First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
First print was the tree frog - came out great. I tried another object, and it went for a couple of hours (was a high-resolution print) and got only about 1 inch up into the print. When I came back to it, the head was all the way to the right and still 'printing'.
My X belt was pretty loose (stretched?) - so I undid a bunch of the carriage, and re-tighten the belt. It now seems nicely tight (but not overly so).
Re-calibrated, passed self-check, etc. Did another print. Crashes within a few layers... again leaving the head all the way to the right front. This time it detected a crash and stopped.
After the crash, it was clear that it had entirely lost where the true-home position was.
Suggestions? I checked the set screw on the X axis pulley and it seems tight.
This seems like an X position failure, but I'm not sure what to try next.
Re: First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
What is the value of your X belt status?
Re: First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
try loosening the X axis back plate a touch...
make sure that the X idler screw isn't causing the cheeks to trap the idler roller
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
Re: First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
What is the value of your X belt status?
I don't know what you mean. I can see in the crash report (is there a log with more detail?) that it is counting a crash "in X" versus "in Y".
The belt started out tight enough, though the pivoting of the X-axis stepper motor on those screws did not seem very satisfying as it only pivoted the assembly perhaps a millimeter or two (if that). Anyhow the belt started tight. After the first failed print, I found the X belt was very floppy, not sagging, but no tension at all. I partially disassembled the head housing (oy...) and tightened the belt, and checked my set screw on the X-axis stepper motor pulley. [it too was loose]
After all that... still failing. I read (in this forum somewhere I think) that if you disconnect the belt (took it off the pulley entirely), then you should be able to slide the head freely -- eg: if you tip the printer to one side, it should slide. That is absolutely NOT the case for me.
My head slides perhaps 1/2 an inch, and can be goaded into moving further with a pretty solid push. The belt-channel through the head is clear -- the belt moves freely there. The belt moving over the idler-wheel is smooth as can be -- so no binding there (at least not with belt off pulley).
I can slide the head end to end across the axis (with effort, and getting 'stuck' along the way repeatedly. This implies that the bars are ok (otherwise it would probably bind on one end or the other). And that leads me to think that I've got a bearing problem.
Time to pull apart the head and have a look at those bearings.
Re: First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
Bedore you rip into it. Try alittle light oil and see if they loosen up first
Regards joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
Re: First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
Bedore you rip into it. Try alittle light oil and see if they loosen up first
I may try that as well. Loosening the carriage back-plate helped, as did a little manual running of the carriage (while I had the belt off) the full length of the bed. It's definitely smoother than it was, and I managed to get another print to work.
It does appear that the problem is tightness against the bearings on the rails.
Thanks everyone.
Re: First print great, since then - all crash (x-axis fail?)
Good Luck Matt
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK