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Print Quality
Print Quality
Here's a few prints from my M2. Not quite the quality I'm getting from my Printrbot Simple Metal yet but I have a lot more time with that printer. Any thoughts on tweaking to get my quality up a bit? This is PLA @ 215c, 70c bed temp, .2 layer, Simplify 3D.
Re: Print Quality
A few things stand out...
The retraction zits generally come from not enough extruder acceleration (a firmware setting), which causes the extruder to spend too much time in one spot while inhaling the filament. Increasing the retraction speed won't solve the problem if it's already moving as fast as the acceleration will allow, but you can start there; if nothing changes, then goose the acceleration and then the speed to suit. If the acceleration gets too high, then the extruder will miss steps while retracting; back the acceleration off and you'll know the limits.
Although I don't use S3D, (IIRC) it offers a coasting time that allows the extruder to depressurize before retracting and changing layers (or whatever), so perhaps increasing that delay will have much the same effect as increasing the retraction acceleration.
There's some oscillation in the XY plane, which you can reduce by backing off the XY acceleration values (more firmware settings). Start by cutting them in half, then tweak from there. That may also be due to not having the platform support screws tightened down to compress the springs, as the only thing holding the platform in the XY plane are those screws and springs.
I put silicone rubber plugs inside the springs and slightly compressed those to stabilize the platform:
http://softsolder.com/2013/05/31/makerg ... ilization/
Casting silicone caulk into that shape might work just as well as the weird vibration isolators from my heap o' stuff.
All in all, though, those models look pretty good for starters... [grin]
The retraction zits generally come from not enough extruder acceleration (a firmware setting), which causes the extruder to spend too much time in one spot while inhaling the filament. Increasing the retraction speed won't solve the problem if it's already moving as fast as the acceleration will allow, but you can start there; if nothing changes, then goose the acceleration and then the speed to suit. If the acceleration gets too high, then the extruder will miss steps while retracting; back the acceleration off and you'll know the limits.
Although I don't use S3D, (IIRC) it offers a coasting time that allows the extruder to depressurize before retracting and changing layers (or whatever), so perhaps increasing that delay will have much the same effect as increasing the retraction acceleration.
There's some oscillation in the XY plane, which you can reduce by backing off the XY acceleration values (more firmware settings). Start by cutting them in half, then tweak from there. That may also be due to not having the platform support screws tightened down to compress the springs, as the only thing holding the platform in the XY plane are those screws and springs.
I put silicone rubber plugs inside the springs and slightly compressed those to stabilize the platform:
http://softsolder.com/2013/05/31/makerg ... ilization/
Casting silicone caulk into that shape might work just as well as the weird vibration isolators from my heap o' stuff.
All in all, though, those models look pretty good for starters... [grin]
Re: Print Quality
Looks like I have some work to do. I have a Viki to access the firmware but I only see one setting called acceleration and it's set to 3000.
Re: Print Quality
Was still having problems with quality on the more detailed models and given my progress was slow getting things tweaked, I decided to try the M2 PLA profiles from rsilver at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:269637
After trying his M2_PLA_0.20_High_Quality profile the prints are much better. However, as expected I lost a LOT of print speed. The M2 is now even slower than my Printrbot Simple Metal. Before is was quite a bit faster.
The default XY access movement speed in S3D was 18000 and he has it set to 9600. He also has M201 XY acceleration down to 1200 so I'm assuming there's where most of the speed is going.
After trying his M2_PLA_0.20_High_Quality profile the prints are much better. However, as expected I lost a LOT of print speed. The M2 is now even slower than my Printrbot Simple Metal. Before is was quite a bit faster.
The default XY access movement speed in S3D was 18000 and he has it set to 9600. He also has M201 XY acceleration down to 1200 so I'm assuming there's where most of the speed is going.
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Re: Print Quality
Slowing down acceleration has less of an impact on print speed than print speed. There is a long thread in the Google Groups forum where someone carried out an extensive test run, with the timings and quality impressions if you're interested.
