Z Axis Problem

Got printer a couple weeks ago, but haven't had time to play with it. Took a bit to get drivers set up so the printer would communicate with the computer, but it's working fine now.

I've gone through the auto leveling calibration (several times actually) and am attempting a calibration print.

When the print starts, the Z axis moves the extruder down to the print bed, stops for a second, then continues to drop. The Z Axis 'screws' move down so far that the nuts on the switches come out of the recesses and start to spin freely, wrapping the wires around the screws. At this point, the extruder is just sitting on the build platform.

I have calibrated, rebooted, power cycled and tried several different calibration prints from thingiverse. It always does the same thing.

Any ideas?

 

can you post the gcode file you're trying to run?

 

I'm running the calibration cube that is in the MatterControl library and this one:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:24238/#files

 

I need to see the actual G-code you're running to see what's causing it to do what you describe. Save the gcode from mc if you can

 

I had that problem once, on my second print, while using MatterControl. Z-axis kept going down. Fortunately I was there to pull the plug before something broke. I still don't know why this happened and it has not happened since I switched to Cura.

 

I'm guessing that you want to see the first part of the code setting up the start point?

; generated by Slic3r 1.0.0RC2 on 2014-05-24 at 10:39:27

; layer_height = 0.2
; perimeters = 3
; top_solid_layers = 3
; bottom_solid_layers = 3
; fill_density = 0.3
; perimeter_speed = 60
; infill_speed = 60
; travel_speed = 150
; nozzle_diameter = 0.4
; filament_diameter = 1.75
; extrusion_multiplier = 1
; perimeters extrusion width = 0.40mm
; infill extrusion width = 0.67mm
; solid infill extrusion width = 0.67mm
; top infill extrusion width = 0.67mm
; support material extrusion width = 0.40mm
; first layer extrusion width = 0.50mm

G21 ; set units to millimeters
M190 S60 ; wait for bed temperature to be reached
M104 S195 ; set temperature
G28 ; home all axes
G1 X-0.08Y0Z5 F5000
M109 S195 ; wait for temperature to be reached
G90 ; use absolute coordinates
G92 E0
M82 ; use absolute distances for extrusion
G1 E-3 F1800
G1 X-0.01Y0Z-11.38 F9000
G92 E0
G1 X97.69Y108.87Z-9.82 F9000
G1 X97.71Y108.87Z-10.82 F9000
G1 E3 F1800
G1 X98.97Y108.14Z-10.8 E3.072 F1080
G1 X100.35Y107.69Z-10.77 E3.145
G1 X101.8Y107.54Z-10.75 E3.217
G1 X106.8Y107.54Z-10.66 E3.466
G1 X108.16Y107.68Z-10.64 E3.534
G1 X109.46Y108.07Z-10.62 E3.601
G1 X110.67Y108.72Z-10.6 E3.67
G1 X111.72Y109.58Z-10.58 E3.737
G1 X131.7Y129.58Z-10.26 E5.144
G1 X132.57Y130.64Z-10.25 E5.212
G1 X133.21Y131.84Z-10.24 E5.279
G1 X133.6Y133.14Z-10.23 E5.347
G1 X133.74Y134.5Z-10.23 E5.415
G1 X133.74Y139.5Z-10.24 E5.664
G1 X133.59Y140.94Z-10.24 E5.736
G1 X133.14Y142.31Z-10.25 E5.807
G1 X132.43Y143.56Z-10.26 E5.879
G1 X131.47Y144.64Z-10.28 E5.951
G1 X130.31Y145.5Z-10.3 E6.023
G1 X128.99Y146.1Z-10.32 E6.095
G1 X127.58Y146.41Z-10.35 E6.167
G1 X118.9Y147.42Z-10.5 E6.602
G1 X118.1Y147.47Z-10.51 E6.642
G1 X105.45Y147.47Z-10.72 E7.271
G1 X104.51Y147.4Z-10.74 E7.318
G1 X103.59Y147.22Z-10.76 E7.364
G1 X99.94Y146.21Z-10.82 E7.553
G1 X98.47Y145.61Z-10.84 E7.632
G1 X97.18Y144.7Z-10.86 E7.71
G1 X96.12Y143.52Z-10.88 E7.789
G1 X95.36Y142.12Z-10.89 E7.868
G1 X93.82Y138.34Z-10.91 E8.071
G1 X93.43Y137.06Z-10.92 E8.138
G1 X93.3Y135.72Z-10.92 E8.205
G1 X93.3Y129.03Z-10.91 E8.538
G1 X93.34Y128.3Z-10.91 E8.574
G1 X94.88Y113.77Z-10.87 E9.301
G1 X95.19Y112.35Z-10.87 E9.373
G1 X95.78Y111.02Z-10.85 E9.445
G1 X96.63Y109.84Z-10.84 E9.518
G1 X97.66Y108.92Z-10.82 E9.586
G1 X97.99Y109.26Z-10.82 F9000
G1 X99.17Y108.58Z-10.79 E9.654 F1080
G1 X100.45Y108.16Z-10.77 E9.721
G1 X101.8Y108.02Z-10.75 E9.788
G1 X106.8Y108.02Z-10.66 E10.037
G1 X108.06Y108.15Z-10.64 E10.1
G1 X109.28Y108.51Z-10.62 E10.163
G1 X110.4Y109.11Z-10.6 E10.227
G1 X111.38Y109.92Z-10.59 E10.29

