Solved Printer Goes Nuts After Printing Raft

Hey all, I just received my second Robo 3D R1+ Printer yesterday and I have not gotten one successful print in 14 attempts. I have read through the Auto Bed Level Thread, Watched YouTube Videos, and nothing I have done is fixing the issue. I have checked both brass nuts and endstops and nothing appears to be out of kilter. I just received it yesterday direct from Robo 3D and was hoping this one would be a winner. I am using Robo 3D Filament, both ABS and PLA and am using their stock recommendations for Nozzle and Bed Heat Settings.

I am printing a raft with all my parts and as soon as the last layer of the raft is done and it starts printing the actual part, the nozzle keeps lifting up off the raft intermittently and it just becomes a glob of filament. I have also printed without a raft and on the 4th layer, it always goes haywire and the nozzle again stars printing a half mm off the surface. I have trying changing the offset and have used all of the different settings. I also use Aqua Net for good adhesion to the bed. I have tried printing the part in PLA, ABS and same thing. I am using MatterControl 7" Android Printer Controller. The printer has the latest firmware. I am at my wits end.....I know hardly any production printer worked perfectly out of the box. My last Robo 3D R1 started out great out of the box then went to crap and I sold it to a friend out of aggravation but decided to give Robo 3D another shot. Any help is much appreciated. Tired of wasting my filament!!!!!!

 

Sounds like you have done some of the routine checks. Odd that it would lift the nozzle during a layer. When I first got my printer I had to go over it and snug Ali the bolts, make sure belt tension was correct, and clean and lube all the smooth rods and leadscrews. Also make sure fan to the ramps is running correctly and that all connections to the ramps are properly seated.

Have you done anything like update the firmware? Have you tried printing just the calibration cube? What slicer are you using?

Obviously you have been using a Robo already and probably have gone through all this before. If so and the z is still moving erratically, then you may needed to check the stepper drivers voltage at the ramps. The new Robo users independent z drivers instead of one. So one might not be adjusted correctly.

It's an odd issue if in reading your post correctly.

 

Thanks for the replies. As far as anything I have done to the printer, just unboxed it, flashed the V2 firmware, and loaded up filament. I tried to print a calibration circle model that comes in MatterControl but as soon as it starts the 4th layer, it starts extruding above the surface and ends up mushing around the filament into a tangled mess. The rafts print absolutely flawless, nice, even lines, the cross hatch patterns are uniform, devoid of any blobs or missing sections. The rafts always look perfect...it's just when it starts printing the actual model, it goes kaput. I am using MatterControl with built in Matter Slice as I have always done in the past with my previous Robo 3D V1+.
I will see if I can capture some video of the printer failing and post it.

 

I downloaded and flashed the Robo 3D R1+ firmware, Version 2 from here; http://guide.robo3d.com/Wiki/ROBO_3D_Firmware_Release_Notes

I downloaded the Arduino Version and flashed using IDE 1.6.9 as instructed since they state there are issues with 1.6.10 version.

 

On the 1.6.10 issue, there is a fix for that. I posted it in the comments of the firmware download page. Just a name of a struct needs to be globally changed. Not sure what the arduino guys did with that newer version, but that is a work around.

Hopefully a video will show some clues. Does anything seem to stick or any odd noises during that fourth layer? Really sorry to hear you are having issues with another Robo.

 

I had no issues flashing the firmware. I did the global edit as suggested in a comment at the bottom of the page and it went off without a hitch. Do you guys think I should apply the Lead Screw Upgrade firmware instead? (Provided I can still get the file.) I just tried to level the X Axis switches and had 3 more prints fail. Possible the V2 firmware is buggy and causing the nozzle to rise up and print in the air on the 4th layers?

 

you can try the leadscrew upgrade version. The files are still out there on the firmware page. Though your issue sounds mechanical.

 

Get rid of that raft, and print directly on the bed! Unless you absolutely need it. Have you tried printing without a Raft?

 

Just to let everyone know that helped me out. The issue ended up being the V 2.0 firmware after all. I flashed it back to the Lead Screw Upgrade Firmware, and she has been churning out beautiful prints consistently now. The only thing bugging me now is that I keep getting lifting and warping when I print ABS. My original Robo 3D R1+ used to print absolutely perfect ABS parts but this printer is just not willing to give in as far as ABS Filament is concerned. I have tried everything from Elmer's Glue Stick, Aqua Net, sometimes, both at the same time, a few drops of Acetone on the bed then rubbing in some abs to create a sticky surface but nothing is working. PLA prints out perfectly but ABS is irking me.

 

After reading so many negative posts about ABS I'm thinking I won't even bother trying it out.
I hope you get your issue sorted out, I'm going to just walk around ABS and try others suggested.
Good luck.

 

I never had a sealed chamber around my printer or anything on my first Robo 3d R1+. I would just set it up, walk away and keep the door shut to my man cave and that was enough. I was getting killer prints time after time with ABS with regular consistency. I wonder what the disparity is between this new Robo 3D and my first one?? Maybe go up on the temps? I am using all Robo 3D filaments.