Has any one built the Micromake printer?

Quote
rocketlamb
Hi,
I just for this from my supplier.

Marlin firmware

The micromake firmware is crap. Its an old version of marlin and its in Chinese.
Best to just grab another copy of marlin. and set it up to specs of the printer you build.

Also make sure your bed is flat. An unlevel bed will total mess everything up. Delta arent like prusa printer. IF THE BED ISNT LEVEL then it wont be easy calibrating it.
Also make sure your rods are all the same size.
And make sure the bolt spacing for the effector and the carriages are the same.

Can someone give me a hit on where do I need to connect the FANs?
There are 2 fans (one direct on the hotend and one poiting to the print) and on Micromake v1.2 board I have a small connector marked as FAN1 and a big one marked as FAN2.
I discovered I can control FAN2 with M106/M107. I did not find out how to control the FAN1.
Can someone give me some help with this? How should I connect my 2 fans? How should I setup firmware/cura?
10x

Quote
bogdanbrudiu
Can someone give me a hit on where do I need to connect the FANs?
There are 2 fans (one direct on the hotend and one poiting to the print) and on Micromake v1.2 board I have a small connector marked as FAN1 and a big one marked as FAN2.
I discovered I can control FAN2 with M106/M107. I did not find out how to control the FAN1.
Can someone give me some help with this? How should I connect my 2 fans? How should I setup firmware/cura?
10x

Fan 1 should be an on all the time fan.
fan2 should be software controlled. Which is controlled by M106 and M107
Cura has fan control on by default. I believe it kicks the fan on after the 5th layer, and turns it on full (255)

Quote
xile6

Quote
rocketlamb
Hi,
I just for this from my supplier.

Marlin firmware

The micromake firmware is crap. Its an old version of marlin and its in Chinese.
Best to just grab another copy of marlin. and set it up to specs of the printer you build.

Also make sure your bed is flat. An unlevel bed will total mess everything up. Delta arent like prusa printer. IF THE BED ISNT LEVEL then it wont be easy calibrating it.
Also make sure your rods are all the same size.
And make sure the bolt spacing for the effector and the carriages are the same.

I agree with that old firmware. I tried Homing my axis and it was crazy fast. Yeah I can slow it down but all the other functions don't work. I spent about 5 seconds on that firmware until I went back to the one that came with the printer.

Since this is my first delta, I am kinda lost on what values to enter into the firmware. I think I'll have to sit down and read for hours and days to understand what does what. Was hoping someone has a working firmware where I can start off with..

There are a few firmware posted in this thread.
But as said the setting must match what you build or there will be problems.

When i first got my printer the default firmware hakf work.
Turns out i had a motor backwards on the board.
Fix that then all work, but printing was correct till i adjust the firmware to match.

You gotta set Z height, radius, rod.

Google "kossel calibration"

Quote
xile6
There are a few firmware posted in this thread.
But as said the setting must match what you build or there will be problems.

When i first got my printer the default firmware hakf work.
Turns out i had a motor backwards on the board.
Fix that then all work, but printing was correct till i adjust the firmware to match.

You gotta set Z height, radius, rod.

Google "kossel calibration"

I've gotten mine to actually print on the firmware it came with but its a pain to calibrate through Cura software. I'd rather cailibrate through Marlin. I will try again with the config.h posted..

Quote
hoang82

Quote
xile6
There are a few firmware posted in this thread.
But as said the setting must match what you build or there will be problems.

When i first got my printer the default firmware hakf work.
Turns out i had a motor backwards on the board.
Fix that then all work, but printing was correct till i adjust the firmware to match.

You gotta set Z height, radius, rod.

Google "kossel calibration"

I've gotten mine to actually print on the firmware it came with but its a pain to calibrate through Cura software. I'd rather cailibrate through Marlin. I will try again with the config.h posted..

Yea the firmware that works with cura is repetier and its not all that.
They also supply a marlin firmware. But its old and pretty outdated.

Its best to take a marlin from source and set it up to what you build.
Its really only a hand full of settings your be setting up.

And while doing this your learn more about your printer.
Its moght just be me, butbi like to know how everything works and what changes work.
It ables me to fix problems or adjust things to my liking.

