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Dec 2018
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TheBombDiggety
Dec '18

I’ve done some poking and prodding, and I am thoroughly confused on this one.

So I have a flashforge dreamer, and it has just recently developed this problem where in one specific section of the y-axis, the x-axis grinds and refuses to move.

basically, when I try to print something, the hub will stop and vibrate in place while making this ugly grinding noise (like the one on this article Finder makes grinding noise, offsets print - 3D Printers - Talk Manufacturing | Hubs 6)
then it continues to print but misaligned on the x-axis, thinking the print moved over to the right or left

moving the hub around I’ve found some important details:

  1. there is one section of the y-axis where moving along the x-axis does not work, it grinds and vibrates and refuses to move.
  2. it never grinds moving along the y-axis
  3. moving along the y-axis makes little “bumps”, doesn’t skip, grind or anything like that, just a subtle bump or three. the bumps are irregular (which is the most confusing bit)
  4. “homing” still works fine, but when you hit “home” while the hub is sitting in the one annoying area on the y-axis, it grinds REALLY badly then homes normally.
  5. the little bumps are felt on the x stepper, not the y stepper
  6. when it grinds, the x stepper’s visible gear (the one that attaches directly to the belt) does not move, just rocks back and forth (suggesting the grinding is coming from the inside of the x stepper)
  7. the belts look fine, I have thoroughly inspected them and it is not the belts that are slipping.

this printer has some miles on it, and I just yesterday brought it out of a dusty garage where it has sat for a few months. I tried to make it print a few times and got one (semi) successful print out of it without it grinding (it was just warped, easy fix).

This is a lot of information. Geez

I spent quite a few hours trying to make this thing work and nothing seems to be working. any help would be appreciated.

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    Dec '18

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    Dec '18
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wirlybird
Dec '18

The most likely cause is a bad cable that goes to the stepper motor. Bending moments over time cause the wires to break.
You will ant to change them out with another one to verify it is indeed the cable.

Using a meter on the cable may not show it is actually bad. It has to bend in the right place etc. for the connection to break.

TheBombDiggety
Dec '18

yes! it turns out the little bumps are caused by the x stepper cable bending as it moves, and flicking the cable causes the motor to spaz a little. it must be a short then. thank you!