bed leveling issues

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robertcnc
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bed leveling issues

Post by robertcnc »

I am having a hard time with the bed maintaining level. I have the Creality CR-10 S5. From what I have read, the bed should stay level for some time once set. My experience has been that the bed does not stay level very long. In fact, if I move the bed back and fourth, this can cause it to go out of level. Currently my prints keep failing and when I go check the bed level, it is no longer level. My current print of 20 hours will not print as the bed seems to move out of level during the print. Does anyone know why this is occurring?

Thank you in advance for any help,
Rob
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GrueMaster
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by GrueMaster »

Sounds like there is not enough tension in the bed springs. I'd try adjusting your Z sensor down a little, then tighten your leveling screws to match. Leave some play in the springs though. Another possibility which I see on my CR-10S is that the 2nd Z stepper will slip when the printer is offline for very long and I forget to 'Park' the print head close to the center. This has been verified with calipers, a level, and other methods for testing height & tilt of the gantry.
robertcnc
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by robertcnc »

Thank for the information.

I do make sure the gantry is level with the top of the machine. I can't check level against bottom rails as they are not level with each other (see below)

I did notice a couple of other things.

1) I was not being exactly precise where I placed the print head while making the knob adjustments or checking print head distance to glass (i'm leveling in an area outside their recommended leveling area as I need to use more of the bed for my print). I noticed that even at 40C, the bed will start to become not level about where the heat element stops (all level without any heat). If I take a level and feeler gauge, I can get a .1mm to .15mm gauge between the level and the glass which does not happen when the bed is not heated. I can get up to a .25mm gauge under at 60C. I can fix this by shimming under the glass with some paper but then the system will only be setup level for a particular temperature which should be fine. I'm only using PLA at the moment.

2) the distance between the bottom of the bed to top of the bottom rail on which it runs has a delta between the two of .6mm in height! I would expect this to be 0mm! Should I fixed this? I'm sure I can adjust the knobs to level this out however but again expected this to be precise. I"m still trying to figure out why this has such a difference when the parts are the same size. Error is with connection from rail system to bed but can't see without taking it apart.

I don't have a lot of play with the z sensor and had to move it all the way up to keep it from hitting the bed when in home position when it is almost level. When the knobs are turned to the lowest position the print head doesn't hit but will after level and return to home. I can't move it up anymore as there is no more play to move it up. There is no way to move the sensor up or significantly down without making a modification or printing a new plate for it. Fixing the rails to provide the same height to the bottom of the bed will not fix this as it is the right rail that needs to come up .6mm.

I could as a work around place a feeler gauge on the z sensor which would effectively move it since homing is only needed at beginning of a print but I think I need to fix other things before I just start trying to make changes.

Still trying to understand what is best to work on.

What should I try first? Sounds like I have a few issues that I need to fix on this machine.
susanneadam
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by susanneadam »

It may happen if the Filament height and width varies across the build surface.
or Your nozzle gap is off as a result which will not allow you filament to get attached at the right place.
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LePaul
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by LePaul »

I know the large versions of the CR-10 have been plagued with bad bed glass. A friend noticed it was impossible to get a paper gap between nozzle and bed around the center area of his bed after doing so at each corner. He also suspected the bed frame might have a dip in it

Do make sure everything is square and if it is and your leveling attempts are still off, I'd take that glass off and lay it on a flat surface and see if it's truly flat. I've seen a few reddit posts where guys used the other side. Or a 3rd party surface
susanneadam
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by susanneadam »

Yes True, Even I have seen many Reddit post where they have tried several ways to resolve this problem.
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LePaul
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by LePaul »

There's several YouTube videos about it too. We can help!
william5
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Re: bed leveling issues

Post by william5 »

robertcnc wrote: July 21st, 2019, 7:34 pm I am having a hard time with the bed maintaining level. I have the Creality CR-10 S5. From what I have read, the bed should stay level for some time once set. My experience has been that the bed does not stay level very long. In fact, if I move the bed back and fourth, this can cause it to go out of level. Currently my prints keep failing and when I go check the bed level, it is no longer level. My current print of 20 hours will not print as the bed seems to move out of level during the print. Does anyone know why this is occurring? Does anyone know where I can get more information about bed leveling?

Thank you in advance for any help,
Rob
It sounds like you're having some issues with bed leveling on your Creality CR-10 S5. It can definitely be a challenge to get it just right, but it is possible to maintain a level bed for a longer period of time. It's possible that the bed is being moved out of level when you move it, or that it is shifting slightly due to vibrations or other factors. You can try using some bed stabilizers or dampers to help keep the bed level, and also make sure that all of the screws holding the bed in place are tightened to the correct torque. Additionally, it can help to level the bed using a probe or sensor instead of manually, as this can help to ensure a more precise level. Hopefully this helps you get your prints back on track!
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