Posts made by SplatHammer

Thanks for the tip! I will take a look at that.

So I guess you mean the following:
Create the text, generate the gcode and then manually put in the z axis commands to raise and lower the cutter?

I have a large heavy duty 3D printer with a Duet wifi controller. I want to use it to engrave text into aluminium. I have a 480 watt motor which I am going to attach to the frame and then attach a flexible shaft between it and where the hot end is now. The text is going to be fairly small and I have some 0.4mm cutting/engraving bits.
What software do I need to convert text into GCode to send to the printer? I have searched but everything seems to be aimed at laser engraving.

I have an FlSun as well, really impressive quality prints!
I would just build a copy of the FlSun frame and use the electronics etc from the anycubic. Aliexpress is a good source for all the parts except the alu extrusions and linear guides (never by chinese linear rails/guides). If you are in europe I recommend this company for extrusions, they are beautiful (German) quality and cheap https://www.motedis.de
If you go for linear rails I recommend these guys http://www.chieftek.com in europe they are here http://www.cpc-europa.de/en/contact.html and USA https://www.motionusa.com/cpc-|-chieftek-precision
They are fantastic quality and much cheaper than HiWin.
Good luck and have fun!

Just a thought, but I wonder if rubber vibration insulators (basically a piece of hard rubber with 2 bolts moulded in top and bottom) would work? There are small ones holding a plastic cover to the top of the engine in my car. They can take lots of heat and are moulded so they should be exactly the same size. Something like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aeromotive-Fuel-Pump-Vibration-Dampener-Mounting-Kit-11601/362096382511?epid=1168728755&hash=item544ea0522f:g:zkIAAOSwWaRZsnyp:rk:3:pf:0
but cheaper!

@wilriker Thanks for the tips!
I didnt actually know I was using absolute extrusion! I have not seen any setting in Slic3r to select absolute/relative extrusion and this is the first time I have really edited a gcode file.
Ok, I have just checked on slic3r and found it (I think) under printer settings>general>advanced>use relative E distances When I hover over it I get a message saying "most firmware uses absolute value" I will give it a try on my next small print and see what happens!

@dc42 Thanks, I will check it out.

@jacotheron Thanks for the information, it will save me a lot of grief! I knew you could change filament but I didnt know I could redo the homing, I thought issuing any commands would make it lose track of what it was doing. that really useful, thanks!

@aidar Thanks a load! It worked perfectly! Thats a lot of expensive filament saved.

Ha! Of course, the the extruder value is constantly incrementing as the print progresses and as I just started the file part way through it would just sit there until it had extruded filament equal to the total for the first part of the print. That was really stupid of me! Ok, I will give it a try.

I was doing a 7 hour print and on checking it found that the x axis had JUST skipped a step. I managed to stop the print before it had done more than print the border on that layer, so the print would be recoverable with just a single layer about 0.5mm shifted. My plan was to get into the gcode file and edit it to start at the point I had stopped it, with the axis reset to the correct position after homing. I used jViewer (great program) to locate the exact point, cut the first part of the file out (the part which had printed) and pasted the setup part of the file (the first few lines) in uploaded it and started the print. It didnt work. The printer went to the correct point but just sat there pouring hot plastic onto the print. Can someone please tell me what is wrong with the file I created. I have a Duet 2 wifi and the printer is a standard cartesian with the bed as the z axis.

This part was cut and pasted from the beginning of the original file

M107
M190 S55 ; set bed temperature and wait for it to be reached
M104 S210 ; set temperature
G28 ; home all axes
G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle

; Filament gcode

M109 S210 ; set temperature and wait for it to be reached
G21 ; set units to millimeters
G90 ; use absolute coordinates
M82 ; use absolute distances for extrusion
G92 E0
G92 E0
G1 E-4.00000 F6000.00000
G92 E0

