1 (edited by dcstevenson 2014-05-27 16:05:47)

Topic: Da Vinci long print problem

Hello all,

I'm kind of new to the 3d printing scene but I've gotten along pretty well so far. I went through and adjusted the belts since they were loose when I received the printer. I can print about anything as long as it isn't a long print.

The first long print I tried was a skull that a was going to take about eight hours. It was late so I started it and went to bed. When I awoke the next day it had printed half of the skull and stopped. It didn't have any error code. The print bed was up where it had left off but the extruder was at the start/stop point over the catch tray and the screen was on the main menu. I had no clue what went wrong and everything seemed to work fine afterwards.

I went through and printed many small things since then with no problem then yesterday I decided to print the gear cube off Thingiverse. XYZware said it would take eight and a half hours to complete. I had it set to print slow with a 0.1 extruder height.
I started it at about 2:00 pm and let it go. At about midnight when it was at about 80 percent done with another two hours to go, I happened to walk up to it and check it out. As soon as I got to it, it stopped printing and the printer cycled off then back on leaving the print unfinished.

My question is, is this a fail safe for some component in the printer from getting too hot or what and if there is a way to get around it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

2

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

Do you have it plugged into a battery powered backup or just a standard outlet/power strip?  It could be a voltage drop large enough to reset the power.  I'm not sure the voltage sensitivity on these, but I know that at my house, I can see voltage dips periodically that would kick out most devices.  It's one reason I keep all my electronics hooked to a backup power supply.

3

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I have it hooked to a regular surge protector. Now that you mention it, that could be the problem since I've seen my lights dim in a storm sometimes and I live pretty far from any power station. Hell I live so far out I only get a three MB per second internet speed and I signed up for ten. I hope that is all it is. I'll invest in a battery backup and see, when I have the money. Until then I'll just print smaller things.

Thanks.

4

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

If it's just going to be plugged into the printer you can get by with a smaller UPS like APC Back-UPS 350.  I get lucky--at work we replace our actual units periodically even if they are still good so I take them home.  I have about 3 in the closet that I just need to put a battery in.

5

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

Just popped in to say that this has happened to me as well.

The strange thing is that it only happens in a big print (for example a 14 hour print), but sometimes it just quits after 1 hour.
But then, it goes through no problems with a 4 hour print.

My printer is hooked up to a surge supressor/regulator, and the electrical supply where I live is quite good.

The problem is that there are no errors shown, the printer just homes the extruder,and resets back to the main menu.

Has anyone else had this problem?

if it isn't broken, you haven't modded it enough

6

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I have been chasing a similar problem since December 2013 . Mine will just stop where it is heaters stay on and no communications no codes . Seems random can happen after a few minutes or after several hours some days better than others . I have noticed I hear a popping sound in my computer speakers just 2 or 3 seconds before it stops . I have tried several power supplies , including 2 separate ones . 1 for the electronics and 1 for the heaters . I even ran it on batteries once . I believe some type of spike or surge is scrambling communications . I have good power in my area . I have been trying to get Panelolu 2 with SD card working on my SD 3 . I am getting close, I think I may have only 1 problem to resolve . I think if print from an SD card I wont have a communications problem .I have a SD 3 with the new Solidoodle modified Printrbot Rev E motherboard . I have replaced motherboard 3 times so far . Once I was online with Solidoodle tech my computer connected to them thru Teamviewer   and it acted up so them got to see it happen . They have been very good about helping me but I still have the  problem . I am convinced it is a surge issue in the power line or ground circuit  not a Solidoodle issue .

SD3, RAMPS 1.4, Lawsy's carriages modified by me, 2 SSRs, E3D V6, 2 Power supplies, Independent monitoring of both power supplies (amps and volts) also extruder and bed temps, Blue Tooth connectivity, bearings in all axis & rotational points, Y axis direct drive.  Remotely controlled power box on / off . Gecko Tec build plate . Renamed FrankenDoodle

7

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

slimstar2 wrote:

I have been chasing a similar problem since December 2013 . Mine will just stop where it is heaters stay on and no communications no codes . Seems random can happen after a few minutes or after several hours some days better than others . I have noticed I hear a popping sound in my computer speakers just 2 or 3 seconds before it stops . I have tried several power supplies , including 2 separate ones . 1 for the electronics and 1 for the heaters . I even ran it on batteries once . I believe some type of spike or surge is scrambling communications . I have good power in my area . I have been trying to get Panelolu 2 with SD card working on my SD 3 . I am getting close, I think I may have only 1 problem to resolve . I think if print from an SD card I wont have a communications problem .I have a SD 3 with the new Solidoodle modified Printrbot Rev E motherboard . I have replaced motherboard 3 times so far . Once I was online with Solidoodle tech my computer connected to them thru Teamviewer   and it acted up so them got to see it happen . They have been very good about helping me but I still have the  problem . I am convinced it is a surge issue in the power line or ground circuit  not a Solidoodle issue .

