Print leans in both directions

My prints seem to lean both ways (see picture) I've been getting this issue intermittently, but ONLY with ABS. PLA works perfectly consistently, so I don't think it has anything to do with the printer physically. Other times, my ABS prints come out absolutely flawless, so I have a feeling it has something to do with my settings. I'm using a MendelMax 1.5 with Repetier-Host/Slic3r. I have my extruder at 235c (at 225 it spits out blobs), bed at 100, but once it starts printing goes down to around 85c. I can't help but think the issue is related to the temperatures.

Hi there…

I have similar issues sometimes… I was thinking about temperature changing the lenght of the belt / axis as they slowly heat up… perhaps you might want to try to preheat the machine for a longer time than necessary (for example 15mins longer than necessary to reach heatbed max-temp to make sure belt and axis-rods are all at max. possible temperature…

Not sure if it really helps but I was handling it that way and had better results…

Regards
Sebastian

if you type M503 into the console on repetier what is the Value of M205, Specifically the X value. that is the Jerk, you could have it set too high. Thats one possibility that comes to my mind

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Elk
Hi there…

I have similar issues sometimes… I was thinking about temperature changing the lenght of the belt / axis as they slowly heat up… perhaps you might want to try to preheat the machine for a longer time than necessary (for example 15mins longer than necessary to reach heatbed max-temp to make sure belt and axis-rods are all at max. possible temperature…

Not sure if it really helps but I was handling it that way and had better results…

Regards
Sebastian

That's interesting... it sort of makes sense, but I'm not so sure that's my problem. The belts don't seem to be exposed to any heat whatsoever. The nozzle and bed, being several inches away, don't seem to exude enough heat to affect the surrounding objects like the belt and rods. Furthermore, I continue to experience the issue several hours into using the printer. And also, it only seems to happen on the first few layers (first 5mm or so), then everything straightens out. I know this fact seems to back up what you're saying, seeing that the first few minutes of usage the print tends to lean, then after that everything is fine, but immediate subsequent prints do the same.

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Jc61990
if you type M503 into the console on repetier what is the Value of M205, Specifically the X value. that is the Jerk, you could have it set too high. Thats one possibility that comes to my mind

Ok, I'm not entirely certain what I'm supposed to do here... I typed M503 into G-Code field under the "Manual Control" tab, but absolutely nothing happens, and nothing new shows up in the log at the bottom of the window.

Could you show me what the STL looks like?

Absolutely...

Quote
mza1979m

Quote
Jc61990
if you type M503 into the console on repetier what is the Value of M205, Specifically the X value. that is the Jerk, you could have it set too high. Thats one possibility that comes to my mind

Ok, I'm not entirely certain what I'm supposed to do here... I typed M503 into G-Code field under the "Manual Control" tab, but absolutely nothing happens, and nothing new shows up in the log at the bottom of the window.

Can you try in pronterface? What firmware is installed on the printer? I just assumed it was marlin. Also make sure the M is capitalized. Also M501 will give same details at M503

Am I supposed to do this while the printer is idling or while it's running or...?

Quote
mza1979m
Am I supposed to do this while the printer is idling or while it's running or...?

Doesn't matter, either or should produce some kind of output.

Yeah, I have Marlin installed.
I tried M503 and M501 in both Repetier-Host and Pronterface. Both do the same thing. M503 returns nothing and M501 spits out: "echo:Hardcoded Default Settings Loaded"

I think you may have an older version of marlin, try grabbing the latest from [github.com] and maybe reflash using the Arduino IDE from www.arduino.cc unless you have your current build saved somewhere, there's a line in the marlin.h file that will echo all printer settings in the console or silence them if u want to.

edit:

i typed in both M501 and M503 into my printer and i am returned with what i expected you to see.

>>>M501
SENDING:M501
echo: Stored settings retrieved
echo: Steps per unit:
echo:  M92 X79.00 Y79.00 Z2560.00 E755.00
echo: Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
echo:  M203 X250.00 Y250.00 Z5.00 E25.00
echo: Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
echo:  M201 X7000 Y7000 Z500 E10000
echo: Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration
echo:  M204 S5000.00 T5000.00
echo: Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X25.00 Z0.40 E5.00
echo: Home offset (mm):
echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo: PID settings:
echo:   M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
>>>M503
SENDING:M503
echo: Steps per unit:
echo:  M92 X79.00 Y79.00 Z2560.00 E755.00
echo: Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
echo:  M203 X250.00 Y250.00 Z5.00 E25.00
echo: Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
echo:  M201 X7000 Y7000 Z500 E10000
echo: Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration
echo:  M204 S5000.00 T5000.00
echo: Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X25.00 Z0.40 E5.00
echo: Home offset (mm):
echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo: PID settings:
echo:   M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2014 01:37PM by Jc61990.

Oh boy... I just uploaded the Marlin firmware and now the only thing I can do with my printer is connect Repetier-Host to it! It won't respond to anything. Can't move x, y, z, nothing. Not sure what to do...

EDIT: Got it... just needed to modify configuration.h I guess.

EDIT2: Or maybe not. Now the printer is acting all funny. Not responding to buttons as expected... must be something else in configuration.h.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2014 09:29PM by mza1979m.

I've sent you a PM.