the one in RH.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

10

Re: Whats wrong?

carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:

The Cura slicer is experimental in RH so I would not use it. Cura gives a lot of people issues with Z axis offsets and such.


Darn, it looked like it generated some really nice slicing.

Cura has a complete host package. You could download it and see if it will connect to your printer, then try setting it up but it will probably give you the same issue as the one in RH.

I just did a test print of a cibe and it barely stuck on there, I think it was luck than changing some of the code. when you mean to lower the G1 Z5 F5000 by one, do you mean it to be like this? G1 Z5 F4999

11

Re: Whats wrong?

xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:

Darn, it looked like it generated some really nice slicing.

Cura has a complete host package. You could download it and see if it will connect to your printer, then try setting it up but it will probably give you the same issue as the one in RH.

I just did a test print of a cibe and it barely stuck on there, I think it was luck than changing some of the code. when you mean to lower the G1 Z5 F5000 by one, do you mean it to be like this? G1 Z5 F4999


The F is the move speed. Leave it at 5000. The Z and the number is the number of mm that the Z is offset from home at print start. In this case the bed is moving down 5mm from home. So if likr you say you have a 1mm gap between the bed and nozzle then just reduce the Z5 by 1 to make it Z4. Or reduce by whatever value you need to close the gap up. It could even be a whole number and decimal such as Z3.95..

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

12

Re: Whats wrong?

carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:

Cura has a complete host package. You could download it and see if it will connect to your printer, then try setting it up but it will probably give you the same issue as the one in RH.

I just did a test print of a cibe and it barely stuck on there, I think it was luck than changing some of the code. when you mean to lower the G1 Z5 F5000 by one, do you mean it to be like this? G1 Z5 F4999


The F is the move speed. Leave it at 5000. The Z and the number is the number of mm that the Z is offset from home at print start. In this case the bed is moving down 5mm from home. So if likr you say you have a 1mm gap between the bed and nozzle then just reduce the Z5 by 1 to make it Z4. Or reduce by whatever value you need to close the gap up. It could even be a whole number and decimal such as Z3.95..

I just lowered the number quite a lot and there seems to be no improvement, my problem I am having is really stumbling me because just a week ago my printer was printing with almost no failures...

13 (edited by carl_m1968 2015-08-05 02:36:48)

Re: Whats wrong?

xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:

I just did a test print of a cibe and it barely stuck on there, I think it was luck than changing some of the code. when you mean to lower the G1 Z5 F5000 by one, do you mean it to be like this? G1 Z5 F4999


The F is the move speed. Leave it at 5000. The Z and the number is the number of mm that the Z is offset from home at print start. In this case the bed is moving down 5mm from home. So if likr you say you have a 1mm gap between the bed and nozzle then just reduce the Z5 by 1 to make it Z4. Or reduce by whatever value you need to close the gap up. It could even be a whole number and decimal such as Z3.95..

I just lowered the number quite a lot and there seems to be no improvement, my problem I am having is really stumbling me because just a week ago my printer was printing with almost no failures...

Have you tried this?

First Calibration

    Every Solidoodle Press 3D Printer is tested and calibrated before being shipped, but it may need some minor calibration for best results.
    Select Z-Offset calibration and a new window will pop up.
    Click the “Run Calibration Test” button to begin.


    The printer will extrude a series of lines all at various Z heights, the middle line represents the current Z-offset value; to the left are lower values and to the right are higher.
    Find the line that looks like it adhered the best and is the most consistent, select the check box below it, and click the “Set New Z-Offset” button to save the new Z-Offset value.




Straight from their getting started manual.

http://support.solidoodle.com/hc/en-us/ … ng-Started

I have a rule with 3D printers regarding any time you have a problem. Always go back to the basics and square one.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

14

Re: Whats wrong?

carl_m1968 wrote:
xnex8080 wrote:
carl_m1968 wrote:

The F is the move speed. Leave it at 5000. The Z and the number is the number of mm that the Z is offset from home at print start. In this case the bed is moving down 5mm from home. So if likr you say you have a 1mm gap between the bed and nozzle then just reduce the Z5 by 1 to make it Z4. Or reduce by whatever value you need to close the gap up. It could even be a whole number and decimal such as Z3.95..

I just lowered the number quite a lot and there seems to be no improvement, my problem I am having is really stumbling me because just a week ago my printer was printing with almost no failures...

Have you tried this?

First Calibration

    Every Solidoodle Press 3D Printer is tested and calibrated before being shipped, but it may need some minor calibration for best results.
    Select Z-Offset calibration and a new window will pop up.
    Click the “Run Calibration Test” button to begin.


    The printer will extrude a series of lines all at various Z heights, the middle line represents the current Z-offset value; to the left are lower values and to the right are higher.
    Find the line that looks like it adhered the best and is the most consistent, select the check box below it, and click the “Set New Z-Offset” button to save the new Z-Offset value.




Straight from their getting started manual.

http://support.solidoodle.com/hc/en-us/ … ng-Started

I have a rule with 3D printers regarding any time you have a problem. Always go back to the basics and square one.

Yes I have calibrated it 2 times closer to the bed then what is needed so for the outer priming rim around the print is super squished, and when it goes to print its still too far above the bed for it to stick, it didn't even get closer to what I can see.

15

Re: Whats wrong?

So then to me it now sounds like your bed is warped. Get a straight edge like a small ruler or anything longer than the bed but small enough to fit in the machine and lay it on the bed. My bet is you will see a noticeable dip. If that is the case time to bug Solidoodle for a new bed.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

16 (edited by xnex8080 2015-08-05 06:16:34)

Re: Whats wrong?

carl_m1968 wrote:

So then to me it now sounds like your bed is warped. Get a straight edge like a small ruler or anything longer than the bed but small enough to fit in the machine and lay it on the bed. My bet is you will see a noticeable dip. If that is the case time to bug Solidoodle for a new bed.

Yeah I will check it, I guess that the auto-bed leveling does not work too well. Ill sent pictures when I put a ruler on it, it should be intresting. Now I heard some people using perforated board for their board, Im going to have to look into it but can it be heated up? I would guess the downside is the prints may sink into the holes a bit but I would mind.

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Re: Whats wrong?

I've had a problem where my Z-axis will skip down a few mm right as a print starts, producing an audible *thump* sound. Could this be what's happening to your printer as well?

Frustration is part of the process.