1 Topic by slycedix

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Topic: Z-Axis will not move

The Z-Axis on my Solidoodle 4 stopped working while i was fixing the Y-Axis belts, and I have not been able to print anything for the entire time I have owned it, which is about a month

I believe i have ruled out the Z-Stop as the issue as when i type the G-Code m119, which returns the state of the stops, the Z-Stop still responds properly

There is also a noise and the chassis vibrates when i send commands to move the Z axis

I have been emailing support but they have been of no use because with their hours I can only email them for about an hour a day, so i thought I'd come here

2 Reply by AZERATE

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

This could be a couple of things. Off the top of my head:
*Dead endstop
*Dead motor

We could really use some more info. Are you able to lower it in RH at all?
If not, disconnect the machine, then turn the Z rod manually a few inches. Reconnect and hit Z home. What does it do?

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3 Reply by slycedix

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

AZERATE wrote:

This could be a couple of things. Off the top of my head:
*Dead endstop
*Dead motor

We could really use some more info. Are you able to lower it in RH at all?
If not, disconnect the machine, then turn the Z rod manually a few inches. Reconnect and hit Z home. What does it do?

It is fully lowered, it won't go back up

4 Reply by jagowilson

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

Checked vref?

5 Reply by slycedix

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

jagowilson wrote:

Checked vref?

How? Am noob

6 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

slycedix wrote:
jagowilson wrote:

Checked vref?

How? Am noob

Yeah Jago!!! How?

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7 Reply by slycedix

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

wardjr wrote:
slycedix wrote:
jagowilson wrote:

Checked vref?

How? Am noob

Yeah Jago!!! How?

XD

8 Reply by jagowilson (edited by jagowilson 2015-01-23 00:44:10)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

slycedix wrote:
jagowilson wrote:

Checked vref?

How? Am noob

The board has screws on it called trimpots that adjust the amount of current going to the motors. They will be close to the connections for the motors. Turning it to the right will increase the current, and turning it to the left will decrease the current. Use a non-conductive screwdriver, or you risk damaging the board. My thought is your z motor doesn't have enough current and therefore not enough torque to move the platform.

These articles includes pictures. You don't have to use a multimeter. You can tune VREF by ear. Small increments can make a big difference. Try to get it to sound like it used to before this problem started.

http://wiki.solidoodle.com/multimeter-testing
http://support.solidoodle.com/hc/en-us/ … Solidoodle
Hope this helps let me know if you have more questions.

9 Reply by slycedix (edited by slycedix 2015-01-23 00:51:11)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

jagowilson wrote:
slycedix wrote:
jagowilson wrote:

Checked vref?

How? Am noob

The board has screws on it called trimpots that adjust the amount of current going to the motors. They will be close to the connections for the motors. Turning it to the right will increase the current, and turning it to the left will decrease the current. Use a non-conductive screwdriver, or you risk damaging the board. My thought is your z motor doesn't have enough current and therefore not enough torque to move the platform.

These articles includes pictures. You don't have to use a multimeter. You can tune VREF by ear. Small increments can make a big difference. Try to get it to sound like it used to before this problem started.

http://wiki.solidoodle.com/multimeter-testing
http://support.solidoodle.com/hc/en-us/ … Solidoodle
Hope this helps let me know if you have more questions.

Do not remember in the slightest what it sounded like, the problem began in December

But i will try,

10 Reply by jagowilson (edited by jagowilson 2015-01-23 00:49:11)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

If you bump it up and it starts moving aim for the lowest setting that will get it moving without binding up.

11 Reply by slycedix (edited by slycedix 2015-01-23 00:51:35)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

jagowilson wrote:

If you bump it up and it starts moving aim for the lowest setting that will get it moving without binding up.

can't seem to remove the housing, as the platform being all the way down limits the space in which i can turn a screw driver, and by limit, I mean entirely eliminates

12 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

Turn the printer off and turn the Z screw with your hand until the bed is up and out of the way.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
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13 Reply by slycedix

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

wardjr wrote:

Turn the printer off and turn the Z screw with your hand until the bed is up and out of the way.

is the screw i am looking for on the board or motor?

