So, here it is... as im designing a shell for use in a project, which needs to be completed by Wednesday... for the MCM expo! Yes the MCM expo in london next weekend, i go to use my makerbot, and sadly the Z axis starts playing up... then a wiff, snap crackle and pop (and no mini cartoon characters to see for miles) the stepper motor controller decieds to frazzle.
Luckily when the first time this happened, i ordered 2 spare chips, so i can replace the chip, will just take time...
Here goes!
Friday, 22 October 2010
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Building of wobble arrester and new cable
Well its been an eventfull couple of weeks.
firtly i decieded to change my usb ttl adapter for the makerbot to a 5v logic level, as apposed tothe 3.3v logic level one i was using. the idea behind this was that the switchover signal voltage could have been too low and therefore meant the data was not being sent at good quality. I was annoyed when i bought the first cable, as i was thinking it was a 5v level cable, but alas... oh well.
the first tests came as i was setting up the uni makerbot for a demo of high calibre... more on that in a sec, but i managed to start repg and the new software version, meaning i could import and manipulate the files stl etc in repg.
the first trial pieces were done using my pc desktop, an old pentium 4. (i now bought a i5 HP laptop, so yay!) I did wounder if the processing speed was too slow for the makerbot, and i think i might have been right...
anyway, my first prints using the 5v cable, turned out to be good. they were a corner bracket, to try simple shapes... and then the z wobble arrester. this is an amazing thing an im glad i printed it, as my sides are virtually wobble free (need a second one for other side of rear as that too is a bit wobbly...
anyhow, i printed these with great success, installed the wob arr and set to print something more complex. The gear set, recently uploaded seemd lie the perfetc vhoice.
link here :(insert link)
the results seemed ok, but the thinner smaller gear had to be height adjusted as too much plastic was comming out causing lumps. - this maybe because there wasnt enough time to cool befre the heater nozel came ploughing through, so need to work on 'cool' settings as mentioned in recent blog post elsewhere - should really write the links down!. need to adjust speed and extruder flow rate too, both adjust this issue.
right a picture...
or 2...
the L bracket, shows several wobbly edges so off to print the z wobble arrester...
the wobble arrested whilst printing
The wobble arrester works wonders, and if anyone needs to see why it is handy, check this video out of the one i installed...
with the wobble arrester installed, i made the gears.
picture too come.
firtly i decieded to change my usb ttl adapter for the makerbot to a 5v logic level, as apposed tothe 3.3v logic level one i was using. the idea behind this was that the switchover signal voltage could have been too low and therefore meant the data was not being sent at good quality. I was annoyed when i bought the first cable, as i was thinking it was a 5v level cable, but alas... oh well.
the first tests came as i was setting up the uni makerbot for a demo of high calibre... more on that in a sec, but i managed to start repg and the new software version, meaning i could import and manipulate the files stl etc in repg.
the first trial pieces were done using my pc desktop, an old pentium 4. (i now bought a i5 HP laptop, so yay!) I did wounder if the processing speed was too slow for the makerbot, and i think i might have been right...
anyway, my first prints using the 5v cable, turned out to be good. they were a corner bracket, to try simple shapes... and then the z wobble arrester. this is an amazing thing an im glad i printed it, as my sides are virtually wobble free (need a second one for other side of rear as that too is a bit wobbly...
anyhow, i printed these with great success, installed the wob arr and set to print something more complex. The gear set, recently uploaded seemd lie the perfetc vhoice.
link here :(insert link)
the results seemed ok, but the thinner smaller gear had to be height adjusted as too much plastic was comming out causing lumps. - this maybe because there wasnt enough time to cool befre the heater nozel came ploughing through, so need to work on 'cool' settings as mentioned in recent blog post elsewhere - should really write the links down!. need to adjust speed and extruder flow rate too, both adjust this issue.
right a picture...
or 2...
the L bracket, shows several wobbly edges so off to print the z wobble arrester...
the wobble arrested whilst printing
The wobble arrester works wonders, and if anyone needs to see why it is handy, check this video out of the one i installed...
with the wobble arrester installed, i made the gears.
picture too come.
Sunday, 10 October 2010
dead...
mkerbot mk4 plastruder is dead. and i dont have money to buy the mk5. uni have bought the last of my nichrome wire so i dont have the ability to rectify, therefore i have decieded to stick it in the loft and forget about it till i have money.
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