1. Got a question or need help troubleshooting? Post to the troubleshooting forum or Search the forums!

Unresolved Y Axis Belt Grinds

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by Ron W, Jun 22, 2015.

  1. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    I printed overnight just fine, started another print before I left for work and came home to a total mess. So I restarted the print and it homes and Auto levels just fine, but once it gets into the print, the y axis belt is grinding really bad. I haven't sped anything up to make it have more stress, I checked the tension screws, they seem tight enough.... any ideas?
     
    #1 Ron W, Jun 22, 2015
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Lift the bed and check the belt. Look at the capstans in the center that the belt rides around. Is the belt in the center of the capstans vertically? Does it stay there when you move the bed back and forth or does it drift to the edge and cause a bind?
     
    #2 mark tomlinson, Jun 22, 2015
  3. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    It goes up just a touch. It doesn't look like it binds though.
     
    #3 Ron W, Jun 22, 2015
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Then something else (a wire bundle or something) is stopping it from traveling correctly.
    You are going to need to watch and move it to see what might be causing the binding.
     
    #4 mark tomlinson, Jun 22, 2015
  5. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    I think I found it... The magnet wasn't seated in the black bar that goes across, attaching the two rails. I think that put those bars out of square and caused the bind... 7 minutes into a print and no grinding yet... If it goes through this print without an issue, I'll mark it as solved.

    I didn't know those black bars across the front and back holding the rails could come out so easy.
     
    #5 Ron W, Jun 22, 2015
  6. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    It's something else I can't see while it's printing.... It printed one nice, but the last 2 prints the Y axis got thrown off when it grinds. It will grind anywhere from 1mm to 10mm at a time, and only going in one direction. My prints end up looking like steps going up from front to back.
     
    #6 Ron W, Jun 23, 2015
  7. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Then that is probably the bearings.
    I am having to make assumptions here since I can't see if it is actually getting blocked by an obstruction (maybe a wire bundle or something). Assuming there is nothing mechanically blocking the axis (not sure now if you mean X or Y -- you talk about both) then it is probably the bearings.

    In almost all cases I have seen where the Y axis is the one doing this it is the wire bundle under the bed that is getting hung up.

    Maybe a video would help.
     
    #7 mark tomlinson, Jun 23, 2015
  8. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    I am talking abou the Y axis... (the bed moving back and forth)... the X axis belt... (The extruder moving Left and right), does not grind at all.

    Do I have my Axis labels correct?

    If the x axis was grinding, the steps would go from right to left or left to right... correct?
     
    #8 Ron W, Jun 23, 2015
  9. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    OK, yes Y is the bed movement.
    Something is either getting in the way (like the wire bundle harness) and blocking he travel or the belt is binding on the drive (pinions or drive motor cog). With it off you should be able to easily move the bed along the rails full travel.

    Since the binding is causing skipping there is no doubt that it is binding, you just need to sort out what it is binding on.
     
    #9 mark tomlinson, Jun 23, 2015
  10. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    I'll video it when I get off today.
     
    #10 Ron W, Jun 23, 2015
  11. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    is there anywhere in the Dallas area to service the Robo3d? For the life of me, I can't fix this issue....
     
    #11 Ron W, Jul 2, 2015
  12. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Is something getting in the ay of the bed movement (like a wire bundle?) If not, look closely at the spindles in the center than the Y belt moves through. Move the bed back and forth (stop to stop) and watch it. Does the belt stay centered on those pinions or does it move up/down?
     
    #12 mark tomlinson, Jul 2, 2015
  13. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    it moves just a tiny bit.... I wouldn't think it's enough to bind it. How do I stop it from moving?
     
    #13 Ron W, Jul 2, 2015
  14. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    20150702_201646.jpg 20150702_201712.jpg
     
    #14 Ron W, Jul 2, 2015
  15. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    you can see in the photos what it's doing, It's so random that I have a hard time catching it on video.
     
    #15 Ron W, Jul 2, 2015
  16. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    That is a bind/skip

    Given that it is not routinely happening (every layer) it is not the belt binding on the sprockets. Something caused a bind well into the print.

    If I had to guess I would suspect that the wire harness was the culprit. I had to use zip ties and anchors to keep mine from wanting to get in the way of the bed. When the bind occurs you will hear the belts skip (grind).
     
    #16 mark tomlinson, Jul 3, 2015
  17. Ron W

    Ron W Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2015
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    10
    By the wire harness... you are referring to the power cable and thermistor wires going from the hot end to underneath the printer and not the ribbon cable for the heated bed, correct?

    That should be an easy fix to tie those up.... we'll see what happens...
     
    #17 Ron W, Jul 3, 2015
  18. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    23,915
    Likes Received:
    7,338
    Yes, the bundle of wires that runs from the bottom of the bed to the bottom of the printer.
    Mine, by default, wanted to get caught up in some of the other bits under there and would stop the bed travel.
    (this makes the grinding noise)
     
    #18 mark tomlinson, Jul 3, 2015

Share This Page