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printing ABS with the E3D all metal hotend

Carlos Pozo

November 14, 2016 23:49

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So I just changed form the J-heads to the allmetal hotend with thermocuople. when printing ABS do you turn off the fans? I am left the heat sink fan on and then turned the filament cooling fan so it will blow away. I don't know if this is OK or not, or if the head will support no fan printing specially for 20+ hour prints.

While doing this I had some problems with my first and last layer. my last top layer has some rough spots as if the head came down a layer and moved over, it it not everywhere but in some areas. also there is some lines missing. it is probably the same with the bottom. I haven't had problems with the j heads, but i know it is a learning curve with this new e3d head.

 

any advise would be appreciated

 

 

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17 comments

• 0
  
  Matthew Fiedler November 15, 2016 00:19

  Can you post a picture or send one to support@re3d.org? When printing ABS I don't usually use the "outrigger" fans. The heat sink fan should be controlled to turn on automatically when the hot end temp reaches 50C

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  Carlos Pozo November 15, 2016 00:26

  so do you just slice is with the fans off. did you meant 250C? how does the controller know when the heatsink fan gets to the temp? I know the thermocouple just monitors the nozzle temperature

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  Matthew Fiedler November 15, 2016 00:38

  Yes, if you are using Simplify3D and the profiles for Gigabot on our Wiki here: http://wiki.re3d.org/index.php?title=Installing_and_using_software_with_Gigabot#Simplify3D

  You can choose "ABS" from the material drop down box (step #3 in the above link) and it will turn off the outrigger fan in your gcode.

  When you upgrade your GB2 to the all metal hot end you should be running new firmware. The new firmware together with the new fan wiring will automatically turn the extruder fan on and off based upon the hot end temp. 

  Instructions for adding an all-metal hot end to your GB2 are here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/p1wvnv6phf4hd3e/GB2%20HE%20Upgrade%20Rev01.pdf?dl=0

   

   

   

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  Carlos Pozo November 15, 2016 01:02

  Gotcha. Thanks i realized that i have wired it wrong. I have the outrigger and heatsink fan on the same terminal. I didnt get the imstructions haha.

  Also have you tried to use .5 nozzles with the e3ds? If so where did you get them? That is one thing i liked about the jheads it layed material much faster. I am printing a part that usually takes me 11 hour but now is upto 16 because of the .4 nozzle?

  One more question: does the e3ds all metal hot ends have any ptfe or any kind of liner?

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  Matthew Fiedler November 15, 2016 15:23

  I have not used 0.5mm nozzles with the all metal hot end. You can find available 0.8mm nozzles from our webstore here: http://shop.re3d.org/collections/replacement-parts/products/gb3-hot-end-nozzle

  Other size nozzles can be found elsewhere on the web. 

   

  The all metal hot end does not contain any PTFE or other liner. Details on the hot end can be found here: http://shop.re3d.org/collections/replacement-parts/products/e3d-hotend

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  Carlos Pozo November 15, 2016 16:16

  Matthew,

   

  thank you for your help and tips. so I installed the AM head as intructed but the heat sink fan doesnt work. I am running an old version of the all metal hotend with thermocouple. what version of the fw does it need? I can't intall the 4.1.3 fw because my GB2 starts skipping z steps and crashing all over.

  I changed the motor controls, clean up and check all the v-groove wheels but it wasn't until I downgraded that the GB started working again

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  Matthew Fiedler November 15, 2016 22:21

  The all-metal hot end requires firmware 4.1.3. If you are skipping steps on the Z axis I would first look at the v-groove wheels to ensure they are not too tight. Here is a video showing the v-groove wheel adjustment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnUjeYP9qFs&t=1s

  You can also reduce the velocity of the Z axis in Simplify3D in the "Other" tab and the acceleration parameter under the "Starting Scripts" using the M204 command.

  If the Z axis is not moving smoothly I would start first with the alignment of the Z uprights and verify they are perfectly parallel (less than 0.005") to each other and perpendicular to the common rail that they sit on. I would also use plenty of grease on the threaded rods. 

  What do you mean by "crashing all over"? 

  We do have a significant number of machines running firmware 4.1.3 without problems. 

   

   

   

• 0
  
  Carlos Pozo November 16, 2016 00:05

  When i stop my print the head will continue moving to the side it was going and then crashing on the sides.

