Colorfabb XT printing woes... Need Simplify3D tips/settings

[rixpix247]

Hi All,

First of all... I LOVE MY M2!!!!!!!!! I am in printing heaven, at least until late. I've been running only PLA since purchase (April 2014) and have had a grand time with almost all my prints until I met Colorfabb's XT.

I am in an emergency need of settings information for a wedding project I am printing, and we all know that we shall not miss wedding deadlines, right? The main reason for going with XT is the parts being printed are for outside use and we all know what happens to PLA in direct hot sunlight right? So enter Colorfabb XT filament.

I am using Simplify3D software, but my experience is limited, and I did manage to print a decent part a couple of times, but now using the same perimeters for some reason I get strings and drags etc. ad nauseam. Is there an 'apply these settings to current model' switch I don't know about? I just can't figure out why I got 2 decent prints before things went wonky.

Anywho... here is my dilemma with the Colorfabb XT filament. Recommended print temp is 240c to 260c...

1) Can my M2 print at those temps without meltdown? (my extruder block seems to rotate out of usual right angle alignment easily at the higher temps)

2) Can it continue to print one part right after the otherone or do I need a cool down time?

3) Does anyone on MakerGear Forum have experience with this particular filament?

4) Suggested settings?

5) Do I need a hotter/different extruder assy?

6) Where do I locate the perimeter speed so I can slow it down to get cleaner walls?

Here are the settings, from memory since I am at work until about 6:30pm PST. Settings are the default ones except what is noted. I gleaned this info from the post titled 'esun petg', posted by jdacal » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:04 pm

Bed is level

Medium quality, 20% infill

Extruder temp = 250c (tried other temps too, some clumpy, some bubbles, some stringy)

Bed temp = 70c

Print Speed = 3200

Coast = OFF

Retract = 2mm (and 1.8mm)

Wipe = 5mm

I am not sure what hot end I have since this is my first venture into non PLA ill-printing filament situation, but my M2 was shipped to me last April 2014.

I was thinking of trying a little more 'retract' and a little 'coast' but not sure of how much.

Thanks in advance and if you could please reply asap with any info that might help I would be indebted!

[jimc]

ok colorfabb xt is petg. it is relatively easy to print with. its just getting your settings nailed down. i would share my settings but my exact settings would not apply since i am running a different hot end than you. you have a v3b hot end, a totally different animal than mine. pet is very sensitive to over extrusion so if your filament dia and extrusion multiplier are right on the money you will get strings then it will collect on the nozzle in blobs. i have coasting off but you may need a little with the v3b. im not sure. my retraction is set to 1mm so i would take a guess that you would need somewhere around 2-2.6mm on yours. temp should be about 250. first layer need to be perfect as well other wise you get the same symptoms as overextrusion. too much plastic and you nozzle will drag through it and accumulate on the tip in a blob then string all over the place. other than that there is really nothing special about the settings for the material. it prints very much with the same settings as abs. if your hot end is loose you had better print yourself a replacement filament drive real soon.

[rixpix247]

Thanks Jimc!

Great info there. Upon much closer investigation (after setting up new suggested perimeters) I have discovered the culprit! My 40mm Filament Drive Cooling Fan runs great until the M2 initializes to start a print, then it just plain TURNS OFF... WHAT?!(!&$@^...

So, obviously the first start of the print goes great until the filament drive heats up and feeds the XT filament less and less until nothing. Then the heater block swings 10 degrees clockwise, due to slight pressure form the wiring and meltdown is inevitable if not shut down.

So my question is... why? Why all of a sudden is my filament drive fan acting up like this. no wiring was changed, no fan settings were changed in Simplify3D... I am at a loss. I thought that maybe a wire has a break in it when the harness is stretched when the extruder is in the home/start print position? But manually moving it there or playing with the harness does not repeat the problem... ugh...

Going bald pulling out my hair and I ain't got much left... any ideas y'all?

Again, thanks in advance!
Rick

[jimc]

Rick it sounds like you used someones fff file from a 12/19v machine on your 24v machine. The start scripts are different. This is why when i post my fff files i always note they are for a 12/19v. Get rid of the file and go back to s3ds stock makergear profile, open the fff file you want in a text editor and just copy the settings into s3d

[Tim]

Great info there. Upon much closer investigation (after setting up new suggested perimeters) I have discovered the culprit! My 40mm Filament Drive Cooling Fan runs great until the M2 initializes to start a print, then it just plain TURNS OFF... WHAT?!(!&$@^...

If it's wired up correctly, then the fan on the extruder should never shut off, as it is normally wired into an always-on voltage source. One thing should be true in the 12/19V setup, which is that the electronics fan and the extruder fan should both be wired (in parallel) into the same terminal plug. If one fan is turning off and the other isn't, but they're plugged into the same socket, then the fan's faulty. If they both turn off, then they're plugged into the wrong socket.

[jsc]

Does your startup code contain "M108 S155"? If so, you need to delete that.