I then cut out the already printed section. This is where I wanted it to start printing, starting at line 73550 of the original file.
G1 Z18.600 F7800.000
This next line I put in just to move the nozzle to the right spot.
G1 X209.000 Y63.000 F7800.000
Then the rest is just copied from the original file.
G1 E4.00000 F6000.00000
G1 F2400
G1 X209.134 Y63.784 E1472.39774
G1 X223.302 Y49.616 E1476.18263
G1 X222.098 Y49.616 E1476.41017
G1 X207.930 Y63.784 E1480.19505
G1 X206.725 Y63.784 E1480.42259
G1 X220.893 Y49.616 E1484.20747
G1 X219.689 Y49.616 E1484.43501
G1 X205.521 Y63.784 E1488.21989
G1 X204.316 Y63.784 E1488.44743
G1 X218.484 Y49.616 E1492.23231
G1 X217.280 Y49.616 E1492.45985
G1 X203.112 Y63.784 E1496.24473
G1 X201.907 Y63.784 E1496.47227
G1 X216.075 Y49.616 E1500.25715
G1 X214.871 Y49.616 E1500.48469
G1 X200.703 Y63.784 E1504.26957
G1 X199.498 Y63.784 E1504.49711
G1 X213.666 Y49.616 E1508.28199
G1 X212.461 Y49.616 E1508.50953
G1 X198.294 Y63.784 E1512.29441
G1 X197.089 Y63.784 E1512.52195
G1 X211.257 Y49.616 E1516.30683
G1 X210.052 Y49.616 E1516.53437
G1 X195.885 Y63.784 E1520.31925
G1 X194.680 Y63.784 E1520.54679
G1 X208.848 Y49.616 E1524.33168

etc, etc, etc.

I know I must have missed something basic, but comparing it with the original file I cant see what I have done wrong. Then again my knowledge of G code is to put it politely minimal! I want to learn which is why I am asking instead of just doing another print (plus its about €20 of carbon fiber reinforced plastic!).

One last question - if something similar happens - the nozzle hits a "bump" and skips a few steps and I spot it quickly, is there a series of commands I can send to pause the print, re-home the axis and then continue the print at the point I paused it?

@wilriker Your wish is my command!

Aliexpress link
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1452584?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4drrI1lB

ebay shop is
https://www.ebay.com/str/apluscnctechnology

both are official stores, if you pay with paypal it goest to an email at primopal.com
Thay have an HUGE range including 0.9 degree, geared, with brakes, servos, drivers etc.

NOTE check the listings, you can have a flat (D style shaft) on all models BUT you need to specify it, there is a code listed you have to add on the part number or just email them.
They will put a lower cost on the invoice for customs if you ask.

@patakopecek I sorted out the connection problem and I have only used baby stepping once. It was entirely the problem of the mount. I have already made several perfect prints. Now I am able to fine tune the machine the quality is incredible with no ripples or artifacts -all surfaces are like glass!

@wilriker Thanks for that! I had it on the card with V1.9 so thought it would be ok, I will update.

@splathammer Forgot the link for the heaters
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/709519?spm=2114.10010108.0.0.4e337493ueO7Ab

@streamliner
A couple more suppliers that might interest you:
These guys do a huge range of pulleys and belts. Belts are very high quality (thin and flexible), cut straight and no fibres on the edge.
https://powge.aliexpress.com/store/702327?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dQMdS5B
Huge range of bed heaters, will do custom really cheap (1500 watt - ok overkill but it heats to 60C in about 90 seconds and its mic8! - 50cm x 55cm $75) Quality is excellent, power cable is silicon sheathed. About 1/3 price of competitor.
Hope this helps!

@streamliner Thanks and thanks for the help and advice.!
If you like I will post some pics when I have tidied it up a bit, still havent put the drag chain on the z axis.
If you are doing a build try checking out these guys if you are looking for linear rails http://www.cpc-europa.de they can probably also point you in the right direction for a UK (or wherever you are) distributer. Quality is excellent (they are not quite as silky smooth as the hiwins out of the box but they have broken in quickly and are now perfect. They are also pretty cheap, I was quoted €75 for 15mm HRC X 70cm in H precision and V0 preload. They are US made.
Also take a look at Primopal steppers (www.primopal.com) , they make every type of stepper and servo and drivers you can imagine and have ebay and aliexpress stores. Quality is fantastic and they are very helpful and will send you exactly what you want if one of their packs (they usually sell them in sets of 3-5 of the same type but will mix if you want). I caqn look for the links if you are interested.
Richard

@fcwilt Its Apple Humble Pie ; )

@deckingman I finally sorted it, turned out to be a bit of bad geometry in the print head mount, under certain circumstances it turned into a self-energising brake. see my reply to DC42 for more details. That sounds like the oven timer going off, my large humble pie must be finished baking, time to go eat it!

@fcwilt Solved it, see my reply to DC42 if you are curious as to what it was. thanks for the help.