Auto bed leveling for Folger tech Prusa i3?

Hello there! I have recently got my Folgertech prusa i3 up and running, and I am a very happy camper. I have seen the amazing upgrades, and I want to install an automatic bed leveling system. I have no trouble with printing the parts, and ordering the servo motor, however I need to know where I can find a servo mount file or kit for their strange closed off-injection molded-direct drive extruder. I have seen forums of oeople with automatic bed leveling systems for a Folgertech prusa i3, but where is the correct file for this type of extruder? If someone would help my that would be great!

Thanks everyone!

Quote
cheaptrick2
Hello there! I have recently got my Folgertech prusa i3 up and running, and I am a very happy camper. I have seen the amazing upgrades, and I want to install an automatic bed leveling system. I have no trouble with printing the parts, and ordering the servo motor, however I need to know where I can find a servo mount file or kit for their strange closed off-injection molded-direct drive extruder. I have seen forums of oeople with automatic bed leveling systems for a Folgertech prusa i3, but where is the correct file for this type of extruder? If someone would help my that would be great!

Thanks everyone!

Here's One [www.thingiverse.com] By by Waltermixxx
Here is another [www.thingiverse.com] By by Andymeister

Sorry wrong thead.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2015 04:50PM by nique911.

Oh, Thank you so much! This is amazing. I really appreciate it!

Cheers!

I have a FolgerTech Prusa i3 (plexi) with several upgrades/tweaks, including auto bed leveling. If you're still seeking info, please let me know...

-David

David, I've owned my FolgerTech for about two months and I'm ready to start upgrading and tweaking. What kinds of upgrades have you done and results have you seen?

Okay... here goes



- Covered the front threaded rods with chrome-plated tubing to match the smooth rods (Harley-fied my printer!)
- Covered the rear threaded rods with split-loom tubing to prevent electrical shorts (since I moved the RAMPS beneath the bed)
- Replaced all of the limit switches with roller switches (reduced the amount of wiring)
- Replaced the plastic portions of the extruder with this one: [www.thingiverse.com] (easier filament change, virtually eliminates jams!)
- Added aluminum spacers (3/16" tubing) to the extruder fan screws (enables tightening the screws without damaging the fan)
- Secured my glass print surface to the heated bed using a few small dabs of high-temp silicone (eliminates binder clips)
- Added auto bed leveling using this servo bracket: [www.thingiverse.com] (cheap glass is wavy and manually leveling the bed was a pain)
- Added a 60mm LED light ring (eBay item# 251479154525) to the servo bracket (to get a good look at the parts being printed)
- Added a large cooling fan to the spool mount using these brackets: [www.thingiverse.com] (MUCH better results without support material and quicker object removal)
- Wired the extruder fan and LED ring to the RAMPS board at the 'spare' 12v holes (keeps extruder cool and lit while power is on)
-Modified the power supply to switch it on and off remotely using G-Code [www.thingiverse.com] (never need to unplug it now!)
- Added bearings to the top of the 5mm threaded rods. (reduced wobble in the rods)
NOTE: I learned that the printed X-axis ends do not have the same spacing between the smooth and treaded rods (Z-axis) as the plexi frame, causing the threaded rods to bend slightly when the X-axis is nearest the top or bottom of its travel. This has not been corrected, as I will need to redesign and reprint the X-axis ends. Has not posed any problems besides a little bit of noise when homing the Z-axis.
- Replaced the bed springs and knobs with spacers and flange nuts (more consistent leveling)
- Insulated the hot end with layered silicone-impregnated fiberglass cloth and wrapped with Kapton tape. (no more burns)
- Replaced the set screws with M3x5 bolts to prevent tool damage.
NOTE: I broke the ball end off of a 1.5mm tool while tightening the old set screw. This cost me the tool and the ability to remove the set screw, since the ball remained jammed inside!
- Relocated the electronics beneath the bed, behind the frame. (neater wiring, cleaner looking printer)
- Stopped using Repetier Host and started using Pronterface. (had RH crash a few times during prints due to failed on-screen rendering)
- Added several buttons in Pronterface (power on/off,bed cooling on/off, get position, autolevel, panic)
- Added custom G-code in Slic3r to execute before and after prints (simplified my life)

Here are a few explanatory images:











Feel free to take a look at the other photos at www.mindrealm.net/i3

-David

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2015 10:02PM by MindRealm.

