Author Topic: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!  (Read 9082 times)

corpseguy

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #30 on: May 09, 2015, 02:49:18 am »
Very pleased i found this forum / thread.

I recent acquired a CubeX model..

Now i had an Ultimaker some time back which was one of the early versions back when they upgraded many parts but not the online instructions.. you can assume how much fun that was especially for how new all of this was to us all. 

Sadly i had to part with it.

Anyhow. Having been out of the loop for some time a Cartridge for a printer is an insane idea and we're not in 1998 anymore.

My Cubex is certainly pretty and looks sturdy but after reading reviews and countless threads of issues and so on i'm now contemplating ripping out all the boards and general electronics and replacing them with tried and tested  guts of the Ultimaker.

You mentioned about the Hotend only being 12v. the Cubex is a dual head ( which i've not had any experience with)  I'm wondering if the only salvageable parts are the frame, motors, gantry and general parts and scrap the rest?

emofes

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #31 on: May 10, 2015, 10:21:52 pm »
Hey Dan,

is it possible to use the cube's direct drive stepper for a bowden extruder or is it too weak? I started ordering al thre parts to modify mine over the summer ans I was wondering if I really need to order another stepper motor or if it can wait a little while.

rvalotta

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #32 on: May 27, 2015, 09:15:28 am »
Could someone be so kind as to provide their settings for ramps / marlin.  Fritshgl or Dan maybe?

rvalotta

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #33 on: May 27, 2015, 01:18:37 pm »
Ignore the last post found your link dan

Joop

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #34 on: May 31, 2015, 04:27:31 pm »
Hi Dan

Let me introduce myself first, my name is Joop from the NL and i am completely new in 3D printing but knowledge about programming and electronics no problem.

A friend of my give me a broken Cube 2nd generation and because of your post i start buying the equipment like Arduino, stepper drivers, Ramps 1.4 and Smart controller display SD card.
The motors, end-stops and thermal couple i connected to the RAMPS 1.4. I downloaded the Marlin Firmware and i made the changes as far needed. I also downloaded your firmware so i can compare and see some difference in the configuration.h. With the Pronterface software i can control the motors but they are not well calibrated. So i start changing the "#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT" to different values but maybe this is not the right place to do because when i look your firmware you using {80, 80, 80, 80} and i guess we are using the same motors because of the Cube Hardware.

Can you give me some advice for the settings in the firmware? Maybe some tips and trics.
Maybe its better to use other interface software instead of Pronterface?

The extruder is the last part i want to try because i read that this is not working on the 12V, but first step by step for me.

Thank you in advance.

Joop

fritshgl

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #35 on: June 02, 2015, 02:26:05 pm »
Hello Joop,

Below part of my conf.h end gcode, start end end

#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 2 //!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 0



//===========================================================================
//=============================Mechanical Settings===========================
//===========================================================================


// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR 1 //!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#define min_software_endstops true //If true, axis won't move to coordinates less than HOME_POS.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#define max_software_endstops true  //If true, axis won't move to coordinates greater than the defined lengths below.
// Travel limits after homing
#define X_MAX_POS 140
#define X_MIN_POS 0
#define Y_MAX_POS 140
#define Y_MIN_POS 0
#define Z_MAX_POS 138.8 // was 135 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#define Z_MIN_POS 0

#define X_MAX_LENGTH (X_MAX_POS - X_MIN_POS)
#define Y_MAX_LENGTH (Y_MAX_POS - Y_MIN_POS)
#define Z_MAX_LENGTH (Z_MAX_POS - Z_MIN_POS)

// The position of the homing switches
//#define MANUAL_HOME_POSITIONS  // If defined, MANUAL_*_HOME_POS below will be used
//#define BED_CENTER_AT_0_0  // If defined, the center of the bed is at (X=0, Y=0)

// default settings


#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT   {160,160,160,350}  // hangt van stapgrootte stepperdriver af
#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE          {101, 101, 30, 10}    // (mm/sec)   
#define DEFAULT_MAX_ACCELERATION      {1500,1500,70,7000}    //

