Repsnapper or Slicer code for Techzone Huxley???

Ok,

I finally got the machine to print but now i have issues if anyone can help.

I am using the kulitorium final release of repsnapper with the lua tab.

When I load a stl file and produce code it generates fine. I run it and it runs the paths correctly but the filament feed isnt correct.

Are there certain setting in the software that needs changed? Or can I use slicer?

I also tried loading the gcode from repsnapper to Pronterface and it does the same thing. Are there any other options in generating gcode?

Any help would be great. I would love to print at least 1 good part on this thing...

Jojo -

Glad to see another TZ Huxley user posting! Are you using the original electronics?


-Phuzzy

Yes I am using the original monolithic board with the last installment of the firmware.

I think my firmware feed rates are not correct at all and I have now given up on the kulitorium repsnapper and have used printrun as my host.

I am trying to use skeinforge 50 to produce code but not luck yet, the code isnt right. Slicer errors out alot and the extruder does not like the code either but if I use the kilitorium repsnapper to produce code, save it, and import it into printrun it runs and extrudes better, just does not feed the filament correctly.

Any suggestions?

Jojo-

My suggestion is to use modern electronics. TZH monolithics failed frequently, and they are limited to half-stepping and to older softwares. The original hot-end on the TZ Huxley consistently fails, also. I am redesigning my Huxley around available off-the-shelf components.

The Bowden Tube and gear set can be used with a modern J-head, and requires only a simple X-carriage mod (DeuxVis has posted it). However, the J-head uses a thermistor, and requires a different controller set-up. The thermocouple on the TZH is considered a design flaw by many. Somebody posted a workaround, you could do a search. I suggest newer electronics and a new hot-end.

Also, the Bowden gearset as supplied by TZ was frequently produced off-center. It can be replaced by a printed plastic set. STL files for the set are posted in the public domain.

DeuxVis has an array of work that goes to correct TZH flaws; you should search his material.

I hope you get your kit going. Good Luck! Please post your progress. I have the TZH monolithic board still in the original wrapper, untried, if you might need a spare. -Phuzzy

Yes, Deuvis and Dissidence along with others have helped me greatly in troubleshooting. I have recently got a chance to get back to working on this because I was so frustrated with the machine i put it a way otherwise it would be in a million pieces. Its been a long 2 years fiddling with this kit, the first year trying to get all of the screws and pieces that were missing and then trying to fit inaccurate parts together. I just ended up scrapping most of the older parts and bought replacements on ebay that seemed to fit. I even got rid of the extruder and its gears and changed them out with the wades setup. I counted the teeth and adjusted the firmware accordingly but maybe it is still wrong since I hear the original firmware did not work either. The extruder failed on me 7 times(7 different repairs) and I ended up get a j head like you said but made a custom aluminum block and wrapped the nichrome around it instead. I kept the orignal temp sensor and tapped it into the block as well. I then extended all 3 axis's by 200mm for a bigger print table by replacing the threaded rods with longer ones and after all of this I still cannot get it to print LOL. My next setup if this does not work is to build a mach3 setup to run CNC based software so I do not have to worry about firmware anymore... just tune the servos and set the steps. It has been a long journey and I would love to see this machine work.

Thanks for the help guys. I truly appreciate it.

To reply the original question, my experience was :

- repsnapper generated gcode was a mess.
- I've been using skeinforge successfully (although had to create a custom export script to separate Z movements from others, the firmware is not able to take max speeds into account for combined movements).
- Slic3r was useable but not perfect (and the same post-process hack as for skeinforge needed).

All of this might have changed as this have been more than a year ago since I used my Huxley.

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Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

Can you link/show me the hack or script u are using? Maybe can try it and make some adjustments... also can I see your firmware extruder final settings? I would like to compare them with what I have and possible calculate the steps for the wades extruder gear vs the bigger tz gear.

Thanks

Post process script for Slic3r topic : [forums.reprap.org]

Same for skeinforge : [forums.reprap.org]


And here's the relevant section of my configuration.h
NB :
- I'm still using the original big lasercut gear extruder.
- I have changed X & Y pulleys to 8 teethed aluminium.

#if MOTHERBOARD == 3

//#define MENDEL 1

// Comment out this if you are using a thermocouple
//#define USE_THERMISTOR
//#define USE_DS2760
#define USE_TECHZONETIPMANAGE

#ifdef USE_DS2760
 #define OW 13
 #define OWTroubleshoot 13
 #define ReadNet 0x33
 #define SkipNet 0xCC
 #define RdReg 0x69
 #define thermoTypeK
 //#define thermoTypeJ
 //#define thermoTypeT
#endif
// Set to 1 if enable pins are inverting
// For RepRap stepper boards version 1.x the enable pins are *not* inverting.
// For RepRap stepper boards version 2.x and above the enable pins are inverting.
#define INVERT_ENABLE_PINS 1

// Set to one if the axis opto-sensor outputs inverting (ie: 1 means open, 0 means closed)
// RepRap opto endstops with H21LOI sensors are not inverting; ones with H21LOB
// are inverting.

#define X_ENDSTOP_INVERTING true
#define Y_ENDSTOP_INVERTING true
#define Z_ENDSTOP_INVERTING true

// Motherboard 3 driving Pololu microstepping controllers - 16 microsteps

// Axis scaling in stepper-motor steps per mm of movement

//#define X_STEPS_PER_MM   8.038 //10 tooth
#define X_STEPS_PER_MM   10.047
#define X_STEPS_PER_INCH (X_STEPS_PER_MM*INCHES_TO_MM) // *RO
#define INVERT_X_DIR 0

#define Y_STEPS_PER_MM   10.047
#define Y_STEPS_PER_INCH (Y_STEPS_PER_MM*INCHES_TO_MM) // *RO
#define INVERT_Y_DIR 0

//#define Z_STEPS_PER_MM   805.030 // had to be multiplied by 1.242189732
#define Z_STEPS_PER_MM   1000
#define Z_STEPS_PER_INCH (Z_STEPS_PER_MM*INCHES_TO_MM) // *RO
#define INVERT_Z_DIR 0

// Stepper-driven extruder
// E_STEPS_PER_MM is the number of steps needed to 
// extrude 1mm out of the nozzle.  E0 for extruder 0;
// E1 for extruder 1, and so on.

//#define E_STEPS_PER_MM   0.9      // NEMA 17 extruder 5mm diameter drive - empirically adjusted
//#define E0_STEPS_PER_MM   3.5      // original stock techzone value !!!
#define E0_STEPS_PER_MM   172.0
#define E1_STEPS_PER_MM   17.6      // NEMA 17 59/11 geared extruder 8mm diameter drive

// The temperature routines get called each time the main loop
// has gone round this many times

#define SLOW_CLOCK 2000

#endif

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2013 05:38AM by DeuxVis.

---

Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

Just clarifying...

In slic3r the correct flavor of gcode for the original monotronics is makerbot correct? Or is it reprap?

Thanks