First Layer Printing

I have the Robo R1 with the enclose bottom, I have the Hexagon hot end, I am using the latest version of MatterControl and using Matterslicer. I am using 0.0 for the Z-axis offset, this seem to work the best, if I go to a larger number the print gets worst. I have recalibrated a number of times and thing I am as close as I'm going to get. The other setting are whatever came with the latest version of MatterControl. I have uploaded some picture and would appreciate if someone would take a look and give me there opinion. I have Repetier Host on my PC but have not configured it for the Robo yet.

 

Looking at the skirt it appeaers your first layers is just a tiny bit too high. The lines aren't merging together as they should.

www.printedsolid.com/firstlayer/ A good visual guide on the proper first layer.

In mattercontrol, you do not want to use the Z-offset. You want to use the Automatic Printer Leveling for determining your offset.

I suggest removing .1mm from the calibrated values and trying again. Under the configuration tab click the hammer and wrench to bring up the values it calculated:

 

please disregard my other post, this is really detail, thanks

 

Mike
The current values it's using to calculate are below: When you say " I suggest removing .1mm from the calibrated values" do want all values changed or just the Z, so would reducing the Z go from 1.84 to 1.74, 1.22 to 1.12 and 2.04 goes to 1.94 ????

Postion 1 X 114 Y 228.6 Z 1.84
Postion 2 X 22.8 Y 25.4 Z 1.22
Postion 3 X 205.2 Y 25.4 Z 2.04

 

exactly. Then it will keep the same "Plane" but will be lower by half a layer.

 

Can you explain what the position 1,2,3 mean and what the numbers refer to.

 

Correct Mark.

The X and Y coordinates are where the Z sample is being taken.

 

Still having problems with my first layer. I have attached some photos of the problem. I have gone thru the bed calibration a number of time, trying to get the hot end as close to the bed as possible. I have changed the number as Mike suggested above, it does move the hot end closer to the bed, but I'm still have a problem. To me it looks like the when I'm printing, the bed is not level. In the photos it looks like the hot end is higher on the right side of the bed than the left. Not sure how to adjust for this, other then doing the bed calibration in the configuration setup.
I'm using MatterControl/Matterslicer, hexagon hot end, I have the newer enclosed bottom Robo printer.

These are the numbers I used for this print, as you can see they are different from the numbers above, This numbers bring the hot end really close to the bed.
Postion 1 X 114 Y 228.6 Z 1.5
Postion 2 X 22.8 Y 25.4 Z 0.94
Postion 3 X 205.2 Y 25.4 Z 1.65

This my start up Gcode:.
G28 ; home all axes
G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle
M109 S[temperature] ; set the extruder temp and wait
G28 Z0 ; Home Z again in case there was filament on nozzle
M565 Z0
G29 ; probe the bed

 

The bed levelness is compensated for with the autolevel values. You need to keep repeating the configuration until it has the correct values for your printer.

 

I understand what you are saying, but I have done the recalculation a number of times, with the same results, one side of the bed seems to be higher than the other side. When it does the bed calulation it checks 3 spots on the bed, back center of the bed, front left and right side of the bed. I'm trying to figure out what numbers to change to make one side lower and keep the other side the same. Checking only 3 spots on the bed makes this a little more difficult. Could the plate be warped or something I'm not seeing

 

Unlikely. Probably just a bad value. You should upgrade to the latest version of matter control which uses 9 point sensing.

 

Mike, I maybe confusing you with the above explanation of what is happening.

When you go into MatterControl and do the configuration setup shown below, you can only check and adjust 3 points, back middle, front left, and front right. Then after you start a print job it does the nine point check. Not sure how these 2 checks work together?

I'm using the latest software from MatterControl, version 2.0, just came out, but this problem was also happening under version 1.1.7

For the below configuration you suggested " removing .1mm from the calibrated values and trying again. Under the configuration tab click the hammer and wrench to bring up the values it calculated: "


.
I have run the above configure a number of times and have adjusted the numbers like you suggested above, and it does move the head closer to the bed, but from what I can see from the pictures posted above, the hot end looks like it is lower on one side of the bed than the other side when printing.
I'm not sure when you are using only 3 point to set, how you get the printing to be level all the way around.
I would think that the nine point check would make some compensation for how level the print is going to be, but this does not seem to be the case in the way the prints are coming out.
I can't print anything because of this problem, so close, yet so far to go, very frustrating.

 

Hi Robert.
I think you want to read Ziggy's post here: http://forums.robo3dprinter.com/index.php?threads/why-doesn’t-my-bed-auto-level-successfully-anymore.3281/#post-29088

He outlines that there are two leveling schemes and you don't want both enabled at the same time. Perhaps your problem is an interaction between the two schemes.

I have a beta printer with no leveling so I can only speculate on this.

Steve

 

Steve thanks for the response. I will read what Ziggy has to say, but after about 4 hours of working with the configuration paramaters that Mike Kelly talks about in a post #2, I have my first layer looking much better. It was a LOT of work and very time consuming. It seems like the initial configuration set up where you use paper to calibrate the 3 points on the bed does not come close to where the Hot end needs to be in relation to the bed.

Mike Kelly, thanks for you help also, I guess these printers are going to need a lot more work that I thought.

Now I'm having a problem with my prints being very stringy, reduced the hot end temp from 210 to 205, thinking that may help, but it did not help. Any thought on this work be appreciated.

I'm also having a problem when I do a home command for my Y axis, I get a grinding noise when it moves the bed all the way to the front to find the Home point. This just started after I removed the bed to look at the cables that the Y axis uses. I looked to see if any cables are getting in the way, but everything looks OK. Any idea what I may have messed up???

 

Mark, I'll try lowering the temp again and let you know how it goes.
Any idea about my Y axis grinding problem

 

Mark, I think my problem is with how wire bundle is getting in the way of the Y travel, do have sme pictures of how you have used zip ties to secure these wires.

 

Hi Robert,
How about a guide like this: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:525085 . I have printed it but have not installed it yet.
Steve