Prusa i3

After some issues with over- and underextrusion (albeit I thought I calibrated everything correctly) I decided to start from scratch.

The Anet A6 seems to have two firmware issues:

• a flow setting of 95 % in the printer's menu results in a brittle mess. I seems to reduce the flow below 50 %
• after changing the ESteps/mm setting the "extrude 100 mm"-gcode effectively extrudes a rather random amount (off by up to 15 %) for the first time. The subsequent tests are meaningful and reproducible.

I think the latter killed my previous attempts to calibrate the ESteps.

Back to topic: I removed the nozzle and calibrated the ESteps/mm to extrude 100 mm (+/- 0.5mm) for speeds of 0.5, 1.5 and 3 mm/s using some generic white PLA. (94.7 ESteps/mm)

Then I reassembled the nozzle and ran a few tests (100 mm each):

White PLA @ 210 °C

• 0.5 mm/s -> 96 %
• 1.5 mm/s -> 94 %
• 3.0 mm/s -> 87.5 %

White PETG @ 210 °C

• 0.5 mm/s -> 93 %
• 1.5 mm/s -> 87 %
• 3.0 mm/s -> 69 %

White PETG @ 240 °C

• 0.5 mm/s -> 96 %
• 1.5 mm/s -> 92 %
• 3.0 mm/s -> 86 %

Rubber @ 230 °C

• 0.5 mm/s -> 80 %

What can I learn from those values? The effective output obviously highly depends the the type of material (soft vs. brittle, PLA or PETG) the speed and the temperature.

Do I have to calibrate my extruder steps for some average material/temperature/speed?
Do I have to compensate the flow in the slicer for each print?
How do I handle varying speeds within the same print for infill/inner walls/outer walls/support/skin?
Can I deduce the max print speed from those values? What about the retraction speed?
Are there typical tolerances? What is worse: a slight over- or under-extrusion?

Can you give me some ideas how to handle this?

Thank you!

Hi, everyone. I'm getting a problem in 3d printing a part. When it reaches a certain height, y axis of the printer slips and all the above part above that is misaligned a bit. I'm getting this 3 times, every time, gcode was generated separated, and placed command in pronterface, but the problem persists. If someone have solution to this, please help me in this regard. Pictures are attached.

Hello,
I just got a BLTouch and I cant seem to get it to do anything. I went into marlin 1.1.5 and enabled the BLTouch option. When I turn on the printer the sensor will light up red go in and out twice and then stop. When I try to deploy or stow the sensor manually or through pronterface nothing happens. I am using a ramps 1.4 and the wiring is correct. Any help would be much appreciated.

Has anyone come up with a bell tension gauge or guide lines on to know if you belts are tight enough? Currently printing near perfect lines on all axis. Was able to print http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1019228 with all the detials. But eventually I assume the belt will stretch. I have seen the printed belt tensioners, and the one that uses the spring from wooden clothes hanger. What is the proper bounce? Is there a sound, like when tuning a string instrument? How much is too much?

After a long print my printer has decided something is wrong, perhaps with the PINDA?

• It started with the error message - bed leveling failed sensor disconnected or cable broken

• When doing a self test - I get the " Please check: Endstops Wiring Error Z" when it tries to raise the print head. But only when the print head is on the right side of the bed. If I move the print head to the left and redo the self test, it will pass

• The PINDA light goes off when a metallic surface is near the tip

• When trying to do a first layer calibration or mesh bed leveling I get a "bed leveling failed sensor disconnected or cable broken waiting for reset"

• I've tried adjusting the PINDA position to no avail

• I re-flashed the firmware version 3.1

So, I'm suspecting a failed or defective PINDA - is there any chance I can replace it with one from Amazon? I would like to get my printer back on line faster than waiting for the part from Prague.

Here is a video showing the Z calibration process. Note how it 'skips' over 3 right side points out of the 9 and the end just seems to stop with no indication of failure on the screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKNV4SRc7tQ&feature=youtu.be

BTW- Has anyone replaced the PINDA with one of the ones found on Amazon, I can get those faster (and cheaper) than one from Prague.

Thanks