Calibration and Operation

1.0 Checking Head Motion

1. At this point you should have the printer fully assembled with the power supply connected and the USB cable from your computer attached. 2. Launch Pronterface. Check the appropriate port is selected and the Baud rate is 115200. If you are unsure which port the printer is on you should select the device manager to confirm (see previous section).

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3. The print head can be moved in all directions using the circular graphic. The inner ring moves the shortest distance. Be careful that you do not move the head outside the extremities of the print bed. Be ready at any time to disconnect the power if you make a wrong move. Place the head in the middle of the board and check that the head will move in all 6 directions of motion.

Calibration and Operation

1.0 Checking Direction of motion

Home

Home

Home

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4. The machine should be oriented with front toward the operator. That is , the Y axis motor and the electronics to the back. The head should move relative to the print bed in a way that mimics the circular pronterface graphic. For example, If you click the right X-axis button on Pronterface the print head should move physically to the right. Additionally, when the home buttons are clicked the head should move toward the end stop for the appropriate axis. If this does not happen the motor direction must be switched.

RED RIGHT

To change the direction of a particular motor , unplug it from

the Ramps board and insert in the opposite direction. That is switch the red wire from right to left by rotating the plug.

RED LEFT

CUT POWER TO ELECTRONICS BEFORE WORKING ON BOARD

Calibration and Operation

If a motor will operate in one direction but not the other check that the end stop has not been activated. Alternatively it may be shorted. Removing the end stop plug from the board is a good way to trouble shoot this. A common occurrence at this stage is for motors to Jitter or fail to move in a both directions. This could be due to the fact that something is mechanically jamming the mechanism, or because the power supply to the motor is incorrect. This is adjusted by varying the potentiometer on the Stepper motor driver.

Variable Potentiometer Or Pot

Rotating the POT fully anti-clockwise will supply zero current and fully clockwise, maximum current. Generally

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operation of the motor. You should increase or decrease this value until motors operate with adequate strength and judder free. Bad wiring connections can also cause motor noise and juddering. The Pot should be set at the lowest possible setting for smooth operation..

CUT POWER TO ELECTRONICS BEFORE TOUCHING VARIABLE POTENTIOMETERS

Calibration and Operation

Adjust Current through Motor

IF YOUR STEPSTICK DRIVER HAS TWO POTS READ http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?94,160469

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Calibration and Operation

Open the Sprinter.ino file and select the configuration.h tab as illustrated. Scroll down until you locate the AXIS_STEP_PER_UNIT setting. A typical entry might be:

#define _AXIS_STEP_PER_UNIT {53.3, 55.23, 2276.069,589.4}

First Number = X Axis Second Number = Y Axis Third Number = Z Axis Third Number = Extruder Rate

Calibration and Operation

Calibrating thePrusa 12 x 12
Calibrating the printer simply means ensuring that when the print head is commanded by the software to move a certain distance in any direction it actually does so. To calibrate the X axis get a ruler and lower the print head to just above the bed. Using Pronterface, command the print head to move 200 mm to the right. Measure the actual distance moved. If the actual distance is 200 mm then the printer is calibrated in the X axis. If the printer head only moved 190 mm then a calibration adjustment is needed. Assume the current setting is as follows:

#define _AXIS_STEP_PER_UNIT {53.3, 55.23, 2276.069,589.4}

Print Command: = 200mm Actual Movement = 190 mm Current X axis setting = 53.3

New X axis setting is calculated by 200* 53.3/190 = 56.11. Edit the line in the sprinter

configuration to read as follows:

#define _AXIS_STEP_PER_UNIT {56.11, 55.23, 2276.069,589.4}

Repeat the same procedure for the Y and Z axis then upload the sprinter file. Power cycle

the printer and check the changes have taken effect.

Calibration and Operation

Calibrating the Extruder

Unlike the other axis, the extruder will almost certainly need calibration because no two hobbed bolts are exactly the same.

Start by marking the filament about 30 mm above the top of the extruder. Make sure the hot end has reached the correct operating temperature. Use Pronterface to extrude 30 mm of filament. This is best done by 10 x 3mm steps with a break of a couple of seconds between each extrusion. Mark here Base

Now assume that the extruder sucked in 32 mm of filament and the

current calibration is as follows:

#define _AXIS_STEP_PER_UNIT {56.11, 55.23, 2276.069,589.4} The correction is 30* 589.4/32 = 552.56. The calibration line then becomes:

#define _AXIS_STEP_PER_UNIT {56.11, 55.23, 2276.069,552.56}

Failure to get this adjustment right will result in either to much or to little plastic flowing into the print, resulting in poor print quality.

