X-Axis seems stuck or jammed  

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

Wow, that's quite the odd issue.

With the printer off, how does it feel when you move the x-carriage back and forth manually with your hand?

Either way, try contacting PR support via live chat on their website or via email? Once you figure out what's going on, it might be helpful for future users if you posted what happened here.

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

I am having the same issues with my X Axis. I just broke the belt tension bracket today trying to adjust this to work. I am not sure how to go about getting a replacement part since I can't print anything now.

Did you figure out what the problem is? I am starting to think I have a bad stepper. When I take the belt off the extruder assembly moves perfectly back and forth.

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

What exactly did you break?

Regarding the problem - it could be bad stepper, broken or damaged wiring, bad RAMBo. Try to swap X and Y stepper connectors at RAMBo side and check if the problem moved to Y stepper or stayed on X stepper.

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

Same thing happened to me on Y. It's the connector. You either have a false contact, or have to recrimp the plug if you have the tool (or push with a thin screwdriver on the metal bits on its side).

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

@jamie.d2:
looks like your extruder carriage is blocked somehow.

1st: loosen the screws from the x-motor pulleye (with a 1.5mm wrench (the smallest one of the kit)), so that the stepper axis could rotate without rotating the pulleye.
2nd: try to move the extruder carriage by hand now. does it move smooth, or does it block at some point ?
3rd: power up the printer and move the x-motor (settings -> move x-axis). does the stepper rotate it's axis ?

if the 3rd point went well (stepper is ok), just try to find what's blocking the x-carriage. might be that something interferes with the extruder carriage belt... if not: check the connector at the rambo board. as patrizio mentioned: the connectors are sometimes poorly crimped.

if you stepper is ok, and the carriage could be moved smoothly with some force: how hard is your x-belt tightened ? try to loosen the two screws at the right side of the whole x-axis assembly (the part that sits on the right z-axis spindle). these two screws span the belt. there's no need to tighten them to strong,

by the way: did your problem occur identical in both operating modes: "high power" and "silent" ?

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

For those questioning me on my issues.

\Before breaking part

I have tried EVERYTHING recommended. I was able to get successful PLA prints if I helped guide the X axis through the pre-print 9 point calibration.

Belt tension was taught but not too tight, however I went tighter at some tries to see if that's what was needed and it made the binding worse. The two tension screws are slightly engaged but not too much. I have gone both extremes with them and didn't fix it.

I adjusted the drive gear left and right to make sure it was in line with the belt and the pulley. The grub screws are tight and one is square to the flat side of the stepper spindle.

When I run the X axis control manually it doesn't bind at all.

The bearings are new and again the X axis without the belt on is very smooth back and forth.

Temperature of the unit as a whole seems to have some impact on the amount of binding with it binding more when colder compared to warmer.

The stepper runs without missing steps when not attached to the belt so it doesn't appear to be a bad stepper.

/ After breaking X carriage part

The part I broke is on the X carriage belt pinching post for the left side (as you are facing the printer). I have attached an image of the part that I broke. I was able to put a piece of aluminum that holds it in place and it was working but still having the same X travel binding. I had to add some double stick tape to the portion of the X carriage that strikes the limit switch to account for the aluminum. The first calibration failed and I adjusted the aluminum piece I made to reduce the offset from the 0,0 corner signal point. I ran calibration again and it calibrated. I changed over to ABS so that I could start testing and print a new X carriage piece. The unit still needs help on the X Axis to keep it from binding. I had to adjust Live Z and heat settings for ABS which I did. Now I am getting print shifting on the X axis only which is killing the print.

I started re-adjusting the belts again to loosen them up some on the X carriage and do the tightening on the two side screws and there is a quarter turn spot where the X axis runs without binding and where it fully binds up now. There doesn't seem to be any sweet spot. I am having issues with the bed calibration now too.

I am in desperate need of a solution. I am going to check the X stepper motor connections on the rambo tomorrow and then switch with Y to see if I get the same binding. If that doens't work then I guess its a major tear down and re-build to check everything. I am going to see if the local 3d printing business can print the x -carriage, probably gonna cost $50 or more.

My gut feeling on this is that there is a problem with the acceleration speed of the X stepper where it is causing it to move up or down slightly but enough to cause binding between the top and bottom guide rods. Maybe a problem with the X carriage geometry design. There is an offset of a few millimeters on one side of the x carriage belt clamp from the other side.

Any help is appreciated.

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

One of the three bearings on my i3 mk3 siezed(!). This caused an x-axis calibration failure on the x axis length.

Re: X-Axis seems stuck or jammed

I'm having the same problem after installing the MMU on my MK3. Part of the installation was rebuilding the extruder body. The X-axis moves smoothly my hand with not much force. I tried loosing the belt a bit, but it didn't help.

Thanks,
Daryl