So many issues...

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boiler02
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Re: So many issues...

Post by boiler02 »

Got it... I was right (and wrong) about the temp. The turbo fan was going nuts at full power (not my setting) and was cooling the PLA right in the nozzle.

Unfortunately, Cura (14.12) can't control the fan!! The machine itself is forcing the fan to 100%, so I had to disconnect it.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

boiler02 wrote: September 14th, 2017, 8:08 pm I'm really at a loss here...

I got everything re-assembled after replacing the bearings and all looked ready to go. I went to print a calibration cube and ran into my old friend "not a damn thing is extruding". Nozzle is at temp (200), filament seems to be seated in the extruder motor and should be making it down to the pipe, but when I hit "Print", nothing comes out. The carriage goes through the motions like it's printing, so at least that works. When I take off the fan/heatsink, I can get it to manually extrude using the console. By the time I get the fan back on, the z-axis back at 0, and hit print...something goes "eff you buddy" and nothing comes out.

I'm genuinely starting to regret buying this thing.

Take you fan off, take a ruler place across the stepper Extruder gear see if it the too far extended and rubbing against the Heatsink.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

boiler02 wrote: September 14th, 2017, 8:08 pm I'm really at a loss here...

I got everything re-assembled after replacing the bearings and all looked ready to go. I went to print a calibration cube and ran into my old friend "not a damn thing is extruding". Nozzle is at temp (200), filament seems to be seated in the extruder motor and should be making it down to the pipe, but when I hit "Print", nothing comes out. The carriage goes through the motions like it's printing, so at least that works. When I take off the fan/heatsink, I can get it to manually extrude using the console. By the time I get the fan back on, the z-axis back at 0, and hit print...something goes "eff you buddy" and nothing comes out.

I'm genuinely starting to regret buying this thing.

Preheat the Hotend with everything together extrude 10mm of filament with the LCD controls.
Try to print anything, while holding the filament close to the extruder filament input. Feel if the filament is moving in and not out of the extruder while printing.

It could also be the filament gear is rubbing on the heat sink. Take the fan off, take a ruler place across the stepper Extruder gear see if the gear is too far extended and rubbing against the Heat sink. I had to put the extruder gear on backwards to keep it away form the heat sink.
boiler02
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Re: So many issues...

Post by boiler02 »

I pretty much give up.

There's nothing for the extruder gear to rub on. It's recessed closer to the motor than the edge of extruder assembly. The heatsink for the fan has a cut out larger than the diameter of the gear (so even if it were sticking out, it wouldn't rub).
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GrueMaster
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Re: So many issues...

Post by GrueMaster »

Does the gear rotate freely? From the pics, it looks like the gear may be too close to the motor (enough for the set screw to bind). I could be wrong though.
boiler02
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Re: So many issues...

Post by boiler02 »

GrueMaster wrote: September 14th, 2017, 10:34 pm Does the gear rotate freely? From the pics, it looks like the gear may be too close to the motor (enough for the set screw to bind). I could be wrong though.
Seems to spin just fine.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

Before assembling check the PTFE lining in the throat for distortion, this can be done by pushing filament thru with it when dissembled.

When assembling the PTFE goes to the Bottom, screw the Nozzle into the heater block until two threads are exposed. then screw the throat into the Heater block and and tighten you should still see 1 thread on the Nozzle when tight.

When Assembled, I leave the throat a just below the the surface of the stepper Heat sink block.
I know what they said but it works better if it is a little lower. Before assembling I feed the Filament down into the Throat to help Aline the pieces.

When I insert filament I estimate 60mm of filament to make sure filament is feed to the Bottom and resting at the nozzle.
Now preheat the nozzle to 200 degrees using the LCD extract some filament.

What do you have on the hot-bed if it is bare aluminum you will have lots of problems, I would have Blue tape it is more forgiving.
Setting the Nozzle height. Auto Home, using the LCD lower the nozzle to lowest Z-Axis. Check the height of the nozzle by sliding a piece of paper between the nozzle and the blue tape. If you can feel a little friction you are at the right height if paper slides freely you are too high for 3D Printing.

Adjusting the Nozzle height can be a real pain as Hictop did not give us a good way to accomplish this.
Lower nozzle to the lowest height using the LCD. Slide a piece of paper under the nozzle, loosen the proximity sensor lower to the paper tighten Sensor. Auto home lower to lowest z-axis height slide paper under nozzle if slight friction you are ready to print. Not correct Repeat until correct.

