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Trying to get Cura working with no success. What am I doing wrong?

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by Ozzie Alarcon, Oct 4, 2015.

  1. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    Okay, here's what's up. I'm trying to branch away from MatterControl but I really don't feel like spending $140 right now on Simplify3D just yet. So I'm trying to use Cura but it doesn't slice or print correctly. What happens is the print starts on the first layer and it goes well. But then the hotend doesn't seem to go up as needed when it starts on the second layer and so on. It just keeps laying down filament layer over layer. I'm trying to use Octoprint so I can learn to not depend on my computer when I do long prints.

    What settings did I not do correctly in Cura?

    I did some experimenting by generating the gcode in Mattercontrol then printed the file in Octoprint and everything works fine.
     
    #1 Ozzie Alarcon, Oct 4, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2015
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    You might want to try changing just one thing at a time.

    Just CURA from the PC for starters then toss in the Octoprint.
    There is a thread for Cura where a lot of the settings are discussed.
     
  3. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    I know the problem is Cura. I read Mike's Cura thread but I'm still missing something where my setup keeps printing layer after layer without raising the Z axis.
     
  4. Sonny's Robo3D

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    What version of Cura are you using? I never got 15.06 to work. Version 15.04 is the current setup for Robo3D. Also did you get the lead screw upgrade? If you can send us a screengrab of the settings - maybe something it a bit off and one of the folks in the forum can spot it. I liked Cura because the slicer is faster (by 10% IMO) but it's not as simple to use as Mattercontrol or seamless with Robo3D. Either way I did the setup for it in the thread and it worked for me. So I'm sure we can help you get it to work
     
  5. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Picture of your first layer?
     
  6. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    No picture but just imagine the printer trying to do its just but its not going up in layers. It just keeps printing layer after layer on the same Z axis.
     
  7. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Might be an overheating stepper driver. Is your fan running on the bottom of your printer
     
  8. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    I know it's not anything hardware related because the printer works fine in Mattercontrol. It has to be something messed up in Cura.
     
  9. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Upload a sliced gcode and we'll see. I kinda doubt it
     
  10. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    Don't know how I can export a calibration cube from within Mattercontrol. Here's my thinking... How is it that I can print something just fine from MC but not in Cura? Nothing is different besides the different software program.
     
  11. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    This is the gcode I sliced in MC then I tried to print in Cura.
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    What? Why are you doing it that way? Just slice from Cura
     
  13. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    Sorry, that's the file I tried to use in Octoprint which gives me the same results while using Cura.
     
  14. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    Okay, so here's the calibration box I tried to print in Cura. I let it run for around one minute and this is what it does. It just keeps doing passes on layers that it's already put down. Then all that happens is the hotend just melts the filament because it keeps passing over what it already laid down. Somehow Cura isn't telling the machine to physically raise the print nozzle on the next layers.
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Is this the same G-code as above?

    The "raise z command" is just a G1 Zn.nn

    I highly doubt it's "not telling" it to raise Z. Something is wrong but it's probably not software
     
  16. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Well, it might be Octoprint related. I had a few oddities when I was using it. Nothing specific to a slicer however.
    I haven't looked at it in a while so my experience with it is not current.
     
  17. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    It's not just Octoprint because Cura does the same thing. Meanwhile Mattercontrol prints just fine.

    Kinda ironic how the only software that works for me is the same software that many people on this forum talk down on.
     
  18. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    If it is working for you, run with it.
    Not sure I see the point.

    I haven't used Cura in a good while so can't speak for it either.
     
  19. Ozzie Alarcon

    Ozzie Alarcon Member

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    I was hoping to use Cura because it seems like it has more options than MC.
     
  20. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Yes, most slicers have more options that MC. However, is there something specific you are lacking with MC that you need?
    If Cura is being problematic try Repetier host. It was my default for over a year and I have kept an eye on it since. It has only gotten better.
    If Slic3r is not you cup of soup it also supports Skeinforge.
     

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