Hello,
I am asking this question on behalf of someone. He is printing on the Duplicator 4 by Wanhao. At some point in the middle of the print, it seems as though the extruder path gets offset along the x-axis (left/right). The result is a printout that starts off fine, but then gets shifted so that subsequent layers are hanging off the side.
This was happening occasionally before, and he thought it might have something to do with corrupted print files from the internet (they had downloaded some prints from Thingiverse.com). But it’s now also happening to the files they create at the school with their Autodesk Inventor program.
Has anyone run in to this problem, and, if so, what did you do to solve the issue?
Thank you!
auhouhz
2
Check that the belts are tight enough and those grub screws are not loosened.
Hello! This seems to be a mechanical issue rather than a gcode, x3g or software issue. You could check the timing belts running across the x axis. It might be due to the pulleys skipping steps due to lack of tension on the belts. If the problem still continues after tensioning the belts properly check the pulley teeth (both motor and idler pulley) if they are intact. -Ram
Yeah I would agree with hardware issues. Check your tension springs and pulley tension. Also make sure no teeth are missing on the belts and that nothing is obstructing the movement. Try jogging the steppers in jog mode from the printer onboard controls to eliminate a misstep ping axis.
What is the used Slicer ? Cause I’ve some trouble in the beginning with my Duplicator i3 using Cura, When I started with Simplify 3D, it was 1000 times better and easier.
Others have pointed out that it is missing steps, but I’ll explain a little further:
The machine depends on the movement of the print head being predictable and always “successful”, since there is no closed-loop control on steppers. If the belt slips on the pulley, the pulley slips on the shaft, or the stepper misses steps due to an electrical problem, the controller has no way of knowing that the hotend didn’t move as far as it had commanded, and therefore no way of correcting for it. It continues to print, assuming that the hotend is exactly where it has told it to go every time. If it is slipping or missing steps in one direction, you will get a print that looks like it is being slid over a little at a time, because the hotend isn’t where the controller thinks it is any more after a skip or missed step.
For this reason, check the belt tension and all the mechanical and electrical connections for the motor that drives the axis that seems to be “sliding”.
1 Like
I would recommend replacing the X-axis stepper motor wires, re-route them away from the LCD display and add a cable chain to the X-axis wires as well. The X-axis stepper motor wires bend repeatedly in one area (close to the X-axis motor carriage) and tends to break inside the plastic insulator. This break in the wire is not 100% so there is still some connection but when the wire bends during print, the wire break will loose signal and cause missed steps.
I almost guarantee a new wire/cable set on the X-axis will get your D4 printing well again.
X-axis cable chain
Also, here is a link to the google groups which is more in-depth on the x-axis cable issue
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/wanhao-printer-3d/vPI4gIbO07M
1 Like
Makerbot Desktop
(I’ll look into the Simplify 3D if you think it’s easier…thanks!)
I totally agree on this. Faulty cables are the most common fault on this type of machines.
