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Another 3D Printer

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Joules:
After my initial success with the printer I am now having problems.  I have just tried doing the Dremel gear I designed and seeing the head loose position during the the first two attempts at printing.  It looks like the head is snagging on the lower layer and getting offset.  I have now altered my layer height to 0.15mm and trying another print, the quality is not what I had to begin with and my suspicion is falling on the hot end having worked loose.  Once I finish the print I can investigate further.   During the build I was concerned by the fact they rely on bolts into plastic to trap the hotend.  I am going to look at this and see if I can make a proper alloy part thats tapped to take the bolts.   Shame, but I just seem to be having a run of bad luck as lots of things going wrong at the moment   :(




A couple of layers got displaced, so ruining the print, this was third attempt with more relaxed settings.  I need to figure out if it's a mechanical fault, firmware or software, but above this the print quality is OK.  However its messy below, especially in the area the head starts the next layer, this is what makes me think the hotend may have some play and allow it to dig and stall the steppers.  This could mean I need to increase the stepper current as the motors are still pretty cool at the end of the print.   Lots of possibles to look at and try.

PeterE:
Joules,

For what its worth. My friend who printed my first parts for my 3D printer also used black filament as you seem to have done here.  I do not know what material you are using, but I wanted ABS and his machine was set up for ABS as well. Good we thought because he had had no problems before, but now with the black variant the prints did not come out well. Not compared with red or yellow! Much the same effect as on yours actually.

We guessed that it may be due to the black colouring that is probably done using a carbon additive of some sort, and that carbon changes the filament properties enough to alter the settings for other colours.

Could your problem have the same source????

My bits turned out way better in red  :bugeye:

/Peter

SwarfnStuff:
Peter,
  You would be correct in assuming carbon being the most likely pigment for black. In a past life I worked in a plant that made and blended pigment for the paint and plastic industry. I don't recall us using anything else for black except carbon, usually broken down with Barium Sulphate to make it easier to weigh out. That is, by adding the Barium Sulphate we could give the customer a powder to weigh in grams per kilogram of polymer rather than miligrams.

  Whether it modifies the melt characteristics I have no idea but as you intimate, interesting that it was with the black filiment you had trouble.  :doh:
John B

Joules:
Sorry guys, it's not the black pigment causing the issue, as this PLA works fine on my cartesian printer.  I now only buy good quality, in this case UK blended filament, as it's not been baked or soaked travelling half way round the planet.

PeterE:
PLA is different from ABS so one possible cause out of the way.   :thumbup:

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