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. Use Kapton tape to hold thermistor in place
  5. 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 -

  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 S3D
  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. Print curled and caught extruder tip during a print or rapid travel move
  2. Wheels too tight. Measure force required to move gantry and trolley.
  3. Missing electrical box cooling duct
  4. GB operating in hot and dusty environment
  5. Loose motor pulley
  6. Motor driver overheating and momentarily cut out / Bad Motor Driver
  7. Print head not freely moving in X or Y axis and system is “bound up”

Solutions -

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

Problem - User has a GB2 and is looking to either replace their J-head (no longer sold by re:3D) or their GB2 extruder (greg wade type, no longer sold by re:3D)

Solution - 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

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

Recommended: Upgrade a GB2 J-Head to GB3 all metal hot end upgrade kit available on the shopify page here:


First get a picture of their Azteeg 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 before selling it to them.

Gigabot Stops Mid Print and is Unresponsive

Collect Data -

  1. Is the hot end still heated?
  2. Are they printing from SD or from USB?
  3. Is USB connected to computer?
  4. 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. Bad SD card - similar to corrupted GCode
  3. Corrupted Gcode - often the hot end will still be hot and the hot end may have moved from its stopping point
  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

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 -

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

Possible causes -

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

Customer has offset dual extrusion prints

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

Causes -

  1. Using wrong .factory file
  2. Using Firmware 4.1.4

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