Yeah I had no problem with my Prusa i3 on latest firmware with auto leveling.

I feel like I'm starting all over again now lol. I am still working with the default firmware to get used to the printer until I can get an idea of what function these values do to each axis.

Okay I feel pretty stupid as I am not able to figure this out. Just picked up this micromake on CL and I plugged it in and hit print, it all seemed to work fine. While checking out the software I hit install default firmware and all hell broke loose. When I try and get it to home it seems as if Z hangs or is reversed or something. So X and Y go right up to the top and hit the switches but Z does not. It also now make a vibrating sound where before it was pretty quite.
I would love to get this figured out if anyone would like to give me a clue as to where I should start it would be appreciated.

Quote
sgastel
Okay I feel pretty stupid as I am not able to figure this out. Just picked up this micromake on CL and I plugged it in and hit print, it all seemed to work fine. While checking out the software I hit install default firmware and all hell broke loose. When I try and get it to home it seems as if Z hangs or is reversed or something. So X and Y go right up to the top and hit the switches but Z does not. It also now make a vibrating sound where before it was pretty quite.
I would love to get this figured out if anyone would like to give me a clue as to where I should start it would be appreciated.

Install custom.
Micromake HKB.hex

Should be in the cura folder under firmwares

Have tried the MicromakeD1-HBK.hex and the MicromakeLegacy-HBK.hex and am getting the same results. Y and X seem to be fine but Z is stuttery and seems to be putting up a fight with buzzing.

I have tried moving stuff around just to test and whichever is the Z it has the problem... Z is about an an inch from the stops.

Weird thing is in Pronterface when I hit +X then X is going down. -X and X goes up. If I hit +Y then Y goes up and -Y and Y goes down. Its as if X is backwards. Is there an easy way to flip the direction X goes?

I'm still working with the default firmware and my prints are coming along great! Downside is, the 12v connector is melting!!!!! On my prusa i3, I soldered the four 12v wires straight to the board. I'm thinking of doing the same thing to the MKS board and making a custom connector for the end of of it.

Anyone have any idea what I should do? I was thinking of just desoldering the female connector and solder a larger gauge power wire to it. It shows two negative and one positive pins. Should I jump the two negatives together?

What do you guys think?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2016 02:00AM by hoang82.

Do you have a copy of the build instructions and the firmware you are using? I bought one on craigs list and I am trying to fix it.

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sgastel
Do you have a copy of the build instructions and the firmware you are using? I bought one on craigs list and I am trying to fix it.

Most likely 99.9% of us didn't have specific instructions. Look up Micromake 3D Printer on youtube and follow their electronics build video and videos after that. It's all in chinese, so pay attention to what they are doing on the video. I'm betting the person who had that printer before you configured the firmware themselves. Have you contacted them to get the firmware?

The firmware I am using is the same one you updated to.. micromakeD1_hbk

Quote
sgastel
Weird thing is in Pronterface when I hit +X then X is going down. -X and X goes up. If I hit +Y then Y goes up and -Y and Y goes down. Its as if X is backwards. Is there an easy way to flip the direction X goes?

X + should move the hot end to the right
Y + shoukd move the hot end to the back

Z. (BACK)
X (LEFT) Y (RIGHT)

Thats how the printer should look.
If one motor is moving wrong then its either flip on the board or in firmware.
One verison of the micromake printer use a mks base board, which you cant flip the conntectors, so its either wire wrong or firmware is wrong.

The other verison uses a ramps 1.4/ardunio board, which the connectors can be flip.

Build pdf lol....funny. this printer comes with a crappy guide.
But just google "kossel build manual" and your find something.

Quote
hoang82
I'm still working with the default firmware and my prints are coming along great! Downside is, the 12v connector is melting!!!!! On my prusa i3, I soldered the four 12v wires straight to the board. I'm thinking of doing the same thing to the MKS board and making a custom connector for the end of of it.

Anyone have any idea what I should do? I was thinking of just desoldering the female connector and solder a larger gauge power wire to it. It shows two negative and one positive pins. Should I jump the two negatives together?

What do you guys think?