  Edited by Carlos Pozo November 16, 2016 00:38
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  Carlos Pozo November 16, 2016 00:34

  

   

  

   

  

   

  
  
  

  Edited by Carlos Pozo November 16, 2016 16:51
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  Carlos Pozo November 16, 2016 00:36

  Matthew,

   

  so i got everything plugged in as per the instructions but the heat sink fan will not turn on when temp gets past 50C. do i need to enable something in VIKI? I uploaded pics above showing my connections. I have also upgrade the fw to 4.1.2

  Edited by Carlos Pozo November 16, 2016 00:44
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  Matthew Fiedler November 17, 2016 01:18

  Just to be certain the firmware you installed was:

  • Viki 2.0 + Thermocouple: (V4.1.2 GB2 TC)

  Found at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sptz29ypn81ej03/Gigabot%20Firmware%20V4.1.2%20GB2%20TC.zip?dl=0

  With the hot end heated above 50C I would also verify with a volt meter the presence of 24V DC on the Azteeg terminals circled below. If you have voltage at the board then also check at the head junction box terminals for voltage. Either 1) the board is not turning on port 16 and voltage is coming out of the board 2) There is a break in the blue or white wire from the board to the head junction box 3) loose connections somewhere 4) extruder fan not working.

  Let me know what you find.

  

   

• 0
  
  Carlos Pozo November 17, 2016 02:44

  Matthew,

  thank you for your help. I have follow the steps you suggested and here is what happened:

  1) the board is not turning on port 16 and voltage is coming out of the board

  I measured with my dmm and no voltage on the header

  2) There is a break in the blue or white wire from the board to the head junction box

  I did continuity check on the cables and they are ok

  3) loose connections somewhere

  I didn't find any loose connection

  4) extruder fan not working.

  I connected the fan to the outrigger fan and it is working

  the firmware in am using is (Gigabot Firmware V4.1.2 GB2 TC FD) . is this ok? I have filament detection

  Edited by Carlos Pozo November 17, 2016 02:45
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  Matthew Fiedler November 17, 2016 13:25

  Carlos, Port 17 are the two terminals just above port 16. With the hot end above 50C you can probe port 17 to see if 24V DC is present (we may have an old firmware that used port 17).  If the controller is not activating port 16 or 17 we can change the firmware to use another port. You can email support@re3d.org and we will get you up and running.

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  Carlos Pozo November 17, 2016 14:41

  Matthew,

  I tested port 17 and I don't have any voltage on the header either. I have uploaded the fw you posted here and tried it but no luck either. i was doing some search in the arduino code to see the pin used and came across this:

   

  // Extruder cooling fans
  // Configure fan pin outputs to automatically turn on/off when the associated
  // extruder temperature is above/below EXTRUDER_AUTO_FAN_TEMPERATURE.
  // Multiple extruders can be assigned to the same pin in which case
  // the fan will turn on when any selected extruder is above the threshold.
  #define EXTRUDER_0_AUTO_FAN_PIN   16
  #define EXTRUDER_1_AUTO_FAN_PIN   16

   

  would that cause problems? i am no code expert

• 0
  
  Matthew Fiedler November 17, 2016 14:52

  Carlos,

   

  You are exactly correct. This section of code controls Port 16 when the hot end temp is above 50C. The following lines of code should read:

  #define EXTRUDER_AUTO_FAN_TEMPERATURE 50
  #define EXTRUDER_AUTO_FAN_SPEED 255 // == full speed

   

  If you change:

  #define EXTRUDER_0_AUTO_FAN_PIN   16
  #define EXTRUDER_1_AUTO_FAN_PIN   16

  to:

  #define EXTRUDER_0_AUTO_FAN_PIN   17
  #define EXTRUDER_1_AUTO_FAN_PIN   17

  Save the changes and upload the code to Gigabot then check port 17.

  If the voltage is present you can move the blue and white wires up to the top two terminals of that blue header.

   

   

• 0
  
  Carlos Pozo November 17, 2016 15:21

  Matthew,

   

  Sweet! that did the trick. Thank you for your patience and help on this

• 0
  
  Matthew Fiedler November 17, 2016 15:30

  I appreciate your patience. I have not seen this problem before where the Port 16 would not activate. This is a new one for me! I am glad that Port 17 is still working.