Thanks for the response, some great information in there. I think the auto leveling is going to be my first upgrade, I'll try your bracket and see. Have you thought about upgrading to the MK3 over the MK2b? With my printer so far, the closest portion of the heated bed see a 10-15 degree C drop in temperature, but I might just have a bad bed/connection. At this point I just position my prints toward the rear of the bed for consistent temperatures. I notice on your z-axis threaded rod you don't have that anti-wobble piece that I've seen floating around, have you have any issues with Z-banding or wobble? I'm current having some banding issues and trying to diagnose (I'll upload a photo tonight when I get home). I know the chosen layer height is good, via the calculator, and I also hand fed my filament to ensure that tension wasn't causing issues.

I have been satisfied with my heated bed (so far...) and have considered changing to a 200x300 bed, and increasing the Y-axis travel at some point.

It seems that there were a few dimensional assumptions that made by FolgerTech, all having to do with the plexi frame (probably sourced from China)

The thickness of mine is 5.5mm, not 6mm as advertised. This caused the filament spool rollers to fit very loosely on the frame.

Also, and more importantly, the spacing of the Z-axis threaded rods and the smooth rods are the same on the frame, but this measurement is not the same as the spacing on the X-axis ends. This causes a deflection of the treaded rod. I added the bearings to the top of the treaded rods before realizing this difference. I will be redesigning the X-axis ends to fix this (and improve the idler bearing and motor location), and will replace the flexible 5mm couplers that attach the threaded rods to the steppers as well.

My print results are fair, and would improve with a more precise Z-axis.

---

-David

Find me online at:
Thingiverse
Instructables.com
LinkedIn
Facebook

Check out my FolgerTech Prusa i3 (plexi) at MindRealm.net

Hello, I'm looking for the upgraded Marlin software with all changes for the FolgerTech Prusa i3 kit ( old one is still available here - [drive.google.com] )
also how to tweak configuration file in the latest Marlin for auto leveling in Folgertech prusa i3 - I try tutorial from [www.youtube.com] but so far no luck to setup this correctly with Folger design.

Does anyone setup auto bed leveling for Folger tech kit?

My bed leveling works great. I'm happy to help... Please post your Configuration.h from marlin and I'll take a look. Also, are you using Pronterface? I added a pre-print section of G-Code that takes good care of it automatically!

---

-David

Find me online at:
Thingiverse
Instructables.com
LinkedIn
Facebook

Check out my FolgerTech Prusa i3 (plexi) at MindRealm.net

Thanks David, I followed the guide that [zennmaster.com] has done, yes I'm using Pronterface, after all changes in configuration.h file from tutorial ( I'm using the latest Marlin [github.com] ) when I enter G29 command, probe with the switch goes down and up only once, it doesn't run the auto level, configuration file attached. THANKS

Jack

---

Find me online:

[www.thingiverse.com]

Please let me know where your end stops are mounted, and where they're plugged into the RAMPS board. (a photo of the RAMPS wiring would be helpful) so I adjust your Configuration.h file accordingly

---

-David

Find me online at:
Thingiverse
Instructables.com
LinkedIn
Facebook

Check out my FolgerTech Prusa i3 (plexi) at MindRealm.net

I'm using FolgerTech Prusa i3, X,Y end stops are mounted and connected exactly as in FolgerTech instructions [drive.google.com] , Z end stop attached to microswitch on extruder [www.thingiverse.com] , microswitch connection -> [reprap.org]

Give this one a shot. I commented the lines I changed with //MindRealm: [changes]

---

-David

Find me online at:
Thingiverse
Instructables.com
LinkedIn
Facebook

Check out my FolgerTech Prusa i3 (plexi) at MindRealm.net

Hi there,

I am trying to set up this feature on my folger tech i3 and I have a sg90 servo that is properly jumped and wired in according to ZenMaster. The config.h file is also edited. When I plug in the USB to my computer, I get the device connected sound, then immediately the device disconnected sound. The servo twitches and this does this about 10 times before the device permanently disconnects. Has anyone else had this problem? Do I have a bad servo? Thanks!

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crspencer00
Hi there,

I am trying to set up this feature on my folger tech i3 and I have a sg90 servo that is properly jumped and wired in according to ZenMaster. The config.h file is also edited. When I plug in the USB to my computer, I get the device connected sound, then immediately the device disconnected sound. The servo twitches and this does this about 10 times before the device permanently disconnects. Has anyone else had this problem? Do I have a bad servo? Thanks!

Have you installed the jumper on Ramps 1.4 to power your servo. Google search is your friend
Spare a moment for the concept that ABL means your M5 Z axis threaded rod will be constantly moving up and down. It isn't made or designed for that continual motion !!!!!!

MindRealm:

Overall I like what you did with the printer. Nice clean wiring setup. But and there is always a but looking at picture "i3%20coupler%2001.jpg" it shows that you have the X carriage end pieces on upside down. If the nuts work loose the carriage could drop down or worse yet make the Z height inconsistant causing bad prints for no apparent reason.

