Getting Started Issues

General Hardware
21

Theycallmejohn thanks for the input however all your three points have been covered throughout the forum

  1. Rafts were set to 0, and in many of the print cases no support settings were even enabled, but I can tell u rafts were never applied a value

  2. In the video we had a nice and perfect calibration, see my posting regarding my paper/caliber test and see the video.

  3. Definitely have started with that, originally the prints we were using were the Octopus, since then I have used Yoda as well as iphone case, and doing at least 3-4 prints in each category.

But thank you

22

I may have found an issue which has not resulted in complete loss of functionality of the Lulzbot, Looks like the machism in which you use for bed calibration on the four corners is flawed. maybe just for me so I cannot speak for everyone.

After the last iphone case print, I then went and tried to use Expert mode again and ended up with an odd results where the extrusion was very thin, I then came to realize that the bed again was no longer calibrated, and this is just after 6 prints.

The issue of why the extruder wasnt laying down filament in the iphone case is still valid, because at the last documented video the extruder was laying out filament just fine, only in my latest print which i have not posted a video or picture of did it start coming out thin.

The problem is that the corner piece which holds the bed in place is broken, basically they secure this part through an aluminum threaded hole, either the screw or the hole in the aluminum plate is too large or worn out. Keep in mind i only calibrated this one time, so thats certainly not a good sign to be worn out after one calibration. Now there is absolutely no way for me to calibrate this bed, so now all things are on hold.

http://youtu.be/myyJJkYdaW4

Btw if you have any ideas on the issues related to the gaps of filament i would still like to know any ideas to correct that.

23

If you need a quick solution, the hole can be retapped if you have a tap and die set. You can also use a longer screw with 2 locking nuts (above and below the plate to secure that corner). I would recommend sending in an email to support@lulzbot.com with your order information and we’ll help however we can. Until that corner is stabilized, you may want to hold off on attempting any further print quality troubleshooting.

24

It is just a metal bolt hole, so it is unlikely to wear out. But if you are seeing it as too large, perhaps it got tapped wrong or something. Seems a bit unlikely as we would catch that, but it is possible. We can get you a replacement if it is defective. Email support@lulzbot.com and point them to this thread and they can create and RMA (return) for you, if you want to replace it.

FWIW, I can’t think of a case where the aluminum bed plate itself had a problem. They’ve been consistent. But I guess it can happen.

Thanks,

-Jeff

25

Thanks Jeff, I am still working through other issues, but meantime I was able to figure out a nifty trick to solve the issue. The problem is either with the screw or the bed hole (at least the top part of the hole). So since the corner clip has two screw holes one to fasten the clip to the bed and other for the spring adjustment, i swapped places. There was still thread on that bad hole coming from underneath the bed, so i just switched the spots around and its now ok.

Here is what I did, unless there is any problems with this, I spoke to Kent on the phone and he didnt see any issue with it.
http://youtu.be/4wETtreFIqg

Since my long very helpful and insightful call with Kent we had worked out some issues. The biggest issue seems to keep rearing its ugly face and thats the Bed Calibration. Step by step through Google Hangout on AIR we were able for over an hour to go through the bed calibration since it was being very difficult on us (adjusting one corner would cause an issue in another corner and so on).

We thought it was all done by end of the call, however returning home later that day I was shocked to find the unit was again out of calibration. Nothing had broke and clips were still on, but the heating and cooling is definitely causing some major issues keeping the calibration to hold.

We have done now calibrations both in a cooled as well as a heated state and still this bed calibration issue keeps coming up. You can find yourself with a perfect calibration and then either after a single print or at least one heatup cooldown period whatever you did will go away.

Given the fact that there is basically little tolerance and that the spacing between the Extruder and Bed has to be a fraction of millimeter, either there is something defective with my Lulzbot Taz 3 or its just not possible to keep such a calibration (either heated or cooled) to stay calibrated.

Here is a video… what is even stranger, was that when running a bed Calibration i would get mixed results, however after clearly seeing my paper not fitting and being able to go under the extruder i was absolutely shocked when I got a good Calibration results. However note that prints printed in the center of the bed looked transparent in the first layer as that i think something is defective in the bed as it warps and the center is pushed up higher since prints even after this beautiful calibration test yielded SMUSHED filament across the bed…

http://youtu.be/ProS5qTl4ZM

Note that the center of the image was very transparent and while its hard to tell its completely flat against the bed. Also you will see a faint ring around the print, that was the loop, and NO i did not remove it, the filament simply would not come out of the extruder since in that area of the bed there was no room for it to come out.

Also i do want to note and state Kent from the support team was absolutely awesome in assisting me, regardless of current outcome, the support team is super knowledgeable and helpful, patient and willing to assist customers.

