Anyone know why my FFCPro is skipping to the right?

Mark_40 · 2015-03-04T09:27:53.000Z

I have experienced the exact same problem on my Creator. The problem was the timing pulley slipping on the motor shaft.

Tightening the set screw fixed the problem…for a while. Taking a closer look I realized the set screw was contacting the motor shaft at the very end so it would eventually vibrate itself loose. I had to flip the pulley around on the shaft so the set screw could do its job. Haven’t had a problem since.

I hope that solves your problem. Happy printing!

-Mark

ImShogun · 2015-03-04T09:35:16.000Z

Well, indeed, lithium grease would be a better choice ;-))

3Dmigos · 2015-03-04T13:55:15.000Z

To bring it back to personal lubricants, talking to a colleague, he recommends, that we are talking about indoors, not needing heat or pressure resistance that Vaseline would be a perfect and cheap grease.

I will report back!!!

PalmersPursuit · 2015-03-04T14:03:55.000Z

Make sure acceleration is turned on via the lcd for speed ramping. Large builds may hit the limit switch and make the stepper skip. Check the stepper cable. Wiggle it while printing. Check pullies, tighten belts ect.

Bassna · 2015-03-04T16:23:49.000Z

Did anyone ever try that Vaseline idea? I don’t have any Lithium grease at the house and I know my rod’s could use something.

3Dmigos · 2015-03-04T16:26:04.000Z

Watch this post for the next 3 hours. I’ll let you know!

dmiller719 · 2015-03-04T17:28:15.000Z

are you sure the nozzle is not hitting the print? I had to adjust my nozzles the left nozzle was lower and kept hitting anything i was printing with the right nozzle. The result was something like i see in your photo. Once i adjusted them I did not have this issue anymore.

Bassna · 2015-03-04T17:54:04.000Z

Cool I’ll check back My other options currently are WD-40 or 3-in-1 oil. But both seem a bit thin. And it’s oil, not grease

Or I guess goto the store and buy some is also a option but not sure when that will be

Slavulj · 2015-03-04T20:51:17.000Z

Hello, try to limit vibration on 15Hz in Slic3r

3Dmigos · 2015-03-05T04:46:27.000Z

Right - update…

The Vaseline works great, it’s light and clean, cheap and easy to apply.

But that was not the problem, and it’s got worse…

I can move the easily print head manually, so the motor is not jammed, but when I print, the x axis does not move and it makes a terrible noise like it’s trying and something it stopping it.

I read something a while ago about the cables taking a lot of wear and tear and needing replacing?

Anyone help?

Cris.

ImShogun · 2015-03-05T07:44:12.000Z

Wow. At this point, I would check the stepper itself? I never had to do that though, but that would be my first next step: trying to remove the belt and see if it rotates using the lcd panel manual commands.

3Dmigos · 2015-03-05T08:14:14.000Z

hmmm… Hadn’t thought of that. Without taking the belt off, X-jog commands work fine, but then it always seems fine when I first switch it on…

Need to go to work now, will experiment more later.

3Dmigos · 2015-03-05T08:15:04.000Z

Yes, thanks; it’s gone beyond that point!!!

Bassna · 2015-03-05T13:35:35.000Z

I’m not sure if you got it or not yet, but if not, and hopefully link’s are aloud here, I would check out www.3dprintboard.com , they have a whole section for Flashforge, with a lot of people that know the in’s and out’s of the machine. I almost guarantee you can find your answer there if not yet

Andrew_C · 2015-03-05T14:49:03.000Z

If it’s only occurring after some time has passed, it could well be that the motor is on it’s way out? I would hate to think so, but I can only suggest swapping the X and Y stepper motors around to see if the problem moves with it.

- Andy

steven_10 · 2015-03-05T20:05:02.000Z

i think your Stepping drivers are over heating! i used to get this exact problem with Ramps Electronics, put a bit cooling fan over them and the problem went away! maybe if you can open up the area where the Electronics are and get a fan to blow air across and see if it makes a differance!

Good Luck

dmiller719 · 2015-03-21T22:22:40.000Z

well… I ended up having this same problem… The stepper would make a grinding noise then the print would shift to the right. creating steps. I re-wired the x axis stepper and the problem was solved.

avioza · 2015-10-08T18:44:08.000Z

I am having a very similar problem.

In my case after about 10 minutes of printing, I will get a very brief grind from the stepper motor, which will cause a shift in the x-axis. A few minutes later the unit grinds terribly and the head travels randomly off the print grinding the whole time.

This appears to be an electronic issue, I have checked all set screws and oiled the rods. The x-axis will not jog making the same vibrating/grinding noise *until* I power cycle the machine. After a reset, the jog test on the motors is as smooth as can be.

I am experimenting with possible high temperature issues and am considering buying replacement cable, motor controller and Stepper motor.

avioza · 2015-10-08T18:45:39.000Z

By re-wired do you mean you replaced the wires between the stepper motor and controller? Or the wire running from the controller all the way back to the mainboard?

avioza · 2015-11-02T16:18:16.000Z

UPDATE: RESOLVED

My shifting issue and stepper motor grinding problems have been resolved. Since the company was paying for it I ordered a replacement stepper, controller and cable that runs between them. I then replaced the parts one at a time.

It was the cable. This thing is working better than new. Apparently that cable has been a problem for some time.