All-Metal Hot-End

Adding an all-Metal hot-end to your Gigabot

The re:3D all-metal hot end enables you to:

1. Print high temperature materials (up to 300C with thermistor and 400+C with thermocouple).
2. Interchange nozzles with different orifice sizes.
3. Rugged, long lasting design with no PTFE liner.

Removing J-Head hot-end

1. Remove filament from the hot-end.
2. Turn off Gigabot and disconnect power.
3. Remove head junction box cover and disconnect heater cartridge and thermistor connections.
4. Remove hot-end from extruder.

Installing all-metal hot-end

1. Assemble hot-end using the manufactures's instructions here: [[1]].
2. Install hot-end into extruder.
3. Attach heater cartridge and thermistor leads to screw terminals in head junction box.
4. Replace cover on head junction box.
5. Tidy wires from junction box to the hot-end.

Updating Gigabot firmware

New Firmware is required to properly run the E3D all metal hot-end. E3D hot-end firmware and instructions can be found here:[Firmware]

Two changes in the firmware:

1. Thermistor setting for the temperature sensor (#5 in Marlin thermistor table)
2. Temperature limit raised to 300C

Testing

1. Plug in Gigabot.
2. Turn on power.
3. Check Viki display to ensure temperature sensor is reading correctly.
4. Set hot-end to 100C and verify temp is reached after 30 seconds.
5. Set temperature to 200C and check temp is reached after additional 30 seconds.
6. Observe temperature for two minutes. Ensure temperature does not vary more than 1-2 deg C.

If Hot-End temperature is NOT stable

Perform PID tuning following these instructions:

1. Connect Gigabot's power and USB cables.
2. In Pronterface connect to Gigabot.
3. Turn on the head fan by typing M106 S255 command in the lower right corner of Pronterface.
4. If you have previously been printing wait for the hot-end to cool.
5. In Pronterface type into the data entry box at the lower right corner “M303 S200”. This will start the PID auto-tune function in the Marlin Firmware. The hot-end will cycle the heat up and down for a couple minutes until displaying the message: "PID Autotune Complete".
6. Write down the last set of output values given.

Classic PID

Kp: 50.03

Ki: 1.98

Kd: 150.98

Adjusting the firmware

1. In Pronterface disconnect from Gigabot, Close Pronterface, Restart Pronterface.
2. Connect to Gigabot.
3. In Pronterface type into the data entry box at the lower right corner: "M301 P(your Kp value) I(your Ki value) D(your Kd value)".
4. It should look like this using the example above: "M301 P50.03 I1.98 D150.98" This will temporarily change the current settings for the temperature controller.
5. In Pronterface type into the data entry box at the lower right corner: "M500" This will store the changes.
6. In Pronterface: Set hot-end temperature to 200C and watch that it comes up to temp, overshoot the target temp slightly, undershoot temp slightly and then settles onto the target temp within 1-2 deg.