Unresolved Printer printing off to the side after awhile

After printing just shy of an inch in height something happens and the print starts printing off the side of the bottom layers.


I believe what's happening is it's not going up during the reset to the next layer and the extruder hits the side of the existing layers causing it to go off to the side. This is my best guess.
I've tried some silicone lube spray we used to use for airsoft on the gears / motor to try and see if that helps. Anyone else have a similar issue?

 

Well a jump like that *could* be caused by belt slipping. Though generally with a belt slip you see multiple skips and not just one.

I think you had the right idea with your extruder clipping theory. Those old gray J-heads were notorious for cracking the inner PTFE lining (they thought maybe it was over-compression) and then leaking out the top of the nozzle. I can't tell for certain but it looks like a glob of plastic might be doing that on yours.

If this plastic then leaks out it can drop on the print which could cause the nozzle to catch it on a Y movement, making the motor torque stall, skipping steps, and losing it's position.

Your two options are replacing the PTFE liner or buying a new hotend.

I for one suggest an all metal hot end like the hexagon or E3D v6. If you ONLY print in PLA, then a J-head hotend is suggested. I believe they're on J-head MKVII right now but it might just be MKVII http://reprap.org/wiki/J_Head_Nozzle You can get it from hotends.com

 

I've had similar issues where my print unexplicably shifts by a mm, an inch. It seems totally random. I think I MAY have an idea as to what's causing it.
I have my filament spool strung up on a broom stick a few feet above my printer(thus giving the filament spool some resistance). What I think is happening is you get slack on the filment, and when the extruder moves to an edge the filament tugs back enough to cause a belt slip. The extruder isn't smart enough to know when it gets off coordinate, and continues printing as if it were in the same spot.
Whenever I take care to ensure the spool is positioned correctly directly above the printer and there isn't any slack on the filament, I get good prints.
Give it a shot, hopefully it will reduce how often that appears, it has for me.

 

I am having the same problem. At first it was random but now it has progressed and will print most of the print and then just stop or the power will stop for a few seconds and then restart. Obviously losing its location. I think it is actually a problem with the circuit board malfunction. I have a meeting with Jerry at Robo on Mon and when we resolve the issue I will post he solution for the problem.

 

Sounds like polyfuse may be overheating if everything pauses then resumes. Is the fan on the bottom of your printer running?

No offense to Jerry because he tries harder than anyone I know, but he's certainly not the only one that cause resolve it

 

I pulled the bottom off and looked at the Arduino board and everything is plugged in and looks ok. I tuned the printer on and the fan is working.

 

The Polyfuse does make sense. I assume it has a auto reset and that is why it starts back up after a few seconds. Does it require soldering to put a new one in. If that does end up being what the cause is.

 

Yeah it's unusual for the 5A version to trip off. Mine was doing that when I blew open the fuse. I dropped in the 11A I pulled from the other line.

It's pretty easy to replace, especially if you're scrapping the fuse afterwards. Just cut the legs to remove it, then heat up the leg and pull it out with tweezers. Ideally use a solder sucker to clean the hole but you can probably just feed in a new wire

What I hear people like to do is use inline automotive blade fuses with a holder like this: http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-0400A...&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=automative+fuse+holder

You'd have to replace the fuse if it ever tripped, but they handle temps better than polyfuse

 

Any way to do a diagnostic to confirm it is the Polyfuse ? Don't want to be a remove and replace to diagnose guy.

 

Best way is the feel test. Run a print and if you notice it pausing or temps dropping stop the print, get to the ramps and feel the polyfuse. If it's too hot to keep your finger on then that's the smoking gun

 

Thanks, I give that a try. Do you have a pic of the polyfuse? I am not sure where it is located on the board or what it looks like.

 

The two yellow things on the left are the polyfuse. Larger one is 11A smaller is the 5A that we're concerned with.

 

Thank you . I will let you know if they are the problem

 

my printer was doing something similar to that and it turned out to be the x carriage bearings. See if you can easily move the x carriage with your hand and if it sticks you may need to either replace the bearings or request a new printer.

 

Thanks Bryson, I checked and mine moves smoothly.

 

Well Mike I checked the poly fuses and they were as cool as can be. I still think it is the printer software. Can I flash it reset it or what ever to start it over. When ever I am plugged into the printer and try to print it sends a error. "The speed must be greater than 0" All my slicer settings are 50 or 60 no 0 to be found. If the printer is not plugged in and I press generate it does fine. When plugged in it gives the same error as when I try to print. Has to be printer issue.. Help

 

Try a different software like Cura and see if it gets resolved. MC has too many oddities for me to know what's going on.

Sounds more like a communication issue to me than anything. You checked the polyfuse after it paused right? What does your arduino show up as in the device manager? Have you tried a different USB cable?

You can get the firmware from here but I'm hesitant on it being the problem: http://help.robo3dprinter.com/Wiki/RoBo_3D_Firmware

 

Yes felt polyfuse immediatley after it shut off. The device shows as TAURINO-ATmega 2560. I am trying Cura right now

 

When you install cura it will ask to install the arduino drivers, allow it to do so.

With the arduino drivers installed update the device from Taurino to Arduino Mega 2560: http://help.robo3dprinter.com/Guide/How+to+Connect+to+your+printer+on+windows/4 this is for windows 8 but windows 7 is pretty similar