Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant

pthieu

Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 10, 2016 04:31PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 16

Getting inconsistent extrusion width on prints:

20160209_043741205_iOS.jpg

20160209_043752271_iOS.jpg

I have a Folger Tech RepRap 2020 Prusa i3 Full Aluminum on Marlin firmware. I'm suspecting there's something wrong with stepper motor not moving smoothly and extruding in "steps". It's causing the infill to be pretty poor as well. And I'm worried my prints will break apart easily.

Am I on the right path? How do I verify and how do I fix? Thanks.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2016 04:31PM by pthieu.

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CTCHunter1

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 12, 2016 12:39AM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 35

I would look at your x and y axis. Is there good tension in those belts? Is they carriage and frame tightly secured? What are your steps per mm set to for our 4 axis?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2016 12:39AM by CTCHunter1.

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bryanandaimee

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 14, 2016 06:40PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 632

What are your nozzle size and layer height settings. Sometimes I get this if my layer height is too thick for my nozzle. Layer height is generally best at half or less of your nozzle diameter. So a .4mm nozzle prints much better at .2mm layers than it does at .3 or .4.

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bryanandaimee

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 14, 2016 06:42PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 632

Also what is the microstepping setting of your extruder driver? Is it set at 1/16 or something less?

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pthieu

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 14, 2016 07:55PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 16

@CTCHunter1: I don't think it's anything to do with XY, they're pretty tight and the widths ripple at a pretty consistent frequency. I can actually just extrude with a G1 command and can see it come out sort of like this.

@bryanandaimee: nozzle is 0.4mm, layer height is 0.2mm, extrusion width is 0.5mm. I'm actually not sure how to check for the microstepping of my extruder driver, can you give me a link on best way to do so? Thanks.

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Danikin

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 15, 2016 03:08PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 18

i also have a folger tech prusa i3 and i got the same problem, i hear a "tick" sound at the same rate those ripples form in your photos.

the problem was too many steps/mm. try to change it from the LCD, or in the marlin firmware.

good luck.

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pthieu

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 16, 2016 05:41PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 16

@Danikin: thanks. What is your extruder steps/mm set to?

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Danikin

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 16, 2016 06:58PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 18

Quote
pthieu
@Danikin: thanks. What is your extruder steps/mm set to?

en the LCD shows 90steps/mm
but is 900steps/mm in the firmware

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pthieu

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 17, 2016 06:25PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 16

@Danikin: mine is set to 96.3steps/mm as I did a 100mm filament extrusion calibration a little while ago so this might not be the problem. I was thinking maybe my driver or motor can't handle my Vmax? it's set to 22 right now, I forgot the units, it's steps/min or steps/s.

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Danikin

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 18, 2016 01:04PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 18

i have my Vmax in 0.35V. try that.

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pthieu

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 18, 2016 09:33PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 16

@Danikin: sorry not the voltage of the driver, the max velocity of the extruder, it's listed as "Vmax" on the LCD in control menu.

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pthieu

Re: Microstepping issues causing inconsistent extrusion? Folger Tech Prusa i3 variant
April 18, 2016 10:38PM

Registered: 8 years ago
Posts: 16

Ok I don't know what I did, my thermistor on my heated bed came loose (on the RAMPS board) so I had to jiggle it back, it's right beside my hotend thermistor so maybe that was loose as well? It's printing consistent widths now.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2016 11:41PM by pthieu.

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