Auto-leveling

[KDog]

Hi All,

Am trying to implement this on my printrbot and came across these videos. If I had a Makerfarm i3 I would definitely do this mod. Wow!


part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awsI9bMndJA
part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6msLOR_EfKc
part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpiOsetkIRg

Let me know if any of you try this.

Cheers,

KDog

[old man emu]

That will be the next job after I have installed a relay to control the power to my heated bed. Luckily I decided to scrap out an RC plane that I bought some time ago and which has micro servos!

Old Man Emu

[DrLuigi]

Well i thought about it,
But i wont do this simple because i would need to remove my Fan mount for my 2 40mm fans, And its just not worth it imo, It wont always be perfect on level and will need tinkering as you have to do now,

If i didnt have the fan mount/have another design that would work, i would have bought the parts already.

[Kingoddball]

(I have a RepRap i3 not MK) I plan on installing one of these in my i3 soon. Probably in the next few weeks.
Got my 9G servos yesterday.
If it works OK on my printer, I will be adding to all of my printers.

I have 2 and a half printers so far (i2/i3 and three quarters a SmartRap).

[JohnA136]

I am a little perplexed? Do you guys have a problem with your build platform or extruder changing positions all the time? I set the gap on my machines and forget it? Seriously, I set the platform at Christmas when my son brought it up and have not touched it and probably have a hundred hours on it since then? Maybe I am missing something here?

[old man emu]

Do you guys have a problem with your build platform or extruder changing positions all the time?

Yes. I'd say that you are lucky in that the distance between your extruder and bed at Z= 0 has remained constant after all those heating cycles. With the constant heating and cooling of the bed, there is the possibility of warping of either the bed, the heater plate, or the glass. This simple device allows the controller to confirm the location of the surface of the bed before each print job, and adjust things to the true Z = 0 by adding a bit of Z if the bed is low, or by taking off a bit of Z if it is high. having watched the video, I am impressed by the speed this process can take place, and much more accurately than I could do it by physically trying to set the endstop position or bed height.

OME

[KDog]

Yeah, sometimes I can get several prints without adjusting the bed but then it will move around a bit. Could be natural warping occurring, different pieces of glass? I like the idea of not worrying about it.

Also, you get a centimeter+ extra z-build height with auto leveling because you can remove the springs, knobs, etc. and mount the heated bed directly to the movement platform.

[old man emu]

Also, you get a centimeter+ extra z-build height with auto leveling because you can remove the springs, knobs, etc. and mount the heated bed directly to the movement platform.

Good point! And putting the heated bed on the Y plate prevents some loss of heat.

Old Man Emu

[MeoWorks]

Awesome, going to do this when I switch to single plate.

[old man emu]

There are two things I don't understand from those videos.

1. When he is connecting the servo, he talks about jumping some pins, and shows the three pins in question. However, he does not say which pin gets connected to another.

2. Where do the wires from the limit switch get connected to?

Old Man Emu