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E3Dv6 Replacement for Hexagon Hotend

Discussion in 'Mods and Upgrades' started by WheresWaldo, Sep 17, 2017.

  1. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    This is just a placeholder.

    This is a non-reversible destructive modification to the extruder / hotend assembly. The bottom two sections are modified in a way that cannot be undone. The E3Dv6 also has a much larger diameter cold zone so the metal 'robo' plate can no longer be put back in place. There is approximately a 1 - 2 mm difference in the position of the nozzle between the Hexagon and the E3Dv6, so all the offsets will need to be redone.

    Pictures and full description forthcoming.
     
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  2. Richard from Imagainable

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    Hey there WheresWaldo ...

    How is the E3Dv6 mod going ....
     
  3. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    It is completed, but it isn't a beginner modification, there wasn't any perceptible improvement in print quality for the effort expended. I will outline what is necessary, but please note it is not reversible. Once you go down this path you cannot go back to the Hexagon.
     
    mark tomlinson and Geof like this.
  4. Beard_cula

    Beard_cula New Member

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    I'm not worried about going back. I just want a (consistently) functional machine. Failures are inevitable currently, but successes should happen from time to time to, and not just in prints lasting less than 2 hours.
     
  5. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    @Beard_cula That is not really all the Hexagon's fault. The bigger issue is undersized hotend cooling fan. If Robo would release the 3D model as opposed to only the STL of the fan shroud it could be modified to add a bigger fan and prevent some of the heat creep that their design exhibits. I think if there are enough of us putting pressure on Robo they will release the actual model of the fan shroud for easier modification.

    The existing shroud uses a skimpy 25 mm square x 7 mm fan that is undersized for very long prints. Even a small increase in size to a 30 mm would work or a front plate that incorporated a fan would really help the Hexagon.

    The E3Dv6 prevents the front plate from going on because of the increased heatsink width, so the only solution is to replace the rear fan.
     
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  6. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    So when doing this mod is there any settings that need to be done to the firmware for the E3D thermistor and heater cartridge?
     
  7. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    Yes, there are, the thermistor is type 5 instead of type 1 and you will need to PID tune the heater
     
  8. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    Thanks @WheresWaldo

    Can you point me in the direction where I can find the information to do this? I know I need to make the change in the configuration.h file but not sure how to access it, do I need some software to connect to the printer?

    Thanks
     
  9. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    The next video is a tutorial on how to modify Marlin from scratch
     
  10. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    Thanks @WheresWaldo

    How do I upload the firmware from the printer to edit it? Is it on the micro SD card?

    Also do I need to connect to the board with a usb cable?
     
    #10 Larry Garrido, Apr 5, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2018
  11. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    So I can really use some help here, I spent at least 4 hours reading last night and all that got me is more confused.

    All I need to do is change the thermistor type and apparently I need to edit the config.h file in the firmware, but what I can not find is how to or where to get the firmware off of the printer to edit it. If I need to download the firmware from somewhere then edit it then flash the board that's fine but where do I get it and how do I know I have the proper firmware for my printer. So far nothing i have read has provided that information. I would think this could be done through octoprint using g-code commands like you can for z-height etc. but I cant seem to find any info on that.

    Any help would be appreciated.
     
  12. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Personally I think that making firmware updates is problematic. I did it on my C2 for dual-extrusion and am now stuck there and not updating RoboOS or allowing Robo firmware updates since that would back out my mods and reapplying them would be a pain.

    This was a far easier thing to manage on the R1 style.

    I'll let @WheresWaldo document the details of what he did

    I loaded the Arduino GUI onto the Pi and ran it there to update the control board firmware with a version of generic Marlin (1.1.4 at the time, I think) that was edited to match what I needed. I enabled the VNCServer on the Pi, used VNC to remote desktop into the pi and installed the Arduino GUI and went from there.
     
    #12 mark tomlinson, Apr 6, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2018
  13. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    You download the source from Robo's GITHUB repository. It is located here: https://github.com/Robo3D/Marlin/tree/1.1.6-dev

    I really tried to warn everyone that this is not a beginner modification and that I saw no improvement in print quality.
     
  14. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    Thanks,

    The problem is when I go to that repository there are 20 different files in there, which one do I use? Which one do I save and load in the Arduino app? Im on the latest RoboOS now so I don't want to grab the wrong file and brick my printer.

    This is the 1 and only adjustment I should ever need to make to the firmware and Im not looking for better print quality just more consistency with the material I will be using. I will rarely be printing standard filaments, I will be using mainly CF filaments that currently just jam the current hot end, even with the 30mm fan mod I still get heat creep and also will be using nylon's that need more consistent heat.

    It's my fault for not looking into 3D printers more thoroughly before I made a purchase, the R2 looked like a great printer and it is for the most part if your going to mostly be printing the normal plastics, I just cant get this machine to print the stuff I use consistently, I can print up a part that comes out great them print it again right after the 1st one and it comes out horrible without making a single change to anything.

    I'd hate to do it because I like the printer but maybe I should just sell it and get something with more robust hardware to suit my needs, Id keep it for normal plastics but I just don't have the room in my shop for anything else.

    Just this 1 setting and I should be good to go, so close but yet so far away. Is there another thermistor that would work with the V6 that I could use that wouldn't require the firmware change?

    I'll gladly pay tech support fees for anyone who can help me get this done.
     
  15. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Go to the github (see link above)
    Click Clone or download
    Then download Marlin-1.1.6-dev.zip
    Then extract it somewhere (where is not important, just KNOW where you extracted it. Know which folder you put it in.

    That gets you all the files (including the INO file which is the Arduino IDE project file and the one you want to open with theArduin IDE)

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    As an aside I am not sure that this will solve that problem :)
    I don't have heat creep on the dual hexagon extruders on my C2, but if you are getting that it is more likely a fan/cooling issue than a hotend issue. I do not have an actual R2 though so perhaps there is something different.
     
  16. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    Thank you Mark!

    now after doing that and making the change in the config.h how do I get the update to the printer? Do I need to connect my computer to the raspberry pi board via usb to load it to the printer?
     
  17. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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  18. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    There is a DOWNLOAD AS ZIP button there you are overlooking:

    download.jpg
     
  19. Larry Garrido

    Larry Garrido Member

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    Ok, I did see the download as zip but was looking at the file name, it didn't refer to Marlin 1.1.6-dev so I thought it was a different file. I'll give it a go.

    So am I correct that I need to attach to the pi board via usb to flash the updated firmware?

    Thanks!
     
  20. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Um, probably not. I have never tried it that way. You need to connect to the control board via USB like the pi does and then compile and upload. Alternatively you can start the VNC server on the pi, vnc into the pi, install the Arduino IDE there and then compile upload it that way.
     

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