Prusa i3 - Shifted Layers

I have a RepRap Prusai3 Mandel. 270*200*200, it's been a long battle getting it running, But making progress little by little got the X axis down pat working on Y stilling drifting a little to the rear. up 2 layers and the shift to the rear 2 layers, really hard to get a picture i think you can see the drift in the 2 I'm sending. Thanks for any and all help, starting to drive me up the walls. read and done every thing i can fine so far.

I think we may be having same problem..?

The layer will drift on my Prusa i2. It seems to print the first few layers, then it moves over (to the side of the original object) and starts to print the middle layers, then it moves over again (beside the previous layer) and starts to print the upper layers.

I tried printing an alignment cube and it ended up looking like a thin rectangle.. it started trying to print off the side of the board so I had to kill the job.
then I did the smaller alignment thing on thingverse, the stairs.. [www.thingiverse.com]
the lowest stairs stretch horizontally about 4mm, the 2nd layer up streches about 3mm, then the upper 3 steps which have no support below, just attached to the other steps on the side printed without stretching (but could just be because it was hitting the limit switch)

can't upload image at moment (at work).

I use the Repetier program (recent firmware, starts with 'm')
I also use Slicer to slice layers..
Recently I had been troubleshooting the heatbed, just got that to work
(this is only my 3rd print or so)
my 1st print was a dinosaur and that didn't have these shift layer issues.
also I recently lowered the print speed to about 50 mm/min
but the Z axis is still at around 3000 mm/min, at least I made these changes in the printer setting on Repetier program but doesn't seem to affect it when it actually prints.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2016 07:53PM by daehbew.

I had the same problem until I bumped up the motor voltage from .5 to .7 on my nema17's. Melzi board.

This is a common problem that has a lot of possible causes, so I created a Wiki page.

Shifted Layers / Offset Layers / Missed Steps

Hope that helps

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My printer: Raptosaur - Large Format Delta - [www.paulwanamaker.wordpress.com]
Can you answer questions about Calibration, Printing issues, Mechanics? Write it up and improve the Wiki!

Paul:

I would like to ask a question, cant seam to find the answer to, printer working better how it only prints 1/2 height, what do I adjust? read very thing you said to read and then some I move Z 10mm and its 10 mm, any thing else to read?

Yar,

Quote
Yar
it only prints 1/2 height, what do I adjust?

Glad it's printing a bit better.
Can you describe this more? I might need more info.

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My printer: Raptosaur - Large Format Delta - [www.paulwanamaker.wordpress.com]
Can you answer questions about Calibration, Printing issues, Mechanics? Write it up and improve the Wiki!

Sorry about that....

Well the cube should by 20x20x20 mm

It came out 20x20x10mm can't seam to get the Y axis to full size X a okay Y a okay Now Z if off on it's own read your information about shifted layers the part about :

DEFAULT MAX ACCELERATION {180,180,10,200} Mine was set at {9000,9000,100,10000} I changed it and nothing changed at all.

This time I sent a picture.

this is my last hill to get over.

Thank you for your help.

If it's half the height it should be then I think the steps per mm for the Z is off by 50%.
Please upload your config.h or configuration.h

// default settings

#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT {71.582,78.7402,200.0*8/3,760*1.1} // default steps per unit for Ultimaker
#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE {500, 500, 2, 45} // (mm/sec)
#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION {180,180,10,200} // X, Y, Z, E maximum start speed for accelerated moves. E default values are good for Skeinforge 40+, for older versions raise them a lot.

I also read this on the forum and tried it with no luck.

Roxy
10-04-2014, 08:59 AM
OK... That isn't all bad. It maybe you just need to tighten down your coupler's so they can't slip. If there is slippage, there is no way the movements will be accurate. You have to get that cleaned up first.

But if that isn't what is going on, your stepper motors might not be able to keep up with the higher step rate. If making your couplers tighter doesn't prevent slippage, some of your other numbers might be close to the limit. If so, Go find these lines. Your actual numbers are going to be different than my numbers (that are posted here).

#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE {500, 500, 5, 40} // (mm/sec)
#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION {9000,7000,100,700} // X, Y, Z, E maximum start speed for accelerated moves. E default values are good for skeinforge 40+, for older versions raise them a lot.

If we are only messing with the Z-Axis, we only want to mess with the 3rd number. Make the 3rd number 1/4 of what it currently is for both of these lines. The reason is we don't want to be right at the edge.

And Doing a quick calculation... We need to change that 3rd number in:

#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT

to something like: 5000 * 79mm / 56.7mm = 6966.....

as you see I have been doing a lot of reading about this, but it seams that nothing is working I get close but that all.

Paul I sure thank you for your Help.

Yar,

You have to assume that ALL of the defaults in the firmware are for some other printer model. I wish they would put in sane values for acceleration and speed for those that are starting out, but they don't...

