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Filament load/unload procedures

Posted by av8r1 
Filament load/unload procedures
June 01, 2016 01:12AM
So my little Folger Prusa is the first direct drive machine I've worked with. All the Bowden machines I've used have load/unload routines built into their firmware, so you can do it through the onboard controls. No such thing exists with my Prusa.

So far I've been using manual control tab in Repetier-Host to control the heater and extruder, but I'd like to not bother with connecting the laptop. I'd like to write the load/unload routines as G-code and store them on my SD card. Should that look something like:

G28 ;home axes
G92 E0 ;set extruder position to 0
M109 S220 ;heat extruder to 220C, wait for temperature
G1 Z10 ;raise the Z-axis 10mm above the print bed
G1 F1000 ;set feed rate 1000mm/min
G1 E50 ;run the extruder forward 50mm of filament
M104 S0 ;set extruder to 0C
M84 ;disable motors

and

G28 ;home axes
G92 E0 ;set extruder position to 0
M109 S220 ;heat extruder to 220
G1 Z10 ;raise the z-axis
G1 F1000 ;set feed rate to 1000mm/min
G1 E10 ;Extrude 10mm of filament for cleaning
G1 E-20 ;Retract 20mm of filament, unloading the printer
M104 S0 ;set extruder to 0C
M84 ;disable motors

Sound about right? Or is there a simpler/better/more straightforward way to do this?
Re: Filament load/unload procedures
June 01, 2016 03:19AM
Quote
av8r1
Or is there a simpler/better/more straightforward way to do this?

One of the reasons I love my wades style geared extruders - I just heat and then turn the big gear

Steve


My updated Instructable on our Prusa i3 Build
[www.instructables.com]
Re: Filament load/unload procedures
June 01, 2016 08:54PM
I just select the 'preheat PLA' or 'preheat ABS' and once the temp is up on the hotend, I squeeze the lever to release pressure on the filament, push down on the filament for a few cm and then pull it out. Hang the new material, straighten the end, insert and push it down to flush out the old stuff. No sense getting to technical. Every color or material will take a different amount of time/filament to flush.


Folger Tech 2020 i3 and FT-5 as well as modified JGAurora A5 with direct drive E3D/Titan. All running the BLTOUCH.
Great kits. Having fun and running the heck out of them.
Running Marlin 1.1.0 RC8 on the i3 and FT5. Custom firmware on A5.
Folger Tech Wiki board >[folgertech.wikia.com]
Re: Filament load/unload procedures
June 02, 2016 01:46AM
Is that what that thing on the side of the extruder is for? I guess the Fusion3 has me spoiled. And anyway, I learned something about how 3D printers (and other CNC machines) work. I delved into G-Code. At some point I'll dive into the firmware.
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