Connector shouldnt be melting.
Sounds like bad wiring.
Make sure there arent any losse wires and all power wires arent frayed sticking into the pos and neg.

I have the mks base board is there a special firmware for that particular one? and if there is can you point out which one? I really appreciate the help, I am excited to start printing.

These PCB mounted DC barrel connectors are rated 5 Amps... Majority of them are. I was running bed temp at 100c and nozzle at 220c. I'm pretty sure it's pulling more than 5 amps through that little plug.

[www.mcmelectronics.com]

I dont see why anyone would build with frayed ended wires and cause shorts. All my wire ends are tinned with solder.

am inclined to think the micromake v1.20 controller card for the printer i purchased on ebay is very much cooked.

it never was able to result in a calibration. similar results to what someone else experienced in this thread where the X axis driver on the card checked itself into retirement.
a noticable very warm heat occured to the X motor under its control.
the controller card too exhibited a smaller amount of heat at the time the motor became hot.
that motor did not want to travel in more than one direction only when performing further checks.
that could cause further damage to the ball joints that have no built in way to prevent damage during a motor failure.
a spherical magnetic upgrade modification would take care of that.

i've been in contact following under the instruction of the seller, to perform a couple suggestions they wanted to know for diagnostic reasons.
after the chinese new year perhaps i will be notified that a replacement v1.20 or more reliable updated choice will be shipped.
not sure if the one X motor is permanently damaged from the heat it experienced. could that happen from being ran by the defective controller card? i do not know, but if someone else has experience enough to answer that one, please offer up an answer to that question. (thanx in advance)
the X motor did not behave as it should've, even after allowing it a further test being checked on the Y axis micromake cards Y axis motor socket connector.
a test was also performed on the end stop switches by changing their allocation on the end stop switch sockets on the controller card, and the card is just defective.
a report from the display screen said one end stop was active, even when changed with a different switch.
the 2nd fan never performed either.
perhaps even the fan was defective, it could not be tested on the fan 1 connector, due to the instruction from the seller to remove the white connector on the cable of fan 2, and that meant cutting the wires on it to adapt to the fan 2 controller card screw mount wire sockets even though an attempt was made to get the plastic connectors to release the metal crimped conductors inside of them.

a tip also for first time builders i would suggest is to de-bur the sharp edges to aluminum extrusions on the channel that the end stop wires are expected to pass through.
that aluminum is much like a wire cutting knife if pressure was applied to end stop wires somehow.
so a small metal file small enough to do a clean effective job or other de-burring material stronger than aluminum could help be a protective measure.

i have been informed that a newer instruction set is presently being developed by them that will take care of customer language barriers if you know english.
their new instructions could also be adapted to take full advantage of translation to other languages too that are not chinese or english in follow up further revised versions to help eventually develop a greater market share.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2016 01:42PM by megamicro.

I am running a K800 (micromake clone), but I consider changing FW. I currently run a new DEV version of Marlin. It is OK, but I am not happy with the autobed level.

Some Q's:

Anyone using latest Marlin firmware? - Are there any micromake fixes in the supplied FW, except the configuration file?

Anyone using Rich Cattell autolevel, and is it working?

Anyone using reprap?

Quote
Otvald
I am running a K800 (micromake clone), but I consider changing FW. I currently run a new DEV version of Marlin. It is OK, but I am not happy with the autobed level.

Some Q's:

Anyone using latest Marlin firmware? - Are there any micromake fixes in the supplied FW, except the configuration file?

Anyone using Rich Cattell autolevel, and is it working?

Anyone using reprap?

I have the Rich Cattel master working.

Micromake firmware has the debug software for leveling but other then that its steps behind everything.

Im trying to get the RC firmware to work. It uploads but I get a bunch of errors. Most of errors are J pins. I thought it was the board type but its on the right one. #33 to be specific.

The stock firmware auto bed level sucks. I ended up leveling manually but I quit calibrating because I see no gain manually adjusting it with the crap firmware its on.

Also, I think using the nozzle for probing messes up the nozzle tip. Some reason my 1st layers are really fat. If I back off on Z-height, the filament doesnt stick to the bed.

Can't wait to get the firmware to work so I can use my own auto bed level sensor..