Print speed is a sliding scale of tradeoffs vs performance. Travel speed (if that is what you are referring to as "access speed") is less of a print quality issue, but you do get overshoot on the start of layers leading to zit formation. 18000 mm/min is 300 mm/s which is nearing the absolute limits of travel speed. You may want to experiment with keeping a higher travel speed but retaining the limited acceleration. Tests showed acceleration speeds below 800 as having minimal returns.
Print speed is a sliding scale of tradeoffs vs performance. Travel speed (if that is what you are referring to as "access speed") is less of a print quality issue, but you do get overshoot on the start of layers leading to zit formation. 18000 mm/min is 300 mm/s which is nearing the absolute limits of travel speed. You may want to experiment with keeping a higher travel speed but retaining the limited acceleration. Tests showed acceleration speeds below 800 as having minimal returns.
Re: Print Quality
your prints are looking pretty decent, i'm testing out the RSilver ultra settings atm. I tried ABS all week, could never get it to print properly. trying pla again.
did you get your prints in the end to come out how you expected them to? anything you've learned from the prints you've been doing? looking to get as much info as i can and get all my bugs worked out.
cool sculpts!
did you get your prints in the end to come out how you expected them to? anything you've learned from the prints you've been doing? looking to get as much info as i can and get all my bugs worked out.
cool sculpts!
Re: Print Quality
At this point in time I've pretty much just used rsilvers profile to get where I am today. The PLA profile seemed to work pretty well. I just make sure the bed is good and level, extruder height set and then tweaked further with the G-code Z off set in S3D. I also heat the bed to 65c and use one sheet of 4mm Kapton tape to cover the glass. Parts stick good and pop right off when the bed starts to cool after the print.
I know theres still more quality to be had out of the M2 but now it's just a limitation of my knowledge... which of course I'm working to improve. Right now I'm trying to find that good mix of speed but still keep the quality up. Here a couple pics from the completed model today.
I know theres still more quality to be had out of the M2 but now it's just a limitation of my knowledge... which of course I'm working to improve. Right now I'm trying to find that good mix of speed but still keep the quality up. Here a couple pics from the completed model today.
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- tom_baker_3.jpg (457.69 KiB) Viewed 26489 times
Re: Print Quality
the quality of those prints is amazing. would you mind sharing the print layer qualtity? i'm still trying .2mm at the moment. i'm trying Rsilvers at the moment. the print just started and its looking really good so far.
what is g-code z offset? i feel like the printer prints to fast by default imo. i dont know ANYTHING about 3d printing so i can only say that as a total newbie to this. but i feel if it slowed down a bit wouldn't i get much better results?
great sculpt and the quality...wow...im so jealous. can you come over and show me what i'm doing wrong?! jk but damn thats nice.
did you print with supports and such?
what is g-code z offset? i feel like the printer prints to fast by default imo. i dont know ANYTHING about 3d printing so i can only say that as a total newbie to this. but i feel if it slowed down a bit wouldn't i get much better results?
great sculpt and the quality...wow...im so jealous. can you come over and show me what i'm doing wrong?! jk but damn thats nice.
did you print with supports and such?
Re: Print Quality
Thanks! These are at .2mm The Z off-set in S3D basically tweaks the extruder height off the build platform so I can fine tune how my layers are going down. At first the M2 was printing way too fast and killing the quality. I do generally print with supports and pretty much let S3D decided what it needs. Once I loaded rsilver's profile and slowed things down it got much better. The models btw are from Bold Machines and created by Jose Alves Da Silva. I'm a big fan of his, he's an amazing character modeler. This pics I uploaded are no where near as good as they can be but I too am pretty new at this. I've had a Printrbot Simple Metal for a few months but just got the M2 a few weeks ago. Still much to learn.
http://www.thingiverse.com/boldmachines/designs
http://www.thingiverse.com/boldmachines/designs