“First print” and printer calibration question and brainstorming request
I’ve got a DYI 3d delta printer from reprap. It is now configured(flat movement in X-Y plane, X-Y-Z movements confirmed, etc). I’m using a repetier/Slicr3 and micromake for FW.
Yesterday, I was able to print first couple layers of calibration cube. X & Y dimensions seems to be ok: model is 25mm^3 with X = 25.1 and Y = 24.5, the angles appear square (nothing that would be apparently wrong).
However, after printing about 5-8mm (should be about 10-16 layers) the printer started acting weird: at one layer Z-coordinate started changing, visually gaining height and that layer print was noticeable off the cube (see the pic). Changing speed, temperature and layer feel factor did not seem to help - first 10-20 layers are printed fine and then - boom!.
So, first of all, have any of you seen/troubleshooted a printer problem like that?
If not, I’m thinking it may be a motor problem (motor or carriage skids at a certain location ). But I’m not sure how to troubleshoot or reproduce this, as it happens at different heights, not at a certain single point.
If this is related to a printer working for X minutes, then it would be even worse.
Any advice and ideas are much appreciated(talk to me, please)
Sounds like a driver overheating and possibly going into thermal shutdown for a second. Ensure your drivers are properly tuned (both not too high, and also not too low). - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bItYRMLGoVc
Additionally, see if a fan over the drivers changes the symptoms at all.
Check your pulleys, and make sure they aren’t slipping on the motor shafts as well.
You see, when printer gets to this weird layer, it keeps printing but the nozzle keeps going up, may be 5-7 mm(and layer heights is 0.5). So, you are correct, it is too high for that layer). The pics are showing the upper layer of the shapes. I did the emergency stop, as it was obvious something went wrong.
What are the electronics? Some have variable resistors that you must set a certain way to have the current just right. Too high of voltage will cause overheating. Too low of voltage will cause missed steps.
@NathanielStenzel It is standard DYI kit from reprap(arduino mega + ramps)
I did configure the motor drivers to 1.2v as their documentation says. I would think it the voltage is wrong I wouldn’t have repeatable results when setting xyz coordinates, or would have unexpected results? Am I wrong? Are you also suggesting that the drivers are overheating after X minutes of printing and I need to try to add a fan just for the board?
@NathanielStenzel yes, and I want to make sure I understand correctly what you are suggesting (and thank you!)
I guess I can check the voltage while printing (or while doing the “air-print” - you know all xyz movements are executed but extruder it cold and nothing is really printed.
@Keith_Applegarth It keeps both extruding and moving xyz. But the movements are not what it should be. I did not notice any unusual noises before this happens, but I will double-check.
Now I wonder if the printer “got confused” because the corners start raising as the whole model gets bigger and more rigid when botom cools off (I do have a heated bed, but it is not wired yet) … Is this even a plausible thought?
@Vera_Dobrianski the corners lift up? That is a big problem. It is hard to print without a heated bed and even harder if it is ABS plastic without a heated bed.
@NathanielStenzel Yes, I kind of got too impatient yesterday, wanted to “print something already” =) I’m going to wire and mount the heated bed this weekend the latest. But I have only little hope in that. Still suspect it is something with electronics or motors/pulleys (as people suggested)
@Vera_Dobrianski print and watch your cube wobble and then you will understand. I have also had prints fail due to lifted edges and that was with a heated bed. Lifted edges suck.
Is that ABS or PLA or somethin else? There are some alternatives that some lucky people manage to use.
