Solved Increasing Print Bed (Platen) Temperature

To All,

If you would like to experiment with increasing your platen temperature above 85C for printing ABS you will need to modify the firmware on the Robo3D R1. Here is a very good reply from Robo3D support about how to improve printing ABS generally and how to update the firmware on the Robo3D R1 Ardino board, and the firmware itself for higher temperature operation. Cheers!

"You will have to modify the firmware with the new limit. We limited it to 85 as prints with ABS will work just fine with a few tips and this will prolong the life of the electronics and wires.

ABS will warp when it cools, so after a 10-30 layers or so the previous layers will want to contract pulling up the edges of your print. Also objects with corners are more susceptible to warping because the corners will cool faster than the other parts of the object.

You will most definitely want to use glue stick or ABS Juice (if available) on your heated bed.
heat the bed to 80c.
Print with the Part cooling fan off.
You can also print with a Brim. This will print a skirt with a set thickness that attaches to your object helping keep the part down.
The last thing you can do is try to enclose the printer to prevent any airflow and trap in as much heat as possible in the chamber. You can try taping 2 towels 1 on the front and 1 on the rear opening of the printer.

You will need to modify the configuration.h file with the new temp limit.

R1 with Auto Level and 8mm Rods
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B10g8oo2ZwvrSFVMQ2FydU5ZNGM/view?usp=sharing

Flashing the firmware:

1. Arduino is free to download at www.arduino.cc
2. Please download and install the latest arduino software.
3. Attached is the .zip file for the marlin auto level firmware.
4. Download the file. You will need to extract the folder of the .zip file and put it to where your arduino software is looking for sketchbooks.
5. To find out the file path for where arduino is looking for sketchbooks, open the arduino software
6. Go to file, preferences, and see at the top of the window sketchbook location.
7. Extract the .zip file and put the extracted folder into that sketchbook folder.

Steps to uploading the firmware (or flashing the arduino with the same firmware).

1. Make sure your computer is connected to the printer via USB cable. You can leave the power cord unplugged for this procedure.
2. Do not connect repetier or any other software system to your printer.
3. Open the arduino software.
4. Under tools choose board and then arduino mega 2560
5. Under tools choose serial port and choose the option associated with your printer (will probably be the only option, if not, unplug your printer and see which option goes away).
6. Under file, choose sketchbook, and then choose marlin auto level.
7. Now hit the upload button in the arduino software. This is the green arrow pointing to the right at the top of the arduino software window.
8. When the firmware is finished uploading, the arduino software will say “Done uploading” at the bottom of the window.

Brian

Thank you for being a part of Robo3D!
Thank you for your interest in Robo3D!"

 

Platten?

 

I looked it up in case I was ignint... must be a fancy engineering term.. webster's didn't define it like that...

I found -- To flatten and make into sheets or plates; as, to platten cylinder glass.

now I've found the noun... old print shop word which got flipped over in this case I guess.

A platen (or platten) is typically a flat metal (or earlier, wooden) plate pressed against a medium (such as paper) to cause an impression in letterpress printing. Platen may also refer to a typewriter roller which friction-feeds paper into position below the typebars or print head.

Is that common vernacular in CNC machining?

 

OK guys, I found a suitable definition: The platen is the work table of a machine tool.

 

Thank you very much!