D3D 1612 Data Collection
For D3D 3D printer - 12" heated bed, 16" frame:
Contents
Normal Operation
- To activate the control window in Cura - you must upload an STL file first.
- Note that on the control screen - the -x and +x axes show as expected. However, the -y arrow is shown pointing up, and +y arrow is shown pointing down. This is counterintuitive, and it's based on the moving bed design of Prusa-style printers - where the arrow corresponds to the direction of motion of the bed (opposite the motion of the print head). OSE style printers have the Y gantry moving instead, in which case the arrows do not correspond to the direction of gantry motion - but the arrow labels are still correct. Verification of the direction of motion is obtained by observing whether the homing motion goes towards the endstops.
- Controller runs via a USB port on a host computer
- When printer is plugged in, the lights on the endstop trigger should light up, and the power light on the controller board also lights
- You can tell when the heat bed or extruder are turned by looking at the controller. A light lights up on the controller for the corresponding heater.
- The extruder light will go on, then to regulate the temperature at say 205C, it will turn on and off rapidly to maintain the correct temperature.
- When running the machine for the first time, home the x axis. It should move left (if you are looking at it from the correct D3D Orientation. It will then hit the endstop, bounce from it a little, and then return to it in the triggered position. The light on the endstop will be activated.
- Home the Y axis. It should move to the back of the machine and do a lively bounce off the endstop and stop at the endstop - same behavior that the X axis did.
- Once connected to the printer for initial testing, setting extruder temp and clicking Set should trigger the extruder heater and the LED should light on RAMPS. If it does not, check that the power is on or otherwise troubleshoot.
- Upon loading filament, the filament should push through the nozzle and extrude through by hand. If it doesn't, there is a clog of some sort and it should be cleaned.
Correction for Faulty Axis Assembly
Summary: once built and moving in the wrong direction - the preferred route of fixing the motion is either reversing a single plug or switching 2 plugs while retaining their orientation.
- The correct axis assembly has the Y belt catchers on the top, and the Z belt catchers on the opposite sides, with the rear on the left and the front on the right.
- If the machine has been assembled fully, but the belt catchers are on the wrong side - it is easier to reverse the plugs than to reverse the physical build - which requires taking the axes off the machine. The disadvantage is that the axes no longer follow a wiring convention.
- If x axis is moving in the wrong direction, it is simple to turn off the power and reverse the plug.
- If the y or z axis is moving in the wrong direction, then switching plugs and retaining their orientation will fix the problem.
- f the y or z axis is not moving together but moving skew - then reverse the plug on one of the axes. Select the correct axis so that both skewness is corrected and motion is in the correct direction. If direction of motion is not correct after fixing skew, then switch the plugs retaining their orientations.
- For the Y axis, the belt catchers must both be on the same side. If they are not on the same side,
- Note that the stepper wiring - as far as how the quadruple plug goes into the board - the green wire is typically facing a away from the plug end. Reversing the plug will make the motor go in the opposite direction.
- You can reverse the direction of motion of a single motor by reversing the plug on the RAMPS board.
- You can reverse the direction of a motor pair (y or z axis) by switching one plug with another.
General
- The sensor is on the left hand side in front of the extruder. This means that the configuration.h file must be changed.
Travel Area
- With the MK8 extruder, protruding as forward as much as it is, 2" of travel are lost on the y axis. This can be improved with an extruder that is more compact in the Y direction, such as Prusa i3 MK2 extruder.
- Endstop limits travel on X. Endstop location can be optimized on the left.
- On the right X, a spacer for axis mounting can extend X travel on the max X
- Y min trave is ok
- Z travel is only 7". 2" can be gained by modifying mounting of platform to Z axis by extending the mounting lower
- Z travel can gain 1" vertically by raising extruder tip by 1"
- There is a max of 10" available z travel on the Z axis based on the length of exposed rod.
- There is currently 11" of exposed Y rod
- There is the currently 10" of exposed X rod, where additional length can be gained by the spacer on the right side of the X axis
- Optimization can get us 11.75" on Y by relocating endstop and pushing idler mount as far as possible
- Optimization can get us 12" on X by using spacers on the mounting of both Y axes
- Optimization can get us 11 on Z by lowering platform mount and raising Z idler
- From current limits, volume can more than double from 700 cubic inches to 1551 cubic inches,
- Current prusa i3 mk3 has a 680 cubic inch volume, and Taz 6 has 1186 cubic inches.
Crazy Glue
- Adding too much glue makes the drying time very long. Adding too little glue makes a weak bond.
- Getting just the right amount of glue for magnets is not trivial, and consistently there are some magnets that come off
End Stops
- Simpler endstops are a good idea, for taking up less space, not requiring separate endstop holders, and reducing wiring from 3 to 2 wires