Just FYI, he's referring to a Davinci, not a Solidoodle. 

To the OP, it seems that more than one person has this issue...it might be something to contact XYZ about.  I'd still try to hook a UPS to it first, but it could be something entirely different.

8

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

This as also been reported to have happened on the alternative firmware, so it may actually be coms or hardware issue. I would like to see a report of it happening from sd card print.

9

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I witness it happen like at least 6 times. Basically the print head hold at certain position, after around 5-10 seconds, all the white led lighting turns off, and the screen on the printer says "initializing printer"(something like that). White led turns back on and the print head goes home.

It even happens on small prints(3-4hr print).

I tried printing a same file and it doesn't stop at the same layer as the previous fail print.

I am suspecting that da vinci is not good at reading more than one model/model which is not in one whole piece.

I am using Sil3r for generating the Gcode and convert it to 3w file.

10

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

dcstevenson - was the skull you were trying to print the T-Rex skull from thingiverse?
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:308335

I printed this skull scaled up 200%, but in order to do that, I had to chop the model up.

Maybe theres a relation to a model being cut up to the printer quitting part way through.

To the others who had this happen, were you printing the full model?
could you post a link of the model where this happened, to see if there is any relation to this happening?

if it isn't broken, you haven't modded it enough

11

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I believe I was printing the anatomically correct human skull from thingiverse. It was the whole skull. I scaled it down by about half then printed it. I can't say exactly what happened on
that one since I was asleep but when I was printing the gear cube it stopped just the way Jin described. It stopped printing     and I believe it cycled off then back on.

12

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

The printing quality is awesome, but it just fail randomly ...

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13

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

Did any of you guys try the repetier firmware? Do you think it will solve the problem?

14

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

This happened to me as well. Stopped for no reason.

15

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

Not sure it is a coincidence or what.

If I keep my usb cable to my computer the whole time(without closing xyzware, my print won't fail. It happened couple of times.

Try and tell us if it works.

16

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

Jin wrote:

Not sure it is a coincidence or what.

If I keep my usb cable to my computer the whole time(without closing xyzware, my print won't fail. It happened couple of times.

Try and tell us if it works.

Honestly I am not sure how it works after you press print in xyzware as to whether you can unplug your computer or not. I have not printed anything large yet, but I just leave my laptop plugged in... Are you saying you unplug your computer after sending the file to the printer? perhaps the file is too big and it doesnt all fit on the sd card on the printer, so when it runs out of memory and tries to send more the computer has to remain hooked up to do so?  This is just speculation on my part though..

17 (edited by amvdveen 2014-10-09 22:10:52)

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I had exactly the same problem.
Probably I have found the reason and a solution.
Since I work in the way described below the problem stays away, but I'm not sure this is the solution, so please:
- correct  me  if I am wrong or
- testify if this is the right solution.

I think Jin described the problem. Above Jin writes: "I am suspecting that da vinci is not good at reading more than one model/model which is not in one whole piece".
That was my experience too: the problem occurred at my Da Vinci only with multiple objects.

I tried the following solution and until now the problem has not occurred anymore
1. Put on your plater the multiple objects you want to print.
2. Save them in a tempory .stl file (not gcode)
3. Hit the "Delete all" button in slic3r, you plater is now empty
4. Open the tempory saved .stl file, remark: it is now ONE consolidated object on your plater
5. Adjust your slic3r settings and generate the gcode file.

Does this also work at your place?

Andre
The Netherlands

18

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I am having the same issue as I am trying to print. I have tried several times to print two different objects. They are both small objects 1-2 hour prints. it will print between 10 to 20 layers and then it will stop printing and go to the home position. I went in to check on the print and it would be home but the heaters were still on. After a few times of this happening I stayed to watch the print until the fail point. The screen briefly shows on the display message saying "initializing please wait"  on the display then the extruder moves to the home position and the print cancels. Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

19

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

After further testing and investigation I think this error may be generating because of the supports.

I have printed several previously with and without supports but never using the other cartridge to print the supports.

When I am printing an object with supports from the second extruder it will not finish, but when the supports are turned off or printed with extruder one it is able to complete the print.

Why would this be happening?

20

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I find the machine is extremely sensitive to static electricity. It seems every time I get near it or touch it while it's printing, it beeps. Today, I hit the light button to check on print progress and the print cancelled. This is this first time it has ever done that.

Maybe over time, the firmware slowly gets corrupted to the point where the machine starts failing more often. Time to flash Repetier maybe?

