Ok I fixed this by disabling the heated bed. I also turned the raft off as I am trying to calibrate using PLA and didn't want to have to print a raft every single time I tried to test a setting.by steveo290 - Skeinforge
I have this problem as well. I activated the homing.gcode file and re-crafted the piece. Same thing happens. The homing.gcode file only contains "M105", should there be anything else? I have found a work around for this for the time being though. I so a find on M103 and replace all with M103[]G1 F30.0 the [] is a return but the website one let me paste it in here. I just copied the box out of onby steveo290 - Skeinforge
Ok So I am trying to print the test 20mm cube that is on thingiverse.com with a write up by Spacexula When I print it, the first thing it does after its heating ceremony is go to one of the corners and extrude a blob for about 20-30 secs, then takes off and prints the infill, raises and repeats the blob in a different corner then infill. I will attach my Gcode if anyone is interested in taking aby steveo290 - Skeinforge
Ok Thanks for the fast response Ian. I will update with progress.by steveo290 - Skeinforge
I recently decided to move to Skeinforge for creating g code instead of reprap host, i still use reprap host to print though. I had generated g code a few times and used the RR host to attempt to print it a number of times last night. Making small changes as I went along. After my last change which was the flowrate, the RR host software started to crash when the print head came back from its begiby steveo290 - Skeinforge
Ok thanks for the quick answer. I think I have decided to move to Skeinforge. I spent a few hours last night trying to get things setup. I used the settings found on the wiki. I ran into some trouble with with M codes crashing the reprap host software though, going to post in the other channel about it.by steveo290 - Reprappers
When I print my mendel pieces the parts I have printed, some gears and a few bar clamps, the pieces are hollow and then some infill is put in at the end. I found a .zip file that said Solid Mendel STL's or something of that nature, but those files printed the same type of files. Are all the pieces going to be hollow? Is there a way to make the pieces solid? Is this question in the wrong section?by steveo290 - Reprappers
Here are a set of gears that I printed once I got my mendel calibrated a little better. The quality is still not there. I could use some pointers on what I should focus on next if anyone can comment. I am thinking that the infill needs to be tweaked so that the lines are laid down closer (Just infillWidth?) It also seems like the first layer of outline is not being laid down correctly, doesn't stby steveo290 - Reprappers
Do those numbers look high? That is like laying down a ruler length a second right? The stepper motor has a step of 1.8 deg, I thought that would mean 200 steps. Does that 17670.94 go into extrusion speed? Thank you for the referring to the excel sheet. I had been toying around with it but all the numbers seemed wrong...by steveo290 - Reprappers
Yeah I have seen that Bob, thanks though, I am going to read through it again anyway, I think it answers some of my questions. I think maybe my above questions can be reorganized and better asked as this. When I did the math for my extruder steps per mm, ((200 x 1)/(3.14159 x 10)) x ((.4/3)squared), the answer was 0.1131. When I put that number into the firmware and uploaded it, nothing came outby steveo290 - Reprappers
Well the extruder seems to have no problem handling .706 - 1.0 steps per mm, just seems to be not enough. I dont want to try something like 2.0 steps per mm when I should be trying something else.by steveo290 - Reprappers
Ok I have made some progress. I set the steps per mm to .1131 and it barely extruded anything. I set it to .8488 and it extruded a good amount. I had a legible print with .706 (steps per mm) with extrusion speed at 2500 mm/m. Still it wasn't good enough. I started printing the z bar clamps since they are long and have a few holes in them, figure it would be a good test print. The shape and holesby steveo290 - Reprappers
Update: I ended up going with a 4th motor controller to run my extruder motor. This is a great fix. There is no noise now and no beeping. And no worrying about PWM and pots. Also, the software had the extrusion speed set to 3000mm/min instead of the 3000mm/s I previously reported. I have got my extruder working and am going through trying to determine the right steps per mm and feedrate. I belieby steveo290 - Reprappers
No problem Grogyan. Last night I went through and put a bunch of different numbers in the steps per mm variable and could not get the motor to stop 'clicking' or 'jamming' every few seconds. It would be extruding and then i would hear a big click. Like it was jamming or trying to extrude to fast. I ended up taking my heating element off and putting a new one on. Then set the steps per mm to .8488by steveo290 - Reprappers
Ok well perhaps you can show me where my math is wrong. I was plugging values into the formula that you have on the commissioning page and came up with 0.1131. It seems simple enough, I don't know why I can't get my fat head wrapped around it. Thank you for the assistance so far though. ((200 x 1)/(3.14159 x 10)) x ((.4/3)squared) Edit: Another excel sheet calc I found said 0.1131 as well, I coby steveo290 - Reprappers
