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Partial Answer Auto-Leveling / Filament Sticking Issue

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by Ashley Fox, Feb 22, 2016.

  1. Ashley Fox

    Ashley Fox New Member

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    Hi all...

    First off, I am very much new to 3D printing. Now that I got that out there here's the deal...

    I got a used Robo3D (the original one I think as it has a heated bed that just says Robo3D on it and the glass has retention screws). I have since upgraded the hot end to a E3D and that works great BUT here's the issue I am having...

    1) Every time I go to print, it is requiring me to manually set the Z axis or the print head is too high. I have to mess with a screw on the left rod (that touches a switch) until it is the right height and then it takes like 5+ attempts at hitting print before I get the right height. I have tried to issue the G29 command in the terminal window and my printer does nothing. I don't know if my printer supports that? I know that may sound like a dumb question but again, I am new to this... and this shouldn't be this hard for me... I am an IT gal that has worked on computers since the mid 90's. I know on most of the videos I have seen, if you start the print job, it goes and touches all of the corners of the build plate. Mine does not do that.

    2) I have tried blue painters tape, glue sticks and hair spray and nothing really keeps the filament down. At first, I thought it was my filament (since it was 2 rolls of PLA that the guy gave me with the printer, so I bought a new roll of PLA). I am still having issues where the filament isn't sticking even if the hot end is almost on the glass.

    3) For PLA, what is a good temp to print at? I was trying 195... Then 200... Then 210... I can't seem to get the right temp and I am guessing that this may be my problem. Also I have heard some people say DON'T heat the bed if you are printing PLA and I have heard others say heat the bed to 50... and yet others say heat the bed to 60.

    I am just wondering if I bought a lemon. This printer seems to print after I tweak and tweak and then when it is done with one print job... if I want to print another part, I have to restart the whole process... and it is very annoying. I would like to use Cura or Simplify3D but I cannot until I figure out these problems because it is hard enough in Matter Control.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have been watching a bunch of videos on YouTube (esp from Novice Expert) but even with everything I am slowly learning about this printer, I am still having these problems.

    Thank you all in advance!

    Ashley
     
    #1 Ashley Fox, Feb 22, 2016
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    You have beta. That model does not support auto-leveling. You must manually level the bed. You can add auto leveling for the cost of one switch, printing some brackets and an hour of installation. Manual leveling is done by adjusting the screws at the corners of the bed. I added some spring-loaded ones to make that easier back when mine were still manual leveled.

    Manual leveling means getting it really close to perfect over the entire bed, by hand. Not for the faint of heart. It doesn't change unless you mess with things, but not fun.

    Can't say exactly since the environment matters. Somewhere between 190 and 220 is usually right. Once you get the bed leveled THEN you can experiment with small test models and find your sweet spot. It may vary slightly from one spool to another and one vendor to another.

    Not a lemon, but an older beta unit and they are much more difficult to dial in. My advice would be to consider converting it to auto-leveling if you can handle some rewiring work. We should be able to help you get it printing well enough to print the mounting parts.

    I am attaching a 1-layer test circle (not just a circle, but mostly). Drop it on the viewer for your software and size it fit the bed. Use it to calibrate the bed so that it is level at all sides.

    Refer here for what a layer looks like when done right:

    http://printedsolid.com/firstlayer

    That is our old prime reference :)

    When doing it manually you have to really pay attention to it.
     
    #2 mark tomlinson, Feb 23, 2016
  3. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Here is the test model
     

    Attached Files:

    #3 mark tomlinson, Feb 23, 2016
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    As for the print sticking, try other combinations of things. If blue painters tape and glue-stick aren't working try hairspray (Auqanet) on the glass. Leveling will need to be adjusted slightly if you change from blue-tape on the glass to just 'on the glass'
     
    #4 mark tomlinson, Feb 23, 2016
  5. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    These will help a LOT with manual bed leveling:

    http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:125626

    You can add the spring loaded screws without the printed plastic bits (at least for starters) then once you get it leveled you can print the plastic bits if you want (I never bothered).
     
    #5 mark tomlinson, Feb 23, 2016

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