Cube 3D printer community

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

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

Hello Dan,
Printing at different temperatures can be done very good with cura (plugin  Tweak).
An other advantage of cura is that you can use settings of different machines.
It can also be done with Simplify3D (100 euro's).

Frits

Hello Dan,

With regard to your questions.
The electronics I used is minitronics (for info see reprapworld.com)
The mintronics is supplied with a 12 volt cooling fan for cooling the print. So I made a hole in the bottom and mounted the fan below the print. For a better air supply to the bottom i made higher/longer  legs for the cube.
The power supply of the minitonics can be up to 24 volt (if the correct jumper is removed.). If the power supply of the mintornics is 19 volt ( I my case, I had a 19 volt power supply from an old printer) than the power to the hotend is also 19 volt. This is sufficient to heat up the hot end.
The power output of the minitronics for the cooling fans is also 19 volt.  So I use a second 12 volt power supply  for the existing fans and the one that came with the minitronics. I did not test the exiting fans with 19 volt (fear of burning them).
I did put 2 thermocouples on the extruder stepper motor during a 2 hour print. After one hour the surface temperature of this stepper is  stable at +/- 40 C. The other stepper motors are lower than 40 C (estimated by touching with my fingers).
During my first runs the steppers became quite hot so I reduced  the Vref with the 4 pots on the print.
A the  moment I am running with Cura 14.09.  Layer height 0.2 mm. I did not test any other heights. The prints look very good (better than my home made Alu mendel http://www.thingiverse.com/make:72807)
With Cura I start with gcode  M84 S0, to prevent the bed falling down. Than home all axis, especially the z axis 3 times. Then I start the print.  In the end gcode I removed M84, also to prevent the bed falling down.
I you have any other questions please let me know.

Kind regards,
Frits
http://youtu.be/OkJHE_MEm9Y

Hello Dan,

Switching 24 volt to the extruder with a relay was not a good idea. A lot of noise from de relay.
So I followed your suggestion end discovered that the minitronics can also run with up to 24 volt.
Now I am running the electronics with 19 volt, and a separate 12 volt supply for the cooling fans.
The heating up of the extruder is now really fast. So a very good suggestion from you. Thanks again.

Frits

Hello  Dan

I did build the minitronics Electronics in my cube. At the moment i am testing the x,y,z movements and the extruder. With regard to the thermistor of the extruder i have the impression that it is a 200k thermistor and not a 100k thermistor. Because with a 200k thermistor in the firmware the temperature at room temp is 22 Celcius, with a 100k thermistor only 6 C.  In your firmware you have the 100k thermistor. I think your 100k thermistor is the one of your new hotent. Is that right.
Beside that  the max temp i can reach with 12 volt is +/- 150 C. So i wil use a relais to supply the hotend with 24 volt (the original powersupply).

Kind Regards,

Frits

Hello Dan,
I am very happy with your information because i am thinking about doing the same with my cube 3d 2nd gen. printer.
 About a year ago i did build a 3d printer (http://www.thingiverse.com/make:72807) with minitronics Electronics (reprapworld.com).
So i am thinking of using mintronics because a have some experience  with that and not with adruino.
I would very much like more information about the marlin firmware and the wiring.
I assume you want to print with ABS because you mention that you need a higher temperature than 215 C?.
So thanks again and Kind Regards,
Frits (The Netherlands)