Do not give Up you are almost there, once you get this last part you are printing. we will determine what is holding us up.
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jonnybischof
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Re: So many issues...

Post by jonnybischof »

Suppose there's a reason why they go through revisions so quickly...
I would try to return it and get my money back. This kit seems to be fishy. Just from that last pic one can guess that the engineer behind it didn't really know what he was doing.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

Don't pay him a second thought, Hictop is a good Sturdy Aluminum frame 3D Printer and will stand up to any filament Models on the market today.
Better than most Wood, Plastic and Acrylic frame printers on the market, a few years from now their Wood, Plastic and Acrylic frames will warp deteriorate into a pile a worthless debris, and sooner in High humidity of hot environments. While our Sturdy Aluminum frame 3D Printers will still be printing.

Having more than one version of 3D Printer only makes scene, and the more models at varying prices you have the more sales you have.
Hictop has no obsoleted models every printer they make are all still listed as for sale.

Enough said.

Lets get your 3D Printer working.
boiler02
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Re: So many issues...

Post by boiler02 »

1)
Now, on top of the no extruding issue, the printer has decided to start printing well above the bed. I've changed no hardware or software since my last posting of issues.

I manually lower the z-axis so the nozzle tip is juuuust above the bed (sheet of card stock paper thickness), level the bed (checking 9 points on the bed), push the assembly back to the center of the X-Y plane, hit print...does it's homing in the front left corner, goes back to the 'center' position but is at least 2-3mm above the bed.

2)
And the same not extruding issue continues along with this.

3)
I noticed the thermistor was loosely in the heating block, so I tightened the set screw. Once I powered up the machine, I got temp errors - I assume because the set screw was causing a short. How tight is that screw supposed to be? I've ordered new throats, nozzles, and heat blocks...maybe I should order a new heater/thermistor set, too.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

Too Start we need to get the 3D Printer calibrated.

1. Home Nozzle, Lower Z-Axis to its lowest height, Disable the steppers, Measure height from the frame to both sides of the X-Axis smooth rod.
Adjust by hand turning the coupling till both sides are the same height.
2. Home Nozzle, lower the Z-Axis to its lowest height, Disable the steppers, Move nozzle to front left corner of the bed. Adjust the front bed leveler to the thickness of a piece of paper. (NOTE: paper is not a unit of measurement, every type of paper may not be the same thickness).
3. Repeat Step 2 above for all other bed levelers, Left Back, Right Back and Right Front. Now your bed is Level (kind of).
4. Home Nozzle, lower the Z-Axis to its lowest height. Is the nozzle at the height of a sheet of paper. If not adjust until it is. Now start a print.

Using an adjustable Proximity sensor mount. I can set the height of the Sensor thereby adjusting the height of the nozzle to micro millimeters.
New TL-W3M Mount.jpg
I have determined that Marlin 1.1.5 CRC error is not an Error it is merely a checksum of the data, and have Flashed on both my 3D Printers.
I can modify My version Configuration files to work for your version of Hardware if you want it.
I have a different Sensor and A filament run-out sensor installed on mine. I am using the Low Profile sensor on a different slide mount than shown.
boiler02
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Re: So many issues...

Post by boiler02 »

Random update:

I haven't touched the printer in several days, mostly out of frustration. About ten minutes ago I placed an order on Amazon for end stops. I'm going to pull out the inductive sensor and add the mechanical switch instead. That, at least, should solve the issue of the z-axis not getting to where it needs to be.

I've also replaced the entire hot end assembly: throat, heat block, and nozzle. (though initial tests were not encouraging) Same heater and thermistor though, for now. I do have several replacement thermistors I can swap out.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

Good luck.
boiler02
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Re: So many issues...

Post by boiler02 »

What do I have to change in the configuration.h file to switch from the inductive sensor (auto-bed leveling, etc) to the mechanical switch?
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: So many issues...

Post by Roberts_Clif »

If you are referring to SN04-N to end-stop, the SN04 acts like a No switch. don' believe there are any.
If there is it would be the line in red. Bed leveling will not work but does not need to be changed.
Soon you will be reinstalling the SN04-N on a slide switch.

configuration.h
// The pullups are needed if you directly connect a mechanical endswitch between the signal and ground pins.
const bool X_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Y_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool X_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Y_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Z_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
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