X/Y/Z Movement stops after 4-6 minutes of printing [SOLVED]

Hello,

I have a new Sintron 3d (Reprap Prusa i3 clone) printer I assembled from a kit from Ebay. This is my first 3d printer. To the best of my knowledge I have setup and calibrated everything properly. I use Repetier software v1.0.6 to control the printer. I use ABS and run the temp of the hotend at 235 C and the bed at 95/100 C. It uses the MK8 extruder and I keep the fan on the extruder on during printing (I have also tried with the fan off).

I am running into a problem during printing. After about 3-5 layers or about 4-6 minutes of activity, the X, Y and Z axis movements slow down and eventually stop over the course of about 5 seconds. There is low volume pulsating sound - like motors are trying to move but don't actually move. At the same time, the heating for the hotend disengages (even though the hot end indicator in the 'manual' tab still shows as 'active') - the heating for the hot bed remains in place. Viewing the LCD and software it appears as if movements are still being processed - I see X/Y coordinates changing - but actual movement has stopped.

When this has happened I have tried to play with the manual settings for movement of axis and there is no response. Under the same manual tab, I have tried to toggle the 'active' indicator for the hot end. Strangely, when I turn it -off- in this scenario the x/y/z axis begins to move again, slower than normal, but with a horrible noise and no actual extrusion of filament. Toggling the hot end sensor also does not affect the actual heating control - it just slowly cools down.

The only 'fix' in this scenario has been to unplug USB cable and start over, but of course at this point I have to start the print over again.

I have also tried re-uploading the firmware and using other host software. So far I have tried Pronterface and Cura and I get the same result - which leads me to believe it is in the firmware side of things??

Any thoughts?

Steve

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2015 05:29PM by stevemeetswest.

What electronics are you using? If RAMPS, try aiming a fan at the electronics to see if things change. Your polyfuse may be doing it's job...or it might be defective and opening up before it's suppose to. Hooking up an ammeter would tell you how much current the 5 amp connector is drawing and would confirm the issue.

Something is overheating, probably the stepper motor drivers. Try reducing the motor currents, or aiming a fan at the drivers, or using better drivers.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Thanks for the feedback. I will research how to adjust the stepper motor drivers and also check the polyfuse. Assembling this kit has been quite the adventure. :|

Quote
dc42
Something is overheating, probably the stepper motor drivers. Try reducing the motor currents, or aiming a fan at the drivers, or using better drivers.

He mentions that when the problem occurs, the hot end "disengages", as well as when he switches the hotend off the motors begin to move again although slower. Both sound like symptoms of a polyfuse somewhere in the midst of tripping and restricting the amount of power available. Enough is making it through that the electronics don't reset and still try to operate, but not enough for the hot end to really heat up. And when the hot end gets shut off, what power was being drained in an attempt to heat can get used to move the motors a little more.

A simple test is to do a print with the hot end unplugged and the filament pulled out of the extruder.

Quote
cdru

Quote
dc42
Something is overheating, probably the stepper motor drivers. Try reducing the motor currents, or aiming a fan at the drivers, or using better drivers.

He mentions that when the problem occurs, the hot end "disengages", as well as when he switches the hotend off the motors begin to move again although slower. Both sound like symptoms of a polyfuse somewhere in the midst of tripping and restricting the amount of power available.

Good catch, I hadn't noticed that bit. I agree, the 5A polyfuse may responsible - although I've never heard of it being a problem before in a single-extruder setup.

---

Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Thanks again for all of the help.

So once I reset and calibrated the stepper motor drivers, everything was working! I have been able to do 30 min worth of uninterrupted printing thus far with these changes.

I followed the steps for 'Method 1 - Empirical Adjustment'

on the page:

[rigidtalk.com]

I guess the drivers must have been set much higher than necessary.

Thanks again - Steve