Newcomer with 3DP11

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Adrian_S
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Joined: March 9th, 2018, 5:15 pm
3D Printer(s): HICTOP 3DP11

Newcomer with 3DP11

Post by Adrian_S »

Hello, I'm just assembling the printer I bought two years ago (busy life). I've got the thing assembled and running in that I can use the panel to move the axes around, and replaced a broken Y-limit switch, but before I begin a test print there is one part of the build I am not happy with.

The extruder is mounted to the carriage by two long hex bolts passing through a fan grille, washers, fan, spacers, heatsink, the block on the carriage through which the nozzle is secured, and finally the screws draw into the body of the extruder. But, when tightened fully, the whole assembly seems to float by 1mm to and fro. Is this by design?
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Roberts_Clif
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Location: Washington, State USA
3D Printer(s): Hictop 3DP11/12

Re: Newcomer with 3DP11

Post by Roberts_Clif »

Hello Adrian_S

Hictop 3DP11 Aluminum has some small problems and I have posted my fixes on this forum.
One being the all thread Z-Axis lead screws, moving too an fro.
When I first assembled my 3DP11 found that if you wrap a single layer of electrician tape on the bottom of the Z-Axis lead screws it will improve the wobble by all allowing the lead screw to be center the coupler they-by eliminating any wobble.

Then {I upgraded to a T8-2 lead screw (8mm lead screw with a single turn rise of 2mm)}.
Other mod made was a proximity sensor it will greatly speed up the bed leveling, mount with thumb screw adjustable bracket.
I modified one just for the SN04-N for this 3D Printer), And posted the STL files.

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=535&p=8958#p8958
Adrian_S
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3D Printer(s): HICTOP 3DP11

Re: Newcomer with 3DP11

Post by Adrian_S »

Thanks for your reply, I had read through most of the forum posts but in the end I found an answer to my question in about the fifth YouTube video I watched, KackaWeek found the same issue and added extra washers.

I solved some other build problems, the two Z-axis threaded rods were slightly bowed, but after rolling each of them on a flat surface to spot exactly where they were bowing up and them using gentle force I was able to straighten each of them using fingers and thumbs. The Z-axis linear guides were also able to move upwards enough to slip out of the stepper mounting, so I put a small amount of plasticene under each of the clamps, and did the same where I saw the Y-axis rods could also move slightly.

I then found that setting the extruder nozzle so that the top of the threaded portion was flush with the mounting block meant the turbo fan outlet was lower than the nozzle. I tried lowering the nozzle in the block but that made it a bit wobbly. After filing the holes and raising it as much as I dared it still didn't fully clear the work so I took the shroud off and ran without it just to get something happening.

These are all things that are not discernable from the instructions, and you have to look hard at some of the videos to see what you need to see, but from other people's comments I get the feeling HIC have improved things in the two years since I got my machine.

I took advice from one of the threads and started with Repetier rather than Cura, and tried cutting back the speeds, but I still think the movement is too fast and will have to read back again to see what the advice is. I've also not been able to find where in Repetier you can specify the nozzle diameter.

I am using whatever software HIC Tech put on the board, which is an earlier version without the SD card on the control board.

I noticed the driver chips for the steppers were getting hot, and wonder if I should be putting a fan on the control board, or perhaps getting the little adhesive heatsinks I've seen on some other stepper boards.
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: Newcomer with 3DP11

Post by Roberts_Clif »

I have added heat sink to the Mosfet I a single aluminum bar with insulators across all, and a fan to keep the components cool.
IMG_1682.JPG
I added heat sinks to all the stepper drivers and set the stepper current to .695 on all except Z-Axis 1.396 on my 12 volt Printer
and set the stepper current to .420 on all except Z-Axis .710 on my 24 volt Printer.

Modded a Duct parts fan
New Hictop extruder duct.stl
(372.05 KiB) Downloaded 410 times
And added a Heat sink to the throat
TL-W3M 3.jpg
Changed my Proximity sensor to low profile, with a thumb screw adjustable mount.

Tested most versions of marlin up to 1.1.8 Still using Marlin 1.1.5
Adrian_S
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Re: Newcomer with 3DP11

Post by Adrian_S »

The Mosfets drive the heaters and beds, I assume? I was checking them during the test runs and they didn't feel as warm to the finger as the stepper chips did.

I will have to check all the stepper motor currents as I had drifting on a test cube last night. I also think the movement is far too fast, but if I reduce the feed speed, I think I also have to slow the extrusion rate to avoid more plastic being deposited.

I am curious to know what is in the earlier version of Marlin that makes you stick with it, or what the later versions do wrong?
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Roberts_Clif
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Re: Newcomer with 3DP11

Post by Roberts_Clif »

I have upgraded to Marlin 1.1.5 though I start all print between 32-46 speed and print between 60-80.
As the different software may print at different speeds linked is a video on you-tube

I use this fix as the bottom of the smooth rods are not supported well. Print these smooth rod brackets.
Download from thingiverse by ratdoghippy, published May 20, 2016.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1576639

Video shows my print speed and the part to support the Z-Axis smooth rods. they attach to Z-Axis Stepper Motor bracket with the same screws.
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