New build problems

I recently purchased and assembled my first printer. It's a micro make delta. I have it fully assembled and have used the machine debug setting with the cura software that came with the printer. I can home the machine, heat the extruder and the bed, auto level, and get the extruder to feed the pla through the extruder. My problem is when I try to print with the cura program it doesn't work right. It's not feeding the filament and sometimes shakes or studders instead of making smooth movements. When using repetier I can not get the extruder to heat nor move when using the manual controls. It will start to print without heating and seems to be doing what it should be, but the extruder isint working either. I'm assuming this is an issue with the firmware? I'm new to this and have been trying to read up on a possible solution but not having any luck. Any help is appreciated

Hi
I got a Micromake too had it for 2 weeks.
I was able to get everything to work using Cura.
But still need a few adjustments for the hot end ABS temperature not quite able to reach desired temp to enable the start of the print.
Works ok with PLA.
As far as the extruder does the stepper motor turn?
I have not ventured using Repetier yet since I am new to this and Cura has the micromake debugger and bed leveling routine plus the firmware configurator
At Thingverse there is a Micromake group join I have been trying to get info about things there.
Maybe if you post message there they can help.

Frank

I'm not familiar with the MicroMake, but from general principals...

When you say you can "feed the pla through the extruder", are you saying that you're getting molten PLA coming out of the nozzle? Are you doing this via software, or by pushing the filament by hand?

Shaking and stuttering sounds to me like a motor is skipping steps... i.e. it doesn't have enough power to overcome friction/resistance. Can you confirm that it's the extruder motor that's doing this, and not one of the others?

Printing without heating the nozzle is a big no-no. This will guarantee to cause skipping of the extruder motor. The software should have an interlock to prevent extruding when the temperature is below 150 or so degrees. I suggest heating the nozzle to 190 or 200 before starting a print.

Can you do *anything* with Repetier? The first question is whether you're correctly connected. IIRC, Repetier has a "Connect" button top-left which turns green or red. Try clicking that to connect. Does Repetier correctly show room temperature? Repetier has a "Log" window... you should see messages there being sent to the printer, and responses coming back from the printer.

When using cura, there is a debugging setting where you can test the extruder, you can tell it to heat and or extract and retract the stepper motor. It will heat fine and I can use the software to move the stepper. In repetier I can control the x,y, and z axis and also get the machine to go to the home position.

Ok I have an update, I reset the firmware using cura and now it will start a print but still having extruder issues. The stepper motor will run as it's supposed to but it seems to skip, as in not feeding smoothly. The other weird thing is that when it reaches temp and starts to print, it doesn't stay at temp and the temps go back to 0. I'm pretty sure in the list of codes it says target temp and bed temp 0 after reaching the print temps. Weird. I don't know if I should delete and re download cura as this is the version that came on the cd that came with the printer

Unless your printer is in a cold room (i.e. a 0C = 32F), you shouldn't see 0 on either nozzle or bed temperature. If you do actually see 0, then you have broken/disconnected thermistors. If the temperatures fall back to room temperature, then you have broken/disconnected heaters, or maybe a weak power supply.

I don't actually see 0 degree, on the command lines it says target bed and extruder temp 0 after the print starts

[m.youtube.com]
Here is a short video I took after I got the printer running. The extruder is working but at times it's like the motors are over loaded but then smooth out. I set the z=0 manually with a piece of paper, I auto leveled the bed but cura and also set the bottom height. The only changes I made to the default settings were the shape and print size in the machine perameters

Any thoughts on this? I've read that the amount of current set for the drive motors can cause issues of not enough or too much. Any way to check this on cura?

I'm running micromake Cura ver 15.04.0321
The latest should be here
[drive.google.com]
maybe that will help

thanks
frank

Frank, does that version of cura have the debugger setting? When I downloaded it, it didn't have it as an option. I had my machine selected as a micro make d1

ya it should it also has the firmware configurator

last post my mistake on the version

the latest just looked is 15.04.0426

uninstall your cura and install the new version

Ok I'll try that when I get a chance. I'm running 15.04

The newest version on the ultimaker site is 15.04.5, it doesn't even have a choice for the micromake nor have a debugger. I can't seem to find the version you have listed Frank

check my post
clik
drive.google.com

Frank, what is your e stepper setting? Mine was set at 0 with the default settings. Thinking that's where one of the problem areas is

Are you looking at the firmware configuration window in cura?
or something else to get your settings

I took a screenshot showing what i think is the setting for e stepper setting in red box
look at pictures

tell me the pid settings you have in green box

thanks
frank

Copied your values frank and I got the printer to actually work, somewhat. It did the first layer just fine but then the extruder got backed up. I don't know if my temps are too hot or what, 210 for pla, but it seems as if the pla is getting too hot and not wanting to feed. It just melts and then starts to back up pressure to the stepper motor. Thanks for the help, hopefully I can get this issue taken care of soon

Finally successfully printed my first parts. Just made the mini robot that came with the cura. I realized that the issue I was having is with the heat bed. It won't print properly with it on. I followed the wiring instructions that I saw on aliexpress, not sure what could be wrong. seemed to be pretty straightforward and only the 4 wires