14 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

It's the big one near the back of the printer that moves the bed up and down.  Turn it by hand until your bed is up out of the way.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

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15 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

It'll look something like this
http://i.imgur.com/71tbpke.jpg

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

wardjr's Website

16 Reply by slycedix

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

wardjr wrote:

It'll look something like this
http://i.imgur.com/71tbpke.jpg

Was talking about the voltage screw

17 Reply by slycedix (edited by slycedix 2015-01-23 01:31:50)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

wardjr wrote:

It's the big one near the back of the printer that moves the bed up and down.  Turn it by hand until your bed is up out of the way.

Accidentally quoted the wrong one

After moving it manually to the top, it seems to move freely now, IDK what the issue was there

18 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

Your quote of my post confused me
The adjustment is on the board.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
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19 Reply by wardjr

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

I bet Jago has pics

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
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Thanks to all for your contributions

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20 Reply by jagowilson (edited by jagowilson 2015-01-23 02:11:02)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

Yeah here is a picture of where the screws are on the board. adjust the third one from the left, that is Z. If this doesn't look anything like your board let me know, I assumed you had a Printrboard (later model SD3s and SD4s)! Seriously don't use a metal screwdriver I fried my board that way, it's difficult to be careful enough especially if you don't take it out of the frame entirely. If you use a non-metallic screwdriver and aren't using a multimeter don't bother taking the board out.

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=7518&download=0

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21 Reply by slycedix (edited by slycedix 2015-01-23 02:51:36)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

jagowilson wrote:

Yeah here is a picture of where the screws are on the board. adjust the third one from the left, that is Z. If this doesn't look anything like your board let me know, I assumed you had a Printrboard (later model SD3s and SD4s)! Seriously don't use a metal screwdriver I fried my board that way, it's difficult to be careful enough especially if you don't take it out of the frame entirely. If you use a non-metallic screwdriver and aren't using a multimeter don't bother taking the board out.

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=7518&download=0

I am sending the printer back in hope of a replacement, I have owned the printer for nearly a month, and it has not worked for even a second of that time. Initially the issue was the belt tensioning, which the video on solidoodle's website did not help me at all with. Then, once that was fixed, the Z axis would not move, and the customer support told me that it must be an issue with the Z-stop and they would send one right away, 20 days later and i still have not received my Z-stop. Once I had fixed the issue with the Z-axis thanks to your help, my belt tensions were off again and while trying to fix it, I stripped one of the drive pulley screws and can no longer fix that belt. So far i have had nothing but horrible experiences with solidoodle and this printer

22 Reply by jagowilson (edited by jagowilson 2015-01-23 03:39:39)

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

That's a rough one, but if you change your mind that is not that hard to fix, but you will need a new grub screw. You can get the current one out by taking an allen key with some superglue dipped on it and let it sit for a while in the screw head. Then give it a gentle twist (so as to not loosen the superglue) and it should come right out. You could pick up a new grub screw on McMaster-Carr.

We've all had our SD frustrations though. If you stick with the printer my recommendation is to get parts elsewhere because it's cheaper.

23 Reply by slycedix

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Re: Z-Axis will not move

jagowilson wrote:

That's a rough one, but if you change your mind that is not that hard to fix, but you will need a new grub screw. You can get the current one out by taking an allen key with some superglue dipped on it and let it sit for a while in the screw head. Then give it a gentle twist (so as to not loosen the superglue) and it should come right out. You could pick up a new grub screw on McMaster-Carr.

We've all had our SD frustrations though.

Honestly, would rather not go through the trouble of getting that screw out, It has been an entire month of having a non functional printer taking up space, if i experience similar issues with my replacement i will be forced to demand my money back and find a different printer