Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

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sTaLa
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 3:01 am

Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by sTaLa » Sun Jun 26, 2016 4:59 am

Hello,

I just received my M2 Rev.E and I am really pleased with it so far.

I ran into some trouble doing through the Quick Start App tough.

First time I did all the steps, when the printer started, the nozzle was too low and crashed into the plate after it purged some filament.
Second time I ran the Quick Start, the nozzle was about .75'' too high.

So I decided to run the Quick Start App, close it after calibration, and rerun it. I did this process about 4 times. The last time I did that process, I received a new message from the software telling me that my printer was leveled sucessfully. This was the first time I received that message: all previous calibrations were followed by the first print steps. This indicates me that the Quick Start App is indeed an iterative process, as mentionned by an other member of the forum. The itearations are just not yet included within the software.

What troubles me tough is that I never received a message indicating that I should use the 2mm hex wrench to level the bed.
Image

Should I worry about it? I assume I might have to use that step of calibration sooner or later, but I have no way of getting to it as of now.
Thanks!

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Jules
Posts: 3144
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:36 am

Re: Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by Jules » Sun Jun 26, 2016 4:55 pm

MakerGear levels your machine before shipping. If yours survived the transport without losing any level, you're lucky. :D

Update: Uhhhhhmmmm.....I might have been too quick there......let me elaborate:

There are actually two processes in the Quick Start Application, and I'm going to explain them below:

The first "calibration" that you perform when you run through the App sets the "Starting Height" for the bed, which creates the correct gap between the bed and the nozzle. You perform that setting in the center of the bed.

After you set the Starting Height, the app takes you immediately into the "Leveling" process, which makes you go through the "calibration" four more times at the corners of the bed. (That is the place where you make adjustments with the hex wrench if necessary.) It is very important to make sure that the metal plate is balanced evenly on top of the 4 small screws underneath for the leveling process.

So you should, if every thing goes correctly, have to go through five total "calibrations" to set the Starting Height and Level the plate before the results are saved to the firmware in the QuickStart Application.

If you just do the first one for the Starting Height and then go to print, the results of that are not saved. That is a condition of the QuickStart Application, and there is no way around it. You have to do both processes to save the results to the firmware.

If you want to JUST reset the Starting Height, without having to go through the whole leveling process again, you want to use the Z-Adjust App at the link below:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3666

That one will save the results to the firmware after you just set the Starting Height.

sTaLa
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Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 3:01 am

Re: Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by sTaLa » Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:35 am

I did went through five calibrations every time. But I was pretty sure I would have nine to do.

Here's what I got from the Youtube Video: (timestamps are within the links)

1. Z Height first calibration https://youtu.be/L85goRYoSQE?t=1m46s
2. Bed level with software https://youtu.be/L85goRYoSQE?t=2m3s
3. Bed level with allen wrench https://youtu.be/L85goRYoSQE?t=2m51s

What I found strange is that the option to adjust with the allen key was presented to me only once. But I was already experiencing issues with the Z height at this point, so I resetted the process instead of using my allen key. Then, I never got presented the option to adjust with the allen key again in the Quick Start App. I kind of wonder if this is the same for the other users?

Update: Now that I re-read my post before submiting, I realize the Quick Start App must have simply calculated that my bed was properly level...

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NF6X
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Re: Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by NF6X » Fri Aug 05, 2016 4:50 pm

I got my M2 about a week ago, and I had some related confusion. Every time I went through the leveling process in Quick Start, it only directed me to perform five steps, with no mention of leveling screws. That led me to incorrectly assume that the leveling process must obviously rely on software compensation rather than mechanical leveling screws. After installing a PEI sheet on my glass bed last night, Quick Start ran me through the whole nine-step process, and that was the first time I realized that there are mechanical leveling screws under the bed corners. Now, I think that I understand that the leveling procedure first checks the leveling, and then only directs you to make mechanical adjustments if it detects a non-level bed. That is, unless I'm still making ignorant assumptions, and talking out my back end.

wmgeorge
Posts: 200
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Re: Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by wmgeorge » Fri Aug 05, 2016 10:53 pm

I do not have the "E" model but mine was purchased August (I think) 2015. I checked it then, and after the PEI install I leveled in Sept and I am ashamed to admit that was the last time I checked. About a week ago I moved the M2 downstairs after not using for maybe 2months thinking maybe I should check for level. Nah, I confirmed the zero and took the lazy way out just started my 3 hour print. Came out great.
Retired Master Electrician, Commercial HVAC/R,CNC Router

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Jules
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Re: Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by Jules » Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:33 am

Yeah, it's amazing how long these things keep their level once you set them. I had to tweak mine once, after 6 months, on the older model. :D

sTaLa
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Re: Quick Start - 2mm hex wrench step not available?

Post by sTaLa » Wed Sep 14, 2016 2:53 am

NF6X wrote:Now, I think that I understand that the leveling procedure first checks the leveling, and then only directs you to make mechanical adjustments if it detects a non-level bed. That is, unless I'm still making ignorant assumptions, and talking out my back end.
That is what I understood too. It seems my printer did go out of "level" during shipping. Never had any confirmation tough, but I have no stick issue at all on bed whole bed so...

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