ReplicatorG Problem! Power Spec 3DPro9(FFCP)

Hey Guys,

I am new to the the 3d printing world. I have had my Power Spec 3D Pro for about a week. Its a private labled Flashforge Creator Pro. I have gotten some ok prints so far. But all the sudden everything I try to print using ReplicatorG fails. The printer thinks the build platform is 1/8 to 3/16" higher than it is. So the nozzle is to far from the build plate when it starts printing. I have tried using the same .stl files with makerware and the gcode prints fine. I have deleted and reinstalled ReplicatorG and Python (pypy) and still no luck. I like the control I get with RepG over the makerware. So anyone have a clue whats happened? I am trying out Prftweak with markerware and that might give me the control I desire but the issue with RepG puzzles me. Oh and I am using sailfish and the RepicatorG sailfish build from Thingiverse as well. Any help would be awesome.:confused:

We have the same printer and have had excellent success. Send me an email to review your specific issues. thx

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Originally Posted by Procheck

Hey Guys,

I am new to the the 3d printing world. I have had my Power Spec 3D Pro for about a week. Its a private labled Flashforge Creator Pro. I have gotten some ok prints so far. But all the sudden everything I try to print using ReplicatorG fails. The printer thinks the build platform is 1/8 to 3/16" higher than it is. So the nozzle is to far from the build plate when it starts printing. I have tried using the same .stl files with makerware and the gcode prints fine. I have deleted and reinstalled ReplicatorG and Python (pypy) and still no luck. I like the control I get with RepG over the makerware. So anyone have a clue whats happened? I am trying out Prftweak with markerware and that might give me the control I desire but the issue with RepG puzzles me. Oh and I am using sailfish and the RepicatorG sailfish build from Thingiverse as well. Any help would be awesome.:confused:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Procheck

Hey Guys,

I am new to the the 3d printing world. I have had my Power Spec 3D Pro for about a week. Its a private labled Flashforge Creator Pro. I have gotten some ok prints so far. But all the sudden everything I try to print using ReplicatorG fails. The printer thinks the build platform is 1/8 to 3/16" higher than it is. So the nozzle is to far from the build plate when it starts printing. I have tried using the same .stl files with makerware and the gcode prints fine. I have deleted and reinstalled ReplicatorG and Python (pypy) and still no luck. I like the control I get with RepG over the makerware. So anyone have a clue whats happened? I am trying out Prftweak with markerware and that might give me the control I desire but the issue with RepG puzzles me. Oh and I am using sailfish and the RepicatorG sailfish build from Thingiverse as well. Any help would be awesome.:confused:

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The Gcode is lifting the nozzle most likely before it is printing. I have a flashforge and ReplicatorG will do that sometimes... the downside of makerware is scaling also - it does not print 1:1. Makerware slightly scales things down by nearly 1% , it really is a pain.

You are looking for a Z movement near the beginning of the Gcode, so in replicator G, look for

G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle

Or something similar, that is all it is. Your end stops are the things that are saying where the minimium or maximum length of your carriages are and the firmware tells it where the other end is... i.e the machine isnt changing, so for prints to be so different, it must be the gcode/firmware.

What firmware also is yours running?

it's not makerware that scales things down - it's an inherent property of abs.
Pla wth makerware doesn't do it.

Found that out yesterday. I sized my workbench plugs for abs and they were absolutely bang on my dimensions - so about 0.3mm too large in diameter for the holes. Sanded down okay though, and the next batch with adjusted diameter are bang on.

Printed them in both makerware and simplify3d and the measurements are exactly what I set in openscad from both programs. This never happened whan I used abs. Always had to compensate for the shrinkage
This is yet another thing I like about pla - the dimensions I set are the ones that get printed.

Basically abs expands when it's printed and then shrinks by 1%
This is why it warps a lot more than pla.

So to get an exact size print in abs I scale the entire print up by 1%.

But pla - doesn't shrink. The stuff I'm using doesn't anyway.

I know geoff likes repg - I used it once and switched to makerware. Much much better program.
S3d - is better - but it's not free :-) And the idiot mode really is for idiots.
Once I got a level build plate and got it calibrated properly and started using blue tape - I discovered that makerware was actually a lot better than I'd supposed :-)
Most of the issues I was having were purely mechanical.

But s3d is a lot better. I don't normally advocate buying software, as the opensource and freeware market is saturated with the stuff.
But s3d is worth the money - it'll probably pay for itself in a couple of years just in the plastic I won't have thrown away.

Once I get to grips with some of the more advanced features I can see it really starting to pay for itself.

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Originally Posted by curious aardvark

it's not makerware that scales things down - it's an inherent property of abs.
Pla wth makerware doesn't do it.

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Sorry mate, did you smoke something before you typed that? lol.

Makerware does scale things down, I will stake the deed to my house on it, in fact no, I'll stake both deeds. I didn't say that as a whim, I meant it.

I am saying it because I use both programs for 12 hours a day and have for a couple of years and I am telling you now, on this machine Makerware scales things down by nearly 1%.

PLA or ABS doesnt matter dude, we're talking about scale. Please don't tell me it has anything at all remotely to do with ABS shrinkage. I'm surprised that came from you.

We're talking the same material, whether it be ABS or PLA and the exact same Code and model. We might both have Flashforges, but we are running in a different motherboard and firmware, keep that in mind.

Hey Guys, thanks for the replies, I lost...errrr... forgot my log-in lol :confused: I got the repg working thanks to Geoff, but it seems like my set up likes Makerware better. With Proftweak I have even gotten my machine to run Ninjaflex with very good results. I have about 80 hours of run time running Ninjaflex with no jams !!! :) It have saved me tons of money already. Making 12 prototypes for my company that would have cost about 200-250 each so its paid for itself already. Plus I look like a genius, my partners are kicking themselves for not taking my advice earlier when I was telling them we need one. I am really trying hard not to say "I told you so!". ;) The PowerSpec 3D Pro has everything I was looking for and prints the cheap $20 inland abs that Microcenter sells really well. I am looking forward to making future projects. The time saved alone would have made it worth while for product development. I also have used it to print toys for my kid who really loves minecraft. HE HE I think makerware does downsize it a little too, although I do notce a little shrinkage with RepG as well but that might be the cheap abs. I don't notice it with NinjaFlex so I think the TPE might have a better temp resistance, meaning no swelling during heating. Thanks for help guys. For you guys that have this model and have had trouble with keeping the door shut I have a fix that requires no glue or drilling holes in your machine. Email me I would be happy to share. It would probably work on the other versions like Flashforge and the WanHoa models. :cool: