wiki:Mendel3DPrinter

Version 36 (modified by Rick van der Zwet, 6 years ago) ( diff )

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Logbook

2014

Some handy pages to get started:

March 9, 2018

[rick@rvdzwet-wasus Marlin]$ lsb_release -a
LSB Version:	:core-4.1-amd64:core-4.1-noarch:cxx-4.1-amd64:cxx-4.1-noarch:desktop-4.1-amd64:desktop-4.1-noarch:...
Distributor ID:	Fedora
Description:	Fedora release 27 (Twenty Seven)
Release:	27
Codename:	TwentySeven


[rick@rvdzwet-wasus ~]$ arduino
java.awt.HeadlessException
	at java.awt.SplashScreen.getSplashScreen(SplashScreen.java:117)
	at processing.app.Base.<init>(Base.java:206)
	at processing.app.Base.main(Base.java:135)


[rick@rvdzwet-wasus ~]$ rpm -qa | grep openjdk
java-1.8.0-openjdk-headless-1.8.0.161-5.b14.fc27.x86_64

[rick@rvdzwet-wasus ~]$ sudo dnf install java-1.8.0-openjdk


[rick@rvdzwet-wasus ~]$ arduino
java.awt.HeadlessException: 
No X11 DISPLAY variable was set, but this program performed an operation which requires it.
	at java.awt.SplashScreen.getSplashScreen(SplashScreen.java:117)
	at processing.app.Base.<init>(Base.java:206)
	at processing.app.Base.main(Base.java:135)



/usr/share/arduino/hardware/arduino/avr/boards.txt


##############################################################

megatronics.name=Megatronics

megatronics.upload.tool=avrdude
megatronics.upload.protocol=wiring
megatronics.upload.maximum_size=258048
megatronics.upload.speed=115200

megatronics.bootloader.low_fuses=0xFF
megatronics.bootloader.high_fuses=0xDA
megatronics.bootloader.extended_fuses=0xF5
megatronics.bootloader.file=stk500v2/stk500boot_v2_mega2560.hex
megatronics.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F
megatronics.bootloader.lock_bits=0x0F

megatronics.build.mcu=atmega2560
megatronics.build.board=AVR_MEGATRONICS
megatronics.build.f_cpu=16000000L
megatronics.build.core=arduino
megatronics.build.variant=mega

Difference between thermistor and thermocouple: https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/24975/differences-between-thermistors-and-thermocouples

March 10, 2018

Dead PSU Controller

start
echo: External Reset
Marlin 1.1.8

echo: Last Updated: 2017-12-25 12:00 | Author: (none, default config)
echo:Compiled: Mar 10 2018
echo: Free Memory: 5418  PlannerBufferBytes: 1264
echo:Hardcoded Default Settings Loaded
echo:  G21    ; Units in mm

echo:Filament settings: Disabled
echo:  M200 D3.00
echo:  M200 D0
echo:Steps per unit:
echo:  M92 X80.00 Y80.00 Z4000.00 E500.00
echo:Maximum feedrates (units/s):
echo:  M203 X300.00 Y300.00 Z5.00 E25.00
echo:Maximum Acceleration (units/s2):
echo:  M201 X3000 Y3000 Z100 E10000
echo:Acceleration (units/s2): P<print_accel> R<retract_accel> T<travel_accel>
echo:  M204 P3000.00 R3000.00 T3000.00
echo:Advanced: S<min_feedrate> T<min_travel_feedrate> B<min_segment_time_us> X<max_xy_jerk> Z<max_z_jerk> E<max_e_jerk>
echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X10.00 Y10.00 Z0.30 E5.00
echo:Home offset:
echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo:PID settings:
echo:  M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
ok T:18.87 /0.00 B:23.38 /0.00 @:0 B@:0

Listing of g-code (Gcode) found at: http://marlinfw.org/meta/gcode/

Bed temperature reported using M105 was incorrect since power supply was faulty causing interference on the IC measuring the temperature. Replaced power supply, all happy again.

Dead PSU heatbed

My resistor bed consist of of 4 x 2R2 (WH10) in series resulting in 9 Ohm, PSU does not like this low load conditions or is simply broken which would make my 2nd dead power supply. The new PSU is only 12V which is not heating up properly. According to Ohm's law (I = V/R or R = V/I or V = IR) and my resistor rating i get 1.3A, which in result would yield only (W = VI) 15.6W heating power, not sufficient since my total resistor capacity is 40W. Which would give me W = VI combined with V = IR becomes W = IRI. W=40, R=9, makes I = 2A. Which in result would require V to be 40W / 2A = 20V. To fix this I will need to change the resistor bed layout. Instead of 4 in series. Put two in parralel and next two pairs in serie.

Stepper motors turns the wrong way

The orientation of the stepper motors does not match the standard one in the Marlin firmware. Since I rather keep the firmware configuration as vanilla as possible reversing the connectors on the board is the easiest way to make it all compatible again.

Testing nozzle

In order to print a working nozzle is required, with proper temperature settings for this nozzle (185C) and feed rates (500). One way is to use manual codes to allow debugging:

  • First set the temperature of the nozzle M104 S185.
  • Ensure the extruder coordinates are relative avoiding math additions of feeding new PLA. Issue M83.
  • Wait till the temperature is right, by checking it manually M105 a few times.
  • Set the extruder head to a free location (G0 X0 Y0 Z150)
  • Set feedrate by 500 using G0 F500.
  • Feeding start by G0 E100 (repeatedly).

Check for clean flow, in this case it should not stick to the nozzle and look clean and smooth. Some observations:

  • Smoke is bad, because it means the PLA is boiling inside.
  • Too cold will cause the PLA too stall while feeding.

Feedrate (F factor) will determine overall printing speed of the printer, sometimes setting the temperature a bit higher could potentially make a faster feedrate, yet this really depends on the nozzle construction.

X Stepper not working

The Pololu A4988 stepper driver did not delivering enough current to X stepper motor to function properly. I replaced it with an unused one, yet I do believe I could use the potentiometer to add some power too it. Believed to be caused by the bearings which are a bit dirty after a 4 years requiring the motor work a little harder.

Y end-stop not working

Auto-homing (G28 Z) did not work, Y stop was not set correctly. Simple problem of broken cabling because of broken DIY connector, replaced with proper molex connector. Working like a charm again.

While busy adjust end-stop allowing filament garbage bin to be reachable.

First print

Tried pronterface and ultimaker cura, both without luck. Printer is detected yet died because heaterbed heats up too slow, causing the Marlin firmware to trigger a failsafe error.

March 10, 2018

Heatbed too slow

Tried hacking longer timeouts, yet no luck. Current heatbed cannot generate enough heat for 2 degrees per 60 seconds above 45 degrees. How-ever when constantly on it will roughly stabilize at 65 degrees, so no firmware controlled heatbed for now.

Cura does not print

First of all the Mendel printer is not supported in firmware, manually adding the printer will failed to print my test properly. It simply does not move the X-axis, no debugging options found for following gcode, abandoning choice.

First result printrun & slic3r

Well this works, the overall result lookt oke-ish. Dimentions alright and some small warping, which is fixable by tunables. Also bed leveling is not correct.

March 14, 2018

Stepper motors dead

Stepper motors are not working properly, seems to stall. Also Pololu A4988 stepper driver seems to be getting really hot, not configurered correctly. First statictics for SY42STH47-1684B

    Step angle: 1.8°
    Number of phase: 2
    Rated voltage: 2.8 V
    Rated current: 1.68 A
    Holding torque: 4.4 kg/cm

March 30, 2018

New steppers arrived

New stepper DRV8825 motors has arrived. First reduced rating to roughly 1A per instructions of Claire from Pololu. I do not like the new 1/32 stepping setting, not many people are using it and it seems rather useless on my low-resolution printer. Hence the jumpers below the stepper drivers are removed, only M2 (3th jumper from the left) is left.

Demo printing again

The demostration print accedentally printed using setting from an other printer. The result how-ever looks much smoother, which seems rather odd since the nozzle is completely different.

Z-axis Step size issues

The demostration print as perfect diamentions on X and Y (20mm), yet the Z axis is not correct. Instead of 5mm it is roughly 3mm. Some tweaking on STEP sizes needs te be done using M92 Z6666.66 as starting point. Turns out Marlin firmware by default does not allow saving to EEPROM using M500 #define EEPROM_SETTINGS needs to be uncommented in file:Configuration.h to get it to work.

4 April, 2018

E-axis tuning

Filament is inserted too slowly, causing the tracks to be too small. Changed from E500 (default) to E800.

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