Gigabot Troubleshooting

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Thermal Runaway

If Viki displays error message “Thermal Runaway” - This indicates the set-point and actual temperature are more than 10 Degrees different for more than 60 seconds.

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. GB number
  2. Screen shot of temperature graph when error occurs
  3. .factory file
  4. Nozzle size?
  5. Print Speed?
  6. Part cooling fan on?
  7. Did thermal runaway error happen:
    1. While heating bed?
    2. While heating hot end?
    3. After the first layer when the outrigger fan turns on?

Causes -

  1. PID tuning not correct
  2. Printing too high temp
  3. Heater cartridge needs replaced
  4. Thermistor falling out / failing (GB2 J-head hot end)
  5. Older firmware had a glitch where it would heat to a different temperature than the setpoint occasionally.

Solutions -

  1. Check to see the temperature is stable within +- 5C from the temp graph screenshot
  2. If hot end temp is above 230C part cooling fans should be off
  3. Replace heater cartridge
  4. Update firmware
  5. Contact support if troubleshooting fails at support@re3d.org

Max Temp

If Viki displays error message “Max Temp” - Hot end or bed is reading temperature above upper limit set in firmware. Bed - 150C, Hot end - GB2-245C, GB3-350C on some and 400C on others

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. GB number
  2. Screen shot of temperature graph when error occurs
  3. .factory file
  4. Did Max Temp error happen:
    1. While heating of bed?
    2. While heating hot end?
    3. During the print?

Causes -

  1. Hot end temp set too high
  2. Thermocouple defective (GB3 and GB3+)
  3. Break / short with thermistor (GB2)
  4. Break or short in head cable (GB2)
  5. Thermocouple daughter board defective (GB3 and GB3+) BED ONLY
  6. Thermocouple daughter board jumper is loose (GB3 and GB3+) BED ONLY

Solutions -

  1. Reduce temperature in Simplify3D
  2. Replace thermocouple
  3. Replace thermistor
  4. Replace head cable
  5. Replace daughterboard
  6. Replace jumper wire


Print Shift

If an offset occurs in X or Y axis during a print.

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. GB number
  2. Photo of shift when the print is still on the bed
  3. Direction of print shift (X, Y or both axis)
  4. .factory file
  5. Picture inside electrical box

Causes -

  1. Improper cooling inside the electrical enclosure
  2. Print curled and caught extruder tip during a print or rapid travel move
  3. Wheels too tight. Measure force required to move gantry and trolley
  4. Missing electrical box cooling duct
  5. GB operating in hot and dusty environment
  6. Loose motor pulley
  7. Motor driver overheating and momentarily cut out / Bad Motor Driver
  8. Print head not freely moving in X or Y axis and system is “bound up”

Solutions -

  1. Ensure Cooling duct is installed and cooling fans are working
  2. Inspect factory file for overhangs. Reducing from two perimeters to one can help
  3. Adjust wheel tension to specification
  4. Add electrical box cooling duct
  5. Move GB into a clean and cool environment
  6. Tighten motor pulley set screw
  7. Replace motor driver
  8. Adjust belt tension to specification

Tests To test for a bad motor driver you can swap the motor driver with a different axis. Typically the older motor drivers with a black heatsink had their voltage tuned manually with a trimpot. If you see that the motor drivers have a black heatsink, it’s a good idea to check the back and see if it is missing the 3 pins along the top. If there are only rows of pins on each side then you will need to make sure they re-tune their motor drivers for the appropriate axis when swapping. It’s important to attach a picture of the azteeg showing which motor drivers to swap as some customers won’t know what a motor driver is. Check to make sure the wheels are tensioned properly.


Extruder Skipping / Nozzle Clog / If the filament is not extruding and a notch is cut into the filament

If the extruder makes an audible clicking or skipping action and the extrusion is inconsistent or if there is a notch grinded into the filament with shavings present:

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. Gigabot number
  2. Picture / Video of skipping during print / extrude command
  3. .factory file
  4. Filament type
  5. Customer using dust filter?
  6. Is the hot end leaking from above the nozzle or above the heater block?

Causes - Extruder is not able to push the filament through the hot end

  1. Hot end cooling fan not working (GB3/3+ or GB2 machines with the All Metal Hot End upgrade)
  2. Filament tensioner too tight or too loose
  3. Hot end too cold for filament / print speed
  4. Hot end clogged
  5. This could be the result of not using a filament filter. If foreign dust/material makes it’s way into the hot end, it can cause a clog
  6. J head PTFE liner is swelled up (GB2). The J head is rated for about 500 hours before the PTFE liner swells.
  7. Extruder gearbox is defective.
  8. Using GB2 profile on a GB3 machine
  9. Nozzle is loose from the assembly and filament is leaking into the threads because of the gap between the thermal barrier tube and the nozzle