#define DEFAULT_ACCELERATION          1000   // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for printing moves
#define DEFAULT_RETRACT_ACCELERATION  2100   // X, Y, Z and E max acceleration in mm/s^2 for r retracts

START GCODE CURA

G21        ;metric values
G90        ;absolute positioning
M84 S0     ;Geen disable motors anders valt printbed naar beneden
G28 Z0     ; EERSTE POGING Z HOME
G1 Z110    ; NAAR Z=110
G28 Z0       ; HOME Z NU GOED
M82        ;set extruder to absolute mode
M107       ;start with the fan off
G28 X0 Y0  ;move X/Y to min endstops
G28 Z0     ;move Z to min endstops
G1 Z15.0 F{travel_speed} ;move the platform down 15mm
G92 E0                  ;zero the extruded length
G1 F200 E3              ;extrude 3mm of feed stock
G92 E0                  ;zero the extruded length again
G1 F{travel_speed}
;Put printing message on LCD screen
M117 Printing...

END G code

M104 S0                     ;extruder heater off
M140 S0                     ;heated bed heater off (if you have it)
G91                                    ;relative positioning
G1 E-1 F300                            ;retract the filament a bit before lifting the nozzle, to release some of the pressure
G1 Z+0.5 E-5 X-20 Y-20 F{travel_speed} ;move Z up a bit and retract filament even more
G28 X0 Y0                              ;move X/Y to min endstops, so the head is out of the way
G28 Z0                                 ; home Z
;M84                         ;steppers off STeppers niet af anders valt bed met klap naar beneden
G90                         ;absolute positioning
;{profile_string}

Frits

Joop

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #36 on: June 03, 2015, 03:55:53 am »
Hello Frits,

Thank you for your reply. I hope i can test this evening.

I read in your source code "#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT   {160,160,160,350}  // hangt van stapgrootte stepperdriver af" and your comments says that the value depends about the stepperdriver. I'm using the "Stepper Drivers A4988" with the original Cube Stepper motors, but u are using other Stepper Drivers? Can i use the same values? Or does Dan using the same Stepper Drivers as me and i need to use his values from his firmware?

What is the best software to calibrate or test my system?

Thank you in advance.

Joop

fritshgl

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #37 on: June 03, 2015, 05:04:33 am »
Hallo /Hello Joop,

I am using minitronics (Reprapworld.com) with 1/32 stepper drivers, I think Dans stepper drivers have 1/16 step that is why i need 160 steps and Dan 80.
You can a easily test with Simlify3d or Cura (i have very goods prints with cura). Move x,y and z 10 mm and check if it is OK. If  your moves are 5 mm instead of 10 mm than you have to double the steps in Marlin configuration.h.

At the start of the Z axis tests use the command  M84 S0 (S zero) , this prevents the bed falling down after 1/2 minutes.!!!!
If the motors get to hot reduce the amps.!!!!!

Kind Regards/ Groeten

Frits

Joop

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #38 on: June 05, 2015, 03:23:24 pm »
Hallo Fred,

I didn't know i needed to use the jumpers under the stepper drivers, but now i put in and stepper motors working accurate.
I also was confused about the home values and endstop for the Z-as because for the Cube this is working from top to bottom, but now correct this in the firmware and with Prontoface i can control all motors also the extruder and heater element is no problem till 230C with the 12V.

After calibration i start printing my first object and the first layer is going ok, but when the second layer starts the nozzle is little to high from the first layer.
So probable i need to fill in other parameters for generating a code gcode aswell.
Do you know the Nozzle Diameter of the Cube? 0.25? And the value of the 1st Layer height and other layers? Also 0.25?
What is the best speed and temperature for ABS to print. My first layer print slower as the second, is that ok?

Thanks in advance

Joop

fritshgl

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #39 on: June 06, 2015, 05:29:40 am »
Hello Joop,

I think you have to check the z-axis steps, move the z-axis 30 mm and measure if it is correct, if not adjust the steps.
Also check the same with the extruder. If both are ok it should work without changing any gcode.
For my setting see attachments (I hope this works).