In theory with the nut on the bottom of the x axis if you drive the hot end into the bed, the nut will pop out and save your printer from destroying itself

Often the simple things are the best - I will go and put some marks on my z axis couplers. Thanks

Bed compensation is something I read about and intended to look at, but with an accurate build, a rigid frame of MDF, and a solid mounting of the bed to the carriage (no springs) the bed level has not appeared to be a problem - yet.

Hello again,

I have gotten the servo to work, and have done all the measurements according to ZenMaster. I home it using G28, then run ABL G29, but all it does is take 2 measurements, one at the home spot, then one about half way back. Only the Y axis moves. Has anyone else had this problem?

To Mindrealm: I have been really struggling to get the auto-leveling to work on the Folger Tech I built two weeks ago. Using your suggestions and configuration.h files I finally got it to work. Thank you for the time and effort you expend to help us.
Frank

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2015 12:11PM by fheflin.

That's really nice. Are you using aluminum plate with glass?

I'm having some issues in getting my autolevel to work. I'm running Arduino 1.6.5, RAMPS 1.4 board (FolgerTech i3 Acrylic) and the latest download of Marlin. I have gone through Zennmaster's videos on getting everything set up and have successfully acquired my servo's extend and retract values as well as extruder offset values. I can successfully run a G28 and the probe works great to home Z. But, if I try a G29, the Z axis will start from where it homed on G28 instead of raising the Z axis before probing (#define Z_RAISE_BEFORE_PROBING 15). This causes a HUGE issues, as there really isn't any room from homing during G28 for the probe arm to swing down to proper position. Thus, the Z axis continues to lower until I have to do an emergency stop to keep the nozzle from hitting the glass bed. I have read all sorts of things to try out and none of these options seem to work. I will include my config.h here, in case there's something I'm missing (which is entirely possible).

I guess it should be worth mentioning that home on my machine is near-left, if facing the machine. I am using a standard micro-switch as my Z endstop/probe and have removed the micro-switch from an endstop board and wired up the new micro-switch to it. This way, I can tell when the switch is depressed by seeing the red LED turn on.

Quote
bugman72
I'm having some issues in getting my autolevel to work. I'm running Arduino 1.6.5, RAMPS 1.4 board (FolgerTech i3 Acrylic) and the latest download of Marlin. I have gone through Zennmaster's videos on getting everything set up and have successfully acquired my servo's extend and retract values as well as extruder offset values. I can successfully run a G28 and the probe works great to home Z. But, if I try a G29, the Z axis will start from where it homed on G28 instead of raising the Z axis before probing (#define Z_RAISE_BEFORE_PROBING 15). This causes a HUGE issues, as there really isn't any room from homing during G28 for the probe arm to swing down to proper position. Thus, the Z axis continues to lower until I have to do an emergency stop to keep the nozzle from hitting the glass bed. I have read all sorts of things to try out and none of these options seem to work. I will include my config.h here, in case there's something I'm missing (which is entirely possible).

I guess it should be worth mentioning that home on my machine is near-left, if facing the machine. I am using a standard micro-switch as my Z endstop/probe and have removed the micro-switch from an endstop board and wired up the new micro-switch to it. This way, I can tell when the switch is depressed by seeing the red LED turn on.

I had the exact same problem you had.

Fix was here ->[forums.reprap.org]

Also, I changed my X end stop to min (left side when facing printer from the front)

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srcga
Thanks for this thread! Having this in my config.h fixed my issues.

#define DISABLE_MAX_ENDSTOPS

OK, I was able to get both G28 and G29 working by simply changing my Z_raise_before_home and Z-raise_before_probe to a value greater than my Z offset. And thank you, srcga for the suggestion on DISABLE_MAX_ENDSTOPS. This is something that I had changed early on, so it wasn't the issue, but it was a good suggestion nonetheless.

Now, the one thing I haven't tried yet is to see whether my nozzle height is going to be correct when I start a print. I've read a lot of horror stories about the nozzle printing up in the air because it's "stuck" at the G29 height and not dropping down to the bed as it should. One thing I'm curious of and can check it tonight to verify...does the latest build have the enhanced G29 features as outlined by Roxy over at 3dprintboard? I would really like to do the topographic map probing to see if my bed/glass is messed up. According to the first post on that thread, the enhanced code is supposedly included in the later builds (or was supposed to be).

i have a Folger 20/20 i3 up and running. Wanting the add bed leveling. Found information on setting up Marlin and the printed servo parts. I am needing some basic information from the start. I have no ideal where to start. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Sam