Ian Jones Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Oh sorry I didn't remember that Ken, I'll have a root around and see if there's anything I can find that might help as my holes are coming out round (though I have some work to do to improve other aspects): Edited By Ian Jones on 31/01/2017 00:56:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Ken - sounds kick you may need to check the calibration of your printer. As you know the X,Y,Z movement is controlled via stepper motors and the number of steps per mm are held in the firmware. What you do is to print off a calibration piece of, say, 100mm in each axis. (Thingiverse has a few, e.g. this) Once it is printed then go into your firmware and note the steps/mm for each axis. On my M150 you can do this from the front panel. Now measure the calibration piece and from that you can calculate any correction required. For example, let's say the current X steps/mm is set to 64. You measure the X arm of the piece to be 102mm instead of 100mm. This means that too many steps are being sent and you can calculate the correct number of steps from 100/102*64 = 62.75. You now enter this into the X steps/mm in the firmware. Repeat for the other 2 axis. Once done DONT FORGET TO SAVE!! If you forget, then the next time you switch the printer on it will use the old values. On my M150 it only needed decimal changes but the improvement was measurable. Hope this helps. Edited By Colin Bernard on 31/01/2017 04:19:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Thanks for the advice Colin, I'll have a look and see where this is on the M180 and report back Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Regarding the enclosure modification to my Malyan M180 mentioned above, I have now uploaded the STL files to Thingiverse. I have referred to them as "Odd Leg Panel Holders". Simple as they are, the design job is already done so they are ready to print if anyone wants them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 I would think that Colin's advice will do the job. However as I said I'd seen something on the matter and would look for it, now I've found it I'll pass on the info anyway. On the Malyan website there's information on full recaibration of the all axis, that can be found here and there's also a video, as shown below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 hi again, Thanks Ian and Colin, read that 'walkthrough' Ian, finally had a chance to look at the calibration, I've printed the 20mm block supplied with the software, noted the error ( 0.76mm undersize in Y) now all I need to do is find the firmware! - anyone tell me where it is hiding? (I've said before that I'm a bit lost when it comes to computer programming etc) is it on the printer or part of the slicer software? regards Ken Edited By Ken Lighten on 05/02/2017 16:28:29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I THINK I may be going down the right path now after a lot of interweb searching!, using the ReplicatorG program that came with the printer, I loaded it into a desktop folder rather than into the program files (rightly or wrongly, but it seems to allow me to alter things when not in the program fies) I then opened the 'machines' file followed by the 'Malyan system' XML document, this has the steps per mm figures (takes a bit of faff to find it but it's there!) I then altered the 'Y' figures as per Colins advise earlier. I printed a block and it still exhibited the same dimensional discrepancy so I figured that the calibrated block would have been created using the old parameters so opened it in ReplicatorG and then saved it again as a new item on the SD card. Printed a calibration block and viola and quel surprise a 20 X 20 X 10 block hoorah!! with this in mind, I am currently printing an axis model created in Fusion 360 with a 100 X10 X 10mm arm in all 3 axis which is already dimensionaly out (checked during the print process) so will then repeat the process of changing the steps per mm to suit and then reprint it to see if it corrects OK, then ANOTHER axis model to prove the concept followed by a circular object to see if it too is correct. IF this is OK I will use this program and settings for my own designs and Makerbot for downloaded ones as they SEEM to print OK with it - phew! probably completely wrong! Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Me again, one other thing I did find when staring desperately at my printer was that the short belt that drives the Y axis isn't tension regulated like the other 3 belts. On closer inspection I found that the tension is adjusted by the fact that the Y stepper motor is mounted using slotted holes which aren't long enough to take out the backlash fully. releasing the motor, attacking the slots with a fine round file and refitting the motor has taken all the backlash out - did this before doing everything in my previous post by the way Ken Edited By Ken Lighten on 07/02/2017 16:27:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 That sounds right Ken. Though the M180 machine should have already been loaded: Regarding 'Program Files' v a desktop folder for Replicator G it shouldn't make any difference though perhaps your windows profile needs to be at Administrator level. Personally I don't use ReplicatorG at all anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcaddict Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 having tried a few slicers I second makerbot desktop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Well that didn't work! - AARRGGH! does the printer steps per mm stay on the printer firmware as set by ReplicatorG? or do I have to find how to do it for Makerbot? I will not be beaten (yet!)