 

Okay, still no solution, but I have discovered that when I manually move the print head around using Matter Control movement controls, the X and Z Axis are linked. Moving the head to the right also raises the Z axis, left lowers the Z axis. When the X axis hits the stop at the end, continuing to click on the X axis continues to change the Z axis.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to whether this is a hardware or software problem?

 

This happened when I first got my Robo as well. Which version of MatterControl are you running?

 

Version 1.0.4

 

That's what I figured. There is an error with that version and the auto leveling.

Uninstall 1.0.4 and remove all related folders on your computer. Go to http://www.robo3dprinter.com/pages/robo3dsoftware and download the latest version of the software.

Also, be sure to NOT go through the auto-leveling setup in MatterControl. This also causes problems as it's not needed to use the G29 code for auto leveling for the Robo.

 

Hadn't even thought about the version of MC. Just downloaded and installed 1.1.1 and am 3/4 through the first test print. Seems to be working so far.

 

Let us know how your print goes and upload a picture for us.

 

First print went so-so. Not the best quality and went funny about 90% through. Since then, I haven't had a successful print. It seems to be an extruder problem. It will just stop extruding after the first couple of layers. It just leaves a glop of plastic here and there. I'm also having problems with the first layers sticking to the bed (using hairspray method).

When I raise the extruder and try to extrude some plastic using the MatterControl controls, it does not extrude. If I pull the filament out, there is a flat spot worn on it. I have to cut the filament off and reinsert it into the extruder. It will work for a little while, then get jammed up again.

I attached pictures of the semi-successful print and the last failed print.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Looks like you're starting too close to the bed. I had this problem as well. Raise your offset a bit, maybe .1 or .05 above what it is now.

It's causing clotting during your first couple layers, which causes the hobbed bolt to grind on the filament and then it gets stuck in the tube. A problem I'm all too familiar with.

Raise the offset, turn your temp up to about 215 and extrude a good amount of filament to clear it out.

 

Replace the hobbed bolt. OR increase the temp to make it easier to shove plastic without shearing it.

 

Shouldn't need to replace the hobbed bolt, but you may want to take it out to clear the shrapnel from the ground filament.

 

Clean the hobbed bolt using something like an electric shaver cleaning brush to save you pulling you extruder apart. Then adjust your retraction settings to 10mm/sec and 2mm retraction. It might result in more stringing and/or blobbing but should reduce your hobbed bolt getting clogged. I replaced my hobbed bolt with a groves one and it's much better but it still cloggs if there's a lot of rapid retraction cycles.

 

Success!! Lots of experimenting with offset and retraction speed, but it is working pretty well now. My offset was a lot farther off than I thought it could be.

I also ended up changing filament. I was using the blue stuff that comes with the printer and I found that it was really brittle. It has much different properties than the spool I ordered.

Picture of first successful print posted below.

Thank you to everyone for all the help!

 

Can you attach an image of the sides?

 

Took pics with and without flash.