D3D 1612 Data Collection

For D3D 3D printer - 12" heated bed, 16" frame:

Normal Operation

• To activate the control window in Cura - you must upload an STL file first.
• Note that on the control screen - the -x and +x axes show as expected. However, the -y arrow is shown pointing up, and +y arrow is shown pointing down. This is counterintuitive, and it's based on the moving bed design of Prusa-style printers - where the arrow corresponds to the direction of motion of the bed (opposite the motion of the print head). OSE style printers have the Y gantry moving instead, in which case the arrows do not correspond to the direction of gantry motion - but the arrow labels are still correct. Verification of the direction of motion is obtained by observing whether the homing motion goes towards the endstops.
• Controller runs via a USB port on a host computer
• When printer is plugged in, the lights on the endstop trigger should light up, and the power light on the controller board also lights
• You can tell when the heat bed or extruder are turned by looking at the controller. A light lights up on the controller for the corresponding heater.
• The extruder light will go on, then to regulate the temperature at say 205C, it will turn on and off rapidly to maintain the correct temperature.
• When running the machine for the first time, home the x axis. It should move left (if you are looking at it from the correct D3D Orientation. It will then hit the endstop, bounce from it a little, and then return to it in the triggered position. The light on the endstop will be activated.
• Home the Y axis. It should move to the back of the machine and do a lively bounce off the endstop and stop at the endstop - same behavior that the X axis did.
• Once connected to the printer for initial testing, setting extruder temp and clicking Set should trigger the extruder heater and the LED should light on RAMPS. If it does not, check that the power is on or otherwise troubleshoot.
• Upon loading filament, the filament should push through the nozzle and extrude through by hand. If it doesn't, there is a clog of some sort and it should be cleaned.

General

• The sensor is on the left hand side in front of the extruder. This means that the configuration.h file must be changed.

Travel Area

• With the MK8 extruder, protruding as forward as much as it is, 2" of travel are lost on the y axis. This can be improved with an extruder that is more compact in the Y direction, such as Prusa i3 MK2 extruder.
• Endstop limits travel on X. Endstop location can be optimized on the left.
• On the right X, a spacer for axis mounting can extend X travel on the max X
• Y min trave is ok
• Z travel is only 7". 2" can be gained by modifying mounting of platform to Z axis by extending the mounting lower
• Z travel can gain 1" vertically by raising extruder tip by 1"
• There is a max of 10" available z travel on the Z axis based on the length of exposed rod.
• There is currently 11" of exposed Y rod
• There is the currently 10" of exposed X rod, where additional length can be gained by the spacer on the right side of the X axis
• Optimization can get us 11.75" on Y by relocating endstop and pushing idler mount as far as possible
• Optimization can get us 12" on X by using spacers on the mounting of both Y axes
• Optimization can get us 11 on Z by lowering platform mount and raising Z idler
• From current limits, volume can more than double from 700 cubic inches to 1551 cubic inches,
• Current prusa i3 mk3 has a 680 cubic inch volume, and Taz 6 has 1186 cubic inches.

Crazy Glue

• Getting just the right amount of glue for magnets is not trivial, and consistently there are some magnets that come off

End Stops

• Simpler endstops are a good idea, for taking up less space, not requiring separate endstop holders, and reducing wiring from 3 to 2 wires

Links

• D3D 1612