Solutions -

  1. Verify the hot end cooling fan is active above 50C
  2. Adjust filament tensioner to specification
  3. Try cold pull
  4. Replace filament filter
  5. Replace hot end (GB2)
  6. Some motors have been found to have an improper amount of lubricant inside the internal gears. This is a factory defect and should be replaced
  7. Verify that the correct profile is being used for the Gigabot
  8. Replace hot end


Offset after Filament Change

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. Right or left Extruder active?
  2. X or Y axis?
  3. How big is the offset (mm)?
  4. Gigabot number?
  5. Firmware Version?
  6. Picture / Video of extruder and print head
  7. .factory file

Causes -

  1. XY bracket is too far left (as viewed from the front)
  2. Using Firmware 4.1.4
  3. Using old .factory file (FFF Settings)

Solutions -

  1. Loosen M5 x 20 and adjust X/Y Upright to the right to avoid contact with limit switch
  2. Update to latest firmware
  3. Update to latest factory file

Note: Latest firmware slows down homing speed - better repeatability


Bed not flat

If the customer notices the bed is not flat (warped) and the first layer is not depositing evenly.

  • Standard specification for Gigabot bed is to be flat within 0.005”

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. Use dial indicator or feeler gauges to measure bed surface
  2. Record surface deviation in inches or mm
  3. Gigabot number
  4. Picture / Video
  5. .factory file

Causes -

  1. Bed not leveled
  2. Heat related issue may cause bed to warp

Solution

  1. Level Bed
  2. Print thicker first layer.
  3. Print on raft
  4. Replace bed with new cast aluminum bed (older beds were rolled aluminum)


Discontinued Parts

If you have a GB2 and are looking to replace the J-head (no longer sold by re:3D) or GB2 extruder (Greg Wade type, no longer sold by re:3D)

Solution - For J-head, refer to: http://www.makerfarm.com/index.php/hot-ends/j-head-mk-iv-b-hot-end-for-3mm-filament.html

For the extruder: http://www.ultibots.com/gregs-wade-extruder-hardware-kit https://www.ultibots.com/gregs-wade-reloaded-extruder/ http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:18379

Recommended: Upgrade a GB2 J-Head to GB3 all metal hot end upgrade kit available on the shopify page here: https://shop.re3d.org/collections/gigabot-retrofit-upgrades/products/gb2-metal-hot-end-upgrade-kit

All metal hot end upgrade - First get a picture of the Azteeg X3 board. If it is a V2 board then you’re fine (there are servo pins on the bottom left of the board), if it’s a V1 then we need to make sure it has the thermocouple chip.


Gigabot Stops Mid Print and is Unresponsive

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. Is the hot end still heated?
  2. Are you printing from SD or from USB?
  3. Is USB connected to computer?
  4. Is there an error message on Viki?
  5. .factory file
  6. Is GB plugged into a UPS (uninterrupted power supply)?
  7. Does the Viki say “Gigabot Ready?”

Causes -

  1. Computer interrupting via USB
  2. Corrupted Gcode - often the hot end will still be hot and the hot end may have moved from its stopping point
  3. Bad SD card - similar to corrupted GCode
  4. Power interruption - Hot end will be cold and in the place it stopped

Solution -

  1. Do not print via USB and remove USB cable from computer
  2. Re-format SD card / replace SD card
  3. Re-slice object
  4. Install UPS (uninterrupted power supply)


Gigabot will not heat

The heater stays at ambient temperature when trying to heat up or the heater cannot get to full temperature and triggers a “heating failed” error.

Contact customer support with this data -

  1. Picture/Video of the trying to heat from Viki (Control>Temperature>Hot End)
  2. Picture of the hot end heater wires going into the heater
  3. Picture of the Azteeg board

Possible causes -

  1. Broken cable at heater end, new heater needed
  2. Break in the head cable, new head cable needed
  3. Unplugged head cable wires
  4. Unplugged from head cable connector (GB3,GB3+ or AMHE Upgraded GB2)
  5. Heater is going bad, new heater needed


Dual extrusion print is offset

Collect Data -

  1. X3 or X3 Pro controller?
  2. Right or Left extruder active?
  3. How big is the offset (mm)?
  4. Gigabot number?
  5. Firmware Version?
  6. Picture / Video of extruder and print head
  7. .factory file
  8. Gcode file

Causes -

  1. If offset is about 55mm
    1. Using wrong .factory file
    2. Using Firmware 4.1.4
  2. If offset is small (~up to 1-2mm
    1. Extruders not calibrated

Solutions -

  1. If X3 then toolhead offset is set in S3D, If X3 Pro then toolhead offset is set in firmware
  2. Update to latest firmware

Note: Latest firmware slows down homing speed - better repeatability


Print is offset after filament change

Collect Data -

  1. X3 or X3 Pro controller?
  2. Right or Left extruder active?
  3. How big is the offset (mm)?
  4. Gigabot number?
  5. Firmware Version?
  6. Picture / Video of extruder and print head
  7. .factory file
  8. Gcode file

