Difference between revisions of "Gigabot Troubleshooting"
(→Print Shift) |
|||
Line 91: | Line 91: | ||
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. | 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. | 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= | =Extruder Skipping / Nozzle Clog / If the filament is not extruding and a notch is cut into the filament= |
Revision as of 20:38, 21 September 2017
Contents
- 1 Thermal Runaway
- 2 Max Temp
- 3 Print Shift
- 4 Extruder Skipping / Nozzle Clog / If the filament is not extruding and a notch is cut into the filament
- 5 Offset after Filament Change
- 6 Bed not flat
- 7 Discontinued Parts
- 8 Gigabot Stops Mid Print and is Unresponsive
- 9 Gigabot will not heat
- 10 Customer has offset dual extrusion prints
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 -
- GB number
- Screen shot of temperature graph when error occurs
- .factory file
- Nozzle size?
- Print Speed?
- Part cooling fan on?
- Did thermal runaway error happen:
- While heating bed?
- While heating hot end?
- After the first layer when the outrigger fan turns on?
Causes -
- PID tuning not correct
- Printing too high temp
- Heater cartridge needs replaced
- Thermistor falling out / failing (GB2 J-head hot end)
- Older firmware had a glitch where it would heat to a different temperature than the setpoint occasionally.
Solutions -
- Check to see the temperature is stable within +- 5C from the temp graph screenshot
- If hot end temp is above 230C part cooling fans should be off
- Replace heater cartridge
- Use Kapton tape to hold thermistor in place
- Update firmware
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 -
- GB number
- Screen shot of temperature graph when error occurs
- .factory file
- Did Max Temp error happen:
- While heating of bed?
- While heating hot end?
- During the print?
Causes -
- Hot end temp set too high
- Thermocouple defective (GB3 and GB3+)
- Break / short with thermistor (GB2)
- Break or short in head cable (GB2)
- Thermocouple daughter board defective (GB3 and GB3+) BED ONLY
- Thermocouple daughter board jumper is loose (GB3 and GB3+) BED ONLY
Solutions -
- Reduce temperature in Simplify3D
- Replace thermocouple
- Replace thermistor
- Replace head cable
- Replace daughterboard
- Replace jumper wire
Print Shift
If an offset occurs in X or Y axis during a print.
Contact customer support with this data -
- GB number
- Photo of shift when the print is still on the bed
- Direction of print shift (X, Y or both axis)
- .factory file
- Picture inside electrical box
Causes -
- Improper cooling inside the electrical enclosure
- Print curled and caught extruder tip during a print or rapid travel move
- Wheels too tight. Measure force required to move gantry and trolley
- Missing electrical box cooling duct
- GB operating in hot and dusty environment
- Loose motor pulley
- Motor driver overheating and momentarily cut out / Bad Motor Driver
- Print head not freely moving in X or Y axis and system is “bound up”
Solutions -
- Ensure Cooling duct is installed and cooling fans are working
- Inspect factory file for overhangs. Reducing from two perimeters to one can help
- Adjust wheel tension to specification
- Add electrical box cooling duct
- Move GB into a clean and cool environment
- Tighten motor pulley set screw
- Replace motor driver
- 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 -
- Gigabot number
- Picture / Video of skipping during print / extrude command
- .factory file
- Filament type
- Customer using dust filter?
- 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
- Hot end cooling fan not working (GB3/3+ or GB2 machines with the All Metal Hot End upgrade)
- Filament tensioner too tight or too loose
- Hot end too cold for filament / print speed
- Hot end clogged
- 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
- J head PTFE liner is swelled up (GB2). The J head is rated for about 500 hours before the PTFE liner swells.
- Extruder gearbox is defective.
- Using GB2 profile on a GB3 machine
- 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 -
- Verify the hot end cooling fan is active above 50C
- Adjust filament tensioner to specification
- Try cold pull
- Replace filament filter
- Replace hot end (GB2)
- 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.
- Verify that the correct profile is being used for the Gigabot.
- Replace hot end
Offset after Filament Change
Contact customer support with this data -
- Right or left Extruder active?
- X or Y axis?
- How big is the offset (mm)?
- Gigabot number?
- Firmware Version?
- Picture / Video of extruder and print head
- .factory file
Causes -
- XY bracket is too far left (as viewed from the front)
- Using Firmware 4.1.4
- Using old .factory file (FFF Settings)
Solutions -
- Loosen M5 x 20 and adjust X/Y Upright to the right to avoid contact with limit switch
- Update to latest firmware
- 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 -
- Use dial indicator or feeler gauges to measure bed surface
- Record surface deviation in inches or mm
- Gigabot number
- Picture / Video
- .factory file
Causes -
- Bed not leveled
- Heat related issue may cause bed to warp
Solution
- Level Bed
- Print thicker first layer.
- Print on raft
- 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
Collect Data -
- Is the hot end still heated?
- Are they printing from SD or from USB?
- Is USB connected to computer?
- Error message on Viki?
- .factory file
- Is GB plugged into a UPS (uninterrupted power supply)?
- Does the Viki say “Gigabot Ready?”
Causes -
- Computer interrupting via USB
- Bad SD card - similar to corrupted GCode
- Corrupted Gcode - often the hot end will still be hot and the hot end may have moved from its stopping point
- Power interruption - Hot end will be cold and in the place it stopped
Solution -
- Do not print via USB and remove USB cable from computer
- Re-format SD card / replace SD card
- Re-slice object
- Install UPS
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.
Collect data -
- Picture/Video of the customer trying to heat from Control>Temperature>Hot End via the Viki
- Picture of the hot end heater wires going into the heater
- Picture of the Azteeg board
Possible causes -
- Heater is going bad, new heater needed
- Broken cable at heater end, new heater needed
- Break in the head cable, new head cable needed
- Unplugged head cable wires, check Azteeg picture
- Unplugged from head cable connector (GB3,GB3+ or AMHE Upgraded GB2)
Customer has offset dual extrusion prints
Collect Data -
- X3 or X3 Pro controller?
- Right or Left extruder active?
- How big is the offset (mm)?
- Gigabot number?
- Firmware Version?
- Picture / Video of extruder and print head
- .factory file
Causes -
- Using wrong .factory file
- Using Firmware 4.1.4
Solutions -
- If X3 then toolhead offset is set in S3D, If X3 Pro then toolhead offset is set in firmware
- Update to latest firmware
Note: Latest firmware slows down homing speed - better repeatability