You have indicated you have lowered the acceleration settings, so lets focus on one thing, testing the steps per mm for the Z axis. You indicated it was moving exactly 1/2 the distance it should when printing. That would cause all kinds of problems.

- Which firmware are you using? If your changes do not make a difference after you re-flash the bios it may be reading from eprom, this is part of the reason I asked you to attach your config file.

- If you home the printer and then command it to move up 50mm, does it move exactly 50mm? You can send the command G1 Z50.

- Repeat the test several times (home, go to 50), does it move that same amount every time you try this?

- If you change the steps per mm for Z, and re-flash, reset, and re-test then it should move a different amount. Does it? (Tests that changes you make are being used)

- Please post a link to the gcode for the cube, so I can see exactly what it's doing.

---> EDIT: Please do attach your config file! Thanks.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2016 01:50PM by Paul Wanamaker.

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My printer: Raptosaur - Large Format Delta - [www.paulwanamaker.wordpress.com]
Can you answer questions about Calibration, Printing issues, Mechanics? Write it up and improve the Wiki!

Paul I want one. Raptosaur ................ Nice.

It's the one and only.

Paul is there any other firmware out there that works for a RepRap prusa Mendel i3 printer? if so where do I get it?

i found out how to config the firmware for my Printer RepRap Prusa i3 Mendel printer, found a video that ealked me through it, so far so go, got one error so far you may know what it is. ''" SERIAL_ECHOPGM(STRING_VERSION_CONFIG_H) """

whats next?

Thanks.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2016 04:19PM by yar60.

I don't have that kind, but I have had experience with Marlin and Repetier.
Repetier seemed better (allowed faster step rate with my Delta).

Repetier has a configuration tool when you download the software from their website [www.repetier.com]
You answer the questions and it builds a customized config file for you.

Hope that helps.

Paul got some more information on my board it's a : MKS Gen V1.3 3D Printer Controller Board Replace RAMPS 1.4 + Mega 2560, any way of fixing it or should I get a new board? the file name is: Marlin_Screw.hex

Thanks Ray

I did find a thread here where someone was able to adapt a newer Marlin to that board.
The firmware is there in the link, in a RAR file (that's like a zip file).

See here

I guess that board is a Chinese knock off sold with firmware full of bugs... Looks like it costs about $35 us.

Looking a bit more.

Edit: found another customized firmware for it, but it doesn't look easy to do. Usually you use the Arduino environment to compile and send the firmware to the board. I'll link it tho:
[github.com] That was not for the 1.3 version.

SO my question for you is, how much messing around do you want to do?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2016 07:55PM by Paul Wanamaker.

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My printer: Raptosaur - Large Format Delta - [www.paulwanamaker.wordpress.com]
Can you answer questions about Calibration, Printing issues, Mechanics? Write it up and improve the Wiki!

Paul.

Can I just buy a new Control board and put it on my 3d printer? and what do you thing would be a good control board to buy?

looking on ebay how about something like ::::: 3D Printer Kit RAMPS 1.4 MEGA2560 A4988 12864 Controller Board for RepRap Hot US

Also I would like to thank you for all your help...

Thank You.

I looked at that kit. Wow that is cheap... $16.90 for the full kit, free shipping.

Note that those parts are clones. For instance the Mega is a clone of the Arduino Mega, and the display is a clone of the ReprapDiscount GLCD. The display may not be very bright and the connectors may be reversed (1 and 2) or the cable may need to be rotated 180 degrees...

It looks like the specs are correct... The drivers look like they are the right model.

It should take either Marlin or Repetier, and other firmware, since its Ramps.

You may need to download a driver before your computer will talk to the board, not sure if they will tell you that.

The seller has high ratings...

So... I can't say Yes for sure it will work, but if all the specs are as advertised it should. Perhaps someone else can chime in! $16.00...

If the initial cost isn't so much an issue I recommend a Smoothie (32 bit) or Duet (also 32 bit), but not an Azteeg (bad driver model), see List of Electronics.

Smoothie is easy to set up - no need to flash the firmware - the edited config file is just placed on the SD card and reset the board and it's set. Firmware upgrades are done the same way, just copy the file onto the SD card and reset. It's quite a bit more expensive, also may need a little daughter board for the display cables. This works with a Reprap Discount style GLCD.

I've heard good things about Duet, but haven't used it.

Any way you go you are going to need to learn about editing the config file, and if using the Ramps, using the Arduino environment to compile the firmware and upload it to the board. At least with a standard board you should be able to obtain a config file to start with. Note there is a Prusa forum here you should use for obtaining that.

Hope that helps

Paul I got that SainSmart MEGA2560 Ramp 1.4 control board. looks good. I would like to know do I have to wait for the LED screen or can I run it with my computer?

It can be run through the computer, via the USB cable.
It may well not have the firmware installed...

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My printer: Raptosaur - Large Format Delta - [www.paulwanamaker.wordpress.com]
Can you answer questions about Calibration, Printing issues, Mechanics? Write it up and improve the Wiki!