26

Part of what you might be running into is the Z axis hysterisys. Depending on which spring variant your machine has, and whether it is equipped with 1 or two brass Acme nuts per side, there is a potential issue where the X carriage as an assembly can “float” a tiny, but significant amount up or down on the threaded rod. The single Acme nut variant only really puts pressure on one direction of the threads of the ACME nut, which allows the ACME nut to possibly come to rest between that point or the other side of that thread on either side of the machine. It’s a very small amount, but it can add up to around .05mm variability. 1013’s upgraded ACME nut spring, or the newest build TAZ spring should address that. You also might want to check and make sure that your Z rod couplers are tight. The flex tube couplers that the TAZ uses can also sometimes benefit from placing a 4MM ball bearing in line between the NEMA motor shaft and the threaded rod, which acts as a ball pivot to eliminate any surface height differences at the cut end of the rod. ALso check and see if your Z endstop target is secure and tight, and that the height adjustment threaded piece is not too far out or too tight, either of which can lead to a very gradual change in adjustment overnight due to excess or insufficient spring pressure on the threaded bolt.

The Borosilicate glass that is used for the glass plate on a TAZ is made by floating molten glass on a molten bed of tin, then hot rolling it to the final shape. It has incredibly close tolerances, and the likeliness of it being out of true is extremely minimal. I’d be more likely to suspect rod deflection in the middle of the X carriage or something along those lines.

27

I am having similar problems with my Taz 2.1 bed level and extruder to bed gap. I don’t think it is to quite the degree you illustrated in your video but it is there.

I am also seeing quite a variance in extrusion thickness from the side of the build plate to the center when I run the bed leveling g-code. It is very noticeable visually. I need to get some measurements. The only thing I can imagine that would be causing this is the flex in the round rods piercet mentioned. I believe this is the case because I can get the same extrusion thickness on the right and left sides of the bed but it is always thinner in the center. Has anyone come up with a way to stiffen those rods or put a profiled rail on the Taz? It is quite aggravating to be totally unable to get a consistent extruder to bed gap across the bed.

28

Piercet just wanted to let u know this is the latest Taz 3.0 so I def have the lastest. More to follow in other things I have found out

29

Hey cityguru i just finished reading your forum and watching your videos and i have determined i have the exact same issues and symptoms as you do!!! :astonished: I have the exact same puzzled questions to do with bed levelling and extrusions distance from bed. The manual says one thing but the reality is different. I get a very beady, ropey textured prints as well as i find the extruding is miss-extruding all over the place. I often see it not print areas at all.
my prints turn out very rough when printing a cell-phone case sized flat print. (first layer) They don’t seem to stick as they should even though i believe i have calibrated right the same way you have. I know it cant be due my slic3r settings because i get similar results when printing a already provided gdcode from the lulzbot SD card.

I am using ABS so i don’t think that will solve your issue:( Im a noob and im glad you made all these videos because i cant seem to get a single solid print out’ve my machine.

Im excited to see how you solve this because you will be helping me out! My hope is also on my new filament coming in the mail. Ive been hoping its bad filament or a clogged nozzle but i dont thing its either. im currently soaking my nozzle in acetone but it wasn’t clogged when it took it apart today (shouldn’t be because i havn’t printed anything yet!!).
Heres my forum but i pretty much have the same issues as you i just cant put them to words or videos like you do. BTW you videos COMEDY to watch. We should talk though.

https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/rough-layers/458/1

30

Thats really disappointing because then that means we were given units which dont work correctly. I had gone back and forth on this and have been traveling so i have not gotten a chance to follow up. but I am definitely not happening.

31

Really you think its faulty machines ? I got mine on pre-order in early decemebr 2013 and its a TAZ 2. I never had time to use it much before xmas but it seems the same as your taz 3…

I feel like its our noobness not the machines i just wish the answer was easier to find. I love learning from mistakes but im sick of dicking around with this thing :frowning:

32

Have you adjusted your extruder acceleration and checked the extrusion esteps yet? I was having major problems because my extruder motor was loosing steps when it tried to return the retraction distance. Reducing the extruder accel and making sure it extrudes 10mm when it is instructed to GREATLY improved my print quality.

Check here for info:

33

To answer your last question, I did do this, in fact I did it over Google Hangout with Kent from Lulzbot so unfortunately that was not the issue.

At this point, I trully believe that the Y Axis Bed is faulty, as I originally posted there seemed to be a faulty issue in how it was holding the bed plate which i fixed by moving the screws to the other side. However after seeing another post about faulty bed issues I went ahead and took several straight rulers, the center seems to curve inwards and when I look straight at the Y Axis the metal plate definitely seems warped.

Given I have been so patient with Lulzbot since I purchased the TAZ 3, I am going to now ask for a replacement of the entire Y bed

Images are below

http://imgur.com/HaUjuql

http://i.imgur.com/e5qXE5F.jpg

34

It looks like the aluminium bed mounting plate is slightly curved. Would you mind photographing a straight-edge, along the front of the bed, so it’s resting on the aluminum bed plate?

Thanks!

Claudio

35

Holy cow thanks for the pictures! Im going to check this tonight.