Dear people,

I am in a dire situation. I really need to print in the next few days and my original mendel is giving me hell.

After the Gen6 board smoked up, don't ask, I switcehd it out for a RAMPS board. That wasn't long ago but it has been working.

Recently I have noticed most of my prints were stretched badly in the Z direction. More recently it started to happen in the Y direction. Ovaled circles.

It is driving me nuts. I have:
-tightened belts
-replaced the ardunio board
-swapped the X and Y stepper drivers (no change, still stretched Y)
-unplugged everything and plugged it back in
-new USB cable
-different computer
-Pronterface and Repetir hosts
-Updating to latest marlin
-using teacup firmware

Things I haven't tried:
-replacing RAMPS (can't believe that this could cause it)
-replacing stepper motors (how can two die at one time)
-checking pulleys on motors (but no slipping pulley is going to move my Z more than it should)
-different slicer (don't think so cause part looks sqaure in gcode viewer)
-I have an AC transformer PSU running AC into the bed through a ribbon cable (interference issue? but its not like its going to magically print straight when I turn the bed off, I would notice)

The problem:
I will print a 30x30x30 box but it will not be square, it will look basically perfect minus when I get out the ruler. I will then change the E step values for the Z and Y until it is square. Biggest problem is the values change, almost all the time. If I do manual moves in pronterface and then edit the E steps until it is fixed, by the end of my next print the parts are likely to not be correct. This is so bad, when I first changed E steps on one of my axes other than the E I almost cried. I've spent hours/days on this because I need it now so much but I'm reduced to dodgying the E steps until it might do what it should.

If any one has any idea for me, I need it

Thank you

Update:
Now when I am watching it, the Z moves to go up a level a fair amount, starts printing that level. Then half way through it moves, ever so slightly down. The stepper does it. Almost to think I won't notice... I think it hates me. What could cause this? Anyone know?

Calculate steps for your belt/pulley setup and enter them, you should not be calibrating the axis based on results. If the part prints square(perpendicular corners) but not to size, you will need to look at slicer settings, motor current settings and any interference in the movement of the axis.3

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They are calculated and they have worked for the last 3 years 40, 40, 3333.92. I have changed currents, not change in stretching. See my comment before about what I just found out about the Z, this is not a typical issue, otherwise I would of found it.

Quote
WallyCloud
They are calculated and they have worked for the last 3 years 40, 40, 3333.92. I have changed currents, not change in stretching. See my comment before about what I just found out about the Z, this is not a typical issue, otherwise I would of found it.

Well your title and in your post multiple times says you are changing E steps for Y and Z, are you changing them or leaving them at 40 and 3333.92?

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