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Solved Something's wrong with my Z-axis

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by castmemberzack, Apr 2, 2016.

  1. castmemberzack

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    So i got done printing a fairly large object. I decided to go into matter control and lower the extruder. But I think I press the Z negative button too many times cause it pressed down onto the plate and instead of hearing that typical "click" sound you hear when it's calibrating, it just bashed into the bed (thankfully didn't break it). But I did have to manually level it and now it will only go up and when you tell it to print something, the Z axis does what the extruder should do. So instead of it pressing down on the build plate to calibrate in those 9 spots, it goes up. It's the exact pattern though it does for calibrating. Then after that it just prints mid-air.


    Thanks for any help!

    Zack
     
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    One or both of your Z axis home switches is out of position and not working correctly.
     
  3. castmemberzack

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    What's a Z axis home switch? I'm a total n00b. Got the printer like 4 days ago. I'm using the R1 Plus btw.
     
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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  5. castmemberzack

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    Ok so that helped a lot. I know the problem now. The little orange buttons aren't being pushed. Any suggestions on how to get it lower?

    Edit: Wait, is the top nut supposed to go into that black plastic piece?
     

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    #5 castmemberzack, Apr 2, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2016
  6. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Raise the switches. There is a screw you can loosen and raise the mount (slide it further up the nut so that it is pressed against the bottom of the crossbar).

    Make sure the top of the nut is slid/socketed into the crossbar. On one of your pictures the nut is slotted into the crossbar and the other is not.
     
  7. castmemberzack

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    Ok. Does this apply to the R1 Plus? I have a nut in the way of it being pressed down. i've managed to slide them down (there's a black clamp attach to the side that when lifted slides into a slot and doesn't let it move down.

    Here are some better pictures.
     

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  8. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Yes it applies to the R1+
    If those little buttons are not pressed up against the crossbar when the extruder is off of the bed then the autoleveling will not work.
     
  9. castmemberzack

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    any advice? I would have to remove a nut to get it to press down. Is that top nut supposed to slide into that black plastic piece?
     
    #9 castmemberzack, Apr 2, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2016
  10. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    The large brass nut slots/sides into the crossbar above it so that with the exrtruder off of the bed, the buttons are pushed.

    When the printer is autoleveling it will drive the extruder down until one of those switches is unmade (i.e. the crossbar lifts enough to turn the switch off). This is how it knows it is 'on the bed'

    If one of the buttons is NOT pushed with the exxtruder off of the bed it THINKS it is on the bed and will only go... UP.
     
  11. digitalsolo

    digitalsolo New Member

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    This video can be really handy to SEE some of what can be done:

     
  12. noah freeman

    noah freeman New Member

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    Same issue (maybe). "Tech support" had me unseat the switches to check that they were working, now cannot get the nut back in the crossbar mount. Was in there just fine before, now just wont go back in (yes I'm pulling back the mount tabs)
     
  13. noah freeman

    noah freeman New Member

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    I took off the cover, then unscrewed the limiters, popped them back on the x-axis assembly, then screwed both sides of the x-axis assembly back on by turning the z-screws. Took like 6 hours to figure out, but printing again finally.
     
    #13 noah freeman, Apr 17, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2016

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