Causes -

  1. If offset is about 55mm
    1. Using wrong .factory file
    2. Using Firmware 4.1.4
  2. If offset is small (~up to 1-2mm
    1. Extruders not calibrated

Solutions -

  1. If X3 then toolhead offset is set in S3D, If X3 Pro then toolhead offset is set in firmware
  2. Update to latest firmware

Note: Next iteration of the firmware (currently in progress) will address this issue and will most likely be available Aug 2019

Filament detection not triggering

Collect data -

  1. Connect Gigabot to a computer via USB and open up the gcode terminal (you can do this in Simplify3D using the Machine Control Panel)
  2. Send the command "M119" and the terminal will display which limit switches are triggered
  3. Is the filament detection functioning? i.e. when filament is loaded, the M119 command should return that the FD unit is triggered, and vice versa

Causes -

  1. If filament detection is not functioning correctly according to the M119 command results
    1. There is a poor connection between the Azteeg, filament detection wire, and limit switch
    2. A component has failed: the FD limit switch, FD wire (or the connectors on either end of the FD wire), or the Azteeg itself (least likely)
  2. If filament detection is functioning correctly according to M119
    1. If there is no filament loaded before a print starts, or FD unit is unplugged before a print starts
    2. If the "Change Filament" command is used while in standby (not in a printing state) and a print is started immediately after

Solutions -

  1. Disconnect and reconnect the FD wire both from the limit switch and the Azteeg
  2. Replace the entire FD unit, the limit switch, the FD wire, or the Azteeg
  3. Power cycle the Gigabot before starting the next print
  4. Manually change or load filament between prints, only use the "Change Filament" command during a print, or power cycle the Gigabot after using the "Change Filament" command

Recovering a print

Use this helpful utility to quickly prepare a recovery file to complete prints that stopped part way.

Link to reCovery program. Download and unzip the contents, and the .exe should be available to use immediately.

Warning: The recovery application currently works for single extrusion left side prints only. We are working on the tool to make it work for all other prints as well.

  1. Prints can be recovered from
    1. Power Outages
    2. Random Resets
    3. Errors that need a reset to resolve
      1. Heating Failed
      2. Thermal Runaway
      3. Max Temp
      4. Printer Killed
    4. Stopped Prints
    5. Filament Detection failed to trigger for all nozzles printing
    6. Filament Ground through or stopped extruding on all nozzles printing
    7. Print shifted so far or recently that the part after shift is removable from bottom part
    8. Dual extrusion prints (contact support@re3d.org for help recovering these)
  2. Prints cannot be recovered from
    1. Filament Detection failed for one of the two nozzles printing
    2. Filament ground through or stopped extruding for one of the two nozzles printing
    3. Part separated from the bed
    4. Hot end assembly was replaced or heat sink was loosened from the extruder block
    5. Firmware was reflashed and XY offsets were not recorded and put back in
    6. Materials that print at high temperatures (mostly PC) cool too much
  3. Click on the "..." button next to "Please enter your gcode file:" and select the .gcode file that failed.
  4. Measure the total height of the as-printed part, from the print surface to the highest printed layer.
    1. Try to get an accurate measurement. This is very important in resuming at the correct layer.
    2. The best way to measure the height of the part is as follows
      1. On the viki press "Prepare" > "Disable steppers", then push the gantry and print head to the back of the machine so that it is not above the printed part
      2. Get ready to raise the bed by double checking that the printed part will not come in contact with the print head or gantry
      3. On the viki select "Prepare" > "Home Z"
      4. Once the bed is in the home position, use the viki to start lowering it by going to "Prepare" > "Move Axis" > "Move Z"
      5. Drop the bed such that the printed part is below the nozzles of the hotends
      6. Move the gantry above the printed part, then gradually (1mm, then 0.1mm) move the printed part until it barely touches the nozzle
      7. Look at the viki, and the number displayed (the z-axis position) is the height of the part
    3. Convert the measurement to mm and enter the value in the field after "What is the approximate height measurement of the failed print?"
  5. Click "Yes" or "No" for "Did your printer reset? (i.e. Power Outage)"
  6. Click "Process Gcode"

The program will now analyze your .gcode file and determine the layer for resuming the print.

  1. If your previously measured print height falls between two layers, it will ask you to choose which layer on which to resume.
    1. Make this decision using your better judgment, as the reasoning for one layer vs the other may differ from case to case.
    2. Worst case scenario: choosing the higher layer makes the hot end too far from the print, causing poor bonding at that layer.
    3. Worst case scenario: choosing the lower layer height makes the hot end too close to the print, causing it to drag through the part or overextrude for an entire layer. This may lead to poor surface finish or print shifts.
    4. Most likely scenario: print resumes as intended and the previously failed print is recovered.
  2. After choosing the layer, click "Generate reCovery File." There will be a text prompt that confirms when the new .gcode has been generated. They are automatically saved in the same location as the original .gcode with a modified file name.
  3. Print this .gcode file and it will resume where the previous print left off.