If the X endstop is on the right side it's a MAX endstop and you need to change your configuration.h and also make sure the RAMPs is wired correctly //#define USE_XMIN_PLUG #define USE_XMAX_PLUG I'm not sure why you are getting the communication timeout I don't use repetier, but use pronterface insteadby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
M119 is your friend But from your configuration file you have X endstop on the left, Y endstop at the back, Z at the bottom - all are MN end stops and should be wired to the MIN pins on the RAMPs From your configuration file your switches are configured to be normally closed With the axis off the end stops what does a M119 command from Repetier give you? When you manually press an endstop switcby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
On the RAMPs there should be 2 pins next to the diode - they will provide 12v for the extruder fan. See the attached image - its the 2 pins on the right of the diode, left of the capacitor Use a multi-meter to see which is + and -by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
QuoteMKSA The spring is there to allow the bed to eventually move down during the Z homing to trigger a frame mounted Z switch and avoid head crash, Z motor stalling etc.... For ex: in case of a thick plastic blob on the nozzle .... It is not necessary if one use the nozzle contacting the bed to set the Z home (switch, piezo, strain gauge .....) or proximity sensor. The z stop should stop theby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
The bed doesn't need a spring for adjustment at the home position, this is done with the long nylon nut off the X motor mount. I find it easier to home x & y, then home z, check with paper, adjust the long nylon nut slightly if needed, recheck the z home again. The other 3 positions have springs as they occasionally need adjustment. So the spacer is used at X & Y home position, the otherby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
On my Z height adjustment - the bed to frame at the home position doesn't have a spring as that adjustment is done via the long nylon nut off the bolt attached to the X motor mount. So if it needs adjustment I move the nozzle to the home position (then in a little). With the bed and nozzle at working temp I use pronterface to do a Z home, slide paper under the nozzle and tweek the long nylon nuby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
For the Z-endstop I use this design from thingiverse: However I use it in a different way in that rather than adjust the bolt distance I use a tight fitting long nylon nut for the adjustment. See the attached pictures. It's really set and forget and very easy to make slight adjustments. With this setup, an alloy frame/bed I adjust the z probably once every 50 objects I print. I first get theby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
extrude some filament and use a digital caliper on it?by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Also make sure there are 3 jumpers under the driver board(s)by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Quoterezaeee All of them have bed part that is laser cutted(hand cutted). I was interested to know if we could replace this part with other thing that don't needed to wood/plexi/aluminium/etc. What are you suggesting? Carbon Fiber? Fiberglass?by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
I also would suggest dropping the temps down. I use blue tape at 55c for PLA. If you still have issues at a lower bed temp check the temp with a thermal heat gun - they are around $20.00by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Check that when you ask "pronterface" or "repetier" to extrude 100mm of filament that it does - within a mm or two. The China kits are a race to the bottom - this forum and youtube are full of "how-to's" on upgrading these kits to get decent prints.by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Printing PLA you need a part cooling fan - D9 on the RAMPs board Under slic3r "Filament Settings", "Cooling" check the box for auto cooling You can read the bed temp with one of these: It won't read the nozzle temp though - something to do with the way it reflects the infrared? I still think you need to re-calibrate the printer: Is the frame rigid and square? Are the smooth rods straight? Areby SteveRoy - Reprappers
You need to calibrate your printer again. As it is now you will never be able to print the gears. I think my scratch built i3 prints quite well, but I was getting slight bridging across the gears. The attached image is my print of your 90-degree_gear_56teeth2.stl Sliced in Cura: laid flat 4mm nozzle .2mm layer height 1.6mm shell (4 perimeters) 20% infill 45 mm/s speed PLA at 190c - glow-in-the-by SteveRoy - Reprappers
Pictures would really help, as would knowing the type of extruder, hot-end etcby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Quotebentech4u Yes. Cooling fan is there. Mine is e3d v6 clone. But that cooling fan is not running always. Sometimes or during the print only it turns on. Is that normal behavior ? No, it needs to be on all the time with PLA - the heat will creep up the nozzle causing it to jam. Personally I wouldn't use a clone of an e3d (or other) hot-end. I've used a genuine j-head in my old build and botby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Do you have a cooling fan on the fins of the hotend?by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
I would suggest first learning and tuning your printer using PLA. I print PLA at 190c with the bed at 55c using blue painters tape Your slicer settings: layer height of .2mm should be OK for most things, I only use .1mm layer height for very small pieces. I use 3 or 4 layers for top/bottom of the piece fill density could be lower depending on the piece you are printing, 20% (or less) should beby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
What are you trying to accomplish? I don't use MK8 extruders myself and prefer the Wades style with gears, easier to load and prime the hotend. Never used a E3d but I prefer quality over price So yes I would, if you have one of the China kitsby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
ABS print on Buildtak at 65c I have pictures of my cardboard box enclosure around somewhere. I found keeping the room temperature constant and the printer enclosed is very important to getting ABS to stick to the bedby SteveRoy - Reprappers
For ABS I use Buildtak at 65c and also enclose the printer using a modified cardboard box. Shouldn't have to go to 100cby SteveRoy - Reprappers
It looks like a solid build so you shouldn't need a Z height probe. I use this z-stop off thingiverse and use the "paper thickness test": I add a long nylon nut to the bolt and that is the fine adjustment on the home position. On the bed the home position is fixed and the other 3 have springs. I use hex bolts and nylock nuts. Using a hex driver you don't need downward pressure on the bolt anby SteveRoy - Reprappers
You could replace the MOSFET with a IRLB8743PBF I've used them on the cheaper China RAMPS boards in the past before I found a quality RAMPSby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Have you tested the endstops with a M119 command? What are the voltages on the drivers - if the Melzi has them? Steveby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Most Z endstop designs on kits simply suck, which causes the builders of these kits to want "auto leveling". IMHO there is an easier way. I use this design for a Z endstop: But I take it a step further - on the home position of my bed I don't use a spring, rather I use a solid spacer and use a long nylon nut attached to the M3 bolt for the adjustment. So when I need to adjust the bed height inby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Quotemlaustin66 . PLA is a bitch to print, at least it is for me with an e3d v6. The filament for me kept jamming up, so I cannot print with it. Does the extruder skip? That is a sign of a jam and filament stripping. When using PLA you must have a cooling fan blowing air across the fins of the hot-end so there is no heat creep up the throat. Heat creep causes the PLA to jamb.by SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
Start by calibrating itby SteveRoy - Reprappers
Looks very similar to the original Prusa i3 X-carriageby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
I am not a fan of these cheap Chinese kits. What looks good about that kit is: lead screws for the Z-Axis, it has an aluminum heat bed. Looks OK - nema 17 motors, LCD, power supply The bad: Acrylic frame and it's design, hot-end/nozzle/extruder, wing nuts for the bed leveling? who does that? Can't comment on the controller board as I have always used Arduino/RAMPS combo vs an all-in-o Ask yoby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants
I would check the y-axis motor wiring pairs with a multi-meter. Make sure the A pairs are next to each other on the ramps pins (same for B pairs) Steveby SteveRoy - Prusa i3 and variants