Wipe not clearing the build platform...help!

[mharter]

Ok, here we go. Been busy with my laser and building a new laser, so I have been away from my beloved M2 for the past few months(I did maintenance it every few weeks with some oil to feed the rails). I need to print some parts for my new laser design and the M2 started up and printed with relatively few issues (just a few software tweaks). Anyway, i have the V4 Dual setup. When the print starts I have it set up to wipe for 50mm to prime the extruder before it prints. When it starts, it of course homes first. Then the extruder moves to the right on the x-axis to supposedly move off the build platform to prime the extruder. The left extruder doesn't make it completely off the build platform before it primes. This causes a big glob of material under and around the tip, which then clogged it (I was using Taulman910, awesome material by the way...prints very nicely and is super strong) and the first layer wouldn't extrude until the extruder got itself back in order and the backup worked out.

Does anyone have a clue how to fix this so the left extruder moves completely off the build platform to perform the wipe function?

Also, can anyone point me to a link to all the g-code commands and what they mean and how to use them for 3D printing?

Sorry, I am a little rusty. Been away from the 3d printer for a little bit now. I appreciate all responses and thanks in advance!

Mike

[Jules]

Yeah I put together a Startup script for the situation you describe. I'm going to list it below, with the WARNING that it is only good for using just the left Extruder, not both of them at the same time. That situation uses a different startup G-Code.

(And this script moves the nozzle off the platform before raising the bed, in order to avoid dragging the right nozzle over the binder clips.)

Left Nozzle Startup Script

M108 S255 ; turn on M2 extruder
M201 X1000 Y1000 ; lower default accelerations
T0
G28 X Y ; home X and Y axes
G1 Y50 F8000 ; move forward to avoid binder clips
G1 X215 ; move off platform
G28 Z ; home Z axis
G1 Z0.4 ; position nozzle
G92 E0 ; zero extruder
G1 E25 F225 ; purge nozzle
G92 E0 ; zero extruder
G1 X190 Z0.1 E1.0 F1200 ; slow wipe
G1 X180 Z0.25 ; lift

[Tim]

Then the extruder moves to the right on the x-axis to supposedly move off the build platform to prime the extruder. The left extruder doesn't make it completely off the build platform before it primes. This causes a big glob of material under and around the tip. . .

Does anyone have a clue how to fix this so the left extruder moves completely off the build platform to perform the wipe function?

Yes, I can help you! This is an error in the gcode start script. I'm not sure where it came from, but I've definitely seen it before. Make sure that your startup script has:

Code: Select all

G1 X0 Y50 Z0.3 F9600 ; Move forward to avoid binder clips
G1 X209 Z10  ; Move off platform

It's the "X209" that's critical. I think anything in the 205 to 215 range is off the platform but not hitting the end, but there are startup scripts floating around that have "X200". I expect that it might be a single extruder start script improperly applied to a dual extruder. At any rate, anything at 200 or less is going to put the left nozzle on top of the plate. Change that one value in the start script, and you should be good to go on the next slice.

Also, can anyone point me to a link to all the g-code commands and what they mean and how to use them for 3D printing?

I just do a Google search on "reprap marlin gcode". Any of the first results are good references.

[mharter]

Thanks Jules and Tim!! Unfortunately this thing called work has me tied up for the next several hours but I will try these solutions when I get home.

Jules - thanks for that script. Any chance you have the one for the dual extruders as well?

Tim - Just saved the reprap g code wiki page. Got some good reading ahead of me.

Thanks again all. I will report back if I have any other issues.

[Jules]

Jules - thanks for that script. Any chance you have the one for the dual extruders as well?

Yes, i have singles for each of the left and the right, as well as a dual. I was planning to post them in a day or so as a "How To" after i finished testing and tweaking. (The startup codes are fine, i just got side-tracked again.)

I'll load them up later.