Win 8.1
Improved Da Vinci 1.0 with Firmware 1.2.5 and stock extruder
Arduino cartridge resetter and after-market ABS filament
TinkerCAD, Netfabb, Simplify3D

21

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

PseudoShooter wrote:

I find the machine is extremely sensitive to static electricity. It seems every time I get near it or touch it while it's printing, it beeps. Today, I hit the light button to check on print progress and the print cancelled. This is this first time it has ever done that.

Maybe over time, the firmware slowly gets corrupted to the point where the machine starts failing more often. Time to flash Repetier maybe?

Sounds like yours has a ground problem. Can you measure continuity between the ground prong on the power cord and the metal frame? Otherwise maybe your home wiring is not earth grounded at that outlet atleast.

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.

22

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I just had this happen to me as well.  I was printing the Buddha Batman from Thingiverse.  It printed everything except half the head.  But, the extruder had returned to the home position, the bed was in the position of where it stopped, and there where no messages on the screen.  It was a 9 hour print, the longest I have done before that is 4 hours and it turned out perfectly fine.  I did notice that someone else on this thread tried a large print off Thingiverse and had the same problem.  Coincidence?

23

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I have been having the same problem.  I did wire poking, to see if maybe a loose wire was causing the problem.  None of that did it.  I did find that while cleaning the nozzle, if I just barely touch the exposed heating element wire that seems to be missing some of the hard insulation at the nozzl (looks like a tiny little broken oven heating coil), the symptom magically reappears.  Sometimes if you get a good enough connection, it won't even reinitialize, and it'll just remain off, as the screen and inside lighting appears (no indication of life).  My recommendations, and yes I'm a little perturbed,  new heating element with attached wires and plug, and new power supply, because who knows what kind of problems have been created with the element problem.

24

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

I had this problem 3 times, in as many weeks, the most recent was just last night.
I've uploaded images of the luxo jr lampshade from Thingiverse which failed twice, and then completed on the 3rd time.
I've changed wall sockets this morning, back to where the printer used to live, where I don't remember having any problems. So fingers crossed, it'll finish.

http://soliforum.com/i/?z6LgWvD.jpg

25

Re: Da Vinci long print problem

amvdveen wrote:

I had exactly the same problem.
Probably I have found the reason and a solution.
Since I work in the way described below the problem stays away, but I'm not sure this is the solution, so please:
- correct  me  if I am wrong or
- testify if this is the right solution.

I think Jin described the problem. Above Jin writes: "I am suspecting that da vinci is not good at reading more than one model/model which is not in one whole piece".
That was my experience too: the problem occurred at my Da Vinci only with multiple objects.

I tried the following solution and until now the problem has not occurred anymore
1. Put on your plater the multiple objects you want to print.
2. Save them in a tempory .stl file (not gcode)
3. Hit the "Delete all" button in slic3r, you plater is now empty
4. Open the tempory saved .stl file, remark: it is now ONE consolidated object on your plater
5. Adjust your slic3r settings and generate the gcode file.

Does this also work at your place?

Andre
The Netherlands


I had/ have a similar issue.

See this thread: http://www.soliforum.com/topic/12654/da … eshooting/


My situation:

Symptoms

Prints would randomly fail mid extrusion. Extruder and bed would stay on. Printer menu still accessible, printer temperature/ progress information was displayed on the computer- sometimes it would be continuously updating, other times it would seem to stop sending data, but Repetier still recognized that the printer was connected by USB. Reflashed multiple times, problem persisted.

On the LCD, the Buffer would have 1 item waiting and it would never change.

Initial Troubleshooting
1. The failures wouldn't occur at the same point in the print if I retried the job. I.E. first failure, it fails on the 21st layer. Reload same exact Gcode and immediately begin- second failure occurs at the 32nd layer

2. Laptop and Da Vinci were both run to the same surge-protected, battery back-up enabled power strip. Failure still occurred

3. Much more likely to fail on a longer print

4. Print failure occurs on SD card or through live USB print

joshj wrote:

This as also been reported to have happened on the alternative firmware, so it may actually be coms or hardware issue. I would like to see a report of it happening from sd card print.

5. Disabling the vibration protection feature in the Slicer settings didn't resolve the issue

6. Tweaking the cache size didn't help

7.  Baudrate set correctly


Attempted Fixes
1. Cooling the printer's motherboad, motors, etc. had no significant effect on print success
2. There were no 'wire snags' pulling connectors apart causing print failure after X number of layers
3. Tweaking settings as mentioned above

Temporary solution:
When I reflashed to stock XYZWare, all problems disappeared immediately and they haven't returned after about 90 hours of printing.


It's been suggested that DaVinci on Repetier has problems printing multiple small items. Also, supposedly 0.92.6 may have a fix for this issue.