Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[DaveB]

QIDI TEch-1 extruder temp issue. My printer seems to have developed an issue maintaining the extruder temp. Say I set it at 200 for a print. It heats ok but a little while after the print has started the temp registers as much as 15 degrees less. S3D and the printer display both agree. After a long time, let's say 20 minutes into the hour and a half print the temp slowly starts to inch up. Over the 90 minutes the temp is barely able to get back to the target temp.

Any ideas?

If we assume the thermocouple channel is reading back the correct value, and that the heater control electronics is functioning properly, then there must be a reason the heater is not transferring enough heat into the hot end to achieve the target temperature. Either something is sucking the heat out, or something is keeping you from pushing enough in. 1.) Have you changed the thermal wrapper or added fans, or made some mechanical alteration that would increase the thermal mass or thermal conduction out of the hot end? 2.) Have you done anything that might reduce the heat conduction path from the heater cartridge into the hot end? Like adding a sleeve, or some layer of non-conductive crud between the heater and the block. Or maybe bad electrical connections to the heater element or possibly a bad heater element: Measuring the two heater cartridges on my QiDi they both appear to be about 14.1 ohms across the unplugged cartridge at room temperature.

[DaveB]

My new design for the rear manifold for my dry box. It keeps the original part for the two rolls on the back of the machine without restricting access and adds for the five feeders from my dry box. Now, when I can remove the filament I am running I will install and see if it really works.

That looks right purdy W. I like it. Just keep the bends in the tubing really slow and loose on the way to the dry box. Set up one PTFE tube run like you want it to be, and try it out. Thread it up and move the filament thru the entire path by hand. Note the friction added by the PTFE tube vs that added when also pulling the filament off the roll. Check how the required force changes depending upon the filament's position on the reel that the filament is feeding from (middle or sides relative to the exit point from the dry box).

[jfkansas]

I prefer 4mm fittings and tubing though.

My new design for the rear manifold for my dry box. It keeps the original part for the two rolls on the back of the machine without restricting access and adds for the five feeders from my dry box. Now, when I can remove the filament I am running I will install and see if it really works.


[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[caall99]

jfkansas, sent you a PM regarding your excellent Z-axis rework. Not sure if you get PM notifications. About to pull the trigger on another set of cheap Chinese LMF8LUU bearings... but would rather not.

[jfkansas]

Hey there, saw it earlier today just didn't have time to respond yet.

[wirlybird]

I prefer 4mm fittings and tubing though.

All of my tubing is 6mm OD by 4mm ID so that is what I went with. I could see smaller fittings being a little bit of a space saver.

[ChrisG]

Anyone have success with auto bed levelling on the Qidi Tech 1? I'd be interested to know exactly what you've done.

[jfkansas]

Anyone have success with auto bed levelling on the Qidi Tech 1? I'd be interested to know exactly what you've done.

I trained my fingers to auto level. Takes about a minute to do and many many less parts.

Gotta think, to TRULY auto level you would need servos/steppers on all three adjustment points. A sensor to probe each adjustment point would be needed along with circuitry and programming to make it all happen. Is it worth it? I don't think it is. It is why almost no machines do it.

[Warren O'neill]

how many of you print duel colour objects.
in my case its almost never and i am thinking of doing away with the second stepper and extruder set up.

Just wanting to know what your thoughts on this are

[wirlybird]

how many of you print duel colour objects.
in my case its almost never and i am thinking of doing away with the second stepper and extruder set up.

Just wanting to know what your thoughts on this are

I haven't done a dual extrusion yet but am wanting to. My main setup is PLA on the left where the fan is and ABS on the right. With the nozzles well leveled to each other I can do prints in either pretty easily with little change. I have also pulled the ABS and ran a second PLA color on the right when cooling isn't such a big deal. So, aside from ABS the right extruder becomes the backup one.