Testing the extruder

[Batist]

First of all, thanks for the extruder manual upload! I have build it right away!

Now, I bought an SD card, and I uploaded a gcode file written by skeinforge.py. (Minimug.gcode)

However, after going home followed by going to the point in the opposite corner it does nothing...

Can someone upload a minimug.txt or something? Then I can test my machine.

thanks guys!

[mike]

Hi Batist,

Try this:

http://cid-4ee82b35f5b39262.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/pony.bfb

its a simple pony figure, printed on a raft.

It printed out yesterday, so should be fine.

I'm just printing another wineglass...

Mike

[Ian]

Hi Batist

The software only recognises *.bfb or *.gco files it used to read *.txt but we disabled that just in case a rouge text file was run very slim chance of a problem but .bfb & .gco seemed to make more sense. I've not tried running a txt file so I'm not sure if this is it but it could be. What polymer are you using? if ABS run at minimum 235°C better 245°C

All the best

Ian   Bits From Bytes Developer

[Batist]

Ok, thanks for the file, I'm printing it right now! :-)

So it just has to be the right suffix, very well! I can use regular skeinforge files I guess?

This is very exiting!! I let you know as soon as it 's finished :-)

[mike]

Good luck!

[Batist]

My first print was quite successful!

some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/batistleman/3473067978/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/batistleman/3473068400/

With what program did you export that bfb file? And what where the settings?
I'm trying to print a minimug, but it's not working...

Thanks!

[mike]

Hi Batist,

if you take a look at my photograph (which is somewhere else on this forum ) you can see what differences there are between our prints. They *should* be very similiar in quality, so I think you'll have some more 'tweaking' to do. I'm new at this too, so take my advice with a pinch of salt!

To create that bfb, I did the following:

took a line drawing picture from the internet, found using imgaes.google.com
imported it into CoCreate, a free 3D modeling program.
Extruded the image to a 5mm high object, and then saved that as a .stl file.
Imported the .stl file into Skeinforge, using the settings specified by Ian.

Cheers,

Mike.

[Batist]

Ok, I'll try that. (I think a cable was fastened to tight... )

Where can I find the settings specified by Ian?

[Ian]

In Skeinforge you can set the output file type but the default *.Gcode will work OK it will show on the display as *.GCO.

To me it looks like the extruder is not flowing quite smoothly enough or is skipping you can hear/see this quite clearly, be careful though too tight and it will damage the PTFE insulator I'm hoping to get some setup/operation instruction done in the next few days, but still good to see it working well done  

You could try the other file mike put up "the wine glass" and see how that goes.

Did it delaminate when you removed it? if so you could be running a little cold, this is easily changed in the G code, instruction M104 is the temperature try going up 5°C

Also what was the extruder flow rate? I'm guessing 40RPM this is instrcution M108 and is multiplied by 10 i.e. M108 S400 = 40.0 RPM you could try 45 RPM i.e. M108 S450

Good luck

Ian  Bits From Bytes Developer

[Batist]

Thanks guys! I posted some more pics from my first prints here: http://www.coded.be/en/node/79

There are some tweaks to be done I guess :-)

[Batist]

I tried to export my own minimug, but it doesn't want to print... It hangs after beginning to extrude on the 'hole in plate' position.

You can find the *.bfb Gcode file here: http://coded.be/files/Minimug.bfb

What am I doing wrong?

[mike]

Hi Batist,

I've started putting together a userguide for Skeinforge ( for using it with rapman ).

You can find it here:

http://cid-4ee82b35f5b39262.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/skeinforge.pdf

All I have put in it so far are the Skienforge settings as recommended by Ian.

I couldn't guess as to what is going wrong with your exported print - I'll leave that to the experts!

Mike

[Ian]

Hi Batist

Are you using Skeinforge as when i do my file starts with this

G21
G90
G28
M103
M105

But that shouldn't make any difference, can you email me   ian  AT  bitsfrombytes.com with the actual file so i can test it.

[Ian]

Hi Batist

The file you emailed prints OK coming of the machine now but the one in the link above doesn't it has lost its carriage returns at the end of the lines when I downloaded it. I had this when I emailed a file once, I have no idea what could cause it but please check the actual one on the SD card it should display as a vertical list each line being a new G or M code.

Ian    Bits From Bytes Developer

[Batist]

What firmware version are you using? I'm trying to print the exact same file... and it stops at line 0... should I try an other firmware version?