ABS prints not working, wont stick to bed as well???

[metrons]

hey gang.

I tried printing for the first time with ABS last night and every single time the print would fail. i know i need to take pictures and post on here so people can see whats happening but i'm at work and hoping someone can explain what i'm doing wrong?

i'm using simplify3d

here is my ABS material
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J0H ... UTF8&psc=1

extrusion multipler is set to 1.10 ( i have no idea what this is...)

my temperature is set at 240 (i'm not sure if s3d is in celcius or farenheit? maybe thats my issue?)

Bed temperature is set to
Layer 1 110

( i keep reading people use blue tape for abs or a glue stick? i couldn't find a tutorial or explanation on what type of blue tape that is exactly (like what you use for masking when painting walls?) i also wasn't sure if i just get a glue stick and ... smear it on the glass printer bed? is the purpose of this all to have the abs stick to the bed? PLA printed fine for me right outta the box. so this is all new to me.

also, the brownish tape that comes with the M2, i haven't read anyone online using that? i put a few strips down on the bed and let it heat up, never seemed to get to 110 though? i wish i knew what i was doing wrong here!

infill of 20%

i have the bottom fan value set to 0

when i tried printing the abs would sometimes stick to the printerbed in areas and other areas it would put down material that didn't stick to the bed and it kept globbing up on the extruder. then the extruder gets globs all over it and it destroys what its already printed beneth...i cant win!

really looking to get abs working today and any help i can get would be super appreciated. if i can get some replies explaining what i'm doing wrong i can stop at the hardware store and get glue sticks or...blue tape? please just let me know what i should do gang! so excited to print with abs and its been an utter failure so far!

keripes!

[benavery]

You absolutely need to use something to get ABS to stick, otherwise you get exactly as you are seeing, no adhesion. It'll never stick to just glass.

If you have already put down some of the Kapton tape (the brown stuff), that normally does an okay job. 90, or 100degrees should be hot enough for ABS, I wouldn't bother trying to get it to 110. If you still have problems with kapton, you can try scuffing it up a bit, not with sandpaper, but maybe just really really lightly with a kitchen scourer or something.

My favorite for ABS is glue stick. People recommend the elmers stuff that is purple, but I'm not sure it really matters. When the glass is cold you just rub a bit around to make a super thin layer on the whole bit of glass (or roughly the size of whatever you are printing). 10sseconds later when it dries, it should be basically invisible. Don't apply it when the bed is hot, or the gluestick just melts and makes a terrible mess.

[benavery]

Also, first layer height is pretty important. You need to make sure the bed is nice and level, and the z-stop is set correctly. When the first layer is going down, you want to look and see if the first layer looks slightly 'smushed'. If it just looks like a round tube of plastic carefully sitting on the glass, your extruder isn't close enough. You can also look when its starts doing the back-and-forward infill, that all runs are touching each other and producing a solid layer, rather than having slight gaps.

The same issue can happen from under extrusion too, which can happen if you haven't entered the exact filament diameter. If that filament you bought is actually closer to 1.65mm, rather than 1.75, then the machine isn't extruding as much as it thinks it is. You need to measure it with calipers to check. (Ignore what the box says, they're all slightly different)

[metrons]

lots of great tips. thanks benavery!

how do i set the z-stop? ive been using the Z jog control in S3d until it reaches the top and the little red light turns on. thats when i press the Zero Z button in s3d. is that correct? i have been doing the same for X and Y as well. not sure i'f im' doing that correctly.

if the thickness isn't 1.75 and actually 1.65 is that something i can change in S3d?

can someone explain the...temp i should be using? i keep seeing so many different numbers for the temp. i'm not sure how i can tell if its to hot or cold for abs?

i'll try zeroing out the bed again tonight. should be set though. i think my problem is...temperature and sticking of course.

also. what the hell is extrusion multiplier? sounds like something i should be using? this printing is so complex!

[jimc]

Extrusion multiplier increases and decreases the extrusion rate....more or less plastic. Its a fine tune basically so the width of your extrusion matches the extrusion width you have set. for the z setting, keep everyhing in s3d at zero. Dont mess with any of that for now. You adjust the gap with the z adjustment bolt. Just hit home z in the jog panel then check the gap. A good start point is .005-.006". Check it with a feeler gauge

[benavery]

Z-stop adjusting instructions are here: http://makergear.wikidot.com/m2-getting-started
I think there might also be a youtube video about it.
If you haven't adjusted it properly before, then this is absolutely the first thing you must do.

[Dale Reed]

Metrons,

ive been using the Z jog control in S3d until it reaches the top and the little red light turns on. thats when i press the Zero Z button in s3d.

jimc is correct. Specifically, when you start the job on the printer, the starting G-code will home the axes again, thus "forgetting" the Z-zero that you set in S3D. As jimc states, you need to adjust the Z-stop bolt so that the printer knows exactly where Z home is. The Z-stop bolt is the tall hex-head bolt on the bed frame left of the bed which hits the Z end stop / limit switch (you know where this is -- you've seen the LED) to tell the control board when "home" is reached). You want to set this bolt, carefully, then lock it down with the jam nut, so that after you home the Z axis you have a gap of 0.005 inches between the nozzle and bed.

But there's more to it than that. There are three screws under the bed that adjust the bed "level". This isn't level with respect to gravity, it's more like making the bed "true". What this means is the bed, at Z home, has the same gap from the nozzle (0.005") regardless of X and Y position.

There's a MakerGear video that shows how to adjust all this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53wWwk ... 4rBJPYOIfQ and several people here have posted bed leveling help in the "Tips" board.

There are several MakerGear M2 videos that will help you with setup and adjustments at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtJ0C ... IfQ/videos .

Hope this helps!
Dale

[metrons]

thanks so much guys. so helpful.

learning a lot here already. be posting pictures tonight of the monstrosity of abs...

so does 245 sound good for printing then? thats the latest number i've heard and still not sure how to tell if i'm extruding to hot or cold...

[jimc]

I always print my abs at 245. I have found that i have had no reason to change that number. No matter what abs i seem to use 245 always work. Coincidence.....maybe. That a good start point for you though

[metrons]

thanks again jim. really appreciate the help gang.