Calibration and Operation Pronterface / SFACT Settings

The best setup for Pronterface very much depends on the type of print you are doing. There is no substitute for studying and fully understanding the software to ensure that you get the best out of your printer. However, the following settings are a good place to start:

Go to Pronterface. Under menu item Settings/Options : Change build_dimensions to 300x290x190+0+0+0

Under Menu Item Settings/Slicing Settings change the following:

Select Inset Nozzle Diameter = 0.35 mm

Speed Main feed rate ( mm/s ) = 30

This is a good place to start and you can increase later. Generally speaking the
Select Multiply Center X (mm) = 150 Center Y (mm) = 150 Raft Select: Activate Raft Base Layers (integer) = 0 Interface Layers (integer) = 0 slower the print speed the better the print quality.

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Select Skirt

Gap over Perimeter Width (Ratio) = 1

Using the help links in Pronterface/SFACT is a great way to learn more about the numerous features that will improve your print quality.

Calibration and Operation Levelling the Bed

The bed should be as level as possible with respect to the print nozzle. Position the print nozzle in the center just above the surface of the bed (say about 0.5 mm). Traverse about 100 mm in both X and Y directions and note the gaps between nozzle and head. Adjust the print legs until the nozzle remains the same distance above the bed in all directions.

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Calibration and Operation Z Axis Setup

Before starting a print, getting the print nozzle just the right height above the bed is very important for print quality. Every print starts by pressing the home button on Pronterface. The Z axis limit must be carefully adjusted so that the nozzle starts just the right height above the bed. The following text is from a Reprap forum and describes the issue perfectly: This is one of the most important settings for your printer and we believe it is worth mentioning in our quick start guide. 0.1mm can make a big difference in your print. We found simply using a piece of printer paper gives us the correct spacing. This guide assumes your print bed is level and even in all four corners. Be sure there is no filament stuck to the bottom of your nozzle Adjust your Z axis end stop so that you are just able to slide a piece of printer paper under it with little resistance. By just slip we mean barely just slip. Be careful that you arent actually pushing down on your spring loaded bed when you are trying to move the paper, which will skew your results. Now move your nozzle using the Pronterface 10mm jog button on X and Y. Your paper should not bind. If the paper binds at one point not another, adjust your bed height to make it even. Useand these connections Your end stop should now be setting your nozzle just about 0.1mm above the print bed and you are ready to print !

Calibration and Operation Large Prints

Large prints are much more challenging than smaller ones because they tend to warp much more due to their size and it is always more difficult to align a larger bed.

Using Rafts to print large objects is essential if you do not want them to warp. The raft serves two purposes:

1.

Bed levelling Although the stretched aluminum bed appears

flat to the naked eye they rarely are when measured to a

fraction of a millimeter. The raft is a great solution for

smoothing out the undulations of a large bed. 2. Warping - The raft provides a greater surface for the print to adhere to the bed and thus will resist the natural tendency of the print material to warp during cooling.

The Reprap forum has lots of good stuff about rafts and should be consulted for an in depth understanding. For a quick start the following page has our preferred raft settings:

Calibration and Operation

RAFT SETTINGS

Printing Techniques
The Reprap.org forums have a wealth of knowledge about how to print. To avoid damaging the machine before you reach a reasonable skill level keep the following things in mind: 1. Never operate the hot end above 250 degrees Celsius. Always operate at the lowest temperature needed to cause the material to flow. Extruding PLA at 230 degrees C will cause it to burn in the nozzle, requiring you to dismantle the hot end and clean. Extruding ABS above 250 degrees C will cause the nozzle to burn and may require replacement.

2.

Never operate the extruder before the hot end has reached the correct temperature. The hobbed bolt will tear into the filament and loose traction. 3. Always have the power supply plug close at hand and be ready to disconnect the power in case you send a manual command to the printer that will cause the printer head to travel outside the bounds of the operating range. 4. Manually extrude at about 30 to 50 mm/min. The Pronterface default is set wildly high at 300 mm/minute and will often result in extruder jams. 5. Increasing the reliability of the printer is a gradual process. Things will vibrate loose during operation. Using a small amount of thread locking compound ( Loctite etc.) on bolts that frequently vibrate loose will ensure more reliable operation in the future. Remember thread locker melts ABS so use sparingly on the threads only. 6. Study and fully understand the SFACT and Pronterface software. This is essential to good quality prints. Different prints often require different settings. 7. With few exceptions, the slower you print the better the print quality. 8. Try to avoid cheap Chinese filament. Whilst it will not normally damage the machine, the frequent extruder/hot end jams tend to spoil the whole print experience. 9. Never let the nozzle sit idle when heated for more than a few minutes. It will cook the contents of the nozzle and cause a jam.

Reference Notes from RepRap.org

http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Prusa_Build_Manual

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