Some of my settings :

Nozzle : 0.35 (I use that, I do not know the real size)
Layer height : 0.2
Initial layer height : 0.26 (first layer print is always slower, is normal)
initial layer with: 125%
Printing temp pla 200 C

Speed: 35 (I only use the cube for small parts)
Retraction speed: 40
Retraction distance: 2

My cube has no heated bed so I never print ABS (because of warping)

Kind regards Frits , not Fred

rvalotta

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #40 on: June 13, 2015, 01:10:42 pm »
Quote
At the start of the Z axis tests use the command  M84 S0 (S zero) , this prevents the bed falling down after 1/2 minutes.!!!!
If the motors get to hot reduce the amps.!!!!!

That other option, if your using marlin, is to set #define DEFAULT_STEPPER_DEACTIVE_TIME 0  in configuration_adv.h


Joop

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #41 on: June 17, 2015, 04:01:17 am »
Hi Frits,

These days not so much time to test the printer.
But i tried last week. As i told i use the hardware from the Cube like stepper motors, extruder and hotend.
I'm also using the 1.75mm ABS filament from Cubify.

Because of the 12V system instead of 24V the hotend couldn't get warmer then 230 degrees and i'm not sure if thats enough for these ABS.
The first two layers with printing goes quit well, but suddenly the filament is not coming out anymore and the extruder/hotend get stucked.
Maybe it's better to test with PLA?? Or do you have any information about this hotend from the Cube second generation? Maybe i need to change some settings but don't know exactly wich one.

Maybe others have any suggestions to complete my first print?

Thanks in advance.

Joop

fritshgl

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #42 on: June 17, 2015, 01:57:07 pm »
Hi Joop,
I would suggest you try printing with PLA at 200 C.
Layer height 0.2 mm and printing speed 30 mm/s.
Could be that the heat capacity of the extruder is to low for 230 C.

Frits

geoff.sim

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My FrankenCube
« Reply #43 on: September 12, 2015, 04:58:22 pm »
I have taken the plunge and replaced the electronics in my Cube3D 2nd Gen.
I have, however, made most all the changes reversible, so that I can revert back to the original design if required.

I am running 24v, and intend to use the original PSU. My plan is to use a Buck 24v voltage convertor to power the CPU.

For now, here's a picture of the current state of the unit.
Ramps is running on 24v. Mega is using 5v from USB, although I will use the Buck voltage convertor to supply the 5V when I am happy with the machine, and want to run it standalone.
Case fan is run from 24v and is on permanently.
Extruder fan is running off PWM (D10) (removed 7812 reg and set PWM to give about 13v) and is auto started when extruder is >50 degrees.
Bed cooling fans (the 3 at the rear) are also on PWM (D9).
Extruder is on D8, and can easily reach the required temperatures very quickly.

Most things work fine, although I have some issues to sort out.

1. The Y axis suffers from false endstop triggering when homing.
2. The Z axis seems to home a few millimetres above the natural rest of the plate, and crashes down when the steppers are disabled (on idle, for example).
3. I need to work out how to do those things that were automated for me with the cube standard hardware (load/unload filament, set nozzle/plate gap).

To complete the build, I need to make a blanking plate for the original LCD location; make a box for the new LCD; make a blanking plate for the rear of the unit (where the USB and power cables exit); and get a power socket compatible with the original PSU.
I may also have to tweak the software to get it to work exactly as I want (ex, item 2 above).

I have yet to try making something, but it will probably be some test objects.
 
« Last Edit: September 12, 2015, 05:01:07 pm by geoff.sim »

packNsnap

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Re: FrankenCube v0.1 Its ALIVE!!!
« Reply #44 on: October 05, 2015, 04:42:07 pm »
so i was thinking of doing this since i got a used cube 2 about a month ago. But now i am getting the temp error and its not heating up. i assume its a faied head.


Now i think i have no choice. I really cant fork out 200 for a new head from 3d systems. Is replacing the head with one like the one shown (jhead ) possible without full modding it ?

I am fairly good with electronics, but completely new the 3d printers.   I NEED HELP =c
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