If I am only using one gear as in the pinch wheel, what number do I use for the gear ratio? My gear info is a few posts above. I have been trying to work through other solutions and other math to try to determine what I need to do but I can't. Grog, I know you posted "0.8488", is that for a geared extruder like wades or adrians? If not then how can reducing the current number of steps per mm I amby steveo290 - Reprappers
Thanks Grogyan, currently the default is 2.0 steps per mm which the comments in the code say is for a 8mm drive gear. Since I had a gear that was 2mm larger I thought that I would need to make the steps per mm higher, or am I supposed to add the result you got to the default 2.0? I will prolly try both lol.by steveo290 - Reprappers
Ok so I have never been super at math. Can anyone give me a hand with the math on the commissioning page? I have all the numbers that I need I think. Filament Diameter = 3mm Nozzle Diameter = 0.4mm Pinch Wheel Diameter = 10mm Steps of stepper = 1.8 degree, so 200 steps? (is that what is needed?) Commissioning pageby steveo290 - Reprappers
So I finally got all the pieces of my reprap working (aligned all the planets and moons in the milky way). I printed a few things out and I attached some pics of my best one. It is supposed to be a y bar clamp. The first layer looked to be going pretty well. The outline is good, the holes are circular and look to be placed correctly, and the infill (zipzag pattern? right?) is there. But it seemsby steveo290 - Reprappers
My experience with is with mendel and gen 3 electronics (TechZone remix). I had a similar problem where as soon as my extruder board received power the heating element would get 12 volts and turn red hot, regardless of the host being off or on. I eventually tried to put the firmware back on and was unable to so I sent the extruder board back and got another one, was able to put firmware on it andby steveo290 - Reprappers
So I have heard back from TZ and they have said that most likely I burned the chip due to my motors not being at 6ohm or higher and the trimpot allowing too much voltage to pass through the chip. So it looks like I need to adjust my trimpot once I get the board fixed. My question is what is the best way to adjust the trimpot. Is it possible to turn the trim pot all the way down (counter clockwiseby steveo290 - Reprappers
I am on the last leg of my mendel build and have had many setbacks, including my most recent one with electronics. One thing I have found out is that there is not an all inclusive guide that will offer everything you need. I got stuck on a lot of basic easy things that I could not find the answer for so I surged ahead with what I thought would be right. Only to have to take half the machine apartby steveo290 - Reprappers
Nophead - where is the PWM set? Host or firmware? Rhmorrison - I downloaded the host software, installed it, started it, turned 3 extruder tabs into one and enabled comms. I didn't modify anything else. So I am not sure why it was set so high, perhaps we are using different versions or dates of the host software. Maybe I will re-download the host software. Has there been a new release or updateby steveo290 - Reprappers
Ok thanks Nophead I thought that sounded extreme, but that is what the default was. Another problem now! I came home ready to try that fix, didn't change any connections, did my pre flight check to make sure I had no problems and I turn the power onto my board and after a sec or two i hear a fizz, I look at the extruder board and the chip right next to the motor terminal has a little orange cheby steveo290 - Reprappers
Ok thanks for some good tips guys. I wired the motor up the same way that I have my other motors wired up, like I had before. I still get a lot of beeping, the motor does move though. Should the motor try to move once the host software starts up? What I have and would do is this. Techzone remix gen 3 electronics. Have the motherboard hooked up and running, red like blinking as it should, then flby steveo290 - Reprappers
I have a stepper motor that I am trying to use with my Tech Zone Remix electronics, extruder board v2.2. I turn my power on to the board and the motor starts beeping really fast and sometimes will pretend it is stepping but just click. I have been trying to determine which position the stepper motor wires should be and through my trials I have found a few positions that will make the motor turn,by steveo290 - Reprappers
Yes VDX that is exactly what I thought. I tried again with a fresh piece and didn't let the insulated wire touch anything on the exposed ends. I now have a functioning extruder! I am off the configure and try to print something.by steveo290 - Reprappers
Ok update and ideas requested. I got my extruder board troubles sorted out and found that the board was borked so that is why it was heating the wire as soon as power was turned on. I have a replacement with the stable version of the firmware installed. The wire only heats when the host software tells it to. I wired up my extruder with the nichrome and thermistor. Hooked it up and started it upby steveo290 - Reprappers
I finally got my extruder replacement board back from Tech Zone after 2 weeks of waiting. I hooked up the usb to 12 pin connector and was able to upload the program on the first try. I hooked up the other parts of the board and tried to heat/extrude but was getting a lot of errors in the console window of reprap host software. As well as the extruder tab portion of the host software, no temp readby steveo290 - Reprappers