I finally figured out how to compile the RC 1.04 firmware.. Had to install the older Arduino 1.0.6. Added LCD feature and uploaded to the MKS 1.2 board with luck and lots of problems!

All axis are moving the right direction. All endstops are correct. Endstop direction is correct. I am able to Home with out any problems. When I input G29 autobed level, the Z axis does not move down. X and Y does so the Effector ends up moving towards Z.

Does anyone have any idea what I should do about Z Axis?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2016 05:00AM by hoang82.

if you using repetier host, it defaults to block unsafe moves. the other thing you should make sure is that all the end stops are in the proper state (all should be open unless in home position) using M119

Hi,

Does anyone have a working copy of marlin firmware for the micromake?

I tried to download it from the manufacture but it keeps failing to download and an SD card was never shipped with the printer.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Read through the thread.. There are several firmwares shared..

*Edit*

I was using a older RC1.04 firmware. He has a testing one that should work better and I'm moving all most settings over. I have gotta everything to work all the way up to G29. I am working on getting G30 A to work.. Getting close!

*Edit #2*

Lots of head crash and bending rod links! I'm surprised I have not cracked the carbon rods yet. I got it to do G30 A and it is currently calibrating. Very interesting to watch!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2016 02:28AM by hoang82.

Hello,
I am new to 3d printing (a couple of days ago I finished the micromake assebly) and I have some nube questions...
When auto level calibrating from Cura - > Micromake debugger what tolerance should be used? And is this related afterwards with the layer height?
After 8 calibration tries I was able to reach 0.15 tolerance this means that minimum layer height that I can use is 0.15? Is 0.15 tolerance Ok or I should reach from something smaller?
Sometimes during print (at the first 1-3 layers) I can hear the z-probe limit switch click. Does this mean I did not set the height offset right? How to fix this?
And another thing sometimes I can hear the extruder motor skip is this related how hard I pres the filament on the roller? How to fix this?
10x

Quote
hoang82
*Edit*

I was using a older RC1.04 firmware. He has a testing one that should work better and I'm moving all most settings over. I have gotta everything to work all the way up to G29. I am working on getting G30 A to work.. Getting close!

*Edit #2*

Lots of head crash and bending rod links! I'm surprised I have not cracked the carbon rods yet. I got it to do G30 A and it is currently calibrating. Very interesting to watch!

I uses his master and his testing brach.
The 1.04 is what gave me problems with head crashes.

But before you really run this ,your want to adjust the probe offset to be dead on.
Then run the G30 A and and let it run for a while. Once it finish use M500 to save the settings.
Then home G28 and then G29 bed level.
Once finish move nozzle to Z0 and move it around the bed in X +/- and Y +/-
It should not touch the bes or lift from the bed at any point.
That is if everything was set correctly.

Reason Z0 wont touch the bed. Is there should be a small gap about .01 (paper test).

Quote
bogdanbrudiu
Hello,
I am new to 3d printing (a couple of days ago I finished the micromake assebly) and I have some nube questions...
When auto level calibrating from Cura - > Micromake debugger what tolerance should be used? And is this related afterwards with the layer height?
After 8 calibration tries I was able to reach 0.15 tolerance this means that minimum layer height that I can use is 0.15? Is 0.15 tolerance Ok or I should reach from something smaller?
Sometimes during print (at the first 1-3 layers) I can hear the z-probe limit switch click. Does this mean I did not set the height offset right? How to fix this?
And another thing sometimes I can hear the extruder motor skip is this related how hard I pres the filament on the roller? How to fix this?
10x

Your want it to be lower 0.09 or lower.
It beong 0.15 means that there is spots on the bed where it is higher or lower then that.
So printing at 0.15 layer height will leave you woth spots it grinds into the bed and others where it lays down good.
Using a bigger layrer height will mask this problems and your get issue later on in the print.

And if your heading the z probe click while printing, then that means the bed is raised in that area or the effector wasntoving flat right there.

I switch from the auto leveling effector to a normal kossel effector with an allen head for z probes. Works out better.
I believe the micromake effector has problems with returning back level after it triggers.
A spring mounted somehow to keep the center push down would work.
But i never got around to creating that.