! Regards Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 it would appear not having retried a Makerbot version of the axis model Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 For my M150 I actually updated the steps/mm in the printer itself rather than within any of the supporting software. There are options from the printer control screen that allow you to update the figures and then write them into the firmware settings. I assume it's the same for other makes/models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Not that I can see on the M180 Colin, there is a screen for calibrating but I think its for head alignment of the 2 extruders as the adjustable figures are not step related - You would have thought the Malyan website would be of help! there is a very good chance that its just me thinking like an engineer and not a programmer I feel another internet trawl coming on Edited By Ken Lighten on 07/02/2017 20:55:37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I don't know how close the M180 control software is to the M150, but I will take a look at mine in the morning and let you know what my options are. May be of some use. In the meantime I have done a bit of a Google and the Malyan Wiki simply refers to ReplicatorG and Cura, nothing within the firmware itself. Edited By Colin Bernard on 07/02/2017 22:01:36 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Thanks Colin, I've Emailed the Malyan support but I'm not holding my breath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 OK - so here is how I set the steps/mm for the M150. As I say I do not know the M180 so this may be totally irrelevant! From the main menu, take the 'Control' option... From there into 'Motion'... And now I have access to the steps/mm values. I change each as required... Finally we save via the 'Store Memory' option... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Nope, nothing like the M180 but thanks anyway Colin, if only it was as simple as that - I'm currently in a terminal spiral of Emails with Malyan - if I survive I'll report the outcome! Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 There's a Malyan group at Thingiverse that doesn't have a lot in at the moment but seems to be slowly growing. Might be worth keeping an eye, I've joined up to it. Edited By Ian Jones on 16/02/2017 17:47:11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 After many attempts with varying dimensions it is quite possible/likely that the problem is the 3D design software I'm using as the printer seems to print downloaded parts and samples/supplied calibration blocks reasonably well. I'm using Autocad 360 which is recommended by several people, could be that my machine/computer/me combination isn't good, so any other good, 'I'm using this easily with no problems' design software that can be suggested that I could try? - preferably free but at least not in the major engineering company price bracket. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lighten Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 reference my previous post about the lack of adjustment on the short 'Y' belt this chap came up with these idler cogs for tensioning it if you dont fancy removing the stepper motor **LINK** Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted February 25, 2017 Author Share Posted February 25, 2017 Posted by Ken Lighten on 23/02/2017 12:50:39: After many attempts with varying dimensions it is quite possible/likely that the problem is the 3D design software I'm using as the printer seems to print downloaded parts and samples/supplied calibration blocks reasonably well. I'm using Autocad 360 which is recommended by several people, could be that my machine/computer/me combination isn't good, so any other good, 'I'm using this easily with no problems' design software that can be suggested that I could try? - preferably free but at least not in the major engineering company price bracket. Ken Interesting Ken, software certainly can affect the scaling of prints, though I wouldn't have expected it at the design stage as that is done without any specific target printer and it's purpose is just to produce a file to hold the 3D model data, typically an stl file. The next stage (or two), which produces the printing file (gcode and/or 3xg), I would expect to be the one(s) causing trouble. So, just for clarity: are you using the exact same software to produce accurate demo prints as for the prints which fail to scale properly? If you are, is there any possibility that printer settings can be different for each one? Do get any messages about invalid/ignored Mcodes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 Further to the above, I have just printed a transmitter stick guard which needed to accurately printed so that it would fit on the transmitter. I was very pleased to find the fit was excellent. Well to be honest the second attempt was excellent, on the first one some fool couldn't use a ruler a ruler properly and specified the wrong dimensions, which the of course the printer duly reproduced. So if it's any help, I sized the model using the measurements shown in MS 3D Builder (comes as part of Windows 10 by the way). I then used Simplify 3D to slice and produce the X3G file. Simplify 3D has built in support for the Malyan M180. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom O Sullivan Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 The steps per mm are held in the GPX.ini file in your simplify 3d folder and also you should set them to match the steps in the simplify3d firmware configuration to avoid any possible conflict, the gpx is what creates the x3g file for the printer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Thanks Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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